Behind The Veil

Event Pros, and even couples, dream about getting their wedding published.  Either online or in-print.  Prestige, PR, Marketing, SEO’s - Being published covers them all.  But how?

Our guest today is Meghan Ely, considered by many to be the guru of PR for the wedding and event business.

OFD Consulting owner, Meghan Ely, combines in-the-trenches event experience with a love of wedding PR to empower her clients to take their businesses to new heights. 

A long-time industry speaker and writer, she is a Wedding Pro educator with The Knot + WeddingWire, as well as a regular contributor to Wedding Planner Magazine, Catersource and Special Events.com. Meghan represents clients globally and has earned them overage with the New York Times, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Refinery 29, Domino, Forbes and Real Simple, among other outlets. 

Her team’s publicity efforts are regularly honored by the Public Relations Society of America. The National Association of Catering and Events just named her Speaker of The Year for 2023. 

She is one of the few that will give you exact and tangible steps to get your event published today!  She is directly responsible for getting businesses quoted or featured in the NY Times, Parade Magazine, People Magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings, Bridal Guide, and Modern Luxury Magazine just to name a fraction of the publications.

For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard.

The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Telly Awards for best online unscripted series and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

For most couples getting married, the basics of hosting a wedding are pretty straight forward.  Venue, Catering, Florals, Music, Photography.

But then there are the rentals to think about.  What do people sit on, eat on, and drink with.  Then there are the linen, up lights, and furniture...

So what should you expect when looking at rentals?  How much?  What is your responsibility?  Should you even do it?

Our guests today: Eva Leung

Eva is a Miami native who has worked in the industry for 15+ years.  She is currently an account executive at Bubble Design Rentals, which focuses on furniture decor and design.  The company has offices in Miami, Orlando, and NY, and services all of FL and the NE region.  Eva has worked on countless corporate, promotional, and TV/media related events.  Many of them have been focused within real estate, technology, food/wine & spirits, automotive, yachting and luxury, in addition to many social type of events. 

She is enthusiastic about the dynamic growth happening in the industry, and fascinated to see how the convergence of AI and/or technology will impact events.  She believes professionals will be able to deliver more unique and immersive experiences to clients in the near future.  In addition, she is excited to see or partake in helping to revolutionizing gatherings we work on in the near future.

Eva is currently also on the board of NACE, in addition to being a head of committee on AREAA.  A graduate of UPenn - Eva also enjoys traveling, art, cultural, culinary events and tennis. Conversational in Spanish, Cantonese, some Mandarin, Italian and French - Eva hopes to contribute to the continued burgeoning plethora of events in this ever evolving

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Season is back! So are the long hours that come with it. From working with existing clients, to onboarding new clients, to finding clients at all, running a business can become overwhelming.

Our guest today makes it her business to help planners become more efficient and more profitable:

Carissa Kruse Weddings 

Wedding Industry Maven and a Marketing and Conversion Strategist. She works with overworked wedding professionals to increase their profitability and cut their workload in half using her Endless Engagement method, so they can have long term success without scrambling to get couples and getting lost in the weeds of running their business. 

Live Show at 2:00 PM ET on Tuesday at www.youtube.com/@BehindTheVeilPodcast

The Behind The Veil Podcast Version is available the same day, after 5:00pm EST, on most major podcast players including iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.

For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard.

The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Telly Awards for best online unscripted series and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

It has become the norm.  Every single couple toys with the idea of hiring a “day of” planner.  What does that actually mean?  And when is it the right match, and when is it not?

Gaetan Kaplan is the owner of Gaetana Events, a company that specializes in Day Of  events and so much more.  Originally Gaetan was the Director of Events for the Gallery of Amazing Things, considered one of South Florida's premier event spaces. After more than a decade, and after more than a thousand weddings, bar mitzvahs, Quinceaneras, and even funerals, the venue closed it’s doors to become something else.  Two years later, we still do not know what it is supposed become but Gaetana did!  

Gaetana decided that it was time to jump with both feet in.  She is now on most high end venues and hotels preferred vendor list, and is changing the definition of Day Of!

Live Show at 2:00 PM ET on Tuesday at www.youtube.com/@BehindTheVeilPodcast

The Behind The Veil Podcast Version is available the same day, after 5:00pm EST, on most major podcast players including iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.

For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard.

The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Telly Awards for best online unscripted series and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.

Interested in sponsoring future episodes of Behind The Veil? Email the host at [email protected]

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Etiquette has changed dramatically over the decades. It’s time to take a modern look at etiquette, especially at weddings and social events.

Our guest, Richie Freeman, is considered a Modern Day Renaissance Man - and we believe it thanks to a career that spans life as an author, illustrator, artist, etiquette expert/podcaster known as Modern Manners Guy, entrepreneur,screenwriter, cartoonist, and even a champion professional wrestler.  

