501 ANNA ROUSSOS/Photographer: Capturing Love: A Journey from Fashion to Romance
Release Date: 04/22/2024
516 MEGHAN ELY: Aligning Your Brand for Luxury Wedding Publicity
The Wedding Biz
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 ! 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 SpecialEvents.com. Meghan joins Andy for this episode to discuss defining and achieving luxury in the wedding industry. With years of experience and numerous accolades, including but certainly not limited to being recognized...
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515 ROBERT SHERMAN: How to Build Loyalty and Retain Employees
The Wedding Biz
Andy is so thrilled to be welcoming his business partner, Robert Sherman, to the show! Robert is Andy’s business partner at and is also the owner of , 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 term. Robert shares some valuable insights from his decades of experience, explaining how hiring for company culture is just as crucial as hiring for skill sets and emphasizing the importance of communication, ensuring that employees not...
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514 TARA GUERARD: Global Tastemaker with Southern Hospitality
The Wedding Biz
If you have been a longtime listener of the podcast, then today’s voice may sound familiar to you as it is her ! Andy is so thrilled to welcome back , owner and creative director of 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 tastemakers globally, and she is here to share some exciting updates since she was last on the show. Listen as she and Andy reflect on the profound changes brought about by the pandemic and how it has influenced their approach to client relationships. Tara shares her...
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513 ANDREA EPPOLITO: AI for Wedding Professionals
The Wedding Biz
Andy is thrilled to once again be sitting down with , a renowned luxury wedding planner and author of . 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, particularly ChatGPT, can serve as a powerful creative assistant, sifting through data, spotting patterns, and offering insights that would take humans weeks to uncover. She stresses the importance of training AI to emulate one's personal style,...
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512 REVISIT COLIN COWIE: The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted
The Wedding Biz
Join Andy as he revisits his with 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. has also had many corporate clients such as Dom Pérignon, Warner Brothers, CBS, Whitney Museum of American Art, Architectural Digest, and so many more! Colin is also a published author, having written books such as , , and . Colin, as he discusses with Andy in this episode, is all about making sure that he delivers the ultimate experience...
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511 LIENE STEVENS: Current State of the Wedding Industry and Investing in Yourself
The Wedding Biz
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 unique journey from an unexpected promotion at a nonprofit right out of high school to becoming a key player in negotiating the release of hostages with the U.S. State Department! Her unorthodox path...
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510 REVISIT JOSE VILLA & LAURIE ARONS – Discuss Working Together As Photographer & Planner/Designer and More!
The Wedding Biz
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 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 trendsetters such as Sophia Coppola, Vanessa Getty, and Christy Turlington as well as prominent business moguls like Gary Friedman, Frank Caufield, and Eddie DeBartolo. Laurie has also created and runs a very successful...
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509 SUSAN LACZ/Ridgewells Catering: Quality and Culture in Business
The Wedding Biz
Join Andy this week as he sits down with , the CEO of . 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 culinary skills and hospitality left a lasting impression on her. She discusses her initial foray into the food business, from working at a deli in Wyckoff, New Jersey, to bartending in Washington, D.C. Her passion for sales and...
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508 KERRY BRACKEN & JENNIFER ROCHER/LAVENDER & ROSE: A Marriage of English Charm and French Elegance
The Wedding Biz
Andy welcomes Kerry Bracken and Jennifer Rocher of 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 wedding planning, with Jennifer bringing her local French expertise and Kerry contributing her British flair after moving to France in 2007. They reveal how their partnership began organically, evolving over...
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507 TORI WILLIAMS: From Glam Services to Global Recognition as an Event Curator and Designer
The Wedding Biz
Andy is so honored to bring Tori Williams of Tori Williams Events onto the show today! Tori is a world renowned luxury event curator who has showcased her work on major television networks such as Lifetime, Bravo, and The Food Network, and she is even the star of the VH1 original series My Celebrity Dream Wedding! She joins Andy today to discuss everything from childhood influences to pivotal moments that shaped her career! Tori shares her journey from cosmetology to becoming a sought-after event curator and designer. With a client list featuring names like Tyler Perry Studios and the Atlanta...
info_outlineAndy dives into an enriching conversation this week with Anna Roussos, a prominent wedding photographer renowned across Europe. Anna shares her journey from a TV director to a distinguished wedding photographer, unveiling the pivotal moments that shaped her career.
Discover how Anna's childhood fascination with romance and artistry steered her towards capturing timeless moments of love and emotion through her lens. From her early days in fashion photography to her transformation into a leading figure in luxury wedding photography, Anna's story is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance.
Anna has a truly unique approach to wedding photography, blending elegant reportage with a touch of fashion, and she shares insights into storytelling, aesthetic coherence, and client satisfaction. She also discusses the intricacies of branding and niche development in the wedding photography industry and unveils the key elements of building a successful luxury brand. She even elaborates upon the impact of technology and social media on wedding photography, from the demand for quick turnaround times to the rise of drone photography and content creation.
Gain valuable tips on portfolio curation, client communication, and balancing artistry with business acumen in the dynamic world of wedding photography. You won't want to miss out on this insightful conversation with Anna Roussos, and if you do enjoy it, then Andy would really appreciate it if you were to share it with a few good friends and industry colleagues who might also enjoy it! Andy would also appreciate it if you were to leave a top review wherever you listen to the show because that really helps the show out! Lastly, don’t forget to follow The Wedding Biz on Instagram and subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss a new episode when it drops!
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.
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Time Stamps
[0:55] - Andy reveals this episode’s guest to be Anna Roussos!
[3:26] - When did Anna realize that she wanted to do photography as a career?
[5:44] - After discovering the joy of capturing love, Anna transitioned to full-time wedding photography.
[8:47] - Anna reflects on her style, revealing that her style style blends elegance with storytelling, emphasizing aesthetic cohesion and client satisfaction.
[11:42] - Anna prioritizes thorough client engagement, crafting detailed timelines and mood boards for personalized wedding photography.
[14:47] - Andy points out how collaborating with planners on draft timelines allows for optimal event coordination and enhancements.
[15:38] - Having input on draft timelines is crucial to Anna for capturing specific moments and adjusting as needed.
[18:44] - How does Anna describe her niche?
[19:43] - Anna argues that building a strong brand image through portfolio selection is vital for attracting ideal clients.
[22:46] - In today's fast-paced world of social media, quick delivery times are essential for photographers.
[25:59] - Anna feels that creating a luxury brand for wedding photography involves rarity, exclusivity, prestige, and authenticity.
[28:47] - Andy asserts that establishing immediate connection and excitement enhances the client experience from the first interaction.
[30:50] - Learn what equipment Anna is currently using.
[32:21] - Andy touches upon where Anna can be found online.
LINKS AND RESOURCES
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Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment.