Event Planners and Designers

289 ABI MATESUN discusses ZAINAB ALSALIH/Carousel Events: One of Dubai’s Leading Women Entrepreneurs

289 ABI MATESUN discusses ZAINAB ALSALIH/Carousel Events: One of Dubai’s Leading Women Entrepreneurs

“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 and Andy share how Zainab sets up her office so that when she meets with clients for the first time, they get a feel for who she is and what to expect from her. Zainab believes that less is more because people don’t miss what they can’t see and luxury is a personal experience.

Abi speaks about what Zainab created for Engage!20 Dubai and shares some details about what made it breathtaking. Zainab is an amazing designer and any conversation about her is riveting, but when you add Abi Matesun to the conversation, you end up with the need to go further and find out more about both incredible creatives. Enjoy!

288 ZAINAB ALSALIH/Carousel Events:  One of Dubai’s Leading Women Entrepreneurs

288 ZAINAB ALSALIH/Carousel Events: One of Dubai’s Leading Women Entrepreneurs

“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 process from the first time she meets the client until the actual wedding.

“It’s not about how a wedding looks; it’s about how a wedding feels.” Zainab shares why this is the way she views weddings, why less is more is her main mantra, and what the definition of luxury means to her. She shares many details of major weddings she has designed and tells it with color and passion so you can visualize it as if you were there. You don’t want to miss this conversation.

We are all experiencing quite a bit of stress and other issues during this pandemic. Andy has put together a list of the top ten tips for dealing with stress, which he has compiled from interviews with icons of the wedding and event industry. If you would like a copy, go to www.theweddingbiz.com/toptips.

287 ROBERT SHERMAN discusses JOANN GREGOLI, The Godmother of Destination Weddings

287 ROBERT SHERMAN discusses JOANN GREGOLI, The Godmother of Destination Weddings

Does giving back make you feel better? Listen as Andy and Robert Sherman, the President of Washington Talent, and Andy’s partner at Kushner Entertainment discuss JoAnn being the godmother of destination weddings, wanting to be an advocate for her clients and the Sewing Angles plus 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 daughter was on the frontline with limited PPE. She got some women’s groups involved and paid for the materials out of her pocket because she says giving back makes you feel better. 

If you want to be inspired to help JoAnn with shipping the masks, please go to her go fund me page at www.sewingangels.org and click on the Frontline Sewing Angles link.

286 JOANN GREGOLI – The Godmother of Destination Weddings

286 JOANN GREGOLI – The Godmother of Destination Weddings

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. JoAnn says to stay relevant she goes to conferences, to continue her own learning, and isn’t afraid to reinvent herself and her business.

JoAnn speaks of her grassroots effort to make sure anyone who needs a face mask has one. She started sewing masks, then reached out to some women’s groups to help her, got some of her brides got involved, and now they have shipped out over 50,000 masks at no cost. Her main focus has been providing them to homeless shelters and to battered women. They have been sewing for over seventeen weeks with no plans to stop until the pandemic is over.

JoAnn is an amazing woman. She doesn’t sit back when something needs to be done; she jumps in with both feet. She did it for brides that lost their venue during 9/11, and she is doing it now with the pandemic. This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

284 A Conversation With: DAVID TUTERA

284 A Conversation With: DAVID TUTERA

“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 he will keep some new routines once he can get back to work.

“Lead with personality and emotion” when speaking with potential clients, oversell yourself to impress potential clients. David believes that even though it is tempting, don’t devalue your services by reducing your prices. Stay strong and keep them where they were before the pandemic, your value hasn’t changed so why should your prices.

279 THE NEXT LEVEL: MICHAEL RANTISSI discusses PHILIP CARR, Event Architect and Stylist

279 THE NEXT LEVEL: MICHAEL RANTISSI discusses PHILIP CARR, Event Architect and Stylist

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 aspects of a business, how Michael is handling the pandemic, and what he is doing with his downtime. Michael describes his restaurants, the differences, and how they came up with the names. Positivity is key during this global crisis and listening to Michael; you can hear he has it in spades.

278 PHILIP CARR – Event Architect And Stylist

278 PHILIP CARR – Event Architect And Stylist

“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.

No detail is too small for Philip when it comes to making guests happy. Whether it’s luxurious soap in the bathroom or serving gourmet hamburgers at the end of the event, it’s all in the details. Philip gives more examples of how he keeps the guest experience at the forefront when he is going over every detail for his events.

Philip discusses how the pandemic has affected his business and personal life and how it has given him time to slow down and breathe. Philips’ attention to every detail is unparalleled, and the way he thinks about events is extraordinary. This is a conversation you can’t miss.  

270  MICHAEL UNCAPHER discusses LISA VORCE- The Intangible Soul Of An Event

270 MICHAEL UNCAPHER discusses LISA VORCE- The Intangible Soul Of An Event

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 unique perspective on finding the intangible soul of an event, how important lighting is for an event, and Lisa’s preference for natural light. Michael shares how important Instagram is for showcasing your work and why he sometimes takes the unique approach of taking a picture with his phone at an event to see how his creations will look on Instagram, what a great idea!

Also, Andy has launched a new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he produces podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show, The Business Of Being Creative, comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.

269 LISA VORCE – The Intangible Soul Of An Event

269 LISA VORCE – The Intangible Soul Of An Event

“My proudest moments aren’t only about design. They are about how my clients feel when they see and experience the design.” Listen as Andy and his guest Lisa Vorce discuss Lisa’s love of celebrations, what inspired her to leave corporate America to launch her own business and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.

Lisa is a world-renown celebrity event planner, receiving accolades from Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Brides, BizBash, and Martha Stewart, to name a few. She planned several 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. Lisa is a speaker and headliner at conferences worldwide, including WPPI, Engage, and DWP.

Lisa shares that the first event she worked at was a birthday party for George Clooney’s mom, how the referrals from the first wedding she planned led her down the destination wedding path, and the process she follows for each client. Lisa also shares the roles each of her treasured team members play in the events they produce.

Listen as Lisa describes an event she did recently, how she helps her clients choose a venue for their wedding and why each client is set up with a website and email address so they can communicate not only with Lisa’s team but so that the team can communicate with the guests that are attending the wedding.

Also, Andy has launched a new podcast network called The Wedding Biz Network, in which he produces podcasts for other people in the event industry, with Sean Low being its first member. Sean’s show now comes out every Tuesday and stay tuned for more new show announcements coming soon.

268 Alan Shukovsky: Protocols for Running Events During the Covid-19 Pandemic

268 Alan Shukovsky: Protocols for Running Events During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Alan Shukovsky is located in NYC and is the Executive Director of Event Sales & Marketing for Glasshouses, which has new venues in NYC, including The Glasshouse, the highly anticipated new venue with a capacity of 1,850 located on the west side of the city. He is a member of a Manhattan-based task force for events and catering in NYC. The task force is made up of 30 plus of some of the most prominent properties and local event professionals in the City. Their purpose was essentially to collaborate and create a system of protocols, checks and balances, for running events during and after the Covid-19 pandemic and for both event professionals and their clients to feel safe. At a minimum, listening to this conversation will give you a host of important issues and ideas to think about. Below are the documents that resulted.

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