Unveiled Interviews

So many couples dream of a destination wedding in their hearts, but when it comes to putting pen to paper, step away from their dream because of assumptions around cost, planning logistics, or even reactions from family and friends. But what if they knew planning a destination wedding ultimately isn’t much different than planning a local wedding?  During this episode of Unveiled Interviews, wedding planner Laura Garcia of Moon Velvet Studio – who specializes in destination weddings across Southern California, Spain, and beyond – walks us through all the logistics and debunks all the common misconceptions around planning a destination wedding. From deciding when and where to hiring vendors and navigating travel, Laura breaks down the planning process and helps us understand exactly what needs to be considered every step of the way. Laura Garcia is the owner and lead producer of Moon Velvet Studio, a full-service design and planning company based in San Diego, California but specializing in weddings world-wide.  Follow Laura on Instagram at @moonvelvetstudiohttps://www.moonvelvetstudio.com/ Cover image by Meghan Savage.

Business can often be seen as a very mechanical thing with cogs and wheels – we so often feel limited by the invisible rules set by our peers and forget to look at things with a holistic perspective. What if, instead of seeing things as mechanical and analytical, we started running our businesses with our hearts? What if our businesses were so intertwined with our personal morals and passions that we started operating with an abundance of energy, ambition, and creativity? What if we could see each and every opportunity with fresh eyes and infuse our work with soul every time? In this episode of Unveiled, we interview California-based wedding photographer, Lexie Hand. Lexie has experienced an incredible transformation in not only business but also in self over the past year or two, and in so has developed such  rich and passionate insight in what it means to infuse soul into your business.  Follow Lexie on instagram at @lexiehand https://www.lexiehand.com/

Wedding fashion – for not only brides but also grooms, family members, other guests, and even wedding professionals – has been rapidly growing in popularity in recent years and (we believe) for good reason. What you wear to wedding not only affects how you feel and therefore the energy you emit throughout the day, but then transcends to others around you affecting how they feel and the energy they emit throughout the day. Bold, artful, maybe even a little daring fashion has the ability to elevate not only the aesthetics of a wedding day, but also the overall energy and experience. In this interview, we sit down with wedding photographer and self-proclaimed fashionista, Syndey Slavens of Syndey Marie Co, who walks us through her philosophy as to why fashion matters at weddings and all the ways we can harness it's power to impact the vibes of the day. Our conversation with Sydney shares ideas for thinking outside the box, places to find inspiration, and strategies to blend timelessness with your unique vision and taste. Our conversation even unearths suggestions for wedding professionals and both how and why they should consider a wedding wardrobe that embraces individuality, and yes, color. Follow Sydney on Instagram at @sydneymarie.co https://www.sydneymarie.co/ Wondering where to shop for your wedding guest or vendor looks? We love these brands below: Zimmerman Faithful the Brand Ulla Johnson Shona Joy Sea New York Chloe Doen Alemais Net-a-Porter My Theresa Jenni Kayne Reformation Toteme Sezane Vince Moda Operandi Sachin and Babi Danielle Frankel

Pricing is a topic that comes up a lot in the wedding industry: why are weddings so expensive?! Why are wedding vendors charging so much for their services?! Is there an industry standard that you should be considering when shopping for your vendors? What about if you are a wedding professional – how do you determine what to charge? How do you determine what your work is worth? Are the prices you're dreaming of charging realistic? What about this concept of an industry standard... does it exist and if so, how do you figure out where you land? Anni Graham is a traveling wedding photographer based in Central Oregon. After photographing weddings for over a decade and scaling her business from budget celebrations in her home town, to epic adventurous elopements across the globe, to now high-production events teamed with other prestigious industry professionals, Anni has (in her words) "made all the mistakes" when it comes to pricing her photography services. In this episode, Anni dishes out her best advice for how to approach pricing in the wedding industry and explains why she believes the concept of "industry standard" needs to be reconsidered. There is absolutely no holding back in this episode and we believe that every person involved in weddings – clients and professionals – will leave this episode with an entirely new mindset on the topic. Follow Anni's wedding work on Instagram at @annigraham or her website at ⁠https://www.annigraham.com/⁠. Anni also offers education for wedding photographers at ⁠⁠@immersed_education⁠ and ⁠https://www.immersededucation.com/⁠ where she recently released an entire course on her approach and philosophy to pricing. You can learn more about this incredible course at https://www.immersededucation.com/pricing-course-for-photographers.

