017. KAILEY KIRK [VIDEO]

Kailey Kirk has built a name for herself as one of Sydney’s most in-demand wedding planners and stylists, creating breathtaking events under Kailey Kirk Events and Weddings. But her journey wasn’t handed to her—she is completely self-made, rising from humble beginnings to becoming a force in the luxury wedding industry. In this episode, Kailey opens up about the reality of building a business from the ground up, the struggles and triumphs of the wedding world, and what it really takes to be a top-tier planner.

We dive into how she went from a single-parent household and housing commission to running a successful business, proving that success isn’t about where you start, but how relentless you are in chasing your vision. She shares her thoughts on the shift in wedding trends, how social media has impacted client expectations, and the unspoken pressures of the industry that most planners won’t talk about.

Kailey also reveals what couples get wrong when planning their wedding, the myths about working with a planner, and the one mistake brides keep making over and over again. We get into the evolving traditions of Macedonian weddings, the highs and lows of dealing with high-pressure clients, and the challenges of being a business owner in an industry that never stops.

This conversation is raw, insightful, and packed with behind-the-scenes truths about the world of weddings, business, and resilience.

Hosted by George John
Produced by Daniel John

Episode Transcript

(00:11):
Kaylee Kirk. Hi.
Kaylee Kirk, you surname. Kosovsky.
Kosovsky Did I say that right? Gashovsky, but Kosovsky.
Please excuse me. Welcome to the crew table.
Thank you. I've got a little announcement
that I need to make before you get into your intro.
So I tried to shift the podcast to Tuesdays.

(00:33):
I don't know if anyone even realised, but I thought I'd give
more days in the week for everyone to listen, especially
if like a lot of our work industry was listening.
And then I realised looking at the analytics, that everyone was
still listening on the Thursday.So we're back on Thursdays.
Do you like Thursdays better? Yeah, yeah, I feel like Tuesday.

(00:57):
I'm still recovering from the weekend to be honest.
OK, All right. We're back to Thursdays.
It's official. I tried to communicate Tuesdays,
but that's good. I don't know.
Just, you know, I experiment toomuch.
Yeah. I should just stick to the guns.
Yeah. Are you excited to be here?
I am. I'm so excited to for you to be
here. You're not your typical wedding
planner because I feel like yourstory is quite different in the

(01:22):
sense of like you're very much self made.
I shot your wedding and I had that honour, which is exciting.
Yeah. I don't want to dive into that
too much because I'm scared for the criticism if you do have
any. No, not at all.
OK, we'll dive into it then. Nah, Nah.
But you are someone who's not your typical luxury wedding
planner because I find that yourfounded ability to be multi

(01:46):
diverse. Yeah, in the sense of somehow
you've adapted to head into different cultural markets quite
quickly at such a young age. You're Macedonian, but you have
such a big Lebanese clientele and Macedonian clientele and
every other nationality under the sun, which is pretty
impressive because it's it can get, it can get hard for us to

(02:07):
kind of diversify once we stick to some guns, they tend to kind
of glue to us and label us without our our control.
But the most impressive thing, obviously we've known each other
for very, very, very, very very many years.
I was thinking about it the other day.
Were you? I think I met you in 2017 at

(02:30):
Leila's bridal shower. 2017 Holymoly.
October. That's eight years ago was.
October, yeah. That's did you do the bridal
shower? Yes.
No, wait, was that that one that's on the water?
Dog Bride. Oh, wow.
Holy moly. Yeah, guys, I also shot Kaylee's
21st birthday. That's how far back these guys.
Yeah, back like back ages ago. Was that the first?

(02:53):
Well, Leila's would be the firstjob I had.
With you, that was the first. Job one time we came about was
it you pitched me. She, no, she came across you.
I think you had done someone's event because she's from like
Bankstown area. So I think you had done
someone's event that she knew. And then I remember she, she
locked you in. Oh, so you had no say?

(03:16):
I, I didn't know, I she, she already booked it.
She already. She photographer you booked it.
No, no, she already booked it. We go way back.
Yeah, way, way back from. There just yeah, booked.
You writing all these questions was like easy because I was
like, I feel like, I know you don't even need questions in
front of me. We can just yap away.
Yeah, but it's been many years in the making to kind of like

(03:37):
our relationship in this episode.
I kind of waited to have you on because then you would be kind
of a free flowing one. It'd be quite easy.
But my question was when was thefirst time we worked together?
How long have you been in the game?
But how long have you been in the game?
My my first event was, yeah, eight years ago.
Lila's. Oh no, it was my first event was
2016. OK, so nine years ago.

(04:00):
It was my first cousin's 16th birthday there.
You go, yeah. And OK, I was researching and he
said something about a directory.
You were like a bridal too. Oh, OK, so when I was can.
You just explain the story. Take us back.
So when I was in high school, soin 2013, I was in year 11 and I

(04:21):
knew I wanted to do weddings andevents and I thought, you know
what, I need to get like my footin the door.
So I started Instagram. I think I'd started maybe a year
or two before that. So it was very fresh.
So I started like a Instagram blog called Bride Business.
And it was just like a inspo thing.
I just uploaded inspo and organically I grew I think like

(04:42):
80,000 or 100,000 followers and then from there it got hacked
and I ended up deleting it because I I didn't want to do
that anymore. I wanted to start my own
business. So yeah.
And then I. Hacked, but you still had access
to delete it. I I reported it.
I like reported it and it got deleted.
I. Was going to say what a burn

(05:02):
drop. You could have converted that
page into a business page. It was some random person and
then they started deleting all my posts and they were uploading
like concert and like rave videos from like overseas.
It was weak. And they changed the name and
all this stuff. So yeah.
And then from there it starts, it always starts with like
family and friends. So I had my cousin's 16th, my

(05:25):
cousin's rattle shower wedding. Then you know, friends of
friends, family, friends. It was the first wedding.
My cousin Nick and Becca. Wow.
Yeah, and how did you manage thejump?
I think so. During that time I was actually
working with Melissa da Cruz. Back then she went under Crazy

