The Wedding Biz - Behind The Scenes Of The Wedding Business

"It's not about how a wedding looks; it's about how it feels." Andy’s guest co-host today is Abi Matesun, Founder and CEO of Malekfoto Films and Malekfoto Weddings. Abi is a two time Emmy winning cinematographer, filmmaker, photographer, public speaker, and two time Telly Award winner. Listen as they discuss how Zainab honed her skill set as a child, the advantages of traveling to many countries and cultures, and much more on this episode of The Next Level.   Zainab Alsalih is the Founder and Creative Director of Carousel Events out of Dubai, one of the region's best-known companies for event design. Zainab is also considered one of the most respected authorities on weddings in the middle east. She has been covered and quoted in countless regional and international programs and publications.   Abi discusses how traveling as a child opened Zainab to many cultures and languages, which gives her an edge in her designs. And she honed her skill by redecorating her bedroom frequently as a child.   Listen, as Abi an

"I try always to make sure I design a wedding with the couple in mind and personalize it as much as possible." Listen as Andy and his guest, Zainab Alsalih, discuss how she designs a wedding, why she transitioned from corporate events into weddings, her process when doing events, and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.   Zainab is the Founder and Creative Director of Carousel Events out of Dubai, one of the region's best-known companies for event design. Zainab is also considered one of the  most respected authorities on weddings in the middle east. She has been covered and quoted in countless regional and international programs and publications in various languages on radio, televisions, print, and online, including Harpers Bazaar, Martha Stewart, and Vogue.   Listen as Zainab shares how she got started in event planning and the transition to weddings. She speaks about how young couples today are leaning toward less traditional weddings and more towards western influences. Zainab also discusses her

Does giving back make you feel better? Listen as Andy and Robert Sherman, the President of Washington Talent Andy's partner at Kushner Entertainment, discuss JoAnn being the godmother of destination weddings, wanting to be an advocate for her clients, founding the Sewing Angles, and much more on this episode of The Next Level.   JoAnn is the owner of Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli. She has been included in Modern Bride Magazine as one of their Top Trendsetters of the year, and she was recently recognized as one of the top twenty-five most influential wedding planners in the World.    Listen as Robert and Andy share how JoAnn was a wedding crasher in her twenties because she loved love, how JoAnn took classes in every aspect of an event so she could talk to her creative partners in their language, and her insights into getting to know every generation so she could market to them all in a way they would respond to.   They also discuss how JoAnn is giving back during the pandemic by sewing masks because her

Andy and his guest, JoAnn Gregoli, discuss how she educated herself to speak the language of her vendor team, how she approaches destination weddings, how she approaches marketing for her services, and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. JoAnn is the owner of Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli. She has been included in Modern Bride Magazine as one of their Top Trendsetters of the year and was recently recognized as one of the top twenty-five most influential wedding planners in the World. Elegant Occasions creates events that tell the story about the couple. Listen, as JoAnn shares how she was obsessed with weddings in her twenties, the wedding she did for Rupert Murdoch's daughter, and why she has been called the Godmother of destination weddings. JoAnn speaks about how she creates a team for destination weddings and her process for local and destination events. JoAnn discusses her company's business side, how she determins how to price the events she plans, and her strategy for using social media.

Andy is happy to have Carrie Goldberg back on the show to discuss how COVID-19 has affected her personally and professionally, what she is hearing from both brides and planners, and the challenges planners have with managing their clients' expectations, but also keeping them safe and socially distanced.   Carrie is the Digital Travel & Weddings Editor at Harper’s Bazaar, where she oversees all things weddings and travel for HarpersBazaar.com. She is in charge of content, strategy, and visuals for Bazaar's digital travel and wedding verticals and editor of their membership subscription program called Bazaar Bride.   Listen, as Carrie discusses the different ways some brides are viewing their weddings and how planners are coping with wedding guests while trying to keep them safe. Carrie believes that this pandemic has made couples ask themselves what's really important and whether now is the right time to take a chance on a large wedding or wait until it's safe.   She also believes that some changes, she se

