The Michael Coombs Show

Michael Coombs
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Welcome to The Michael Coombs Show, where we'll be having conversations with tastemakers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the wedding and event industry. So sit back and enjoy The Michael Coombs Show. 

  1. Sep 22

    Joel & Justyna on Spontaneous Wedding Photography and Building an International Career

    Host Michael Coombs interviews wedding photographers Joel and Justyna about their spontaneous, guest-like approach to capturing weddings “from the inside out,” prioritizing how people feel over perfect shot lists. Joel traces his path from growing up around photographer parents in Ottawa to being scouted for modeling, buying a camera, second-shooting weddings in 2009, and eventually expanding with Justyna from local work to Toronto, Montreal, and global destinations. He describes assisting his father—Canada’s official royal portrait photographer—during Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee portrait, emphasizing months of preparation and the importance of people skills. Justina shares her fine art and art history background and how creative fashion/editorial projects led into weddings. They explain abandoning heavy pre-planning after timelines, weather, and other variables, keeping only essentials like details and family photos, and attribute growth to local excellence and word-of-mouth relationships over content trends. 00:00 Spontaneous Wedding Philosophy 00:34 Meet Joel and Justyna 00:52 Joel’s Winding Career Path 03:55 Assisting the Royal Portrait 06:07 People Skills Behind the Lens 07:30 Justyna’s Fine Art Origins 09:07 From Craigslist to Weddings 10:28 Ditching the Shot List 13:28 Planning Versus Pivoting 16:18 Fashion Influence on Weddings 20:15 Why Couples Connect 23:39 Confidence and Self Portraits 25:22 Going International from Ottawa 28:53 Final Thanks and Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Joel & Justyna

    Joel & Justyna on Spontaneous Wedding Photography and Building an International Career

  2. Sep 15

    Luxury Is Personal: Andrea Eppolito on Letting Go of Volume and Rebuilding for Ultra-Luxury Weddings

    Host Michael Coombs interviews luxury wedding and event planner Andrea Eppolito about making a clean-break repositioning from high-volume work to a personal, intentional luxury brand. Eppolito describes letting go of the need to take every inquiry, overcoming fears that the phone wouldn’t ring again, and clarifying who she serves by removing misaligned portfolio content, rebuilding her website, refining messaging, and only accepting ideal clients—taking just two weddings from 100+ leads during a difficult transition year. She explains how a “board of directors” led by her husband and strategist Sean Lowe supported the shift. Discussing pricing (starting around $2,500 per person) and high-end clients, she says they buy tailored, granular decisions and access to top talent. She also outlines industry changes driven by social media, reduced gatekeeping, and AI, redefining luxury as personal, intentional, and irreplicable. 00:00 Luxury Is Personal 00:19 Meet The Guest 00:54 Letting Go Of Volume 03:29 Fixing Brand Confusion 07:22 The Hard Reset Year 10:28 Why A Clean Break 13:27 Fear And Support System 18:12 Quoting Ultra Luxury Budgets 22:12 What Clients Really Buy 25:43 Industry Shifts And AI 30:12 Defining Luxury Today 30:52 Closing And Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Andrea Eppolito

    Luxury Is Personal: Andrea Eppolito on Letting Go of Volume and Rebuilding for Ultra-Luxury Weddings

  3. Sep 8

    Akeshi Akinseye on the Felt Journey: Intention, Culture, and Genuine Luxury in Events

    Host Michael Coombs interviews Nigerian-born planner, designer, educator, and author Akeshi Akinseye of Kesh Events about building meaningful, culturally rooted celebrations and redefining luxury as “the felt” rather than visible, expensive details. Akeshi explains a planner’s responsibility in translating a client’s culture by listening first, asking real follow-up questions, and reflecting insights back in proposals to personalize the experience. She describes the “felt journey” as designing emotion and intention at every touchpoint, and urges creatives to shift content from visuals to feelings to better communicate value. Akeshi shares how education, constant learning, and humility support premium positioning, and discusses her platform, The Kesh Experience, which offers courses, membership, and a mastermind. She emphasizes personal branding, visibility, representation, and taking up space with excellence, and mentions her books, including The Art of Celebrating, available widely. 00:00 Luxury Is a Feeling 00:12 Meet Akeshi Akinseye 00:42 Intention and Culture Roots 02:07 Translating Culture to Events 03:11 Listening for Client Clues 04:10 From Cues to Proposals 06:10 Genuine Luxury vs Expensive 07:53 The Felt Journey Explained 09:13 Selling the Feeling Online 11:26 Pricing with Education Value 13:59 Make It About the Client 15:23 Creative Humility Habits 15:57 Learning Everywhere Daily 17:20 Cash Experience Breakdown 18:13 Luxury Market Misconceptions 19:37 Handling Client Resistance 21:01 Why Personal Brand Wins 22:24 Press Visibility Proof 24:06 Representation Take Up Space 26:12 Books Legacy Impact 28:59 Where To Buy Closing Links : Michael Coombs Kesh Events

