THE Podcast for Wedding and Events Industry Professionals
All Episodes
All Episodes
313 THE NEXT LEVEL: JULIE SAVAGE discusses CALEB JORDAN LEE, Filmmaker Extraordinaire!
Andy’s guest co-host today is Julie Savage. Julie is the Founder and Creative Director of Strawberry Milk Events, who has planned and designed celebrations worldwide.
Listen as they discuss how impressive it was that Caleb launched his business at 16 and filmed 40 weddings his first year, and his insights into developing relationships with his creative partners, plus much more on this episode of The Next Level.
Caleb is a brilliant filmmaker and the owner of East West Production, a full-service event filmmaking company with award-winning coverage. Caleb’s work has been showcased in publications such as People’s Magazine, particularly for shooting Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s wedding. He has also been featured in Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides Magazine, and Harpers Bazaar named Caleb as one of the world’s top filmmakers.
Julie discusses how she matches her clients with creative partners like Caleb, the process they go through from there, and how it’s a learning curve to know that you are not the right person for everyone and that Caleb seemed to learn that much earlier in his career than most.
Andy and Julie share how Caleb writes a storyline, to follow when editing, and how he believes when working commercially, it’s not about the product as much as it is about the emotion behind the product and how to make that happen in a minute or less. Julie speaks about Caleb’s genuine team player attitude and how he is known for always helping creative partners where he can and how that keeps him top of mind when recommending a filmmaker to clients.
312 CALEB JORDAN LEE – Filmmaker Extraordinaire!
“I resonate with the client that wants to make you a part of their family throughout the wedding weekend.” Listen as Andy and his guest Caleb Jordan Lee discuss his early passion for travel and filmmaking, Caleb starting his LLC at sixteen and why he decided to film weddings, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Caleb is a brilliant filmmaker and the owner of East West Production, a full-service event filmmaking company with award-winning coverage. Caleb’s work has been showcased in publications such as People’s Magazine, particularly for shooting Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s wedding. He has also been featured in Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides Magazine, and Harpers Bazaar named Caleb as one of the world’s top filmmakers.
Caleb speaks about his first year in business and how his sister’s wedding was the catalyst for his business boom. Caleb speaks about how important he feels relationships are, with the creative partners and planners, and how he works with the planners to create the best product.
Listen, as Caleb shares a story about Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s wedding and how iconic his shot of her walking down the aisle with her 70 foot train was. Caleb also discusses how he and his team edit and how everything plays a part in getting the perfect film for his clients.
Caleb shares the work he does commercially and how he brings emotion to each small snippet. Caleb talks about the challenges he faces when telling a client’s story, his perspective on social media, the equipment he uses, and how he keeps up with the constant technology change. Caleb started as a teenager and has been in the industry for over ten years. His is a success story you don’t want to miss!
311 THE NEXT LEVEL: JENNIFER STEIN discusses MORGAN CHILDS, Micro-Weddings Are Here To Stay
Andy’s guest co-host today is Jennifer Stein, the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief at Destination I Do Magazine, which can be found in newsstands in all 50 states and 12 countries. She also has a wonderful daily online blog, consults, and custom publishes. Listen as they discuss Morgan’s view on elopement weddings, smaller events, and whether that trend will continue going forward, plus much more on this episode of The Next Level.
Morgan first began by founding Moana Events and Belle Destination Events and then created another element by adding Modern Elopement, for which she is the CEO and Creative Director. Morgan has been called the elopement expert by Destination I Do Magazine and is a planner who started in the elopement brand back in 2015 when she saw a trend for smaller weddings happening, and with COVID, the concept has exploded.
Listen as Jennifer discusses working with Morgan and the spread they did for Destination I Do Magazine. Jennifer talks about Morgan shifting her business to serve those needing smaller weddings and how she wanted to create something where the expectation met the revenue.
Jennifer believes that smaller weddings are a trend that will continue even post-COVID. With people rethinking where they spend their money, the large, lavish wedding sometimes isn’t as important as having a little extra for something else like buying a house.
