Today's guest spot goes to Paul Morse, who chats with Andy about...
Gown Designers
406 Sharon Sever: Head Designer for Galia Lahav – Worldwide Couture and High Fashion Design
Joining Andy today is Sharon Sever, Head Designer for Galia...
319 REVISIT: Ines and Veronica Di Santo: Bridal Couture Brilliance
On today’s show we hear from Ines and Veronica of Ines Di Santo, a bridal and evening gown couture dress designer. We learn how Ines grew up with the deep creative passion to having her business now.
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.
295 A Conversation With: Rime Arodaky & Greg Finck
Listen, as Andy and his guests, Rime Arodaky and Greg Finck,discuss how the pandemic affected them personally and professionally, what they have been doing with their time and where they see the industry post-pandemic, plus so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Rime is a popular gown and dress designer out of Paris, and her company is considered a “Bridal House For Rebel Goddesses and inspired by women who are unapologetically themselves.” Greg runs the business side of Rime’s company, as General Manager, and is also a wonderfully gifted and admired photographer.
Listen as Rime and Greg discuss how their businesses were flourishing before the shutdown and how they have kept communications up with clients during the pandemic.
Rime shares how the three ways she sells her bridal gowns have helped keep her company growing and has allowed them to maintain their twenty employees.
Rime and Greg both believe that the trend with weddings for the next three to five years will be more understated, with couples pleasing themselves instead of worrying about what others want. They all agree that the shutdown, although painful financially, has been rewarding personally, pushing them to make decisions they have been putting off.
294 AMANDA HEARST & MICAELA ERLANGER: Gowns, Jewelry, Sustainability and a Fairytale Wedding
Do you know how to have a responsibly sourced wedding? Listen, as Andy and his guests Amanda Hearst and Micaela Erlanger discuss their process of working together to style Amanda’s outfits and jewelry for her extended wedding weekend and the aspects of sustainability that were considered and incorporated. Amanda makes an exciting announcement at the end of the show about a new product line and so much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Amanda is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Maison De Mode. She is also the Co-Founder of Well Beings. This next-gen movement brings attention and action to the interconnections between animal welfare and climate change. Amanda is also a contributing editor at Town & Country Magazine.
Micaela is a sought-after celebrity stylist and has been profiled by Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and several other publications. The Hollywood reporter has repeatedly named her one of the “Most Powerful Stylists.” Her clientele includes Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong’o, Common, Shailene Woodley, and Diane Kruger. In 2019 Micaela launched her Bridal Styling business and is the author of “How to Accessorize: A Perfect Finish to Every Outfit.”
Listen, as Amanda shares how she met and started working with Micaela and her concept for sustainable outfits and accessories for her wedding weekend. Micaela shares details of the gowns Amanda wore for each event and her favorite look of the weekend. Additionally, Micaela speaks about the vegan shoes that Amanda wore with her wedding gown.
Amanda shares some recommendations for brides who want to have sustainable dresses and jewelry for their weddings. Both Amanda and Micaela speak about their new products; Amanda has designed a sustainable fashion jewelry line, and Micaela has a sustainably sourced engagement ring line through Forevermark. If you were wondering how to have an environmentally friendly wedding, you won’t want to miss this conversation.
259 MICAELA ERLANGER/Celebrity Stylist: Wedding Gowns And Fashion Design During The Pandemic
“Bridal is inherently timeless.” Listen as Andy and his guest Micaela Erlanger discuss what she means by this and how the pandemic has affected timelines for the production of bridal gowns. Micaela also shares why she believes that designers will see a rise in demand for wedding dresses for the fall and much more on this episode of The Wedding Biz.
Micaela is a celebrity stylist based out of New York City and Los Angeles. She was named one of the most powerful stylists by the Hollywood Reporter and has sustained the title for five years. Honored with the Style Influencer Award by the Council, Micaela is also a Marie Claire Image Maker Award winner. She has styled Constance Wu, Lupita Nyong’o, Common, Jennifer Hudson, and Hilary Swank, to name a few.
Listen as Micaela shares the disappointment she felt when she had to postpone her own wedding and how she is supporting the brides she styles with her unique insight. Micaela also discusses the trends she sees emerging during the pandemic and how ready-to-wear collections are getting more popular.
Micaela gives some advice for planners around preparing their brides for delays in wedding gowns and to not be afraid of Zoom fittings because, as a stylist to the stars, she was doing them before the pandemic. Micaela also speaks about her Live Instagram series.
Listen to Micaela’s insights into this whole situation that has affected so many brides. She shares the bright side of postponing her wedding. She knows it will happen and it will be just as beautiful as she originally planned, if not better.
251 THE NEXT LEVEL: NAYRI KALAYJIAN discusses MONTE DURHAM – Star with TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress Atlanta
Picking a wedding dress is hard, and you need an expert to make sure you look and feel your best. Listen as Andy and Nayri discuss Monte Durham, his humble upbringing, his great success as a fashion expert and TV star, and his love of being a hairstylist. Nayri Kalayjian is a wedding fashion expert with Lovella Bridal, she is also a best-selling author, celebrity stylist, and she coaches and educates with a series of fantastic online courses.
Monte is a very 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 Bridal’s By Lori, the south’s premier bridal salon. Monte is also getting ready to launch a new reality show and open a new hair salon.
Listen, as Andy and Nayri speak about her ability to gain a bride’s trust quickly, how location sets the tone sometimes but how she feels a bride should be able to wear the dress she feels most beautiful in no matter the place. They also talk about how the front of the dress is more important than a plunging back and train when it comes to wedding photographs.
Nayri shares who she believes brides should bring with them when picking out a dress and how excited she is for every good thing that is coming Monte’s way. Nayri has known Monte for a long time and has even worked with him. Listen as she shares some things about him that you might not know.
250 MONTE DURHAM – Star with TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress Atlanta
Have you heard an excellent rag to riches story lately? Listen to Andy and his guest, Monte Durham, discuss how he went from growing up with no running water to becoming 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 shares his life in small-town West Virginia, how he was bullied and how that contributed to the man he is today. He discusses going to junior college, then a fashion program that led him to dressing mannequins before he started dressing people. Monte also speaks about wanting to style hair and going to beauty school when he was thirty-two.
Listen, as Monte discusses his position at a bridal salon where he met Lori Allen, how she got him to work for her, and how she insisted that he star with her in the pilot for Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta, which had 10 seasons! Monte gives us insight into the show from the psychology involved with helping a bride find a wedding dress to dealing with the entourage and the drama they bring.
Monte also shares about the new salon he is opening up in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, and all the unique details he has researched to make sure it will be the best experience you can have when going to a salon. This is an excellent interview with a fascinating, humble, down-to-earth yet charismatic industry star who you most certainly do not want to miss.
163 THE NEXT LEVEL: ANDRE WELLS Discusses MARK INGRAM: Bridal Gowns As Works Of Art
In this episode of The Next Level, Andy Kushner and guest co-host, Andre Wells, discuss key topics from this week’s interview with Mark Ingram. Andre is a renowned event planner and designer known for creating high caliber parties for his many high-profile clients.
On this episode of The Next Level, Andy and Andre discuss the wonderful nuggets of wisdom Mark Ingram provided in his interview. First off, Andre and Mark are colleagues and friends in the industry. Andy and Andre discuss some of the concepts Mark mentioned such as his belief in the art of dressmaking and dressing other people, the need for dressers at the event, and how each wedding gown should reflect the style and feel of the venue.
Boutique owners, brides, and bourgeoning bridal gown designers should all listen to his interview and our discussion to learn how Mark’s experience and tips shine in every aspect of the wedding day production.