Category: Events

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Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment.

471 CHRISTOPHER CONFERO: Wedding Planning from the Inside Out

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471 CHRISTOPHER CONFERO: Wedding Planning from the Inside Out

Confero – Website
Confero – Instagram Page
Christopher’s Instagram Page
Alabama Weddings – Website

Andy welcomes you to another episode of The Wedding Biz in which he interviews Christopher Confero, a well known wedding planner and designer based out of Atlanta who manages to balance being not only the owner of his award-winning company Confero but also editor of the magazine Alabama Weddings. Christopher describes how his passions for music, performance, and theater shaped him creatively and continues to help him direct weddings and live events. Events, he reveals, allow him to be a creative storyteller and craft bespoke experiences for his clients.

Christopher also discusses his process of connecting with couples and designing weddings to reflect their personality. Although he has systems and processes, he says he tries to meet clients where they are and have natural conversations to make them comfortable, and he describes creativity as combining different elements in a cohesive way to bring life to his clients’ love stories using his “childlike ability to play.”

You can also expect to hear Christopher share specific examples of how he designed weddings using imagination and fresh perspectives, and he even reveals some of the challenges that he faces, especially the weather, and how he overcomes them through preparation and troubleshooting. Andy and Christopher agree on the benefits of having a business partner to manage the business side so that business owners can focus on the creative aspects if that is what they enjoy the most.

Andy had such a blast having this conversation with Christopher and really appreciates Christopher’s willingness to be open and vulnerable. If you enjoy the conversation, then Andy would love it if you were to share it with colleagues and leave a top review. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss a new episode, and we will catch you next week on The Wedding Biz!

This episode is sponsored by Zola, the fastest-growing wedding platform that connects today’s couples with the right planners and vendors. Zola gives wedding professionals more control, better exposure, and higher quality leads – all with competitive pricing and no annual commitment. Create your free listing at www.zola.com/andy.

Have you heard about Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey on The Wedding Biz Network? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don’t forget about Sean Low’s podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.

SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ

Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute!

Time Stamps

[0:00] – The sponsor of this episode is Zola.

[1:17] – We learn that this episode’s guest is event designer Christopher Confero!

[2:06] – Christopher confirms that his initial passions were in music and acting.

[2:35] – Christopher touches upon how his passion for music has helped him as a planner.

[4:16] – When did Christopher first feel a pull toward event design?

[5:57] – Christopher describes his personal signature.

[7:47] – Christopher walks us through his usual process with his clients.

[10:36] – Christopher explains his unique approach to wedding design.

[12:16] – We hear an example of how Christopher transforms spaces to reflect personalities.

[15:26] – Weather tends to be Christopher’s biggest obstacle.

[18:26] – Christopher runs his wedding business and magazine from Atlanta and Birmingham.

[19:20] – Balancing event design and magazine editing is harder for Christopher than expected.

[22:52] – Christopher has learned to outsource so that he can focus more on the creative side.

[26:35] – Andy touches upon how travel and nature are inspirations for him.

[28:55] – What do success and legacy mean to Christopher?

[30:10] – Andy provides Christopher’s contact information.

Find Christopher:

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Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & Zola.

466 REVISIT RACHEL BIRTHISTLE: The Lake Como Wedding Planner and Creating a Wedding with Contrasting Events

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466 REVISIT RACHEL BIRTHISTLE: The Lake Como Wedding Planner and Creating a Wedding with Contrasting Events

Kristen & Zachary Wedding in Lake Como, Italy

Andy welcomes Rachel Birthistle to The Wedding Biz. Rachel is the Owner and CEO of The Lake Como Wedding Planner based in Como, Italy. In addition to her own events, she has worked with people like Lisa Vorce on Chrissy Tegan and John Legend’s wedding and many others. She says she is predominantly a wedding planner in a destination rather than a destination wedding planner.

Rachel’s father was in the fashion industry, and from a young age, she worked in his factory doing tasks like snipping thread and packing items. She found the place fascinating and knew that being in the fashion industry was where she wanted to be. She started making her own clothes in school even though her friends thought her fashion style was a little out there!

Rachel discusses going to design college, finding a job with a large retailer in London, traveling all over the world, and her decision to stay home. She speaks about going back to college for sports therapy and starting a clinic in her home. Her life took twists and turns but eventually led her to a position with a wedding planner and, ultimately, her decision to start her own extremely successful business.

Rachel strives to make each client’s wedding an event starting when they get off the plane for their first meeting with her. With an itinerary of possible venues in hand, she begins to analyze the client’s style, how they interact with each other, and begins the design process in her head. Creating a sequence of contrasting events for her clients is what she loves most.

What is your dream? If it’s to start your own business, what are you waiting for? You will never know if you can do it until you take a leap of faith and try. Rachel is someone who did just that; she found areas that were lacking in the wedding planning industry in Lake Como, Italy, and set out to change it. This is a learning experience for anyone with a dream, so sit back and listen to this very insightful episode.

This episode is sponsored by Zola, the fastest-growing wedding platform that connects today’s couples with the right planners and vendors. Zola gives wedding professionals more control, better exposure, and higher quality leads – all with competitive pricing and no annual commitment. Create your free listing at www.zola.com/andy.

Have you heard about Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey on The Wedding Biz Network? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don’t forget about Sean Low’s podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.

SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ

Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute!

