Event Planners and Designers

“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.

“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.

“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.  

“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.