310 MORGAN CHILDS: Micro-Weddings Are Here To Stay
“It isn’t about creating a less than wedding; it’s just about a different format.” Listen as Andy and his guest Morgan Childs discuss her growing up in Kauai, how she got into the event industry, and how to make it through the pandemic and beyond, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Morgan first began by founding Moana Events and Bella Destination Events and then created another element by adding Modern Elopement, for which she is the CEO and Creative Director. Morgan has been called the elopement expert by Destination I Do Magazine and is a planner who started in the elopement brand back in 2015 when she saw a trend for smaller weddings happening, and with COVID, the concept has exploded.
Morgan shares when she started seeing the trend for smaller weddings even before the pandemic, why her clients find them more attractive, and the difference between all the different terms of smaller weddings like micro and tiny weddings. She also speaks about where the focus is on the elopement weddings her company does and what they entail.
Listen as Morgan addresses some planners’ concerns with taking time off their calendars for smaller weddings when they can fill those dates with higher-end, more expensive weddings. Post-COVID Morgan believes these smaller, more personal weddings will continue because mindsets around money have changed, and saving money or buying a house is sometimes more appealing than spending huge amounts of money on an extravagant wedding.
309 REVISIT: DAVID MONN PART 2: Acumen in the Business of Events
In this episode of the Wedding Biz, Andy brings back David Monn for part 2 of their conversation. David’s clients include social leaders from around the world. He is known for events like The Met’s Costume Institute Gala, and the 100th Anniversary of the Plaza Hotel, to name a few. He is also a contributing editor to Departures Magazine and has been featured in numerous luxury and lifestyle publications.
Listen as David breaks down how he planned the Met’s Gala, how he used the senses, time of year, and locations to make the event one of a kind. He discusses how having discipline and order at a function allows it to flow, and why the band or DJ should know how to read the energy of the group.
David’s wisdom knows no bounds. You can’t help but learn from listening to him talk about corporate events being about messaging the brand and learning his perspective on how to most effectively work with fundraisers.
He talks about the three main things he feels are given us in life and how thankful he is for them. The event industry is not something you get into because you need a job, you do it because you can’t see yourself doing anything else.
This is a fantastic conversation, with stellar stories and invaluable information. We have been waiting for this episode since July, when Part 1 was released, so get ready to be blown away yet again.
308 REVISIT: DAVID MONN PART 1: Aligning the Senses To Create The Ultimate Event
Join David Monn and Andy as they travel down memory lane to discover the events and steps that led David to develop a unique sense of design in the event industry. Join Andy and David as they travel down memory lane to discover the events and steps that led him to develop a unique sense of design in the event industry. David’s unique ability to align the senses to create the most effective event tapestry is what sets him apart from his fellow planners and designers.
David’s fascinating career trajectory involved finally realizing his calling was in event planning and design. His use of authenticity, scale, and attention to detail along with igniting the senses of smell, sound, and sight have made him an industry leader and one of the most highly sought-after event planners/designers in the world. His goal is to craft an event that shares your true story and personality, not the fantasy that you’ve created for yourself.
His years in the corporate environment prepared him by giving insights into the mechanics of running a business and putting him in contact with some of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century. Their mentorship and his creativity are the backbones of his business.
Listen in to learn how lighting design defines an event, why packing light and carrying on your luggage is so freeing, and how to leverage your relationships to create a thriving business. David shares valuable and personal insights into the creation of his business, so this conversation is not one you want to miss.
307 A Conversation With DAVID BEAHM & CHRISTINA MATTEUCCI
“I believe there are no better problem solvers in the world than special event professionals.” Andy is excited to have David Beahm and Christina Matteucci back on the show. David is a popular event designer based in New York City, working worldwide, and Christina is crucial to David’s business as she is his Executive Director. Both have been on the show multiple times and are informative and enjoyable each and every time.
“We are all on different ships in the same storm.” David and Christina discuss how they handle the unrest in our country and what they are each doing to stay grounded. They believe that you have to follow what the universe has set before you and look at the opportunities around you to serve your community and help anyone you can.
They share how they are keeping business alive and bringing in revenue, Christina has been coaching, and they have been helping their legacy clients with decorating for the holidays. They believe that the outlook for the events industry in the future is bright. It might be different, but no one adapts better than special event professionals.