Show Highlights:

[00:00] – Today’s sponsor is Zola.
[01:03] – This episode is a revisit of Andy’s original interview with Rachel Birthistle.
[01:46] – Welcome to the show, Rachel!
[02:11] – She has a view of Lake Como from her office and says it’s hard to beat.
[02:59] – Rachel discusses her childhood and how she knew she was going to be in the fashion industry as a small child.
[03:45] – She didn’t know what part of the industry, but the design side fascinated her.
[04:21] – Did Rachel have a strong sense of what her style was?
[04:41] – Rachel started making her clothes because she didn’t have a lot of pocket money.
[05:40] – She went to school for design in London but didn’t finish because she left to have her daughter.
[07:13] – If you are positive when looking for opportunities, you can be successful.
[08:06] – Rachel started working for a retailer in London who focused on menswear and got to travel a lot.
[09:18] – Rachel explains the twists and turns she took from fashion into planning.
[11:00] – She got introduced to the wedding industry from a friend who needed help and moved from there into her own company.
[11:59] – She discovered that the wedding industry was missing various things and made it her mission to fill in the holes.
[13:45] – What was available to rent for weddings lacked style, so she started buying items to use.
[15:04] – Rachel interprets what clients want and puts ideas together for them.
[17:27] – She gives us her process for meeting a client, finding the venue, and understanding their style. She then can start thinking about the design.
[20:05] – Lake Como is unique, and her goal is to have contrast within the flow of events.
[23:38] – From the time her clients arrive at the airport, she puts together an itinerary for showing them locations and giving them an experience.
[25:45] – She also does planning with other agencies that need a local planner to support them.
[26:29] – Rachel reflects on her having worked with Colin Cowie.
[27:38] – Rachel talks about working with Lisa Vorce doing Crissy Tegan and John Legend’s wedding and the different people she has worked with.
[30:13] – Her reputation and weddings benefit the venues and get them exposure and business.
[33:01] – Having a mix of photographers through the various seasons allows her to have different types of photos for each wedding.
[34:47] – Rachel’s daughter works in the business and helps curate their library of images.
[38:01] – She is learning to delegate and put the right people in the right positions so she doesn’t have to be present every minute of each event.
[40:46] – She has a team that knows many different languages, which helps her deal with vendors/creative partners and clients.
[41:48] – Where does Rachel want to be in five or ten years?
[42:48] – Rachel has also started a furniture rental business, which she is now allowing other companies to use.
[44:43] – Andy announces where Rachel can be found online.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Lauren & OJ – Marco Caputo – password: “amcaputo2019”

Joel & Shayne – Moon and Back

Neha & Sheryar

Find Rachel:

The Lake Como Wedding Planner

Rachel@lakecomoweddings

Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Mentioned:

Lisa Vorce

Colin Cowie Part 1 on The Wedding Biz

Colin Cowie Part 2 on The Wedding Biz

Robert Fountain on The Wedding Biz

Kiana Underwood on The Wedding Biz

Carrie Goldberg on The Wedding Biz

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Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & Zola.

461 MATTHEW ROBBINS: Catching Up Since the Pandemic

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461 MATTHEW ROBBINS: Catching Up Since the Pandemic

Episode 357: REVISIT: MATTHEW ROBBINS: Creative Process and Connecting with Couples

Matthew Robbins joins Andy in this episode to be featured on the show three times! Matthew is the founder and creative director of Matthew Robbins Design, an event-planning firm with a focus on design and production for weddings and other events, and he is the co-owner of Robbins Otoya, a company which focuses on destination events internationally. Matthew is also an author whose work has been featured in many publications such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, etc., and he has been a featured guest on Martha Stewart Living Radio and The Today Show.

Learn how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Matthew and his businesses and what he learned from the experience. Also, what you should do if you’re a planner who wants to start doing events overseas, how he navigates burnout and angst, and more! Andy is so appreciative that Matthew returned to the show, and if you enjoy this conversation with Matthew, then Andy would be grateful if you were to share this episode with a few people you know who might also enjoy it. Be sure to also subscribe to the podcast if you aren’t already so that you never miss a new episode and to leave a top review wherever you listen, as that really helps people find the show!

This episode is sponsored by Zola, the fastest-growing wedding platform that connects today’s couples with the right planners and vendors. Zola gives wedding professionals more control, better exposure, and higher quality leads – all with competitive pricing and no annual commitment. Create your free listing at www.zola.com/andy.

Have you heard about Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey on The Wedding Biz Network? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don’t forget about Sean Low’s podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.

SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ

Become a patron and support Andy and the show! If you are so inspired, contribute!

Time Stamps

[0:00] – The sponsor of this episode is Zola.

[0:17] – Andy updates on his comedy class.

[2:39] – Today’s guest is revealed to be Matthew Robbins of Matthew Robbins Design!

[4:04] – How did the pandemic change the way Matthew runs his businesses?

[7:35] – Matthew shares a couple of his favorite design stories from last year.

[10:24] – Matthew gives advice to planners who want to do international events.

[11:38] – Who does Matthew contact for referrals?

[14:58] – Does Matthew ever experience burnout?

[17:19] – How does Matthew stay inspired and grounded?

[19:21] – What does Matthew do to circumvent artist angst?

[22:03] – Matthew really wants to write another book.

[23:20] – Andy shares where Matthew’s businesses can be found online.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Episode 240 ROBBINS OTOYA: Loving What They Do and Doing It Together

Find Matthew:

Matthew Robbins Design – Website
Robbins Otoya Destinations – Website

Follow The Wedding Biz on Social:

Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & Zola.

460 LYNN EASTON: Taking Planners from Luxury to Ultra-Luxury

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460 LYNN EASTON: Taking Planners from Luxury to Ultra-Luxury