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049: Jaime Kostechko of Wild Heart Events

Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Release Date: 07/17/2024

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hi planners, welcome to this week's episode. It's one that is equal parts laughter as it is filled with nuggets of insight. Meet my next guest, Fallon Carter.  Fallon is the founder and creative director of Fallon Carter Events. She has been named one of the top wedding planners in the world by Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and Brides Magazine. Fallon is well known for connecting southern hospitality with international luxury.  As you'll hear in this episode, Fallon's journey began after helping a friend with her three-day Paris wedding. Fallon soon fell in love with the organization,...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hi Planners!  Recently I have been getting a lot of questions from planners about streamlining their inquiry process. The pros and cons or offering a few options or more limited options. How to suss out if the client is the right fit and so much more. It got me thinking about one of my favorite topics - the green or red flag system for evaluating if clients are a good fit for you.  So today’s episode is just that. Entitled Green Flag vs Red Flag Inquiries. I’ll walk you through what this process is, how you can adapt it, what an important tool it is and when you should use...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hi planners! Welcome to this week’s episode. I have something special for you and I am really excited to share it. We recorded live the Planner Panel from the Mastering Management workshop. My guests are both returning to the podcast - Christine Garrison owner of CMG Events and Candice Sanders of Engaged Events.  In addition to a great conversation, you can hear a bit about what the conversations are like at our workshops. If you want to learn more about Wedding Management, be sure to be on the lookout for the new Management Template Bundle launching soon!  In this episode:  ...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hi planners! Today I want to talk about one of the biggest struggles that every planner faces. I want to share with you one of the main reasons planners come to Planner Life Academy. Now these planners might be coaching with me, they might be taking the online course, or they might be attending an in-person workshop. But what seems to be universal when I ask these planners why they are here...one of the most common answers is to improve their confidence. So let's talk about confidence. Let's talk about the steps we know can improve confidence.  In this episode:  Focus on your...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hi planners, welcome to a solo episode today about the new year and the new feelings that come with it. In this episode: How I push my new year start to February. The steps that I take to reset for this next chapter of life and business. What about the way we get to reset each year.  How when you take the time to reflect and start fresh, you get to improve your personal and professional life in a really meaningful way.   This episode is supported by Planner Life Academy. In case you didn't know, we created Planner Life Academy for planners to have the education, tools and resources...

info_outline 067: Holly Gray, 067: Holly Gray, "No Is A complete Sentence"

Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hi planners! Meet my next guest, Holly Gray.  Founder and CEO of Anything But Gray Events, Holly Gray is a Los Angeles, California second generation wedding planner and community builder. As you'll learn, Holly is a former stage manager of theater, TV, improv, and she brings a fearlessly theatrical perspective and unique skill set to the event industry.  Holly is known for her use of color, creativity, and bold design aesthetics. Anything but great events weddings look and feel as unique and out of the box as the couples they are crafted for. Holly's work has been featured in Equally...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Meet my next guest, Jessica Upton. Jessica Upton is the owner of J. Upton Travel, a Austin, Texas based company that partners with wedding planners to manage all things travel for weddings and destination events.  With over a decade of experience as a wedding planner herself, Jessica knows firsthand the challenges planners face when it comes to group travel, room blocks, and hotel contracts. She works closely with planners to source the best hotels, negotiate favorable terms, and provide ongoing support to ensure a smooth travel experience for both clients and their guests. Jessica's goal...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Happy New Year! Meet my next guest, Ashley Thompson.  Ashley Thompson is a Las Vegas native who started Ashley Creative Events in 2017. As you'll hear in this episode, Ashley found her passion for events at a very young age when she was inspired by the events her mom would plan and host. Ashley knew weddings were the end game and she carefully created a resume to learn every bit of the event industry until she found her way to starting her own business.  Today, Ashley leads her company as the owner and creative director. She focuses on understanding her clients' priorities and...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

Hello & Happy Holidays! It is with so much gratitude that I share the final podcast episode of 2024.  As we close out this incredible year together, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the wins, the lessons, and the moments that shaped this year. So when I look back at these last 12 months, they were definitely a journey. A journey filled with highs and lows. A journey where I, of course, had this idea and these goals of what my year would look like. And like most years, it wasn't even close. And in so many ways, this year was better than I could have imagined. And in many ways,...

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Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

  Hi planners! Before I introduce you to my next guest, I wanted to make sure that you heard that the new PlannerLifeAcademy.com is live! I am beyond excited for you to see it, and more importantly, the four new workshops for 2025, including the first one in January, which is Mastering Management, a Wedding Coordination and Wedding Day-focused 2-day in-person workshop. Be sure to check out the site for more info and to grab your seat before they're gone!  Now, my next guest is Natalie Good. Known for being a creative force behind A Good Affair, Natalie began her passion for design as...

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Today's guest is Jaime Kostechko of Wild Heart Events. Known for her fun and creative designs, Jamie and the Wild Heart Events team are based in Santa Barbara, California and produce weddings locally and worldwide. Jaime loves globally influenced designs inspired by rustic fincas, australian architecture, moroccan textiles, jungalow living, bohemian chic and urban punk.

 

Jaime has her Bachelors degree from UCSB in Sociology, forging her path handling events and décor within the hospitality and wedding industries since 2008. Growing up immersed in interior design and with a background in restaurant management, Jaime layers color, pattern and texture with experiential moments to create unforgettable celebrations full of trend-setting details. She is one of the leading modern event designers with features in People magazine, Vogue, Domino, Martha Stewart, Brides, Green Wedding Shoes and more. 

 

Wild Heart Events has been named a top planner and designer by Brides, Over the Moon, The Wed, Wed Vibes, California Wedding Day and more.

 

Beyond her work, Jaime believes in living a life based around kindness, authenticity and inclusivity. Jaime loves hosting in her own home alongside her fire captain husband, two sons, and frenchie.

 

In this Episode, we discuss: 

  • Evolution of Jamie's team structure over the years.

  • The importance of clear roles within the business.

  • Transition from high volume to high-end destination weddings, managing 22 weddings a year.

  • Jamie's background in the restaurant industry.

  • Transitioning to wedding planning inspired by her love for hospitality and design, and her mother's influence as an interior designer.

  • Balancing motherhood and a growing business.

  • Jamie's approach to incorporating calculated risks and memorable moments in her designs.

  • Transition to destination weddings as Jamie's children grew older.

  • Challenges in finding genuine connections and support among wedding planners.

  • Importance of taking opportunities as they come and building a strong portfolio.

  • Leveraging styled shoots and creative events to showcase design capabilities.

  • Focusing on local events initially and expanding as the business grows.

  • How destination events are much different than your local events.

  • How the wedding publication landscape has definitely evolved over the past 12 years or so.

 

Connect with Jaime

Website | Instagram