(05:47):
Rat Flowers, so I think it was more so through that.
So Nick and Becca knew that I worked there and then I helped
them with all of that in terms of the floral and the decor.
And I think it just kind of naturally, yeah.
Went through. Yeah.
OK. Yeah.
So you were working as what, when you weren't doing florals
with them? What were you doing?
More so like admin, not the not the floristry or like the admin

(06:11):
the setup on the day. Because Mel obviously doesn't
just have flowers and she didn'tback then.
She had like, you know, candle wear and all that other stuff
too. So you're just like bumping in
for her doing. That Yeah, yeah.
It's mad, yeah. You also worked for Noel.
Yes, quite a bit. That's my memory.
I don't have memory of you. Yes, I actually met Mel at an
event Noel did with Novara. He did like a work styling

(06:36):
workshop. OK.
And that's How I Met Mel there. So this was 2016.
No, that was 2015. No, yeah, that was 2015, so 10
years ago. Holding all day, Yeah.
So how many years now would you say?
So I've been in the industry for10 years, but I started my
business nine years ago. That's crazy.
Yeah. What made you jump?

(06:56):
What do you mean? Like working with someone to
start in Katie Kirk. 'Cause I'd I'd wanted to have my
own business. Yeah, Yeah.
You're ready. Yeah.
Just want to get to that venture.
I mean, now that I, when I look back, I don't think I was ready.
You learn? Yeah.
Yeah, well, you built an incredible career in the wedding
space. I'm going to talk a lot about

(07:16):
weddings, by the way. That's fine.
So if you feel like you want to jump the gun, 'cause you do more
than weddings, you obviously do a lot of christening stuff.
But if you want to jump the gun and like redirect the question,
yeah, take take over. But I whenever I say weddings,
just assume whatever weddings and events.
But you built an incredible career around weddings.
What was your life like before events like?

(07:37):
Did you know this will always bea path?
I always loved it and enjoyed it.
So like I said, I think Instagram had come out a couple
years before I started bride business and I was always like
on it, looking at wedding things.
I remember following all the supplies from so early on,

(07:57):
literally like probably 2011 or 12.
I was like 1516. I remember one of my, and you
didn't know this, but Lillian mentioned it.
One of my friends for her 16th birthday, I bought her a
bracelet that her sister Diane made from old at Liade Coutua.
Like I was following everyone from such a young age.
I was literally like stalker, like 15 years old.

(08:17):
I remember saving Lillian's liarde couture gowns like Oh my
God I love this and Stephen and Mel and.
That's fine. I always loved it and being maso
like always at weddings, I lovedit.
I don't sound weird, but do you reckon you manifested it?
Now, yeah, now that you say that.
Looking back. Now that you say that.

(08:37):
OK, people are going to judge mefor this.
I shouldn't probably out myself,but I believe that if you
actually. Yep.
Speak it and you think it it'll happen.
I agree. If you actually push it out
there, whether verbally within yourself, you're kind of like
setting that. It's kind of like setting goals,
I guess. But I believe in kind of
manifestation and stuff. Yeah, but maybe subconsciously

(08:58):
you did it. No, I, I, I believe it.
Growing up, this might be like alittle bit of a hard question
for you to answer, but growing up you didn't have a silver
spoon given to you, so you didn't have like an easy path.
I know you from a on a friendship level, which people
might listen to this one and youknow, scratch their head about.
But you know, looking at your growth from like a young teen to

(09:23):
your adult life and entering a career in a business, how did
that shape your mentality towards business and life?
I yeah, I, I grew up like in a single parent family.
We moved around a lot. I grew up in housing Commission
to I think people will have thismentality like if you're in

(09:45):
housing Commission, like your families, like substance abuse,
all that kind of stuff. Saying that in a nice way, but
it's also to help people that actually need help.
My mum was a carer for my brother who had health issues,
therefore she couldn't work, therefore we needed somewhere to
live. So anyway, I I saw the people

(10:08):
that lived around me and I didn't.
I didn't want to beat that. I didn't want to become that
person. Yeah.
Not yeah, not to offend anyone, but I I didn't want.
I didn't, I didn't want. I didn't want to be.
Actually find it more inspirational and it's any
reason why I kind of kind of touched on your, your, your
growth because a lot of people are fortunate and a lot of

(10:32):
people aren't. And that's just life.
That's just how it kind of rollsout and kind of don't get to
pick your, the situation you're brought up in.
And I think you've done it so gracefully in the sense of, you
know, literally no silver spoon provided to you.
But it was a choice. It was a decision.
Yeah. And you made that choice.
Yeah. I call it breaking the cycle.
And there was no cycle for you to be broken.

(10:53):
Right. Like, you know, it's your mom's
an incredible woman. You have you come from such an
incredible family and your your grandparents are incredible
people. And I've met them more and I I
know them all so dearly. So there was, like you said, no
actual problem is just unfortunate situations where
financial situations kind of played a factor.
Yeah, but you took charge of that.

(11:13):
Yeah. Which is impressive.
So I guess like the next kind ofthing that I want to touch on
and I bring this knot to kind ofouter or put light to it is more
for you to give the chance for maybe someone listening or just,
you know, have your say publicly.
But a lot of people come from tough backgrounds but don't
necessarily turn it into success, right?

(11:37):
I know you said that you saw people around you, but what do
you think that you did differently?
I was, I, I honestly was just sofocused on.
I don't want to end up like this.
I don't want to be stuck here. I want to be able to provide for
my future family, for myself. I just want a better life.

(11:57):
Do you think you've successfullybroken that cycle?
Yeah. That's good.
Yeah. You should be so proud.
It's amazing. Thank you.
You've roped into your like yourmum into the business.
I see her a lot and you've ropeda lot of people into it like
family and friends. What's your mum's role being
into like changing from where you were to now starting a

(12:19):
business? I probably don't tell her this
enough and she's probably going to listen and like call me and
cry or something. But yeah, if it wasn't for her
and how much she's physically helped me on bump insurance and
bump outs and picking things up,yeah, I wouldn't be where I am
today. Like for a lot of my weddings,
for example, I'll leave during the bump in and I'll go to the

(12:40):
church. I trust her to be there at the
bump in to make sure everything's good.
She Facetimes me, she sends me photos.
And I find sometimes it's reallyhard to trust people and find
find people that I guess understand our business and what
I do. So yeah, she's, she's been very.
Help. Help.
Mums are pretty trustworthy. That's a that's a good source.

