368 JOSE VILLA & LAURIE ARONS: Discuss Working Together As Photographer & Planner/Designer and More!

The Wedding Biz - Behind the Scenes of the Wedding Business

Andy chats with two guests in this episode of The Wedding Biz, both of whom have been featured on the podcast multiple times in the past. Laurie Arons is a planner and designer of Laurie Arons Special Events 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 wedding planner master class.

Also joining Andy is Jose Villa, a fine art photographer who is considered by many to be the top event photographer in the world. He has been published in numerous magazines and was named one of the top wedding photographers by Martha Stewart Weddings, Harper's Bazaar, Style Me Pretty, and Vogue. He was also named one of the top ten photographers in the world by American Photo Magazine and was named one of the most influential photographers of the decade. Jose, in addition, runs workshops and authored the book Fine Art Wedding Photography.

Laurie and Jose have been working together for nearly a decade, and they each elaborate upon what it's like working with the other. Laurie describes her business as live theatre only not with actors, a feeling which gives her butterflies because she puts a lot of thought into it. They also discuss at length how they address unexpected obstacles such as challenging weather, what's important to them as far as the guest experience is concerned, what they look for in a good venue, and what they are seeing happening currently in their business now that we are (hopefully) nearing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Andy had such a fun time talking to Laurie and Jose again – especially at the same time – and encourages you to go back and listen to their previous episodes of the podcast by going to The Wedding Biz's website and typing in their names in the search bar. Be sure to also subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode, and if you can think of at least three good friends who would benefit from listening to the podcast, share it with them! Andy would also appreciate a positive review wherever you listen to the podcast!

Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? 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

[1:42] – Andy reveals this episode's two guests – Jose Villa and Laurie Arons – and gives their credentials.

[3:44] – Jose reveals that location and communication are some of the key elements for a successful collaboration with a designer.

[4:36] – We learn that Laurie considers a lot of photography experience as well as commitment to be very important when working with a photographer.

[6:13] – Laurie and Jose talk about their collaborative process together, and Jose reflects on the stressful aspects of his job.

[9:12] – Laurie explains how she tries to keep Jose as informed of details as possible.

[12:03] – Laurie reflects a little on the difficulty of obstacles such as the bride wanting her hair redone and how that negatively impacts a set schedule.

[13:46] – We hear examples of how weather can negatively impact events.

[16:52] – Laurie and Jose share what's important to them in relation to the guest experience.

[18:24] – Laurie and Jose describe a very long wooden pathway that Laurie was involved in making for a particular client.

[20:30] – Laurie discusses venues and what makes a good venue for her.

[23:25] – From a photographer's perspective, Jose expounds upon what makes a good venue for him.

[25:47] – Jose talks about the importance of a venue eliciting a certain mood.

[27:16] – Jose and Laurie reveal what they are currently seeing in the business now that we are approaching the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[29:29] – Andy explains how to go about finding Laurie and Jose on previous episodes of the podcast.

RESOURCES

The Wedding Biz - “Top 10 Event Luminary Tips for Dealing with Stress”Laurie’s Previous Guest Spots on The Wedding Biz Jose’s Previous Guest Spots on The Wedding BizJose Villa – Fine Art Wedding Photography: How to Capture Images with Style for the Modern Bride

Find Laurie:

Laurie Arons Special Events - Website

Laurie Arons Special Events’ Facebook Page

Laurie’s Instagram Page

Laurie’s Twitter Page

Find Jose:

Jose’s Website

Jose’s Blog

Jose’s Facebook Page

Jose’s Instagram Page

Jose’s Twitter Page

On Clubhouse, follow Andy @andykushner and join his club “The Wedding Biz” to get additional content and to get direct access to Andy.

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