    Akeshi Akinseye on the Felt Journey: Intention, Culture, and Genuine Luxury in Events

  4. Aug 18

    Julian Leaver on Hospitality, Client Advocacy, Feedback, and Pricing Transparency in Wedding Planning

    Host Michael Coombs interviews event planner Julian Leaver, who started by planning sorority parties at the University of Oklahoma, nearly pursued a State Department career, worked in hotels including Rosewood, and now runs Julian Leaver Events with offices in Dallas and Paris. Leaver explains how low-budget college events taught scrappiness, tight logistics, and prioritizing guest experience, and how hotel systems, data, and collaboration shaped his firm while he left behind high-volume repetition. He discusses saying no based on fit and budget, educating clients on costs (including a budgeting method based on venue and food-and-beverage estimates), and managing 3,000+ micro-decisions through phased planning and recorded calls. He details post-event surveys for clients and vendors, using feedback to improve systems and understand buyer types, emphasizes client advocacy and direct communication with vendors, shares his 10-year sobriety, describes his “Mind Over Matrimony” podcast for transparency, and outlines clear, commission-free pricing practices. 00:00 Service Is the Product 00:19 Meet Julian Leaver 00:42 From State Dept to Events 02:42 Sorority Parties to Hospitality 04:24 Origin Story and Referrals 06:32 Guiding Clients on Experience 08:17 First Year Lessons Saying No 10:16 Budget Fit and Education 12:51 Wedding Budget Rule of Five 13:51 Hotel Systems vs Creative Freedom 17:06 Client Capacity and Team Structure 18:12 Paris Office and Global Planning 19:32 Local Teams Matter 20:19 3000 Micro Decisions 22:15 Recording Calls For Clarity 23:03 Post Wedding Surveys 24:15 Using Feedback To Improve 25:51 Buyer Types And Messaging 27:09 Why Vendors Avoid Surveys 30:18 Client Advocacy First 31:51 Handling Vendor Misalignment 33:09 Mind Over Matrimony Podcast 36:23 Pricing Transparency Explained 38:58 Closing Thanks And Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Julian Leaver Events

    Julian Leaver on Hospitality, Client Advocacy, Feedback, and Pricing Transparency in Wedding Planning

  5. Aug 11

    Dryden & Emily on Excellence, Preparation, and Building a Luxury Destination Wedding Brand

    Host Michael Coombs interviews husband-and-wife destination wedding photo and video team Dryden and Emily about building a respected luxury storytelling brand since launching in 2020. They explain why destination work keeps them inspired and removes seasonality, how they manage creative disagreements by leaning into each other’s strengths, and why extensive preparation—like arriving 2–3 days early to scout—helps them capture “magazine-worthy” imagery without harming the couple’s wedding experience. They credit rapid growth to social media, constant debriefs, and pursuing excellence in shooting, editing, branding, and posting. They discuss rebranding from Wild & Rome to “Dryden and Emily” to better resonate with luxury clients, evolving their ideal client, relying on planner relationships, and the role of community, networking, and conferences. They close by stressing there’s no single path to success and acknowledging struggles with comparison and FOMO. 00:00 Excellence First Mindset 00:46 Meet Dryden And Emily 01:29 Why Destination Weddings 02:56 Creative Conflict And Prep 05:38 Imagery Versus Experience 07:23 Prep As A Business Edge 09:38 How They Started In 2020 10:49 Scaling Fast With Social 12:34 Rebrand To Their Names 14:29 Finding The Right Clients 18:42 Planners And Vibes Check 23:52 Community Fuels Growth 26:51 Where To Network 27:57 No One Right Path 29:50 Wrap Up And Thanks Links : Michael Coombs Dryden & Emily

    Dryden & Emily on Excellence, Preparation, and Building a Luxury Destination Wedding Brand

  6. Jul 28

    DJ Malike on Choosing Joy, Cultural Relevance, and Innovating the Wedding DJ Industry

