1The Next Level

“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. 

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.

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.

“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!