"You must reinvent yourself by expanding your vision and allowing yourself to do new things." Listen as Andy and his guest David Tutera discuss his last two jobs before the pandemic put a stop to everything, what he's doing both personally and business-wise during the shutdown, what he's doing to adjust his business and reinvent himself, and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. David's uniquely creative talent and outstanding reputation have made him a tremendous success in the lifestyle arena, including multiple hit TV shows. His client list includes Elton John, Prince Charles, Jennifer Lopez, The Rolling Stones, Kenneth Cole, the Kennedy Center, the official post-Grammy parties, and so much more. Listen, as David talks about the last event he did before the pandemic, how he is enjoying being home with his husband and kids and taking this downtime to reevaluate, reinvent and take the time to come up with new ideas. David shares what a typical day was like before COVID versus a typical day now and if

"Success is not about the destination, but rather the journey." Listen as Andy and his guest, Zainab Alsalih, Founder and Managing Director of Carousel Events, a bespoke event design and wedding planning company based in Dubai, discuss the way Abi sees and photographs a wedding, his need to find the love-story with his clients and the importance of good visuals plus much more on this episode of The Next Level.  Abi is the Founder and CEO of Malekfoto Films and Malekfoto Weddings. Abi is a two-time Emmy-winning cinematographer, filmmaker, photographer, public speaker, and two time Telly Award winner. His wedding visuals have attracted over 60 million viewers around the world. Zainab shares how attuned to his couple's love story that Abi always is, the way he is involved through the whole process, and why knowing how the planners are designing the decor and lighting, for the event, helps give him the best visuals. They also speak about his use of storyboarding when preparing to shoot an event. Listen, as Zainab

“Everything you see in life that has impacted the world in any form or way started as a dream.” Listen as Andy and his guest Abi Matesun discuss what Abi means by this statement, why he left Nigeria, how he started in photography and the transition into film, and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Abi is the Founder and CEO of Malekfoto Films and Malekfoto Weddings. Abi is a two time Emmy-winning cinematographer, filmmaker, photographer, public speaker, and two time Telly Award winner. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Abi studied Management and Information Systems at the University of Texas.   “Catching all the moments between the moments.” Listen as Abi tells the story of how he films weddings, and his process when he meets with the couple for the first time. He and his team then do a storyboard so they can make life easier for the wedding planner. He says they want to be like a special forces team. Their footprint is very small, but their impact is unforgettable. Abi speaks about the story behi

“Designing jewelry is all about family and connecting emotionally.” Listen as Andy and his guest Carrie Goldberg, the Travel and Weddings Director at Harpers Bazaar, discuss Zameer's refugee family upbringing, his ability to create an experience when he designs jewelry, how he comes up with ideas for engagement rings and much more on this episode of The Next Level.  Zameer is the Founder and CEO of Zameer Kassam Fine Jewelry. In 2018, Zameer designed the Times Up ring worn by Ashley Judd at the Oscars and, later that year, the cast of Crazy Rich Asians wore Zameer's designs at the global premiere in Singapore. Last year, he was commissioned to celebrate the groundbreaking movie, Black Panther, by designing the Wakanda Forever ring worn by its lead actress Lupita Nyong'o throughout the awards season. Zameer's passion and enthusiasm for what he does are apparent in the time he puts into his designs. Carrie talks about Zameer's entrepreneurial spirit, how he can design an engagement ring that is so special betwe

Zameer Kassam is known for Infusing storytelling with personal history when designing jewelry. Listen as Andy and Zameer discuss the rings he designed for Hasan Minhaj, Ashley Judd, and Lupita Nyong’o. Zameer also talks about his background working in his immigrant family's jewelry business, why talking to people about their love stories was his favorite part, the passion that led him to design jewelry plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Zameer is the Founder and CEO of Zameer Kassam Fine Jewelry. Zameer continues to be a member of the Rock 100, the 100 fastest growing startups founded by alums of the Harvard Business School. And, in 2015, De Beers group entered a strategic partnership with Zameer Kassam offering exclusive access to their most rare and precious diamonds.  Zameer is a storyteller, but instead of words, he uses jewelry to tell stories. Listening to the couple's love stories and designing a ring that encompasses their lives gives him joy. Working with De Beers and using diamonds f

