Wedding Safari Podcast

On episode 006 of the Wedding Safari Podcast, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Winston and Suzanne Delawar, the dynamic father-daughter duo that are captivating the hearts of brides and grooms everywhere. With over twelve amazing years in the industry, they have set the bar and are constantly exceeding expectations in the wedding photography and cinematography space. Catapulting Suzanne Delewar Studios to work with A-list celebrities like Kevin Hart and Eniko Parrish, Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade to Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose, they are a true force to be reckoned with. Their work has been featured on TV, in magazines and on websites such as ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, TMZ, BET, Martha Stewart Weddings, People Magazine, Harpers Bizarr, Brides Magazine, The Knot, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style and many more. If you are novice to the industry and want to hear from professionals that have set the precedent, you do not want to miss this transformational interview. 01:58 Getting Started 12 Years Ago 03:14 Teaching the Basics 05:09 5 Figure Weddings 07:45 Transitioning Beyond the Point of the Money 11:16 How important is Social Media 14:45 Impact on Inquiries 17:12 Unhappy Brides 18:55 Networking and Collaboration 21:00 Interns 27:00 Jewish MArketplace - Know How 29:07 What Inspires Suzanne 31:20 What’s Working, What’s Not 34:16 Where is Suzanne Delewar Studio Going in the Future 36:20 Industry Mistakes 41:10 Working with Celebrities 43:45 Knowing What you Know Now, What Would you Tell Yourself Wedding Safari- Website-https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/ [https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/] Winston & Suzanne Delawar- Website-https://www.suzannedelawar.com [https://www.suzannedelawar.com/] Twitter-https://twitter.com/SuzanneDelawar [https://twitter.com/SuzanneDelawar] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/suzannedelawar/ [https://www.instagram.com/suzannedelawar/] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/suzannedelawarstudios [https://www.facebook.com/suzannedelawarstudios] Credits Audio Editing- done byWillis Aybar [https://www.instagram.com/willisaybar/] Music By- John Deley --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/milton-lawrence/message

On episode 005 of the Wedding Safari Podcast, New Orleans’ own full time professional wedding photographer Cierra Johnson Hicks is captivating with her vulnerability. This isn’t just a feel good episode, it's a real journey into the intricacies of true professional business ownership. If you have a family and have been teeter-tottering on whether to take a leap of faith into entrepreneurship, you don't want to miss this interview. Time Stamp: 02:10 Getting Started 11:28 Holistic Approach to the Logistics, Photography and Weddings 16:36 Next Steps after Mentorship 18:30 Pricing 21:00 Social Media Takeoff 22:36 What Led to Making the Leap to Transition from Full Time Corporate Position 24:00 Transitioning 27:20 Real Life - Major Blows to My Leap of Faith 38:50 Lessons Learned 45:27 Is it Possible to Pursue Your Dreams and Provide Balance 48:00 Chasing your Dreams 55:24 Piece of Advice 56:48 To Jump or Not to Jump Wedding Safari- Website-https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/ [https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/] Cierra Johnson-Hicks- Website-southernamore.com [http://southernamore.com/] Email-ciarra@southeramore.com [ciarra@southeramore.com] Facebook- Cierra Johnson-Hicks Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/southernamore/ [https://www.instagram.com/southernamore/] Pinteresthttps://za.pinterest.com/southernamoreLA/ [https://www.instagram.com/southernamore/] Host: Milton Lawrence Jr Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Website-http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/ [http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Credits Audio Editing- done byWillis Aybar [https://www.instagram.com/willisaybar/] Music By- John Deley --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/milton-lawrence/message

On episode 004 of the Wedding Safari Podcast, Lauren Atwaters is the “Icing on the Cake”. You've seen her work and didn't even know it was her craftsmanship. In this episode, between jazz hands and full-on transparency, Lauren’s candid conversation covers topics from the value of a branding and how to uniquely position yourself in the specialty design wedding marketplace, to pet peeves and identifying your “ideal client”. With a passion for creativity from adolescents, when it was time for Lauren to get married,  she  took on several creative DIY projects, blogging tutorials along the way detailing the intricate details from table and floor runners, signage and more to make her wedding decor truly unique. Little did she know that simultaneously her Blog and tutorials were influencing others. As her following continued to grow,  she began receiving requests to create and design items for other brides. She soon decided to open her first online shop (Etsy). Although this started as a hobby in the beginning years, she reached a point when she realized her potential and Ten23 Designs was born. Time Stamp: 2:30 About Lauren Atwaters /Introduction 3:24 Getting Started 6:30 Value in a Blog 7:43 How to uniquely position yourself in the design marketplace. 12:12 Pet Peeves 13:45 Know your Avatar ( Imaginary Person) 16:09 Attracting Clients 16:45 Transitioning from and Attracting High-End Brides and Clients 19:53 Defining your Target Audience 24:43 Marketing/ Branding Strategy 28:30 Branding v. Marketing vs. Advertising 31:00 Put it Down on Paper 35:00 Handling difficult Clients 39:17 Importance of Collaboration 43:39 Fondest Memories and Greatest Rewards 47:05 Work-Life Balance Wedding Safari- Website-https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/ [https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/] Lauren Atwaters Website-http://www.ten23designs.com/about-us [http://www.ten23designs.com/about-us] Email-info@ten23designs.com [info@ten23designs.com] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/ten23designs/ [https://www.facebook.com/ten23designs/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/ten23designs/ [https://www.instagram.com/ten23designs/] Twitter:https://twitter.com/ten23designs [https://twitter.com/ten23designs] Pinteresthttps://www.pinterest.com/ten23/ [https://www.pinterest.com/ten23/] Host: Milton Lawrence Jr Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Website-http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/ [http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Credits Audio Editing- done byWillis Aybar [https://www.instagram.com/willisaybar/] Music By- John Deley --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/milton-lawrence/message