    Host Michael Coombs interviews DJ Malike of Curate Entertainment about his recent high-profile appearances (BizBash, New York Bridal Fashion Week, Engage, FIFA) and why audiences respond to his authenticity, energy, and focus on joy. Malike defines joy as a resilient choice distinct from happiness, shaped by his mother and influenced by Viktor Frankl, and describes practicing it through acceptance, gratitude, and service, including a FIFA Fan Fest moment when sprinklers ruined the sound system and he shifted to uplifting others backstage. He discusses being the first DJ to speak on Engage’s main stage, the role of goal-setting with deadlines, and BizBash recognition for making DJs culturally relevant and fashion forward by blending professionalism with club-level cultural cool while “knowing the rules” before breaking them. Malike addresses pricing through perceived value, scarcity, and emotional intelligence, and responds to online criticism about his style by defending cultural expression and refusing to change. 00:00 Rules and Innovation 00:19 Meet DJ Malik 01:15 Authenticity and Joy 02:38 Defining Joy 04:35 FIFA Setback Story 08:29 Choosing Joy Daily 10:19 Engage Main Stage First 11:36 Why Malike Was Chosen 14:05 Who Malike Really Is 16:26 Goals and Manifestation 19:30 BizBash Recognition 20:01 DJ Industry Bubble 20:41 Conference Famous Trap 21:35 Giving Flowers Publicly 22:14 Culturally Relevant DJs 24:45 Bridging Two Worlds 26:19 Know Rules Break Rules 27:44 Reading The Audience 29:41 Raising Rates Perception 32:54 Best Work Scarcity 36:54 Heat Over Style 37:48 Culture Loud Luxury 42:16 Final Mic Drop Links : Michael Coombs Curate Entertainment

    DJ Malike on Choosing Joy, Cultural Relevance, and Innovating the Wedding DJ Industry

  7. Jun 23

    Kristin Banta on Defining Creative Point of View, Storytelling Events, and Finding the “Why”

    Host Michael Coombs interviews Kristin Banta, founder of Kristin Banta Events, about being named one of the most influential event professionals of the past 25 years and how her 23-year journey evolved from learning weddings from scratch to producing premieres, immersive brand events, and corporate work. Banta explains she broke from traditional weddings by first mastering the rules, then reshaping them around a clear point of view, and advises creatives to define what they uniquely bring and find clients who respond. She describes her client intake process as listening, asking the right questions, and uncovering the “why” before design begins, noting the stigma corporate clients can have toward wedding producers and the limits of designing solely for social media moments. She details her award-winning “Shape of Water” wedding concept and shares how surviving a hit-and-run accident reframed her priorities and gratitude for life. 00:00 Find Your Point of View 00:16 Meet Kristin Banta 01:22 Starting in Weddings 02:51 Theater to Events Path 05:30 Learning the Rules 06:53 Breaking Tradition Backlash 08:36 Expanding Beyond Weddings 09:51 Client Why and Intake 11:11 Corporate Stigma Shift 15:25 Pretty Versus Impact 16:13 Beyond Social Media Moments 18:30 Standing Out Today 20:40 Shape of Water Concept 22:50 Guest Journey Walkthrough 24:43 Designing Multisensory Stories 25:39 Life Changing Accident 28:56 Why the Work Matters 30:55 Closing and Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Kristin Banta Events

    Kristin Banta on Defining Creative Point of View, Storytelling Events, and Finding the “Why”

  8. Jun 2

    Veronica Di Santo on Launching V, Building Ines Di Santo, and Leading Through Grief

    Today’s show features Veronica Di Santo, co-founder and managing partner of Ines Di Santo, about luxury bridal fashion, entrepreneurship, and resilience.  Veronica describes herself as a passionate, people-focused, and spiritual person while sharing the story behind the launch of V, Veronica Di Santo. She reflects on growing up in her mother’s atelier, where she learned that bridal is about creating history and that building a successful brand requires both sacrifice and a relentless pursuit of excellence. She also shares the “aha” moment she experienced while in university that led her to join the family business. Throughout the conversation, Veronica discusses the brand’s growth on a global scale, the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, and why strong teams are essential to long-term success. She opens up about her manifestation practices, navigating the loss of her husband during COVID with the support of her team, and the habits that keep her grounded, including working out and learning tennis. Her biggest lessons: lead with passion, embrace what makes you different, invest in great people, and always be willing to listen. 00:00 Carving Her Own Path 00:35 Meet Veronica Di Santo 02:34 Launching V Bridal Line 04:41 V Bride vs Ines Style 06:03 Growing Up In Atelier 08:29 Choosing The Family Dream 11:16 Scaling To Global Luxury 13:24 Finding Talent And Manifesting 18:56 Grief And Healing Journey 24:12 Staying Grounded And Sharp 26:47 Advice For Brand Builders 27:57 Power Of Listening 31:03 Closing And Subscribe Links : Michael Coombs Veronica Di Santo Ines Di Santo

    Veronica Di Santo on Launching V, Building Ines Di Santo, and Leading Through Grief
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About

Welcome to The Michael Coombs Show, where we'll be having conversations with tastemakers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the wedding and event industry. So sit back and enjoy The Michael Coombs Show. 

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Coombs
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Michael Coombs Show
  • Show Website
    The Michael Coombs Show

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