This episode of The Wedding Biz is a special one because Andy is recording live during Laurie Arons’ masterclass and has three special guests today – Laurie herself, Sarah Winward (who will very soon be featured on the podcast in her own individual interview), and Susan Kidwell (who will also be appearing on the podcast fairly soon).

Laurie has been on the show several times before and runs Laurie Arons Special Events. She discusses her process behind transforming a venue and how she decides which aspects of an already existing venue to keep intact, which aspects to change, how she relies on Susan to help her conceal more unsightly elements of a venue, and more!

Sarah, a destination wedding florist based out of Salt Lake City, shares her personal approach to transforming a venue, at what point she ideally likes to be involved in the process, what her favorite methods are to create an emotional impact, what her greatest challenges are, etc.

Susan of Hensley Event Resources talks about her priorities when it comes to thinking outside of the box when she helps transform venues, what her clientele usually is, how weather tends to be her biggest obstacle, what advice she has for clients regarding budgeting, and so much more!

Time is also allowed for questions from the room, including but not limited to how Laurie conveys her ideas and direction to Sarah, what resources are available for one to learn more about technical aspects, how to weigh a pavilion down, how Susan and Laurie use universal terminology with planners that they will understand, and how safety is balanced with aesthetics. This panel was so informative, and Andy appreciates you listening! He would appreciate it if you were to subscribe to the podcast if you aren’t already so that you never miss a new episode, and be sure also to leave a top review wherever you listen because that really helps out the show and helps people find it!

 

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

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Time Stamps

[0:00] – Today’s sponsor is Zola.

[0:22] – Andy introduces today’s three special guests.

[2:45] – Laurie explains her process behind transforming a venue.

[3:53] – Which does Laurie prefer – transforming a venue or starting from scratch?

[4:54] – Laurie reveals how she decided which aspects of a venue to preserve.

[6:00] – Sarah describes her approach to designing a venue transformation.

[7:54] – At what point would Sarah prefer to be brought into the process?

[9:19] – Susan details her priorities.

[10:10] – Susan’s clients are the planners.

[10:42] – How does Laurie hide unsightly elements of a venue?

[12:25] – Sarah touches upon her favorite ways to create an emotional impact.

[13:52] – Time and the elements are Sarah’s greatest challenges.

[14:44] – Susan immediately identifies weather as her biggest obstacle.

[15:30] – Laurie argues for the importance of logistics.

[16:41] – Learn about an event that all three women worked on together.

[18:48] – What, according to Susan, should clients know about budgeting?

[20:28] – We are encouraged to have fun with the process.

[23:45] – Laurie points out that there are so many resources now in 2022.

[25:25] – Susan encourages us to have people send photos of updates.

[27:49] – Sarah further details her collaboration process with Laurie.

[29:07] – Laurie reveals one reason why she started this masterclass.

[31:22] – Sarah comments on the mockup process.

[32:25] – Laurie answers what her direction to Sarah tends to look like.

[34:26] – Susan points out how she does 3D rendering from Laurie’s ideas.

[35:11] – How does Susan determine placement?

[37:40] – What resources can be used for technical aspects?

[39:33] – How does one work with the venue to establish placement?

[42:17] – Susan explains how to weigh a pavilion down.

[44:28] – What is Laurie’s process for working with private homes?

[46:10] – We learn a bit about permitting.

[48:00] – Susan answers a question about using universal language with planners.

[49:30] – How is safety reconciled with aesthetics?

[52:53] – Discover where to find Susan, Laurie, and Sarah online.

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Laurie’s Previous Guest Spots on The Wedding Biz

 

Find Laurie:

Laurie Arons Special Events – Website
Laurie Arons Special Events – Facebook Page
Laurie’s Instagram Page
Laurie’s Twitter Page

Find Sarah:

Sarah’s Website
Sarah’s Instagram Page
Sarah’s Pinterest Page

 

Find Susan:

Hensley Event Resources – Website
Hensley Event Resources – Instagram Page
Hensley Event Resources – Facebook Page
Hensley Event Resources – Twitter Page

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Support The Wedding Biz by clicking here.

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