On episode 003 of the Wedding Safari Podcast, HOT-lanta native and celebrity custom cake designer LaMeeka Edwards discusses fopas, fondant and fortune while working in the cake design space. Starting as just a hobby and snowballing into designing for the likes of Neyo, Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burress, Cakes by Lameeka is a true love affair. A technician by trade for the State of Georgia Telecommunications Division, LaMeeka started out by taking a few decorating classes here in there. At the request of fellow co-workers and friends to make “party” and  wedding cakes, the transition was imminent. Shortly thereafter, budget cuts and layoffs affected the state government. While her love for cake decorating and design continued to grow, she was afforded the opportunity to pursue her passion full time. Wedding Safari- Website-https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/ [https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/] LaMeeka Edwards- Website-http://www.cakesbylameeka.com/ [http://www.cakesbylameeka.com/] Email-cakesbylameeka@hotmail.com [cakesbylameeka@hotmail.com] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/CakesByLaMeeka/ [https://www.facebook.com/CakesByLaMeeka/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/cakesbylameeka/ [https://www.instagram.com/cakesbylameeka/] Host: Milton Lawrence Jr Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Website-http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/ [http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Credits Audio Editing- done byWillis Aybar [https://www.instagram.com/willisaybar/] Music By- John Deley Music By- John Deley --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/milton-lawrence/message

On episode 002 of the Wedding Safari Podcast, Jamaican wedding planner and president of the Jamaica Wedding Professionals Association Ophelia Mcknight discuss ways wedding professionals can dive into one of the fastest growing segments of the wedding industry. Jamaican born and bred with almost two decades of Toronto living, Ophellia McKnight has 20 years of wedding industry knowledge and experience.  She is Jamaica wedding planning royalty, being the first formally registered wedding planner on the island.  Her first company, then called The Bridal Affaire, has grown into an international destination wedding planning and design firm and rebranded to Bridal Affair Destinations ten years ago to support and refine her development in the industry. Discussion Time Summary 2:46 What are you seeing presently in the destination space? 4:00 How to penetrate the destination wedding market? 4:44 Just getting started, how do you attract customers to build business? 5:01 Trial and Error 6:36 What to do when you want to get into the destination wedding space? 8:30 How to Branding within the Destination Wedding Market Place 12:00 Managing client expectation 14:14 How to position yourself to attract destination brides? 17:15 Importance of Collaboration 23:25 The Good, The Bad and the Ugly 24:02 What is one of the most rewarding aspects of being in the industry 30:00 Leveraging Mistakes 30:56 Working with Vendors who can’t support your brand. 35:07 Niche Market: Should or Shouldn’t you? 40:23 Work-Life Balance 53:40 Wat would you do differently? Wedding Safari- Website-https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/ [https://www.weddingsafaripodcast.com/] Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeddingSafari/] Guest: Ophellia McKnight Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/ophellia.mcknight [https://www.facebook.com/ophellia.mcknight] Facebook Page-https://www.facebook.com/TheDestinationCollective/ [https://www.facebook.com/TheDestinationCollective/] Website-http://www.thedestinationcollective.com/ [http://www.thedestinationcollective.com/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/destinationcollective/ [https://www.instagram.com/destinationcollective/] Host: Milton Lawrence Jr Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.facebook.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Website-http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/ [http://www.miltonlawrencephotography.com/] Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/ [https://www.instagram.com/miltonlawrencejr/] Mentions Munaluchi Bride Magazine-http://munaluchibridal.com/ [http://munaluchibridal.com/] The Coterie-https://vendors.munaluchibridal.com [https://vendors.munaluchibridal.com/] Credits Audio Editing- done byWillis Aybar [https://www.instagram.com/willisaybar/] Music By- John Deley Merrick Cousley of Merrick Cousley Photography [http://www.merrickcousley.com/] Dwayne Watkins of TeamDWP Studios [http://dwaynewatkins.com/] --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/milton-lawrence/message