(13:01):
You're lucky. Yeah, it's good.
But so obviously you built your business from scratch.
Literally from bottom ground. Rewind to the beginning, the
start process. Was there ever a first taste of
success that made you feel like I can actually do this?
Not I made it, but I've actuallygot this.
There's a chance here. Yeah, I think when I started to

(13:23):
get clients that weren't family and friends, when it was
actually like people I didn't know or people said, you know,
I, I saw you've done so and so'sevent already.
Yeah. I don't know.
I feel like I'm quite humble, like I just you're so I was so
appreciative. You're very humble, booked me.

(13:44):
I'm going to take this side out of you because you are very
humble. But what would you blame the
reason for that so itching your brain a little bit?
Was it because you were posting on socials and stuff of the
family friends events and it wasjust like chance or luck?
Yeah. Or was it something else?
No, I think it's that. And also I sacrificed so much
time and like, like you said, I was working with Mel, I was

(14:06):
working with Noel, and a lot of the work I did for them was like
for free. I was helping them out literally
for like years. I was working three jobs at one
point, at two points actually. Free of charge.
For for them, yes, because I, I wanted to learn.
I was eager to learn. I couldn't help them during the
week because I was working. So yeah, I just wanted to learn.

(14:30):
So you literally went out on theweekends and worked free of
charge? For a good while, yes.
Just to learn. Yeah, just to learn and to meet
people. That's a sacrifice, man.
I don't know if a lot of people can see that I can't do that.
I won't lie to you. It's not about the money, it's
just about time. Like what?
You're willing to sacrifice? Yeah, well, you know, you

(14:51):
deserve the success. Sorry, I'm calling out like it,
but I shouldn't swear. I'm trying to cut the swearing
out of the episodes. Don't.
They say people that swear are more intelligent or.
Something. Yeah, keep going.
Yeah, let's keep swearing. Let's keep swearing.
What's one piece of advice you'dgive to the version of yourself
starting out in the industry? Little Kaylee back in 20/17/18.

(15:20):
Get paid. Stop doing things for free.
Good girl, I agree. Stop going over and above for
people that don't deserve it. Who didn't deserve it?
I'm just joking. Don't eat.
And just keep going, keep posting on social media.
I feel like I take like long winded breaks where I don't post
because I'm just trying to catchup on admin and stuff.

(15:41):
But yeah, I don't know, it's allabout posting.
So get paid, keep posting on social media.
And don't get walked all over. Don't get walked all over.
And don't be afraid to give it to the person if they need it.
All right, what about if you were to rewind and give advice

(16:03):
to, like, not rewind, actually, let's say someone's listening or
wanting to sign up and they wereyoung, Katie.
Yeah. Like that age, that era.
What would you say to them? Other than that, think business.
Learn as much as you can, like Ilearnt so much from Mel because
I met so many people. I met Mary Ronas through her.

(16:26):
I met Mary Nimi through her. I met so many supplies
Harborside. So the networking, the
networking is is the greatest asset.
Yeah, venues. Obviously she worked at so many
venues. So yeah, if you can get, if you
can work or help out, you know, I feel like now there's so many
more businesses, like there's businesses that just specialised

(16:47):
in tableware, like take me hire,pretty table hire if you can,
you know, work with these peopleand meet people.
It's so beneficial. Yeah, yeah.
I'm just curious to ask, this isnot on script, but I feel like
you have a very close relationship with the Novara
group. I so I've known one of their
granddaughters from when I was quite young, yeah.

(17:09):
And also growing up, I lived in the Saint George area, so
literally every event we went towas at Concordoro, OK.
My brother's christening was at Concordoro, OK Lenny from
Navarro knows my family quite well, so.
He just felt. I think just from there.
OK. All right.
I was always curious. I don't know why my brain was
telling me I. Just know.
Yeah, I know. No, I didn't work you.

(17:30):
Just you just knew them closely.All right, cool.
Talking about wedding planning, what do you think sets you
apart? What do you think separates a
good wedding planner from a great one?
I feel like this might not answer your question, but I feel
like a lot of people in Sydney aren't necessarily wedding

(17:53):
planners. They're more so stylists, so
they actually don't do a lot of the management of all the
suppliers behind the scenes or book things such as our cars,
photo, video, photography. A lot of them are just stylists.
I think a lot of them lack that production expertise and

(18:15):
element. OK, so then let's talk about
planners itself, not stylists. What separates a good one to a
great one? I don't know.
I know I told you it wasn't going to be easy today, guys.
I pretty want Kaylee. I'm going to grip that A.
Good one from a great one, organisational skills.
You you need that and you need to be, you need to be 10 steps

(18:38):
ahead. Like you can't just wait till
two weeks out from the wedding to start your production
schedule and things like that. That needs to be all started in
advance. OK.
I think my one would be from experience management with
money. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Weddings are so expensive. They are.
No one knows how expensive they are to get married.

(19:01):
Yes. Everyone that's not even engaged
is like in for the shock of their life.
Yeah, in my opinion, no matter how big or small the wedding is,
it's expensive. So management with money.
I think if you're a planner, that's what you should be
planning. What separates a good to a great
stylist? Can I answer that first question
again? Can I just answer it?