The menu for one of Philips events has to be an experience from the food perspective, the fragrance perspective, and total essence of the event. Andy welcomes Michael Rantissi to The Next Level. Michael is an award-winning chef of Kepos Street Kitchen and Kepos & Co out of Redfern, Australia. Philip is the owner of Philip Carr and Associates out of Sydney, Australia. Philip calls himself an event architect and stylist, completely transforming ordinary spaces into multi-layer theatrical environments, and turns his clients' fantasies into breathtaking reality.  Listen as Michael speaks about some events he has worked with Philip, why he believes that Philip is truly an event architect, what it's like creating a menu for one of Philips events, and how they both strive to create an experience. Michael also shares his insights on why Philip likes to extend the experience as long as possible by providing something special at the end of an event. Michael and Andy discuss combining the business and creative aspec

"You build an event; you don't decorate an event, that is diluting what it is to create an event." Listen, as Andy Kushner and his guest Philip Carr discuss why he calls himself an event architect and stylist, the events he produced for Nelson Mandela, President Clinton, and President Bush, his process with clients, and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.   Philip is the owner of Philip Carr and Associates out of Sydney, Australia. Philip transforms ordinary spaces into multi-layer theatrical environments and turns his clients' fantasies into breathtaking reality. Philip has a unique way that he talks about designing events that you will hear in this interview.   Listen, as Philip speaks about when he started in the event industry, he means by calling himself an event architect and stylist. Philip believes that the event experience starts when a woman gets dressed to go out and ends with a small gift in their car. He believes that the more layers of detail you can give make the event more memorable.

Andy welcomes Jennifer Stein back to The Next Level. Jennifer is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Destination I Do Magazine, which can be found at newsstands in all fifty states and twelve countries. She also publishes a daily blog, consults, custom publishes and has a podcast called CONFETTI.   Matt is an award-winning photographer who has gained a world-class reputation for his exquisite documentary style photography. Matt is considered the Royal photographer for his work with the Cambridges. He helps change-makers make a difference and shoots on behalf of Ocean Culture Life, a global community of storytellers, photographers, filmmakers, and environmentalists whose lives have been shaped by the sea.    Jennifer and Andy discuss Matt's love of travel, how he immerses himself into the culture of the people he photographs and how he connects with his clients by taking them to the places they love and getting them to relax. They also speak of Matt's charity work and the fact that he doesn't just take photo

"I'm lucky now because I get to go to really beautiful places and photograph wonderful people." Listen, as Andy Kushner and his guest Matt Porteous discuss the small island he was born and raised on, when he became interested in photography, how the way he saw the world differed from other kids his age, his years surfing and taking pictures plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz   Matt is an award-winning photographer who has gained a world-class reputation for his exquisite documentary style photography. Matt is considered the Royal Photographer for his work with the Cambridges. He helps change-makers make a difference and shoots on behalf of Ocean Culture Life, a global community of storytellers, photographers, filmmakers, and environmentalists whose lives have been shaped by the sea.    Matt speaks about the small channel island near France where he grew up, how he became a stonemason when he left school, then took off for two years to travel and surf. Matt shares that when he takes photographs,

Andy’s guests today are three people who have been involved with forming and running coalitions to advocate on behalf of networks of hundreds of small businesses and contractors in the event industry during the pandemic. The one in Chicago is spearheaded by Michelle Durpetti, Ali Phillips, and Colin Pearson, and Jeannette Tavares formed the one in Washington DC.   Michelle Durpetti is a Chicago based wedding planner, venue owner, and restaurateur with Michelle Durpetti Events. Ali Phillips is also a Chicago event producer with Engaging Events by Ali. Jeannette Tavares is the owner of Evoke Design & Creative, an event planning and production company out of Washington, DC.   Listen as these amazing women discuss why they thought it was necessary to start these Coalitions to help small businesses and people in the event industry, what they see happening because of this pandemic, and the response they have received. Michelle, Ali, and Jeannette share what they want to happen and why they believe that the Coal

