27 ANGELA DESVEAUX: Editor-in-Chief of WedLuxe Media

Angela Desveaux is the founder, publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of WedLuxe Media, which includes her print and online magazines, a trendsetting blog, a wedding show, an online boutique, and many other facets. But the path to all this success wasn’t easy, as she shares in this week’s episode. Angela recalls her first few years of building the magazine with her husband Bruce and what it was like to bet it all on the business. It’s a story many entrepreneurs can relate to, and she gives sage advice to anyone looking to strike out on their own in the industry.

In today’s episode, Angela and Andy explore the ever-challenging path to success, and how with enough determination and often sheer willpower, you can achieve what you set out to. The pair also discuss how to find balance professionally and personally, the secret to running a business with a spouse, and what’s on the horizon for WedLuxe Media. It’s a tale of following your gut and setting out to do a difficult but immensely rewarding task. The full interview is available right here.

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26 KRISTIN BANTA: Upending Wedding Traditions

Just because something is tradition doesn’t mean you can’t play by your own rules. For Kristin Banta, that’s the name of the event designing game. From her youth to present, Kristin has always marched to the beat of her own drum, questioning the status quo and asking the question many of us forget to: why are some things done a certain way, and who says we can’t change them? Her background in a variety of positions ranging from acting to set design led her to eventually creating her own business, Kristin Banta Events. Kristin helps her clients throw amazing events and weddings that celebrate the guests of honor using some unconventional and out of the box ideas.

In today’s interview on The Wedding Biz, Andy and Kristin share what it means to throw tradition out the window, and how creatively satisfying it can be to see events through a whole new perspective. She shares insights into how she’s put on weddings without a single flower, how she tells her client’s stories using unique materials and designs, how she’s found the way to actualize her career in the most fulfilling and creatively charged way imaginable. Her interview is available right here.

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25 JES GORDON: Bringing Personality to Every Event

How do you truly entertain without boundaries? Just ask event designer, producer, and planner Jes Gordon. Designing and planning events that are constantly pushing creative and innovative limits is what she does best. From getting inspired by her clients and their families to seeing what’s on the streets of cities and incorporating that into her work, she’s got no short supply of amazing ideas. Though Jes technically started her career in the design world working in a floral shop at the tender age of 13, she hit it out of the park big-time at 19, where her innate ability to design and produce fabulous events became apparent. After a few serendipitous turning points in her life, she started her own business Proper Fun, which encapsulates what Jes’ style and process is all about.

Today, Jes and Andy delve into how the wedding industry has changed, and how there can still be a balance of professionalism and personality if you do it right. She shares what her most and least favorite events to produce are, why she deems herself an event producer rather than just a designer, and how her upbringing shaped her path to becoming a world-renowned event creator. Jes’ interview brings her splash of personality and vivid inspiration to listeners, showing that there’s always something new to create and be inspired by every single day. Check out the full episode right here.

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24 VALERIE ROMANOFF: Personalized Event Entertainment

Valerie Romanoff has had music in her veins since she was a little girl of two years old. Her love of melodies, guitar, and learning all kinds of music has propelled her into the world of high-end wedding and event performances with her company Starlight Music. Valerie knows just how important music is at a wedding, and how it acts as the heartbeat of the entire event. Every crowd and event is different, and Valerie creates a musical experience that is catered exclusively to each of her clients.

In this week’s interview on The Wedding Biz, Andy and Valerie share their stories about being on the music side of the professional wedding industry. Valerie tells all about her musical background, what’s changed in the industry for her, and what her process of putting together an event performance looks like. This creatively charged episode is perfect inspiration for those who are looking for a top-tier musical act at their own wedding, and for other musical professionals who want to know what it takes to be at the peak of the field. Listen in now.

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23 LYNN EASTON: Destination Weddings with a Classic Touch

Lynn Easton is a busy woman. Between managing her destination wedding design business Easton Events and growing her Easton Porter Group luxury properties, she’s got a lot of balls in the air. But for her, that’s all just part of the fun. Lynn started her wedding planning career over twenty years ago almost by accident. She offered to help a friend plan and design her wedding, back before planners were really around. One wedding turned into another and another, and soon Lynn realized she had a true thriving business. But she wanted more; her beautiful designs were only being noticed regionally, and she was ready to go national, and even international. Lynn’s story is one of how to make it on the big stage, and her sage advice goes a long way in inspiring and educating others in the industry.

In this week’s episode, Andy and Lynn talk all things business, family, and pleasure, and how she truly does it all. She shares her take on what an Easton event really is, what she attributes most to her success, and how she and her husband are taking on now more than ever in the business- and still loving it. Lynn also gives pointers to other up and coming event planners on where to focus efforts most to get the more clientele. This perceptive interview is a perfect reminder of how someone with a strong vision and a great business plan can create one of the world’s most sought-after companies. The full interview is available now.

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