On today’s episode, hosts James and Otto are joined by Britt and Francie from 42 North, a weddings and event planning business. While much of their clientele is in New England, they also plan destination weddings for clients in New York, Chicago, and LA. Britt and Francie share what a wedding planner does, comparing wedding planning to putting on a Broadway production with no rehearsals. They discuss building their venues and creating beautiful yet functional environments, such as mitigating dust with a water truck for a desert wedding. With a crew of up to 200 people and a multi-million-dollar budget, the stakes are high, and they must make big decisions and manage real emotions from clients who have spent over a year planning their special day.

They discuss the skill set needed for making big decisions, recounting a recent wedding on tribal land in New Mexico. After 16 months of planning, a monsoon forced Britt to make a quick decision to change the reception location. They emphasize that just making a decision is better than not making one and highlight the importance of commitment and respect in their role as planners.

Britt and Francie have been in business for 10 years, with evolving roles. Britt manages clients and vendors, while Francie runs Mavinhouse. They started working together without knowing each other and developed a business partnership based on trust and complementary skills. Francie had years of experience, while Britt brought a fresh perspective and an all-in mentality.

Britt and Francie share their excitement for new ideas and the fulfillment of building a business together. Their motivation is not just about weddings but the joy of running a business and staying true to their values. They also stress genuine connections with vendors and coworkers, describing their team as a family that supports each other.

In the service industry, stepping up to serve with gratitude is essential. They trust their partners and value the months of preparation leading to the wedding day. After each wedding, they review what worked well and what can be improved, bringing in team members with complementary skills.

Before wrapping up, Britt and Francie share how they started a blog called “Caramel O’Clock,” where they write to each other once a week, reminiscing about their experiences. The blog, named after their office caramel breaks, reflects their fun and quirky dynamic.

Timestamps:

0:30 - Introduction of guests, Britt and Francie from 42 North.
1:54 - What does a wedding planner do?
6:58 - What is the skill set for making those big decisions in the moment?
11:57 - How do you both work together?
17:09 - In the very beginning, what did you all see in each other?
25:35 - When one of you has an epiphany, does the other go with it or is there back and forth? 35:38 - How does it impact your job when you’re in a more tense vs a more inclusive environment?
45:58 - What are you doing to celebrate each other after 10 years?
49:03 - Thanks to Britt and Francie for joining us today

Links: Learn more about 42 North, Mavinhouse, and Caramel O’Clock.

As photographers and business owners, continuous growth is the name of the game. What gets in the way of this growth are the blindspots we all have. If we’re not booking the weddings we want or showing up the way we want to, curiosity and radical self-honesty are the only way to initiate the change we need.

It’s really hard to assess ourselves, and often that process is brought on by a huge life event. Nothing makes us self-reflect more than a moment of transition in our lives, like the end of a relationship.

For Erik Clausen, the last 18 months have been a season of reflection, growth and transformation and his business has benefitted. How did photography go from hobby, to artform and then to a business? How does the process of self-reflection benefit us as business owners? How do you shine a light on your blindspots?

In this episode, Erik shares the story behind his personal growth and why it’s made him better at what he does.

Want a clear and comprehensive roadmap on how to succeed in the luxury wedding market? Check out the Business of Luxury Weddings course. You’ll learn the entire business model and thought process - so you can sign consistent 5-figure contracts, build a powerful network of the right people, and travel to iconic destinations. Learn more and join the waitlist at SageJourney.co.

Guest Bio

The original ‘Mom with a camera’, Erik shot his first wedding in 2007 and has been traveling the world shooting them since. An artist and a storyteller he lives a creative life, seeking to see everything in a new way as often as possible, using light as his muse and relationships the gateway. For more information, go to www.erikclausen.com and follow @erikclausen on Instagram and find him on Facebook.

Unique experiences, powerful emotions, beauty, family, love and legacy…these are some of the words planners use to describe the service they provide. It’s very rare to hear a planner talk about wellbeing and happiness being the leading drivers of what they do.