He is a#1 best selling and award winning author and illustrator of seven books in multiple genres, with work being sold worldwide. Frieman's hit podcast, Modern Manners Guy has been downloaded over 10M times, was noted as one of the top educational podcasts on iTunes, and also paved his #1 best selling book, REPLY ALL... And Other Ways To Tank Your Career (St. Martin's Press) as a result. 

Outside of the arts, Frieman is the Co-Founder/CEO of Brand U Sports, an innovative sports marketing firm dedicated to connecting brands with NCAA student athletes through brand ambassador programs for Name Image Likeness (NIL) sponsorships.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

It's everywhere.  Climate change is wreaking havoc in the world and that is just what we are seeing on the news.  But behind the scenes, on farms and in oceans, there is a battle going on that will change the future of food as we know it.

This week we welcome Laura Ashley - Owner of Laura Ashley Catering.  

Laura Ashley Catering is a fully licensed and insured gourmet catering company. Laura Ashley Catering offers gourmet food, craft cocktails, stylish event furniture, fabric table cloths, professional wait staff, and bartenders. We are a female-owned and operated boutique business with a focus on attention to detail, great communication, and unparalleled organization for your special event. Laura Ashley Catering helps clients celebrate weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate, and charity events. We strive to offer our clients a full service, hassle free, and fun planning experience. "Everytime I go to work it's a party!" - Chef Laura Ashley

The Behind The Veil Podcast Version is available after 5:00pm EST on most major podcast players including iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.

For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard. 

The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Telly Awards for best online unscripted series, and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.

Interested in sponsoring future episodes of Behind The Veil? Email the host at [email protected]

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

This week we welcome Alan Berg, Husband, Father, Son, Friend, Speaker, Author, Salesman, Marketer, Musician, Handyman, Consultant, and all-around nice guy. 

His experience as a past pubisher of two wedding magazines, the Vice President of Local Sales Operations and The Knot Market Intelligence, and now as a consultant for Wedding Pro, Alan has amassed a wide range of knowledge about the wedding industry as a whole. He is now sharing that info with us.

Listen to our amazing conversation about the world, and the business, of weddings. On the client side, a glimpse into what vendors deal with day in and day out. On the Business side, what vendors need to be doing to ensure their long term success. If anything, the conversation gives you a glimpse of the details behind the scenes, why it costs more than ever to plan a wedding, and why hiring friends is not always the bargain you think it is. 

For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard. 

The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Telly Award for best online unscripted series, and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

This week we repeat one of the most controversial subjects we have ever covered.  Our panel discusses the topic of vendor meals.

Most couples don’t even know what a vendor meal, much less that they are typically required to provide one.  But where did this even come from?  Is it really that important for vendors to eat if they are only working for five hours?  And when do vendor meals become an obstacle for providing good service.

Next week we will have vendors meals part two where we get another side to the entire conversation – one based on numbers!

For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard. 

The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Telly Award for best online unscripted series, and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Behind The Veil: Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette 

With weddings, there are so many do's and don'ts - This week we are going to get the real answers to those burning etiquette questions from the true authority of all things etiquette!

Lizzie Post, is the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette 19theditionas well as Higher Etiquette, A guide to the World of Cannabis, and Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette 6thedition.She and her cousin Daniel Post Senning are co-presidents of the Emily Post Institute as well as co-hosts of the weekly podcast, Awesome Etiquette, where they answer listener questions, and explore the topic of etiquette  through the lens of consideration, respect and honesty.  Lizzie is the Institute’s main writer, she also does speaking engagements across the country sharing consideration based advice on cannabis, wedding, business and general etiquette topics.  She has worked as a spokesperson for companies including Marshalls, Bank of America, American Express Platinum, Air BnB, and Genentech. She has held columns with Women’s Running, Broccoli, Farmhouse and Good Housekeeping magazines as well as Houzz.com. Lizzie offers a fresh, relatable, perspective with an engaging voice. She delights in tackling what many think are taboo topics in etiquette, making her a popular source.  Her interviews include NPR’s 1Aand Here and Now, NBC’s The Today Show, Good Morning America, Katie, Fox & Friends, Live with Kelly and Michael, The Gayle King Show, The Wendy Williams Show, Slate, Vanity Fair, Time Magazine, The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Harper’s Bazaar, Travel & Leisure, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post and more.

To chime in live - make a comment during the show.  If you are watching via You Tube, we can pull your comment right up on screen...  and you may be invited to appear on the show!!  

Ask Alexa - "Play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil"

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

This week our panel discusses real life experiences about how to plan a successful backyard wedding.   There is nothing life real life experience to truly figure out the things that work and the things that don't.  Backyard events come with it's own full set of logistics and it's important to think about all of them, because unlike a hotel, you can't just get what you need at a moments notice!

This weeks guests:
Marci Guttenberg, CWP, CPCE-  with An Affair To Remember by Marci
Tiffany Anzelmo with Bliss Photo
Anna Hess, CWP - Anna Hess Events
Brooke Logan Stoner - Keith Willard Events
(Host) Keith Willard, CWP - Keith Willard Events

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
 www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
 www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci