The Wedding Biz - Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

In today's brief episode, Andy talks about why he started The Wedding Biz podcast and why he has decided to take a well-deserved break.  To search for a previous guest's interview(s) date and episode number, go to theweddingbiz.com and type the name in the search field.  Feel free to DM Andy on IG @theweddingbiz www.theweddingbiz.com IG: @theweddingbiz www.kushnerentertainment.com iG: @soundconnec...

Andy is excited to be bringing back  returning  guest  Colin Cowie  to the show this episode! A celebrated event designer and producer, Colin has created some of the most talked about parties and events around the world with a roster of clients including Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Kim Kardashian, Nicole Kidman, heads of state, and foreign dignitar...

Andy is thrilled to have repeat guest David Tutera back on the show for this episode! David is a globally celebrated event expert, and he joins Andy to offer another look at his decades-long career. Known for working with some of the most recognizable names in entertainment, David reflects on what it really takes to deliver unforgettable events beyond just the glitz and glamor. Listeners get an in...

Andy is excited to share this interview with Dawson Haynes Mitchell , executive director of Easton Events . Dawson pulls back the curtain on what it means to be the right hand of one of the industry's most respected planners, Lynn Easton. She discusses how luxury event planning is all about seamless execution and stunning experiences and, behind the scenes, it's really a high-pressure world demand...

Andy brings us a revisit of his March 2023 interview with Mauricio Kirschner, the founder and chief designer of House of Kirschner . They create out-of-this world interior and event design, and are also professional architects which enables them to design and produce unique constructions and designware beyond the usual. In this insightful revisit, Andy and Mauricio discuss Mauricio's childhood pas...

Andy is thrilled to have Julie Novack of PartySlate back on the show again! Julie is no stranger to the show as she has been on several times. Julie is the CEO and co-founder of PartySlate, a groundbreaking photo-rich website connecting event professionals, planners, and venues! Join Andy and Julie in this episode as she provides some updates, since the last time that she was on the show, includin...

Andy sits down for this episode with Marissa Morrison , a successful destination wedding photographer, transformative mindset coach, and host of The Marissa Morrison Show podcast. Listen in as Marissa opens up about her journey from being a 19-year-old single mother with no support to establishing a thriving business and helping others achieve their dreams! She also shares how gratitude and manife...

Andy is excited to have floral and event designer Preston Bailey , a true icon in the industry, back once again on the show! Tune in as he shares some fascinating insights into his work, including his involvement in one of the most extravagant weddings ever held for the Ambani family in Mumbai! With a rumored price tag of $600 million, the event pushed the boundaries of design, and Preston was at...

Andy welcomes listeners back to the show for this episode in which he sits down with Larry Walshe , founder and CEO of Larry Walshe Studios , a world-renowned floral and event designer with studios in London, Lake Como, and New York City! Larry's impressive portfolio includes collaborations with top-tier names like Rihanna, Adele, Benedict Cumberbatch, and even royal households. He is truly a trai...

Join Andy this week as he enthusiastically welcomes returning guest Josh Spiegel, the visionary founder and Chief Creative Officer of Birch Event Design , to catch up on the evolution of his company since they last spoke four years ago in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as Josh opens up about the challenges and victories of being in the luxury event space, including his team's expansion...

Andy is excited to welcome back to the show Abi Matesun of Malekfoto Weddings and Malekfoto Films ! Abi is a trailblazing Nigerian-American filmmaker and creative visionary with impressive accolades that include two Emmy Awards, two Telly Awards, and the People of African Descent Award. Abi has made waves in both the wedding industry and the broader creative space, and his Netflix series Made by D...

Andy welcomes you to revisit his November 2022 interview with Sarah Winward ! Sarah is based out of Salt Lake City and is a destination wedding florist who creates flower arrangements that are inspired by the changing of seasons in nature. Believing that flowers should feel natural in the environment in which they are going to be viewed, Still, she also finds many of her materials in the immediate...

Andy is so excited to welcome the mother-daughter dynamic duo that is Paulette and Jodi Wolf. Together, they run Paulette Wolf Events (PWE), with Paulette being the Chief Creative Officer and Founder and Jodi being the CEO. Based in Chicago, this acclaimed luxury wedding and event planning company has worked with prestigious events like the Super Bowl and Olympics, as well as working with iconic p...

