Hi planners! Before I introduce you to my next guest, I wanted to make sure that you heard that the new PlannerLifeAcademy.com is live! I am beyond excited for you to see it, and more importantly, the four new workshops for 2025, including the first one in January, which is Mastering Management, a Wedding Coordination and Wedding Day-focused 2-day in-person workshop. Be sure to check out the site for more info and to grab your seat before they're gone!  Now, my next guest is Natalie...

My next guest is Thomas Bui. Thomas is the founder and creative director of Thomas Bui Lifestyle, a San Diego based company. With 24 years of experience producing weddings and events, Thomas and his team have worked in Italy, France, England, Asia, and Mexico.  Thomas Bui Lifestyle has been featured in Martha Stewart weddings, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, and Brides to name a few. Thomas also guests lectures at universities on the business of luxury weddings.  I've known...

Hi planners, my next guest is Erica Adams. Erica is an event producer and the creative mind behind Erica Adams Design. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in crafting memorable weddings and a variety of other events from corporate gatherings to brand activations. Known for her meticulous attention to detail and innovative approach, Erica brings a unique vision to every celebration she produces. Erica has been named top planner by Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings, and her...

Hi Planners, Heather here to share some exciting updates about Planner Life Academy, in this episode, I am reflecting on the past 12 years and announcing a new website that better represents my goals as an educator and mentor. I am excited to introduce four new focused workshops planned for 2025, aimed at helping wedding planners improve their skills and business practices. The new format allows for deeper exploration of essential topics, fostering community growth and support among planners....

My next guest is Reagan Kerr of Reagan Events. With years of experience managing luxury events worldwide, Regan accepted her first client in 2012 and Reagan Events was born. Today, Reagan leads the firm as creative director and executive producer and is involved in the overall management of each event. She plays an integral role in the design origination and curates vendor teams for each client. Reagan believes no dream is too big or detail too small. She appreciates thoughtful design and...

My next guest is Adrienna McDermott of Ava And The Bee. As a former wedding professional and current agency owner who has served over 250 vendors around the world, Adrienna is a sought-after thought leader in the world of wedding marketing and strategy. After spending many years as a bridal boutique owner, wedding planner, and florist, she intimately understands the challenges that vendors face in the always-changing digital world and how important it is to stand out from the rest.  Ava...

Meet my next guest, Katie Webb Brundige of the powerhouse company, Intertwined Inc.  Katie brings a wealth of experience to the table as an entrepreneur with 18 plus years of experience in hospitality, events and design. She specializes in full service luxury event planning, overseeing everything from production and curated design to vendor coordination and executing multi -day experiences. Her keen eye for refined aesthetics and unwavering attention to detail allows for her to craft unique...

My next guest is Alison Lesser Keck. Alison and her husband Bryan are the owners and brilliant minds behind Alison-Bryan Destinations. Alison is a San Francisco and Santa Barbara native who has produced over 400 weddings, from exquisite gatherings in private estates to massive weekends to week long productions in destinations globally. Alison and Bryan have been recognized by Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Brides, Over the Moon, and Elle Magazine as one of the top wedding planners in the world.  In...

My next guest is Kelley Gilster. Kelley is a cinematographer based in Southern California. She runs 618 studios with her husband, Paul, and this year they celebrate their 14th year in business. Kelley and Paul and I have been fortunate to work together numerous times over the years and really grew up in the industry together. They have supported planner life through speaking and helping produce the online course and testimonials. After over a decade in the industry, Kelley has become an...

Heather and Karen are back again with an Ask Me Anything episode answering your most pressing questions. In this episode we answer the following questions from planners:  My 2024 season has been so weird. How can I try to have a better 2025? What do you think the best part time job is while I am building my new business? I see people getting invited to all of these events, but I never seem to make the list. How do I change that to be included? Do you think it’s okay to offer...

This week’s guest is Sara Dunn of Sara Does SEO.    Sara Dunn is the Wedding SEO Specialist for wedding planners, photographers, venues, and other wedding professionals who want their websites to rank higher on Google.    With a knack for making SEO easy to understand, she’s created a unique Wedding SEO Framework that simplifies what it takes to get your wedding business in front of your dream clients.    Sara has been featured by Honeybook, Special Events, and NACE. She was named a...

Embracing Inclusivity and Creativity with Jove Meyer This week’s guest is Jove Meyer, Jove Meyer, Owner and Creative Director of Jove Meyer Events. Jove is a prominent figure in the wedding planning industry, known for his vibrant and inclusive approach to events. Jove shares his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a celebrated wedding planner, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity, creativity, and authenticity in the wedding industry. Jove Meyer is a true visionary of joy for...

