May 16, 2022
Joining Andy today is returning guest Laurie Arons of Laurie Arons Special Events! Laurie founded her company in 1994 and has been featured in numerous magazine publications. She has also been listed in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the top worldwide planners. Her clientele consists of noteworthy trendsetters like Sophia Coppola, Vanessa Getty, and Christy Turlington as well as prominent business moguls such as Gary Friedman, Frank Caufield, and Eddie DeBartolo. Laurie has also created and runs a successful wedding planner master class.
Laurie, in this episode, reflects on the last couple of years and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected 2021 for her. Grateful for her team and how they overcame them, she details the struggles and reveals why she brought on very few new clients for 2022, taking on fewer clients but charging more. She also talks about how the hospitality industry in general was hit very hard because of the pandemic and how her goal remains to make people happy.
Andy and Laurie also discuss how connections and methods of communication have changed because of the pandemic and whether they prefer virtual meetings or in-person meetings. Laurie also projects toward the future, revealing that she loves what she does and doesn't want to retire anytime soon unless her health requires her to do so. She touches upon her masterclasses and discusses her plans for the future, detailing an intimate class coming in November of this year.
Andy has really enjoyed this real conversation with Laurie! Be sure to check Laurie out online, and as always, if you can think of at least three good friends who might benefit from and enjoy this episode, be sure to share it with them! Andy would also be appreciative if you were to subscribe to the podcast if you aren't already and to leave a top review wherever you listen to the podcast, especially since it really helps the show and helps people find it!
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
[0:00] – The sponsor of this episode is Zola.
[0:57] – We learn that today's guest is Laurie Arons of Laurie Arons Special Events.
[2:31] – Laurie reflects on what she has learned over the last couple of years.
[5:32] – Laurie commends her team for overcoming last year's stressful challenges.
[7:41] – Laurie reveals that she onboarded very few new clients for 2022.
[10:29] – Most people, Laurie argues, don't have a realistic idea of how much a wedding costs.
[10:55] – Discover whether or not Laurie is happier taking on fewer clients.
[13:38] – Laurie learned from what happened last year.
[15:53] – Laurie laments that the hospitality industry was hit very hard because of COVID.
[18:25] – Andy shifts the conversation toward virtual meetings vs. in-person meetings.
[19:33] – Laurie offers her insight into the positive aspects of virtual meetings.
[22:11] – Learn about the possible future of Laurie's company.
[23:38] – Andy gives us his thoughts about retirement.
[25:42] – Laurie's job doesn't feel like work most of the time.
[26:35] – Learn about Laurie's masterclasses!
[28:46] – Andy shares Laurie's contact information.
RESOURCES
Find Laurie:
Laurie Arons Special Events - Website
Laurie Arons Special Events’ Facebook Page
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Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by
Kushner
Entertainment & Zola.