(19:23):
Educating your clients and to touch it like that's touching on
what you said. I've met with a few people
recently and they're like, oh, do you think I can do my wedding
for this much? And they show me what they like
under the 100K mark. Yeah, but they've shown, but
they've shown me what they like and that is not under the 100K

(19:44):
mark. It's not what is not under the
100K mark. You know over 200 people venue
in Sydney CBD on a Saturday night.
Yeah, paints a picture. Because realistically, let's say
you have over 200. Just that is $60,000.
That's more than half your budget.
Then you have your photo, video,cars, hair, makeup, DJ band, MC,

(20:06):
photo booth. I haven't even spoken about
styling yet. Dress, Dress bridesmaids suits.
Flowers dance floors lying. Yeah.
So you need to, you need to educate.
Yeah, you need to educate your clients.
How much of how much of venue's charging out roughly per head
approximate? For a Saturday, it's well over

(20:26):
$200 in the Sydney CBD. I've had this conversation with
people and they don't believe me.
Yeah, they they literally like there's no chance.
Yes, it's true. Obviously there's different like
scales of venues. Yeah, and depending on your menu
and. Price perhaps I feel like I feel
like has direct drastically increased.
And it's very, it's very inconsistent across Australia.

(20:51):
Like I'm working on two Interstate weddings at the
moment. One I'm planning, the other I'm
not. I'm doing the styling and and
production management but yeah between Gold Coast and Melbourne
and Sydney it's very inconsistent.
Sydney and Melbourne are quite similar but I feel like
Melbourne's quite pricey. Not pricier than Sydney.
Pricier than Sydney? And Gold Coast is way pricier.

(21:14):
Pricier. So you reckon Sydney has a
cheaper? Cheaper venue options Out of
those three cities that I've worked with, I.
Would never had guessed this in a million years.
I would have thought Sydney would be skyrocket.
It's a lot. It is a lot, but it's less
compared to those cities. I'm going to pick your brain and
see the centre in your field. I'm going to put you on fire

(21:34):
here. Why do you reckon there's been
such a price increase? Do you reckon it's just cost of
living, cost of goods or just because of demand?
Just. Cost of living, cost of goods,
and I hate to say the same word about COVID after that.
Mel touched on it the other weekwith the flowers.
I remember when I first was likestarting out and I would go with
Mel to the flower markets and tobuy a bundle of roses was like

(21:56):
$40. That's 25 stems.
And now it's like, I don't know,I could be wrong Florist but
like 808519. Yeah, I get what you're saying.
That's yeah, Guys in the weddingindustry, the C word, COVID is
like every other C word. Yeah, we like that.
We like the other C words. Way better than the COVID, Yeah.
What does that mean? Yeah, question for you.

(22:17):
Another one I'm looking to stop here.
We're we're only at like the start of this part.
Some wedding planners take on every single client and then
some wedding planners are more selective with who they choose
and take on. Do you think it's better to meet
to be more exclusive or it's smarter to take on everything to
build your business? A bit of both.

(22:39):
I feel like I've tried to I I'vepersonally tried the more
exclusive path. Selective path.
But I just felt like I wasn't busy enough.
OK. Yeah.
Do you say you just take on fines for the sake of taking on
fines? Not for the sake of taking.
No, like not for the sake of it,but to build the business to pay
bills. Yeah, yeah.
And if obviously we align, yeah,then yeah, definitely.

(23:03):
I mean, obviously I'm not going to take on 5-6 jobs a day or
weddings a day. Like I like to do one wedding if
I can a day. Sometimes there's been 2 but
they're at, they're different services so.
Yeah, you never take on two planning or no one replanning
entirely. Correct.
Yeah, I get it. What's the biggest myth to And

(23:24):
take your time. I don't care if people wait.
The biggest myth about wedding planners that you want to shut
down? Biggest myth about wedding
planners My first thing is not about wedding planners but
weddings in general. Can I can I go back?
I hate when people say when you say the word wedding they just

(23:48):
like double or triple the price.No, it's not true.
Like they think we're out to getthem.
I don't understand this mentality.
I could say so much about this but I'm scared to say the real.
Truth. Like, like we need to provide
for ourselves and our families too.
Like what? Your wedding should be for free.
Yeah, I didn't get it. Keep going, it's not a myth.

(24:14):
Not the myth I know. All right, I'm going to, I'm
going to say, I'm going to say touching on about that.
Yeah. And whoever listens to it gets
kind of like the real truth. I actually had this conversation
with so many people. I feel like in the last three
weeks, there's actually a betterprofit margin outside of
weddings than there are in weddings calculation wise.

(24:35):
If you're doing smaller events, Christening's birthdays, journal
event, I feel like the profit margin is actually quite.
Bigger, yes. There's actually a lot less work
required. There's less hours.
I think there's a photographer. So let's say I was shooting a
christening, 5 hours, right? 6 Max depending on the culture.
The cost for that obviously willbe the invoice will be less than

(24:56):
a wedding because it's not 12 hours plus a second shooter that
you we have to pay plus double the data.
But like you're talking double data for weddings, paying
workers more because you have more on the floor, a whole lot
more editing, a whole lot more expectation and a whole lot more
time. So the cost per hour compared to

(25:16):
a Christian or journal event is actually somewhat not there.
And also it's the time leading up to it's not just on the day
100%. It's pre the administration, the
creative control, the planning, choosing location and stuff like
that. So when maybe like weddings can
be so much more pricing like I actually don't think so, No.

(25:38):
If I was to flip the switch and just do general events and Chris
things right now, I feel like I could make more bang for buck.
I'm doing weddings because I love it, because I find it more,
one, challenging as a creative, 2, there's more emotional
connection and three, just everything around.
It's just way more enjoyable personally and as a business,
but there's actually more room for profit in other markets that

(26:00):
the wedding industry doesn't realise.
Yeah, I I agree. Which is why that comment like
on a deeper level. You don't know what to.
Be So it's just me a little bit.Yeah, it's a bit of an ick.
People assume I like this question of the right.
People assume wedding planners just make things look pretty.
But what's one part of your job that think would shock people
the most? Just the, the time, the amount

(26:27):
of time, the amount of time pre the wedding that we spend
planning. I don't, I don't think people
are, are aware how much time we spend speaking to suppliers.
A lot of my clients will say, oh, have you heard back from
this supplier? And I haven't told you that I've
heard back from them because they sent me, they put the wrong

(26:48):
date on the invoice, they put the wrong quantity of things on
the invoice. We, I need to make sure
everything is perfect before I show you.
And they don't understand how much work and time that is
before I'm even dealing with them.
Yeah, what's your biggest pet peeve as a planner?
This isn't a question. Not with clients.
My biggest pet peeve? Oh, with supply, Yeah.