"We share the Perfete and the not so Perfete things about life." Listen, as Andy Kushner and his guest Kunbi Odubogun discuss her backstory and this wonderful site she created. We also talked about when she appeared on an Engage panel discussing her perspective on racial injustice and so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.   Kunbi is the founder of Perfete, a celebration centered digital publication, providing tips and tools for celebrating all of life's joyous moments from stylish parties and weddings to decor, inspiration, and gift guides. Kunbi is also the host of the Perfete Podcast, a bi-weekly podcast featuring relatable stories from female thought leaders...Creatives and professionals who share their tangible takeaways for living one's Perfete life.   Listen as Kunbi shares growing up in Nigeria and moving to Kansas at fifteen, why she got a business degree and then a law degree and how she got into the wedding industry by planning her two wedding celebrations. Kunbi blogged about her wedding

"If you don't have a star in the band, you are a cover band." Listen as Andy Kushner and his guest Alex Le Roux discuss what he looks for when auditioning musicians and singers, what makes a band extraordinary, and why he keeps the same musicians together for every event plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.   Alex is the Founder and CEO of ALR Music based in London. Alex and his team of music and wedding specialists provide entertainment for over 450 luxury events around the world each year. With high profile clients ranging from rock n roll to British royalty, their exclusive roster, and unrivaled level of service and expertise has led to an impressive client list including the United States Ambassador to the UK, Simon Cowell, Google, Chanel and more.    Alex speaks about why he transitioned from singing to music production and management, and how he keeps his musicians loyal by keeping them busy, playing over 150 events a year. Alex allows each band to voice the music they play, their style, a

This is a second appearance with Simon T. Bailey. His is a very popular Speaker, author and leader of the “brilliance movement" – helping more than 1 million people find their brilliance, shift their thinking and produce sustainable results. According to The Speakers Experts, Simon is one of America’s top ten most booked corporate and association speakers. In 2015 Simon was inducted into the prestigious National Speakers Association Hall of Fame. Speaker magazine cited Simon as one of the top 25 “hot speakers” shaping the profession.  And, in 2018, he was awarded one of  “25 successful people who’ll help change your life in 2018.”   His popular “Building Business Relationships” micro-learning course has been viewed by 10,000+ professionals in 100 countries. He has spoken on six continents to 1,000+ organizations. In today's episode, Andy discusses life during the current pandemic, with Simon, and asks how he keeps up his motivation during the slow-down. Simon gives his perspective on pivoting, how to conside

"The best-laid PR & marketing strategies are rooted in intent and purpose." Listen as Andy Kushner and his guest Natalie Denyse discuss essential building blocks of a strong PR and marketing strategy, how to create a culture for your brand, and rethinking your brand message plus much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz. Natalie is the founder of In Good Company Public Relations, a boutique PR and marketing firm servicing distinguished brands in the wedding, events, and hospitality industry. She uses a forward-thinking approach, combining media relations, social content, and off-line marketing tactics into one holistic strategy. Natalie is also the creator of The Essential PR & Marketing Field Guide, a digital education resource for creative brands looking to propel their businesses to new heights. "Reach your clients where they are." Listen, as Natalie shares, the first thing you need to build a strong PR and marketing strategy is a powerful message or elevator pitch. She also discusses ways to ke

Listen as Andy Kushner and Michael Uncapher discuss Lisa's winding road to the event industry, how she taps into the “intangible soul” for an event, how important she feels lighting is to any event, plus much more on this episode of The Next Level. Michael is the Co-Owner and Managing Director with Mark's Garden out of Los Angeles. Mark's Garden has crafted floral designs for the Academy Awards Governor's Ball for the past twenty-six years, plus television Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, top-level civic events and a long list of celebrity weddings including Pink, Gwen Stefani, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Simpson to name a few.  Lisa is a world-renown celebrity event planner, receiving accolades from Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Brides, BizBash, Martha Stewart, and many more. She planned events for Kobe Bryant and produced some of the most iconic celebrations, including the weddings of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, and Kate Upton and Justin Verlander.  Listen, as Andy and Michael chat about Lisa's u