056: Alison Bryan Destinations

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 this episode, Alison and I discuss how she and Bryan got an early start in five -star hospitality that really set them on a path for luxury -experienced focused weddings. We talk about the importance of building strong relationships, how destination weddings require a passion for travel and logistics, how having systems in place is essential for scaling a wedding planning business. We talk about how faking it till you make it is actually terrible advice and how important it is to set boundaries and take care of your own wellbeing to avoid burnout. We talk about how many years of experience reinforces our belief that trust and connections with clients are absolutely imperative to create unique and personalized experiences. 

In this episode: 

• The Journey to Destination Weddings
• Scaling the Business and the Role of Systems
• The Dynamics of Working as a Team
• Moving from Michigan to Santa Barbara
• The Importance of Being a Traveler in Destination Planning
• Navigating Different Cultures and Customs
• Staffing Strategies for Destination Weddings
• Evolving Your Business and Setting Boundaries
• Creating Trust and Personalized Experiences for Clients

Favorite takeaways: 

• Building strong relationships is crucial in the wedding planning industry.
• Pivoting to destination weddings requires a passion for travel and logistics.
• Having systems in place is essential for scaling a wedding planning business.
• Understanding cultural nuances is important when planning destination weddings. Start small and specialize in a specific destination to build knowledge and expertise.
• Respect and understand local customs and practices when working in different cultures.
• Build a core team that has been with you for years and hire locals for specific tasks.
• Set boundaries and take care of your own well-being to avoid burnout.
• Build trust and connections with clients to create unique and personalized experiences.

Connect with Alison-Bryan Destinations

Website | Instagram