In this episode, Heather is joined by Ashley Saffer and Renée Sabo, the founding partners and creative directors of Baciare Events. Baciare Events, (pronounced Buh-CHAR-Eh), is a premier planning and design firm dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences. Through strategic planning, renowned creative designs, and concierge style service, Ashley and Renee are based in New England and always passport ready. Their experience with sought after destinations and connections to talented...

Today’s guests are the sister duo from Details Darling. A full circle moment for all three planners as Aubrey and Kenzie came to Planner Life Academy early on in their career and it’s been so fun to watch them grow.  Aubrey and Mackenzie founded Details Darling, a Southern California and Arizona based boutique full service wedding planning and design company. They emphasize the importance of design details that bring out their couples personalities and tell their love stories through one of...

Today's guest is Jaime Kostechko of Wild Heart Events. Known for her fun and creative designs, Jamie and the Wild Heart Events team are based in Santa Barbara, California and produce weddings locally and worldwide. Jaime loves globally influenced designs inspired by rustic fincas, australian architecture, moroccan textiles, jungalow living, bohemian chic and urban punk.   Jaime has her Bachelors degree from UCSB in Sociology, forging her path handling events and décor within the hospitality...

Today's guest is a dear friend, longtime supporter of Planner Life Academy, and my wedding photographer, the one and only Brandon Kidd.    Brandon is a destination wedding photographer, co -founder of Chasing Stone, and a business coach to creative entrepreneurs. He has been named among the top photographers in the world, serving the wedding industry for over 20 years. Brandon has photographed over 600 weddings throughout 65 countries, and he brings a wide array of professional and personal...

Today's guest is Ann Koppuzha of Powerhouse Legal.  With a decade of legal experience at top law firms and the Department of Justice, Ann is dedicated to ensuring your contracts are top notch and echo your unique story so you can book clients faster.  Legal questions are always something I get from planners in all phases of their business. So I'm so excited to have had the opportunity to ask some of your most pressing questions. In this episode, we talk about client contracts, how to best...

Today's guest is Lesley Brickman of The One Gown based in Southern California.    Lesley is a luxury bridal stylist who is committed to helping her clients look and feel their best for life's most special moments. She works with clients across the globe to define, refine, and execute their vision for their day. Lesley's mission is to educate, empower, and serve her clients, always leading with joy.   And an absolute joy she is to work with and have on your team. I have now worked with...

Today's guest is Alexa Kritis, owner of Alexa Kritis Events in Tampa, Florida.    Born and raised in New York, Alexa found her passion for weddings at a very early age, already working in the wedding industry in high school. After earning her degree in management and event planning from Lim College in New York City, she accepted a position as a wedding coordinator at a luxury hotel which required that she make the big and exciting move from the Big Apple to the Sunshine State. With vast...

Hi planners, in this episode, I am sharing a very personal story about loss and how timing of life can be really challenging in the wedding industry. How heartbreak and loss happens when it's least expected and often least convenient. How pushing through your own feelings for what is best for your clients is SO HARD and not something I have ever really heard anyone talk about.  Please enjoy this brief episode to acknowledge how sometimes you have to hold it all in and you are not alone....

Today's guest is Kelsey Rae Angelotti, owner and creative director at Kelsey Ray Designs. Kelsey got her degree in business from Vanguard University and landed her first job out of college at Ponte Winery in Temecula, California. After a move to Greenwich, Connecticut, it was there that she got a job doing social media for a luxury hotel group in South America and Italy. And she was encouraged to launch her own company, Kelsey Ray Designs, on the side. Over the years, she's built a large...

Today's guest is Christine Garrison, the owner and visionary force behind CMG Events. CMG Events is an award -winning event planning and design company with planners based in Napa Valley, the Bay Area, and Los Angeles, California. CMG also plans and designs destination weddings in locations like Idaho, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii, Italy, Mexico, and more. Christine is passionate about creating unforgettable moments and she brings a blend of sophistication and creativity to each and...

On today’s episode, Heather & Karen from Blissfully Styled sit down to answer submitted questions from the Planner Life Community.  A little bit about the guest co-host today- Karen Sieger owner of Blissfully Styled. Karen is a genuine empath and always game for a celebration. There's nothing Karen loves more than immersing herself in event planning and designing. She is an advocate for her couples, infusing positivity, creating elegant designs obsessing over the tiniest of details. Her...

On today's episode, Heather Hoesch Olsen, interviews Steven Greitzer, who is the founder and CEO of Provenance.  After officiating weddings for years and feeling frustrated and shocked by the lack of resources for couples and their first time officiants, he founded Provenance in 2021 to modernize ceremony design. Today, tens of thousands of wedding planners, couples, officiants, bridal party, and other toast givers used Provenance's suite of tools to craft meaningful and personalized wedding...