306 MONTE DURHAM – Service with Passion and Grace
“The biggest success for me with dealing with clients is that I have never forgotten that I am the hired help.” Andy has Monte Durham as his guest on this episode of The Wedding Biz with the audio portion of a video interview he conducted on Zoom for the WeddingMBA Conference that just occurred. Andy first interviewed Monte back in April on episode 250, and it’s a pleasure to have him back for a follow-up interview.
Monte is a hugely successful fashion expert and one of the stars of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, Atlanta, where he had been the fashion director at Bridals by Lori, the south’s premier bridal salon.
Monte says that he hasn’t slowed down since the pandemic; he is still going 110%, which has kept him motivated. Monte shares stories of the wallpaper and pictures on the new salon walls and how he saved money by buying some furnishings from flea markets and refinishing them himself.
Listen as Monte shares some stories of difficult clients and how he handled the situations. Monte believes that bundling products and services will help wedding professionals come back strong and says he never forgets that he is the hired help. Monte also speaks about what he is looking forward to, once the pandemic is over, and some new exciting things that are on the horizon for his career.
Are you a creative who wants to turn your craft into a business or take it further? Head to the Wedding Biz Network and listen to The Business of Being Creative podcast with Sean Low. Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more.
305 THE NEXT LEVEL: ALEJANDRA POUPEL discusses ROB VAN HELDEN, Perfect Simplicity and Floral Design for Royalty
Andy’s guest co-host today is Alejandra Poupel from Alejandra Poupel Events out of Paris, catering to an international clientele including Chinese, Middle Eastern, Russian and American, all of whom have different expectations based on their cultural perspective. Listen as they discuss Rob’s idea of perfect simplicity, how he likes the natural beauty of flowers, and the royal events he has done, plus much more on this episode of The Next Level.
Rob is the owner of Rob Van Helden Floral Design Limited, out of London. His previous clientele includes Nelson Mandela, Joe Malone, Elton John, and Royal weddings and events including Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Margaret’s 70th birthday.
Alejandra discusses how Rob respects the flower’s beauty, his use of props when he designs arrangements for events, and the Royal events he’s done and how beautiful they always are. Alejandra also shares the one thing in Rob’s interview that surprised and pleased her the most.
Listen as Alejandra shares how she is handling the pandemic personally and professionally and how the industry as a whole is coming together to support each other and lend a hand when needed.
304 ROB VAN HELDEN – Perfect Simplicity and Floral Design for Royalty
“I personally believe that flowers speak for themselves.” Listen as Andy and his guest Rob Van Helden discuss ‘perfect simplicity’ and what he means by that. Rob also talks about starting a business out of the back of a car with his sister Patrice and how through word of mouth they were able to grow, plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Rob is the owner of Rob Van Helden Floral Design Limited out of London. His previous clientele include Nelson Mandela, Joe Malone, Elton John, the Beckham’s World Cup party, Alfred Dunhill and James Bond film premiers, and Royal weddings and events including Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Princess Margaret’s 70th birthday among others.
Rob shares why he likes to work with a lot of just one type of flower, how instrumental props are in the design, and setting the theme. Rob shares his process when he works with clients. And he speaks about taking his clients to the flower market with him so they can see firsthand what he has in mind for the design and experience their responses.
Listen, as Rob describes the flower arrangements he designed for his own wedding and some of the biggest challenges he has faced at an event. Rob shares how he is handling the pandemic personally and professionally, and that success to him is having happy clients.
303 A Conversation With: CHRISTIAN OTH
On this episode of The Wedding Biz, Andy is having a conversation with Christian Oth. Listen as he discusses how he is dealing with the pandemic both personally and professionally, why he charges an upcharge for new contracts and a non-refundable percentage if a client postpones. Christian also shares what he is doing now, including his newest workshops
Christian is an internationally renowned photographer. His experience in fashion, photojournalism, portraiture, advertising, and still life combines into an editorial style that makes Christian truly one of a kind. American Photo named him one of the world’s ten best photographers, and his work has appeared in top fashion and wedding publications.