(27:11):
When you're doing this job, whenyou're getting invoices from all
of us and emailing us and stuff,just.
Their response time. But a lot of these are small
family businesses. They need to juggle work, admin,
setting up, physically spending time with their family, time to
them, time to themselves. I know I struggle too.
So, but yeah, the response time,sometimes it's too long,

(27:33):
sometimes it's way too long. What's too long and what's a
good good amount of time for your response from?
Three to five days. Is a good time.
Yeah, OK. I think that's reasonable.
I think that's reasonable. I think it's very reasonable to
hear from the week. Any longer than the heads that
come on. Yeah, we aim to be on admin
every day. That's our goal.

(27:54):
Yeah. Usually there's there's really a
day when obviously Monday to Friday.
Weekends I'm like, no, weekends is I'm at work and you know,
like shooting weddings and stuff.
Yeah, weekends is, you know, family time for everyone else.
Yeah, but I think that's good. That was very random.
You do with so many personalities, Brides, grooms,
family members, vendors. Yes, it's call them the fall.

(28:17):
Who do you think's the hardest to work with?
The couple, their parents or thevendors?
It it changes depending on the couple.
Generally. The groom, yeah.
Hi Kaylee, this is so funny. Just they don't get it.

(28:38):
They don't get what? Like, they don't get why we need
to change the chair at the venue.
OK. Because it's ugly.
Yeah. Like, you're spending all this
money on all this other stuff, and you want to keep the ugly
corporate chairs, you know? And they have such a hard time
letting go of their money. I didn't expect you to like
answer that. So I I don't know.
I just didn't expect that. It's so funny I've.
Had a lot of groom zillas. I don't have groomzillas, I have

(29:03):
the opposite. Grooms are just like, it's
almost like I have to like, beg them.
Yeah, not that they're groomzillas, but they're it's
just a lot. What?
Are you waving at me? I.
Have to explain things, that's why.
I say it. I was just saying I just don't
care. Damn.
They just don't care. They don't care.
I say them. There's a lot of I.
Think I'm saying what I was saying was wrong.
They just don't care. It's like I have to beg him to

(29:24):
be there almost. And I'm like, there's a lot of
are we here? Yeah, there's a lot of grooms
that I've met on the day of the wedding.
OK. And then some that I'm only
dealing with the whole time. Listen, I like to pick and
choose my battles prefer that than like over controlling 1.
You know, for us to get the two kind of presented to me.
Some grooms when I'm it's it's always that location.

(29:46):
Like if I'm begging you, it's a please, man.
Like I need, like, we need to get this done.
Steve and me have a you can't count that because we have a
relationship. Yeah.
I literally told Steve shut up. Like, you can take this photo.
I think. Yeah.
It's not even a big. I know, I know.
It was more like he he listened,he understood.
But it leads me to a lot more questions that I want to ask for

(30:09):
later. Yeah.
I'm not going to tap into it, but it's it's on the tip of my
tongue. Have you ever had a client?
Completely. And I think this is an important
one for you to kind of touch on.Have you ever had a client who
completely ignored your advice and regret it later?
Yes. Yeah, I knew the answer was yes,
but I want you to share a littlebit about that because I get it.
I get it. Not a lot, but a little bit

(30:31):
where you give them advice and you're trying your best to help
them out and they just ignore it.
Yeah. So I think it, it obviously
depends on everyone's personality.
I've worked with a certain couple and they literally wanted
me to get quotes from every single supplier.
Like multiple that did decor, multiple that did whatever, and

(30:55):
I. But wouldn't you do that
anyways? Like, wouldn't you?
Not necessarily, no. So if I'm getting married and
I'm saying I want this, you'd show me one One but one quote
from a florist. Not, not necessarily just going
back to what I was saying. Sorry.
No, that's OK. Like they showed me certain
things they want and they said you know, can you contact the

(31:15):
supplier, that supplier And I said guys, you've already
rejected 1 suppliers quote because it was too much.
I'm not going to contact that other one because I already know
that their labour fees are through the roof.
It's not worth me wasting my time to get an quote from them
when I know you're just going toreject it.
Like just trust me. I get it.
I get it. And then anyways, the wedding

(31:36):
happened. It was perfect.
It was beautiful and I had to learn how they were too.
So I had to learn that OK, they actually expect and they want me
to get 3-4 quotes on every single item.
So I started doing that to please them.
It's my job. I'm their wedding planner.
But at the end they said, you know, you'll write about every
single supplier. Thank you for everything.

(31:58):
Like, you know, I think implyingthat early on we should have
just listened and. Yeah, 100.
Percent not wasting so much. Time.
Yeah, I get that it is a lot of work there 'cause you go get
them to requote it, yeah. But maybe it would be easier
just to kind of get them out there and just let them see it.
Yeah, but also it's a lot of work because then they'll say,
oh, can you ask this person to swap this for that?

(32:20):
Like, it's a lot of work becauseonce you get one quote from
someone, they want to adjust it a million times.
And I know what suppliers have, I know what they charge.
I'm just going to go out to who's relevant to what they want
and what they expect, if that makes sense.
Yeah, to sit the budget. Yeah.
Do you ever get people's budgets?
I'm just thinking tapping onto that a little bit because the

(32:43):
reason why I ask is because I don't know.
Because my price guide is my price guide.
Doesn't matter how big or small a wedding is, my price is my
price, right. Most photo and videos like that,
makeup and hairs like that. Guys, I had to record, record,
stop recording because you had alady knocking at the door 3.
Times. How funny was that?
Congrats, Veronica. Congrats.
Vidi here. She's having a baby.