At the highest level of wedding planning, the concept of caring for people can get lost in the luxurious logistics. What sets the best apart isn’t being really good at the job because everyone’s good. What makes the difference is caring about the client as a human being, being their rock throughout the process and having a real heart of service.

How do you weave client wellbeing and happiness into your process? Why is it important to set big goals for ourselves for business owners? How do you get out of your own bubble as a planner?

In this episode, we’re joined by CEO of Mae&Co Creative and Mae&Co Monthly, Manda Worthington. She shares the secret to her success, what she wants to accomplish and what it takes to be an exceptional planner.

Guest Bio

Manda Worthington, the founder and CEO of Mae&Co Creative and Mae&Co Monthly. Manda started her journey in 2015, fueled by her passion for business, marketing, and leadership. She transformed her relentless dedication into Mae&Co Creative; an award-winning agency renowned for creating luxury events across the globe. Beyond her event planning expertise, Manda founded Mae&Co Monthly, a resource-rich education program designed to empower fellow industry professionals to build the business of their dreams. For more information, go to www.maeandcocreative.com and www.maeandcomonthly.com.

Luxury weddings involve so many great things like travel, amazing experiences and glamorous events. Because all these facets are so fun and exciting, it’s easy to fall into the trap of treating the job like a hobby.

In order to build something that sustains you, you have to treat it like a business. Yes, the job is fun, but it’s also our livelihood so we have to handle it accordingly. In an industry where the barrier gets lower everyday, the people who have staying power are the ones who think like CEOs, and build solid structures that support what we do.

How did Brooke Keegan come to this realization and what did she change after it dawned on her? How did she shift from flat fee to percentage-based pricing?

What other structures did she put in place to truly start treating it like a business? In this episode, Brooke talks about the epiphany that changed her business, and what it took to get to where she is today.

Want a clear and comprehensive roadmap on how to succeed in the luxury wedding market? Check out the Business of Luxury Weddings course. You’ll learn the entire business model and thought process - so you can sign consistent 5-figure contracts, build a powerful network of the right people, and travel to iconic destinations. Learn more and join the waitlist at SageJourney.co.

Guest Bio

Brooke has more than 21 years of experience designing, planning, and producing spectacular events for some of the world’s most ambitious and exacting clients. Named a top wedding planner by Harper’s Bazaar, she has established a reputation of excellence and consistency for producing unique, beautiful, and innovative events that leave a lasting impression. With her outstanding organizational skills and love of design, she has established a reputation of excellence in event management, flawless execution and visually stunning events. Brooke’s clients can trust with confidence that they will experience an exceptional planning process whilst exceeding their expectations. She has solid relationships with premier creative partners both nationally and internationally, ensuring that anyone she refers to is at the top of their respected field. Her past events are testaments of the quality, detail and experience that make her successful. A Division 1 volleyball player at San Diego State University, Brooke graduated with dual degrees in Marketing and Management. Prior to running her own business, she pursued a professional career in the restaurant and hospitality industry, a combination that gives her an edge when producing top-notch events for world-class clients. For more information go to https://brookekeegan.com/ and follow @‌brookekeegan.

Most wedding professionals are taught to grow by way of digital marketing, but there’s something with a much higher ROI - relationship marketing. When you compare what you get out of fostering industry relationships with digital marketing, it’s not even close. The former will always win.

One ad can bring in a single wedding. One industry collaboration can bring you hundreds of weddings throughout your lifetime. That’s the kind of ROI marketing dollars will never buy! It doesn’t matter what level you’re at - entry level, high-end or ultra-luxury, investing in relationships will always create the most value.

How do you grow your business and even level up in your clientele without digital marketing? Could introverts actually have an advantage when it comes to networking? How can one industry relationship turn into a lifetime of business?