If you’re running your own professional business in the wedding space, you’ve probably found yourself wondering what it takes to get your business to the next level – you may be wondering: "How do I book projects that excite me? How can I connect with clients and other vendors that resonate with my own taste and approach? What’s it going to take to finally feel like I’ve arrived?" In this episode, we are privileged to hear from wedding photographer and filmmaker, Kelly Mouradian of @kellymour__, who walks us through her career journey and the purposeful steps she took to get her business from zero to one-hundred in only two years. Kelly’s natural ambition of course played a big part in her growth, but even more so her ability to accept failure as an option was the key she needed to find success in such a quick period of time. There’s no holding back in this episode – Kelly shares her deepest thoughts, knowledge, and philosophies without the smallest degree of gatekeeping, and we are sure that everyone will find value in her insight. Kelly is a wedding photographer and filmmaker based in the mountains of Colorado but serving destinations world-wide. After only a couple years in business, her work has already been recognized and published in renowned wedding publications such as British Vogue, the Anti-Bride, Rocky Mountain Brides and more.  Follow Kelly on instagram at @kellymour__  https://www.kellymour.com/  Thank you for listening to Unveiled Interviews with Alyssa Vanzo. To hear more episodes or follow along on the journey, visit us at ⁠⁠alyssavanzo.com/podcast⁠⁠ or on Instagram ⁠⁠@unveiledinterviews⁠⁠.

Ever wonder what it takes to get your wedding featured in an esteemed wedding magazine like Brides or even Vogue? What are these publications looking for, what does the submission process look like on the other side, and  Shelby Wax is a writer, editor, and consultant who has created work for renowned publications such as Vogue, Allure, The Knot, and Brides. During our conversation, we discuss the prestige that such sought-after publications continue to strive for in their featured work and the specific elements desired in the wedding space. Shelby’s insight offers a first-hand look into the minds of editors at such prestigious wedding publications and the specific elements they look for in the features they select.  You can find Shelby on Instagram at @shelbywax or her website at https://www.shelbywax.com/  Cover image by Jenny Fu. Thank you for listening to Unveiled Interviews with Alyssa Vanzo. To hear more episodes or follow along on the journey, visit us at ⁠alyssavanzo.com/podcast⁠ or on Instagram @unveiledinterviews. We hope you look forward to next time. Wondering where to submit your real wedding? Here are some ideas: *⁠⁠The Anti Bride⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Brides⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Carats & Cake⁠⁠ ⁠⁠The Cut⁠⁠ *⁠⁠The Friend Club⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Green Wedding Shoes⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Hello May⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Junebug Weddings⁠⁠ ⁠⁠The Knot⁠⁠ ⁠⁠The Lane⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Over the Moon⁠⁠ *⁠⁠Partyslate⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Real Weddings Magazine⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Rock 'N Roll Bride⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Rocky Mountain Bride⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Ruffled Blog⁠⁠ *⁠⁠Southern Bride⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Style Me Pretty⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Together Journal⁠⁠ *⁠⁠The Wed⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Wedding Chicks⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Wedding Sparrow⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Wed Vibes⁠⁠ ⁠⁠100 Layer Cake⁠⁠ *Please note that some publications require membership or submission fees in order to submit for feature. We have done our best to mark these above with an asterisk, but please be sure to do your own research and read through the unique instructions and requirements for each individual publication before submitting.

One of the biggest questions asked by couples planning their weddings – why are wedding florals so expensive? In this week’s episode, Brooklyn-based wedding florist Ahna Han breaks down the cost of wedding florals and all the reason’s couples today are receiving higher floral quotes than ever before. Spoiler alert: you aren’t just paying for the flowers themselves. Just like any other industry, florists are dealing with increased costs associated with labor, transportation, importation taxes, etc. Ahna gracefully shares her insight on all of these costs and how they impact overall floral costs for weddings.  Ahna Han is the owner and lead designer of a full-service wedding and event floral design studio based in Brooklyn, New York. The Ahna Han floral studio specializes in artful arrangements and installations designed with seasonal flowers and inspired by nature. Follow Ahna on Instagram at @ahna__han https://www.ahnahan.com/  Cover image by Hannah Jan Photo. Thank you for listening to Unveiled Interviews with Alyssa Vanzo (@alyssavanzophoto). To hear more episodes or follow along on the journey, visit us at ⁠alyssavanzo.com/podcast⁠ or on Instagram @unveiledinterviews. We hope you look forward to next time.