(33:04):
We shot her. She she's so sweet.
Her and her husband had just sent flowers and the lady was
knocking on the studio door likesweet, not stopping.
We had to stop recording for us to take that in.
Veronica, you're very sweet. Thanks for getting that.
It's very sweet. I think I just said the word
sweet 95 times. I forgot what question we were
up to. I can't.
Remember. Either, but you know, that's

(33:24):
that's just a reality recording an episode at the studio, a
client regret. We'll talk about that.
All right, cool. Yeah.
Thanks, Daniel, for fixing that.Appreciate it.
All right, Kaylie Kirk, we're back.
Be honest. How much of wedding planning is

(33:46):
actually using your creativity skill and how much is it just
managing unrealistic expectations?
Perfect. Just Paul just talking about.
Probably, probably. I would say maybe like I'll say
5050 to be honest, because creativity is not also

(34:06):
necessarily like a aesthetic or aesthetically.
It's also problem solving. OK, I feel like you've taken the
turn and I said this to you. I actually called you one day.
I feel like your events and yourweddings have looked different
in the last six months. You were very like, pretty
feminine florally. And then I started seeing like

(34:29):
that cool town hall wedding you did that was more like eclectic
and edgy. And I'm seeing more and more of
that. We did Tasha's at Hubert.
We need some more events. We should talk about Tasha's
wedding. Man, that's going to be awesome.
Guys. Me, me and Kaylee are doing
Tasha Whitmore's wedding in Melbourne.
Is it next next year in March? And first half of early the

(34:50):
first half of next year. Yeah.
Anyways, we shouldn't say the date or the month, but March,
April, May during July, one of those ones, but I feel like
you're taking a different approach.
Is that your doing or is it the client's doing?
In terms of the styling, a bit of both.
I feel like I obviously, I obviously started at 18 years

(35:13):
old and honestly the first few years were very tough because I
just felt like I'm going to go back to the grooms.
Sorry my past grooms, but I feltlike a lot of them didn't take
me seriously because of my age. Like I think they thought or
this is how I felt sometimes. Like who's this like 21 year old

(35:36):
girl telling us what to do with our money or do you know what I
mean? Not with all of them, just just
some. And I hope no one takes offence
or gets upset, but that's just honestly how I felt.
And I so I feel like as I've gotten older, I've gotten more
confident to to tell people, OK,let's do this, we should do
this. And I'm a bit more, yeah,

(35:58):
upfront, assertive, yeah, assertive upfront.
I think it's important as a planner because you want to kind
of want the best out of your event and you want that
assertiveness to be like the directions moving this way.
I've learnt that as well. In the recent years, I've become
more open with my couples and I'm saying listen, I've I have
this booked in the next six months.
A lot of this venue. So when we talk about locations

(36:20):
like I have like 6 brides using this location just to keep you
aware. So keep them more in the loop.
Now it it's up to you, join a pivot, join a continue just to
kind of I know what the expectations kind of can get to.
And I think honestly, it's also,you know, weddings that I've
done in the last few years, theyhave had a high, high styling
budget. So I have that to fall back

(36:43):
onto. I can say, OK, this this was
this person's wedding. I never really give out exact
details because everything's confidential and it's no one's
business to know what I guess certain people have spent but or
people have spent, but I say, OK, this person's spent 80,000
on styling. What you're showing me what you
want is worth that. If you're not willing to change

(37:05):
anything or remove anything or compromise, I'm sorry, you're
not going to get that yet. So I think with experience.
I think it's a confidence thing as well, yeah.
To kind of not fear the reaction, yeah, as much and kind
of help them out a little bit. Do you feel like bride and
grooms are now becoming more demanding because of social

(37:26):
media hasn't made your job harder?
In what way? Definitely this cost of living.
Yeah. Crisis as well is not helping.
And I feel like also with weddings, sometimes it's hard
because they're buying the property at the same time,
they're renovating at the same time.
They're confused about what to do, where to spend the money.

(37:50):
I've had people two weeks beforethe wedding say, let's cancel
the dance floor. And I'm like, are you serious?
No. Yeah.
Like, your wedding is not going to look the same if you're
using, sorry, the venue's park atree floor, and you've spent all
this money on florals and draping and chandeliers.
Like no. Yeah, I've never heard of that.
Like they freak out. That's crazy.
People always freak out within that month of their wedding.

(38:10):
Like, I don't know, they just always breakdown in tears.
All the bills are coming throughthe emotional.
My advice to every single couplelistening and every single
couple I know or speak to is tryto incrementally pay your way
off. And I don't know how seriously
they take me with this, but the couples I find with the greatest
success rate of and with successrate, I'm talking about

(38:31):
happiness and stress levels. I'm not talking about sex rate,
success rate financially is the couples that slowly pay off
their things, right? You never it's very, very rare
you have couples getting marriedwithin the first six months
after engagement. If you book everything in, don't
listen to what your suppliers are saying for what they need
you to pay. Yeah.
So, for instance, give everyone else insight.

(38:54):
I charge a deposit and then the balance is in due to four weeks
before their wedding. I don't do a payment plan.
I can, but I just, I don't want to put that pressure on couples,
right? Because no one knows what
everyone's financial situations are but how it is smarter for
them doesn't bother me if they pay off slowly.
The couples that I have that paylike 500 at a month at a time or

(39:17):
1000 every couple of months, their balance actually shrinks
or goes to 034 months before their wedding and they don't get
that bombardment that other couples do.
Naturally, the wedding industry will always charge two to four
weeks before the wedding. Mostly, right?
Yeah. So at that, imagine the four
week mark before your wedding. You're getting your photo, your

(39:38):
video, your hair, your makeup, venue final balance, venue,
final balances. And it's brutal.
One dance. Every single person just looks
at the calendar with not two to four week mark beforehand when
it comes to financials. So if you're going to take
advice from me. Pay off as you go.
Pay off as you go at your own pace yes don't hold that money

(39:58):
in your account obviously like it's scarier to do that because
you know I. Did that personally with my
wedding. It's just wild.
It's a lot of money. It's a lot to pay unless you're
like really, really, really goodwith handling it and not
touching it. Sitting all there in one
account. You have no access, but it's
easier said than done. Advice.
You know, we're good. We should just give.