Andy is happy to be welcoming Brooke Keegan back to the show! Brooke is the visionary owner and creative director of Brooke Keegan Special Events, a leading firm specializing in custom, multi-day destination weddings, and since founding her company in 2009, she has garnered recognition from Harper's Bazaar and Brides as one of the world's top event planners! She is here with Andy in this episode t...

Andy really hopes that you will join him for this episode of The Wedding Biz as he welcomes back to the show Bryan Rafanelli of Rafanelli Events ! ​​Bryan is a renowned designer and planner and is the founder and chief creative officer of Rafanelli Events, and he has been behind some of the most high-profile events in recent history, including Chelsea Clinton's wedding and several of President Oba...

Frequent guest of the show David Stark returns for this episode of The Wedding Biz! David is a renowned event designer and planner with over 25 years of experience in the industry, and as the founder and chief creative officer of David Stark Design and Production, his impressive client list includes celebrities such as Glenn Close and Brad Pitt, SNL's 40th Anniversary, The Whitney Museum of Americ...

Longtime listeners of the podcast will likely be familiar with today's guest as she has been on the show several times already! Join Andy as he welcomes back Meghan Ely, the owner of OFD Consulting ! Meghan is a longtime industry speaker and writer and is a wedding pro educator with regular contributions to Wedding Planner Magazine, The Knot, Wedding Business Magazine, Catersource, and SpecialEven...

Andy is so thrilled to be welcoming his business partner, Robert Sherman, back to the show! Robert is Andy's business partner at Kushner Entertainment and is also the owner of Washington Talent , a legendary entertainment company established over 55 years ago. Together, Andy and Robert tackle the topic of employee retention, discussing how to keep employees engaged, happy, and loyal over the long...

If you have been a longtime listener of the podcast, then today's voice may sound familiar to you as it is her third appearance on the show ! Andy is so thrilled to welcome back Tara Guerard , owner and creative director of Tara Guerard Soirée headquartered out of Charleston, South Carolina (and with an additional office in New York City). Tara is recognized as one of the nation's leading tastemak...

Andy is thrilled to once again be sitting down with Andrea Eppolito , a renowned luxury wedding planner and author of AI for Wedding Professionals . Andrea shares her initial hesitation toward AI and recounts how she dedicated daily time to understand and leverage this technology, highlighting its comparison to the invention of the internet in terms of impact. Hear Andrea's take on how AI, particu...

Join Andy as he revisits his September 2021 interview with Colin Cowie this week! Having had celebrity clients such as Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, Lil Wayne, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore, this episode's returning guest has enjoyed quite the career so far. Colin Cowie has also had many corporate clients such as Dom Pérignon, Warner Brothers, CBS, Whitney Museum of...

In this truly enriching episode, join Andy as he connects with Liene Stevens, the acclaimed author, behavioral psychologist, and CEO of Think Splendid! Liene brings a wealth of knowledge from her extensive experience in the global wedding market, having collaborated with clients across 97 countries and revolutionized operations for numerous luxury brands and resorts! Tune in as Liene shares her un...

Listen in to this revisit as Andy chats with two guests, both of whom have been featured on the podcast multiple times in the past. Laurie Arons is a planner and designer of Laurie Arons Special Events and has been featured in numerous magazine publications and has been listed in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the top worldwide planners. Her clientele is made up of t...

Join Andy this week as he sits down with Susan Lacz , the CEO of Ridgewells Catering . With a career spanning over three decades, Susan has been a pivotal force in the catering and events industry, steering Ridgewells Catering through significant transformations and challenges. Listen in as Susan shares her inspiring journey, starting with her early influences, notably her grandmother, whose culin...

Andy welcomes Kerry Bracken and Jennifer Rocher of Lavender & Rose this week! Lavender & Rose is an exclusive event planning company based in the enchanting French Riviera. Join Andy as he explores their captivating journey and how they have crafted bespoke weddings in the stunning locales of Southern France and Paris! Listen as Jennifer and Kerry share personal stories of how they first got into...