It’s taking over the internet for its eclectic whim and effortless vibe – but what is documentary photography, really? Why are we suddenly so drawn to it? How does it differ from "editorial" or other styles of photography? What mindset is required (of both the photographer and subject) for the most beautiful documentary style photographs to take place? What strategies and techniques can wedding photographers apply in their process before or on a wedding day to leave with more candid captures? In this episode, we sit down with wedding photographer Tracy Koflanovich of Tracy Jade Photography and ask her to help us define documentary photography and how it is utilized and approached in the wedding space. Tracy is a wedding photographer based in Rochester, New York. Specializing in a non-intrusive and observational technique, Tracy believes that the best images are those that are unposed, unstaged, and tell the truth about particular moments in time. She generously shares insight on her philosophy across her Instagram and in doing so has gained a substantial following with those who resonate with her documentary approach. Follow Tracy on Instagram at @tracyjadephoto https://www.tracyjadephotography.com/  Thank you for listening to Unveiled Interviews with Alyssa Vanzo (@alyssavanzophoto). To hear more episodes or follow along on the journey, visit us at alyssavanzo.com/podcast or on Instagram @unveiledinterviews. We hope you look forward to next time.

The cornerstone of the wedding day – venues play quite possibly the most influential role in how a wedding is experienced by the couple, guests, and vendors. Venues can define the personality and essence of a wedding, and can impact everything from the number of guests you can have, whether or not you can get ready or have the ceremony on site, how events flow from early to late into the evening, as well as additional rentals, florals, or amenities that must be considered in the overall budget. Even “last minute” details such as contingency plans, prep space for catering, parking, transportation, locations for photos, and proximity from nearby hotels are affected by the venue chosen for a wedding day. With all this pressure, how does one go about finding that perfect venue that will not only fulfill the vision, but also the ideal “flow” and vibe for everyone involved? During this episode, we talk with esteemed wedding planner Erika Bellitt of Array Creative Design, who walks us through every detail she considers (both good and bad) when helping her couples narrow down on the perfect venue. Besides just aesthetics, Erika touches on the more unsightly details such as vendor and decor restrictions, availability for set-up and tear-down, and even hidden fees that might pop up at certain venues. If you are an up-and-coming wedding planner or couple in the early stages of wedding planning, this is an episode you will not want to miss. Erika Bellitt is the owner and lead designer at Array Creative Design, a full-service wedding design and planning studio based in Santa Barbara, California and serving all of Southern California and beyond. Array Creative Design strives to produce original and authentic weddings inspired by each client’s vision and originality. Erika has featured designs in People Magazine, BRIDES, Over The Moon, Anti-Bride, 100 Layer Cake, Martha Stewart, and many more. Follow Erika and her team at @array_creative_design https://arraycreativedesign.com/  Cover image by Dani Toscano. Thank you for listening to Unveiled Interviews with Alyssa Vanzo. To hear more episodes or follow along on the journey, visit us at ⁠alyssavanzo.com/podcast⁠ or on Instagram ⁠@unveiledinterviews⁠.

Both have their time, place, and impact in the wedding industry, but many fail to realize the true difference between their (vastly different) roles – the planner vs. the coordinator. In this episode, we sit down with renowned planner and educator, Manda Worthington of Mae & Co Creative, who breaks down the roles of wedding planners and coordinators and what makes their jobs so different from one another. She also defines the role of the venue coordinator, who yet again plays their own unique part in the wedding experience and in most cases should not be confused with these other roles. What jobs are each taking on? Where do their roles overlap with one another? What are the client-facing touchpoints for the planner versus the coordinator? What does each of  their day-to-day look like? What can couples expect to pay for each of these roles? How can coordinators start transitioning and marketing their services for full-service planning? – Manda answers all of these questions, and so many more. Manda Worthington is the owner and lead producer of Mae & Co Creative, a full-service design and production agency for high-end weddings and events across the globe. Follow Manda’s wedding planning business on instagram at @maeandco_creative and her educational platform for wedding professionals at @maeandcomonthly. https://www.maeandcocreative.com/ https://www.maeandcomonthly.com/  Cover image by Kristin Piteo. Thank you for listening to Unveiled Interviews with Alyssa Vanzo. To hear more episodes or follow along on the journey, visit us at alyssavanzo.com/podcast or on Instagram @unveiledinterviews.