The Wedding Biz - Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

Floral artist Kiana Underwood is the celebrated owner of Tulipina an internationally renowned floral design studio that creates bespoke experiences for luxury weddings throughout the world. She has been named one of the top wedding floral designers in the US and is the most followed floral designer on Instagram. She is the author of Color Me Floral and the host of sold-out international workshops. She has also been featured in many magazines, and her work is always in demand.

Kiana and I talk about the importance of bravery and pushing past fear to create what you desire. Her life and her work is an example of how she has pushed passed this fear to create the art and life that she wants. She shares her story of moving to the US and how freeing her new school experience was. We get to learn how flowers were always part of her life and culture, but it took bravery, tenacity, and out-of-the box thinking to make floral art her business and life’s work.

Show Highlights:

• [00:23] Andy discovers that Kiana and her husband Nate recently moved to a small farm in the Hudson Valley area.
• [01:23] Kiana explains how the beauty of nature makes up for being so far away from the city.
• [01:40] Kiana shares how her grandfather had a beautiful garden, and her mother always had fresh cut flowers in the house.
• [04:01] She was searching for something, and her husband suggested that flower arranging could be a business and an outlet for her.
• [05:48] Kiana shares some personal history about how she left Iran in the 1990s and came to the US when she was a sophomore in high school.
• [06:50] Her school experience in the US was amazing. She was struggling in Iran, but when she came here she realized that teachers cared about her, and it helped her flourish.
• [08:29] She loved experiencing cultural diversity and being accepted which gave her strength and self-confidence.
• [09:33] There are so many amazing florists in San Francisco and Kiana was somewhat new to the industry. It was a little bit scary.
• [12:20] Kiana shares how important it is to push past the fear and take a chance. Whether it's coming to the US, moving across the country to a farm, or starting a fledgling floral arrangement business.
• [12:56] Challenge number one was navigating the San Francisco flower markets. It took a while for Kiana to be known before people were helpful.
• [14:08] It took two or three years of putting her work with Tulipina on Instagram and the Internet before her work started getting the respect it deserved.
• [15:32] During these experimental years, she had to learn the names of the flowers as she was exploring and finding her own style.
• [16:14] She also got the cold shoulder from the industry once she started being well-known on social media.
• [16:53] Each week, she would go to the flower market and explore and see what she could create, because that is what gave her happiness.
• [17:25] Kiana would make arrangements and put them online and interest slowly began to grow.
• [18:29] Kiana used amazing photography to promote herself for free on Instagram.
• [19:23] She also made daring design decisions with color and flower types.
• [21:19] Kiana creates what looks good, she thinks of her work as a painting.
• [22:35] She is moved by music in a way that could make her cry. This drives her creativity.
• [24:24] She brings art to events. She doesn’t want to be a mass production florist.
• [25:03] Because the art is so individual she only takes on a limited number of weddings a year.
• [25:37] Kiana shares her process.
• [26:44] Kiana shares the story of one of her favorite brides who also loved color, had a budget and was willing to step outside of the box and do something special.
• [28:48] Kiana shares one of the craziest wedding experiences she had where there was a generational design clash between the bride and the mother of the bride.
• [34:43] Kiana wants to conduct two or three amazing workshops a year. Her first one this year was in Rome, and it sold out. She wants to mostly concentrate on her destination weddings.
• [36:29] Kiana shares another experience where she pushed past her fear and had her first international workshop in Russia.
• [40:19] Kiana's husband has started working with the business full-time which has really helped balance business and family time.
• [42:26] Currently they are into their five-year plan of building out their property in New York. Kiana is also going to continue to work on amazing events.

This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment www.kushnerentertainment.com.

LINKS ...

If you’ve heard of David Tutera, you know he’s done it all. He’s a leading expert in the wedding and entertaining business with a list of accomplishments almost too long to mention.

From sharing how he found himself in the events industry, to his foresight for where the industry is going, David dishes on everything you want to know-with the incredible motivation you need.

About David Tutera:

Originally from New York, David Tutera is a celebrity wedding planner and designer, author of seven books, television personality, and bridal fashion and wedding accessories designer.

His work has graced both television for 14 years, from regular spots on The View to his own collection of television series like My Fair Wedding. David has created weddings and events for Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Barbara Walters, the White House, the Grammy Awards, and countless others.

David currently lives in Malibu, California with his husband Joey, daughter Ceilo, and their rescue dog Lucy.

Show Highlights:

• David’s unexpected childhood upbringing that heavily influences his outlook on life
• David shares how to avoid burnout in a fast-moving industry
• Why strategically re-inventing yourself in your career is crucial
• David’s short college experience and his first post-college business
• How old David was when he planned his first wedding
• What David thought most wedding planners were missing when he started his event planning business
• The challenges of starting a new wedding planning business
• The two pivotal years that put David’s business on the map
• His experiences on television, including the launch of his first series
• David shares his two biggest fears, and how he uses them to find empowerment
• The process David takes with his clients to create custom events
• Some of David’s favorite weddings of all time (including his own!)
• About David’s product line
• How David has seen the wedding/event industry change over the past 30 years

Links Mentioned in the Show:

David Tutera

David Tutera Event Planning Symposium

Video links - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlWg-AwV0Zw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31jCjwUe8fs&t=3s

https://youtu.be/hoSwFXaVleA

Today it's all about Andy! For quite a while now, people have been asking him to air an interview about himself. Andy has been interviewed on many different podcasts, so today he decided to publish the most recent of these, with Mary Swaffield, of the Wedpreneur Podcast.

Andy and Mary will be talking about what Andy has learned from all the amazing icons whom he has interviewed on The Wedding Biz Podcast. Mary asks Andy about the common threads in the more than seventy-five interviews he's done with some of the biggest names in the wedding and events’ industry. Andy addresses topics like cyclical struggles, dealing with anxiety and fear, and also his changing perspective about the way he views the business aspect of this highly creative industry.

Show Highlights:

• Andy talks about his role in the wedding industry.
• Andy explains what inspired him to start a podcast.
• Some of the incredible event-icons Andy has worked with through his music & entertainment business, Kushner Entertainment.
• Sylvia Weinstock, cake-designer, was the first icon Andy interviewed on The Wedding Biz podcast.
• Mary is a huge fan. She really gets a sense of storytelling from Andy's podcast.
• The way that Andy manages to craft a story, with emotional impact, around the guests who he interviews.
• Addressing the way Colin Cowie designs with the five senses, from an interview in 2017.
• These icons are risk takers and create a completely unique experience for each and every client.
• Connecting with the clients on a really deep level is necessary to avoid a cookie-cutter experience.
• Preston Bailey has been on Andy's show twice and is really a humble person.
• Some of the common threads running through Andy's interviews.
• Becoming aware that all businesses are cyclical.
• The struggle of creatives balancing their art with the business aspect.
• Building and dealing with your business is a creative act.
• It's important to be aware that business is also hard for the dedicated event-icons.
• Robert Fountain always feels anxiety and he spoke to Andy about how he uses it as a motivator.
• What Andy does when he catches himself with negative thoughts.
• It's really all about your perception.
• The way that Mary was been taught to use her fear.
• Learning to turn obstacles into ways to grow.
• How Andy turns problems into blessings.
• Andy talks about the biggest change that he's seen in the wedding industry.
• The incredible energy of a live band.
• Finding ways to stay grounded and connected.

NOTE: This interview of Andy took place in November of 2018 and some information mentioned about The Next Level episodes has changed. It is now released on Wednesdays with varying guest co-hosts, all of whom are previous guests of The Wedding Biz.

Links and Resources:

Recommended books: The Inner Game of Tennis, by W. Timothy Gallwey

The Obstacle is the Way, by Ryan Holiday

The Wedding Biz website: www.theweddingbiz.com

The Wedding Biz on social media: Facebook Instagram

Andy's entertainment site: www.kushnerentertainment.com

Mary's website: www.thewedpreneur.com

The following guest interviews, from The Wedding Biz, are referred to:

Colin Cowie

Preston Bailey: Part 1 Part 2

Bryan Rafanelli

Sylvia Weinstock

Robert Fountain

Alison Hotchkiss Rinderknecht

Jes Gordon

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 Ballet, Tori's expertise extends beyond simply planning events; it's about crafting unforgettable experiences!

Listen in, and discover the secrets behind Tori's rapid success as she sheds light on the importance of client experience, the creative process, and the challenges of balancing business with creativity. From TV appearances to hosting workshops, Tori's passion for her craft shines through as she discusses her plans for the future, including a focus on large-scale productions and education initiatives.

Join Andy for an inspiring conversation filled with insights into the world of high-end event planning and the dedication it takes to create magic for clients. He hopes that you enjoy this conversation, and if you do, he would really appreciate it if you didn’t keep it to yourself and were to share it with a few good friends and industry colleagues who might also enjoy it! He 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.

SUPPORTING THE WEDDING BIZ

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

Time Stamps

[0:04] - Andy announces that, to catch up on past interviews, two new episodes per month will be released temporarily.

[0:50] - Andy’s guest today is Tori Williams of Tori Williams Events!

[2:17] - Tori reflects on how her grandma's influence shaped her love for hosting events and how pursuing cosmetology led to a master license.

[4:41] - Why and when did Tori transition into event planning?

[7:26] - Tori’s focus is on the experience, making clients feel special in their milestone events.

[10:14] - Tori never actively pursued television opportunities; they found her through social media or referrals.

[12:40] - Balancing regular job duties with TV filming was stressful but valuable for Tori's brand.

[14:28] - Tori reveals that she is expanding beyond weddings and is focusing on larger productions and diverse events.

[17:56] - From where does Tori get her inspiration?

[20:20] - Tori shares how, last year, she organized an award show for entrepreneurs, embracing creativity without client direction. [22:25] - Tori also gives an example of having coordinated a wedding for a friend, putting trust into the design process. [25:11] - Tori argues that strong business ethics, a dedicated team, and structure are crucial for success.

[28:00] - Tori restarted hosting workshops post-COVID, attracting 32,000 subscribers through webinars and challenges.

[30:47] - Tori reveals that she often speaks on event production, luxury industry entry, celebrity clients, television, and business insights.

[31:39] - In her current career, Tori aims for a few large productions anually and prioritizes education.

[32:45] - Andy reveals where Tori can be found online.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

Find Tori:

Tori Williams Events - Website Tori Williams Events - Instagram Page