Listen as Christian shares what he is doing to stay grounded and in shape, since the pandemic began, and how it has affected him personally. Professionally, the pandemic has led to cancellations and postponements. However, he has been able to stay busy with Commercial and Advertising Photography.
Christian speaks about staying in touch with his clients and working with them to reschedule one-on-one. He talks about adding an upcharge to new contracts to help cover the cost and how he is now running a leaner and meaner company with a strong core team of employees and outsourcing what he can. Christian has also launched a workshop on photography and is looking forward to adding more specialized courses and, eventually, a business course to learn how to run a photography business.
302 THE NEXT LEVEL: KIM WISELEY discusses JOY PROCTOR The Essence of Design
Andy’s guest co-host today is Kim Wiseley, Founder and Creative Director of Flutter Magazine, and she recently created a new sister company called The Floral Pantry.
Listen as they discuss Joy’s outlook on how the design relates to the location, the inclusive proposal she gives her clients, plus much more on this episode of The Next Level.
Today, Andy and Kim talk about Joy Proctor of Joy Proctor Design, a full-service design house. She has been named amongst the top in the world and a leader in the industry by Harper’s Bazaar and Brides. Joy has designed well over 400 weddings worldwide and does photo styling, creative direction, and production for clients.
Kim and Andy speak about why the location plays a big role in how Joy designs an event, how she walks through the area with her clients to see what excites them and uses that to inspire what she designs. Kim also discusses Joy’s proposals, which includes everything from what the guests are wearing to the flowers and lighting.
Kim shares how she met Joy and some editorial projects they have worked on together. She describes their Hearts of Flutter retreats, that they created together, and how the people who attend become like family after the experience because of their bonds. Andy speaks about Joy putting herself in front of issues like racial bias and other inequalities because she isn’t afraid to speak out.
301 JOY PROCTOR – The Essence of Design
“An event designer is the equivalent of an interior designer.” Andy’s guest on the show is Joy Proctor of Joy Proctor Design, a full-service design house. Listen as they discuss what led Joy to make that analogy, how her childhood influenced her career path, why she transitioned from a planner to a designer, plus so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Joy considers herself a wedding designer and stylist and has been named amongst the top wedding planners in the world and a leader in the industry by Harpers Bazaar and Brides. Joy has designed well over 400 weddings worldwide and does photo styling, creative direction, and production for clients, including Bella Belle Shoes, ALTR Created Diamonds, Bel Aire Bridal, Flutter Magazine more.
Listen, as Joy shares her process of extrapolating the essence of design, her client’s desire in the location they want, and how walking through the venue with the client allows her to visualize her design. Joy also discusses what is included in her thirty to fifty-page design proposal she gives her clients.
Joy speaks about the work she does with editorial campaigns, her product collaborations, and the Hearts of Flutter Tours she organizes. Joy also gives us some insight into her recent social media posts on social justice movements and why she decided this was the time to get involved. And finally, she talks about she’s handling the effects of the pandemic.
300 NANCY SHAFFER – The Live Events Coalition, Board President & Director
Andy is bringing us a very important interview pertinent right now in the weddings and events industry. The Live Events Coalition is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s devastating impact on the live events industry to provide advocacy, resources, and a network that connects and supports businesses, contractors, and the general event industry workforce. It established a national Facebook group that wants to connect, share stories, opportunities, or just support the live event’s mission, with its members now reaching 23,000.
Nancy Shaffer is the Founder and CEO of Bravo Events and the Board President and Director of the Live Events Coalition. Listen as Nancy discusses how the Coalition got started, what the Coalition is doing to advocate for and support the live events industry, and what is specifically being discussed and done for the industry as a whole.
Nancy shares ways that people can become a member, start a localized chapter, and/or volunteer. Over 12 million people are being deeply and adversely affected in the live events industry, and Nancy and the Coalition want you to know that you are not alone. They are fighting for you every day.
299 ZUZU BIRKHOF/Photographer – Seeing The Moment Before Pushing The Button
“This fragility of a moment fascinated me, and this is something I always wanted to do, freeze moments.” Andy’s guest on the show today is Zuzu Birkhof. Listen as they discuss her grandfather’s encouragement to go to film school, being the first female to assist the well-known german photographer Olaf Heine, and why she transitioned to wedding photography, plus so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Zuzu is a photographer working out of Berlin. She had worked many years in fashion and commercial photography before switching to weddings in which she brings her fashion aesthetic. Zuzu has recently added a new element to her business called The Love Empire, unique shootings for daring brides.
Zuzu shares her journey from film school to producing and finally into photography. She talks about why she transitioned into wedding photography and describes how her style differs from other industry photographers. Listen as Zuzu shares why she sees the final picture before she pushes the button.
Zuzu discusses her new project, The Love Empire, where she got the idea and how the pandemic has allowed her to bring the idea to life. Creating concepts for brides in many locations, and that are unique to them before the actual wedding, is Zuzu’s way of letting the bride relax on her wedding day because she knows the perfect shot has already been taken.
Her approach to photography is different from the norm, but with her unique take on how a picture should look and what colors need to be pushed in post-production, she can give her clients a once in a lifetime picture to look back on. You don’t want to miss Andy’s conversation with Zuzu Birkhof.
298 MARIA BOUSTANY discusses YARA ESTEPHAN Planning and Designing in 3D Out Of Beirut
Andy’s guest co-host today is Maria Boustany, from Chateau Rweiss in Lebanon. Listen as they discuss the beauty of the Chateau, the weddings and events she has done with Yara Estephan, an extremely gifted planner and designer out of Beirut, and much more on this episode of The Next Level.
Maria and Andy discuss the 3D renderings that Yara uses when designing weddings and how the finished product looks like she envisions. Maria describes the fun wedding Yara planned for the owners of a major ice cream brand at the Chateau and how the design reflected the couple to perfection.
Listen as Maria speaks about how, because of the pandemic, the Chateau has had only about 10% of the weddings they usually have in 2020 and how the weddings they had were significantly smaller than what they usually are. Maria shares that although the weddings were smaller, Yara’s were exquisite because she could focus better on the details.
Yara and Maria have used the pause to focus on advancing their learning, and bringing Lebanon and the Chateau to the forefront as the place to have your destination wedding. Are you planning a destination wedding? The Chateau might be the hidden gem you’ve been looking for.
297 YARA ESTEPHAN – Planning And Designing In 3D Out Of Beirut
“I think my background in graphic design helps me because I focus a lot on the details of a wedding.” Andy’s guest on the show today is Yara Estephan, a wonderful planner and designer out of Beirut. Listen as they discuss Yara’s early interest in weddings, how she uses her graphic design background in her current work, some great stories about some major over-the-top and high-exposure weddings, and how she is handling the pandemic plus so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Yara shares her background and a story about planning a fake wedding for her five year old sister, when she was twelve, that guests actually showed up for. Yara believes that her graphic design background helps her when designing weddings because she can show a couple her vision in 3D.
Yara shares her process for planning and designing weddings, and describes some major weddings that she has created. She talks about how she comes up with the amazing designs she is known for and how the pandemic is affecting her business. Yara also speaks about how the small intimate weddings, that are trending, have affected her design concepts.
Yara discusses what she thinks will change in the event industry, once the pandemic is over, and some advice for young planners just starting. She is an eloquent speaker and can bring her designs to life with just her words. You don’t want to miss this episode.
296 CEO of VOW To End Child Marriage
Every year, millions of couples celebrate their love by getting married and millions of their family and friends celebrate with them. In the U.S. alone, Americans spend $100 billion on weddings annually. Think invitations, wedding dresses, rings, venues, flowers, gift registries, honeymoons and more all on saying “I do.” But at a time when a child is married somewhere in the world every three seconds, who’s invested in making sure that girls can say, “I don’t” or “not yet”? Let’s work together to create a world in which every girl can decide if, when and whom to marry.
Clay Dunn is the Chief Executive Officer of VOW To End Child Marriage, a nonprofit that mobilizes the multi-billion dollar wedding industry in support of ending child marriage and empowering girls around the world to choose their own futures. Prior to VOW, Clay held roles with No Kid Hungry, National Geographic and the City of New York. Amongst other topics, Clay tells Andy about VOW Pro – a network of passionate wedding professionals helping to give girls a voice and a choice.