In this special on-site episode in Venice, Italy, we’re joined by husband and wife duo Cherish and Lindsey Conklin. The co-founders of Le Rêve Films talk about their business, networking and how they grew an ultra-luxury wedding business without paying for a single ad.

Guest Bio

This husband-wife duo launched Le Rêve Films in 2010 from their shared passion for traveling the world and transforming the magical memories from a couple’s nuptials into a visual tapestry that showcases their love story for a lifetime. Le Rêve takes pride in focusing on capturing the beauty, emotion and all the details in between from a couple’s wedding weekend, all the while, always portraying real, authentic love.

Le Rêve Films’ reputation and award-winning work has been featured in Vogue, People, BRIDES, Martha Stewart Weddings, iHeart Radio, and has earned them a spot among Harper’s BAZAAR’s list of The Top Wedding Videographers in the World. They have had the privilege of capturing events for clients like Naomi Biden, Sean McVay, DJ Tiesto, and other high-profile celebrities, musicians and athletes. Go to https://lerevefilms.com/ for more information. Get Le Rêve’s custom LUTS here and follow @lerevefilms on Instagram.

When you work in the fast-paced, demanding world of luxury weddings, it’s easy to run on reactivity - to act first and then think later.

Running on intentionality, being thoughtful first and then taking action is a completely different approach. Living by intention touches every facet of your life, and of course impacts how you run your business and serve your clients.

For Lea Stafford, being intentional means slowing down to think more clearly, identifying what allows her to be her best and making that the foundation of everything she does.

What practices allow Lea to be a more intentional individual, and how does that impact her business? How does connecting with clients at a deeper level make for more meaningful moments?

How do you create events that tug on all the senses? In this episode, we’re joined by the founder of Stafford Creative + Co and Seven-Eight Living. Lea talks about intentionality and what it takes to produce events that have a soul.

Guest Bio

Lea Stafford is the founder of Stafford Creative + Co and Seven-Eight Living. SC+Co. is a highly desired creative brand coveted for its expertise in delivering soulful multi-day events and celebrations globally. Collaborating with discerning clients who appreciate the subtle nuance with a touch of audacity is where SC+Co. thrives. Their enthusiasm revolves around venturing to culturally vibrant destinations and joining forces with conscientious artisans who embrace sustainability and ethics in their craftsmanship. For more information, go to https://staffordcreativeco.com/ and follow @staffordcreative_co and @seveneightliving on Instagram.

A special event is made up of 3 types of experiences - the atmospheric, the tangible and the organic pieces of what’s happening in the moment. Wedding planners are tasked with weaving all these things together and adding connection to the recipe. When this takes place in the context of a destination - local or abroad - there also has to be a story component centered on the place.

From the fluttering fun of initial planning to the gratification of the culminating moment, everything has to be about designing this experience. Then the experience has to connect to the couple, the guests and the location. How do you craft a defining experience and then connect people to it?

Why does our guest take a bespoke approach to assembling the team of vendors? In this episode, Augusta Cole talks about her journey, the beautiful roots of her approach to weddings, and the process of starting her own business after working with Easton Events.

Guest Bio

With over a decade of extensive experience in producing events across the world, Augusta Cole is widely trusted and respected for her discretion as well as her intuitive creative design, innate eye for detail, and seamless planning process. Based in New York, NY and Charleston, SC, with a global presence, Augusta excels in producing one-of-a-kind occasions of all shapes and sizes, ranging from multiple-day destination weddings and high-caliber corporate programs to intimate dinner parties. Her emphasis on customizing experiences and empowering a team of creative talent allows each event to reflect her client’s vision, personality, and style. Throughout her career, Augusta has project-managed a diverse portfolio of highly detailed, logistically complicated events, which has developed her invaluable bank of industry knowledge. Augusta’s fresh perspective and drive to provide dedicated, enthusiastic planning and design aims to surpass client expectations on every level. Go to https://www.augustacole.com/ and follow @augustacole on Instagram.