(40:19):
We should do an episode on advice.
Yeah, yeah, maybe next time, maybe in the next lifetime.
But have you ever. This is a.
This is a hard question, but have you ever had a situation
where you had to step in and save a wedding from a complete
disaster? I.
I feel like every wedding planner does that.
Like, yeah, yes. Anything that's like like just

(40:42):
for the entertainment come to mind.
From complete disaster. Oh gosh.
I don't know if I've personally had anything like super.
Yeah, dramatic and disastrous. That's good.
But just things like the other week I I had a wedding and for

(41:03):
some reason that video they did the same day edit and for some
reason that videographer didn't provide their laptop to show the
same day edit. OK so I I provided mine and yeah
for some reason my laptop thought I was hacking into it
and it went into some bit key lock thing.

(41:28):
Had to call Microsoft, get a code that was like 50 digits
long and enter it. So I know that's not that super
dramatic and like, amazing, but like, yeah, yeah.
And there was a guy from Show Pro and I'm like, what do I do?
He's like, I don't know. We're just like following the
steps. And anyways, it was fine.

(41:49):
Got the laptop working. So you know, I know it's I know
it's something small. Same day edit, if we didn't show
it, whatever, it's not that big of a deal.
At the same time they paid for it.
They paid couple $1000 for the same day edit or whatever it
might have been. Probably would have been that
because the same day edit fee plus the project projector fee
plus the person there do. You have been talking about the

(42:10):
the stupid little fees that comeup at least I hate them and I
don't want to come across as that person publicly on a
podcast. What's 1 mistake you feel like
couples keep making over and over again when planning their
wedding? Definitely getting caught up on
supplies that have like the mostfollowers I would say.

(42:34):
So many amazing, talented peoplein our industry.
It's a beautiful message. So yeah, just be open to what I
recommend. Why would you deem that as a
mistake? Not that it's a mistake, but I
think what a lot of people don'tunderstand, for example, I'm
going to use florists as an example.
All florists have different styles.

(42:56):
So if you're showing me something really classic and and
beautiful, very like, you know, tight round, round arrangements,
you don't like anything modern and eclectic.
I'm not going to go to, for example, Azariad.
I think Azariad's super creative, very quirky.
I'm gonna go to her for the couples that want that.

(43:16):
Yeah. Not the couples that want a
pretty wide arrangement with, like, a orchid.
Yeah. Only roses.
Yes, of course she can nail that.
She's done it before. She's amazing.
But I'll probably go to someone a bit more classic, like John
Emmanuel Vesnergrasse. So like, I wouldn't, do you know
what I mean? I know what you're saying.
So I think certain suppliers obviously have a massive
following and people think, Oh no, they're like the be all or

(43:38):
end all, let's use them. I think they use it as a blanket
of security. Yeah.
I think the best blanket of security should be word of mouth
or someone who's actually used that person.
Yeah. Does that answer Did I answer
your question? I I think that you answered, I
think you always answered my question.
Kaylee Kerr, what do you want tosee more of in 2025 and 2026?

(44:10):
People remembering that the wedding days.
Marrying your true love, not just for show.
I need like claps. I we need it for the Amen.
It's easy. To get caught up it is.
That's my favourite thing that'sbeen said on this podcast in the
last six months. Yeah, and I'm going to say it.
I think couples are forgetting that the wedding day is marrying

(44:32):
the love of your life and not a content day.
Yes, it's not a photo shoot. Yes.
We're there to document it. We're there to create beautiful
things or create beautiful experiences.
Beautiful event, 100%, but it's about marrying someone.
Everyone's forgetting it. Yeah, and.
Not everyone, sorry. It's it's really not everyone.
I have so many beautiful couplesthat have like the most

(44:53):
incredible love. I'd say 5% of what we do.
They they forget what the day isabout.
And I always say that's obviously the number one I.
Thought you gonna say something aesthetic and I'm so glad you
said that's. The number one thing for the
wedding, Yeah. And with what I said, I mean it
in a few different ways. Aesthetically, people get too
caught up on the aesthetic. Yeah.
They get too caught up on the content.

(45:14):
They also get caught up in family shit.
For some reason, weddings bring out the best and worst in
everyone. Yeah, and people get so much
anxiety around that time when it's like, you should be
celebrating this time, not crying, anxious like this is the
most beautiful time. Who gives a shit what people?
Are saying to speak on our couples behalf.
I think it sucks because it's hard for some of our couples to

(45:39):
kind of have the smaller scale weddings that would suit them
both the best. That's the reality right?
The reality is a lot of couples would have a better day if they
had a smaller scale wedding, butwhen they're young and they have
a lot of siblings and cousins and culturally it's offensive to
not invite people and have big weddings, it puts a lot more

(46:00):
anxiety and pressure onto the wedding.
And can I say something realistically where you know
your Lebanese are Macedonian? I don't know what maybe other
cultures do, but a lot of these European Middle Eastern
cultures, the family help a lot financially with the wedding.
So if your parents have an inputon the wedding, you feel like
you don't have a say. Yeah, you lose your voice a lot.

(46:22):
Of you lose your voice because it's like, but they're paying
and they they make it known thatthey're paying and that you
don't have a say because they'repaying.
However, it's up to the couple to kind of move past that and
just ignore it and just remember, it's hard, but it's
the challenge that needs to be done when it comes to the

(46:42):
reality of their wedding that itsucks.
I get it. So that, yeah.
So that's why I say just remember the day that is about
you two. Yeah, that's most important.
What do you want to say less of?Let's talk aesthetic.
Let's not talk something deep and crazy.
Sorry, you don't need another round of applause.
I'm. Too emotional.
I'm a cancer so know. What the fuck it needs?

(47:03):
I don't follow this last night. Very emotional beings.
So what do I want to say less of?
I feel, I feel like the bows arefading out among them.
It's just get fucked this arrangement off, no.
It's not bows. Bows.
There's bows on it. Oh.
Sorry, Tina, it's a beautiful one.
So bows are great. They are.

(47:24):
They are but like. No, no, no, I agree.
I agree. I'm so.
Bitterly and annoying. And anyway.
I want to tell you my after this, I'm going to get raced for
it. I feel like obviously there's
trends and you can't help that there's.
Trends, I'm just saying, what doyou want to say less of?
I just want to see something new, different, quirky,

(47:44):
eclectic. I'm going to say one thing.
You had it at your wedding, but you did it very differently, so
it doesn't count to you. So don't get offended to it.
I want to see Les drapery at bride's house for bride prep.
OK. And let me get to it do.
You feel like a lot of people are doing that.
I feel like almost every weekend.
OK, yeah. And I'll tell you why drapery
needs to be purposeful. Yes.

(48:06):
The way drapery came into the industry was because it was
concealing homes that were either required renovation or
like, you know, you get rid of your parents house and it's
quite, you know, built. How mine was purpose?
I don't want to sound rude when I say this, I'm just going to
say it. And if you're going to get
offended towards still a nice person, it's it's it was meant

(48:26):
to conceal. But the biggest burn job is when
you have clients that have this beautiful home with such
beautiful windows and they just sort of drape over.
It they cover their natural. Light and it's like, but the
wire, the walls are nice and your parents owns your parents
home. Drapery should be there for
purpose, not just for it's not an aesthetical thing, right.
Also, sometimes bride prep when you go through this like, you

(48:48):
know, like the morning prop situation, I'm going to use my
words carefully. I'm so scared when I'm saying
this is it starts to look all the same.
I feel like sometimes the only thing that changes it is the
person, but you're shooting the same thing over and over and
over again. It just same, poof, that same

(49:09):
circle thing that everybody sitson the same Prince and then they
use the same rosary with the same perfume and the same, it's
starting to be like, like, like it where is where is you in
this? Like when I when like where is
the bride in this? Where is her?
Where is her flay? Which is why people start to get
hung up on the dress and everything else because it's

(49:29):
like, oh, we're seeing the bridein this, right?
We're seeing her personality. That's what I'm hoping to see
less of. And it's not about being super
creative and trendy and spend all this money to transform your
home into something else. It's more just about like
showing your true authenticity. When bed started to come back
into the bedroom where it wasn'tescaping, it was really nice.

(49:52):
It was like this is refreshing. That's what I always say, like
you're getting, if you're getting ready from home, you
want it to look like you're home.
You're home. Beds are lived in.
The whole morning is is documenting the preparation to
get married. It's not a photo shoot.
We don't need to kind of go back.
To it and. I'm saying this because, listen,
we we naturally had curtains when I was getting ready and

(50:14):
Alexia did drape her house. But so I'm, you know, it's glass
house situation. You know, you can look back at
my wedding photos and and criticise me, but I'm just
saying I'm seeing so much more of it than now that I look back
and reflect and like, you know what, maybe we should show the
character of the home and the character of a family unit and
kind of what he naturally was and not just kind of create a
hot box room of like. I I agree I don't like it to

(50:37):
look sterile like sometimes it'stoo.
Changed it with the colour and Itold you I.
Changed it with the colour but Idid it because God bless my
Baba. My grandma, she had this big wog
cabinet glass filled with China rakia, Turkish coffee cups and
all this stuff I had. I couldn't have that in the back
of my photos. I had to drape it.
No, and I get it and it looks great.

(50:58):
So yeah, it needs to be purposeful.
What's one wedding you'll never forget, whether it was good or
bad, and go for the good? My wedding I'll never forget.
Yeah, what's one wedding that just will forever sit in your
mind? I loved the Opera House 1.
I did that in December last year.
That was just beautiful. It was a lot of work, a lot of

(51:19):
admin being obviously the Opera House.
Loved that wedding. It was just refined and classic.
OK, looking back, your job is all about creating a dream,
waiting for others. Looking back at your wedding, do
you think your own wedding livedup to your expectation?

(51:42):
I've I've had this discussion a lot with people in the lead up.
I feel like there was like a lotof pressure, like, oh, can't
wait to see what you're going todo with your wedding it.
Was. But obviously going back to me,
yeah, growing up like, you know,financially wasn't the best.

(52:04):
We paid for most of our wedding,loved my wedding.
Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't, I would change a few
things, but I wouldn't change a thing, if that makes sense.
So I think people, a lot of a lot of people expected more, but
it's like I don't, I didn't havethe financial budget to do all
these crazy things in a custom props and build.
I think people, I think you had a pretty phenomenal wedding.

(52:27):
Yes, but I think some people expected more.
What more would you have had? But you know, it also comes to
the venue too. Like I had a venue that had
quite a low ceiling. I had a venue that was.
The room I thought the room was changed due to your face hand
hand on I. Loved our wedding it was.
Beautiful life. I thought your wedding was
pretty phenomenal. I loved our wedding and I was
very dead honest with. You.
Yeah, It was very us. Yeah, it was very us.

(52:50):
I love it. Moody.
Yeah. The Red Steve's family loves
red. Their favourite sports teams are
red. Their cars are red.
Oh no way, I didn't even enter red guys.
Side note, unplanned, it's a wedding.
It's it's Kaylee's one year wedding anniversary this week.
I'm planned. We.
Couldn't even realise until I was catching up with her and I
was saying yeah, what are you doing this weekend?

(53:11):
Can't believe it's a year. I know that is crazy.
I feel like I just shot it. I know it's been the best year.
Can I just tell you I was so stressed that day.
Why I was so stressed and and I like, I like.
I won't even shy behind her. Why?
Though it's for. Pressure.
I hate taking photos. I'm like the easiest person.
And you were. You and Steve were the easiest
couple. Really.
Yeah, I didn't even shoot the reception, but I just felt

(53:33):
pressure. I just felt like you've given me
so much that I had to give you so much, you know what I mean?
Like over the years that I had to like, I don't know, I didn't
know how to like over deliver. Yeah, no, you did read.
It was just. Like it was very stressful.
And I messaged you the next day and I said this in the message.
I didn't cry the whole wedding day and even leading up to the
wedding, but I cried when I sentyou and Alexia that message

(53:56):
thanking you guys. So funny but your your wedding
was incredible. I loved it.
I just think the vibes were so it.
Was very real. It was very.
Real. I didn't expect your mourning to
be that emotional. I think your grandfather brought
that to the table. But I didn't anticipate.
That's what that's what shocked me with your wedding.
Yeah, I didn't think I would have such a traditional wedding

(54:16):
either, but I left from my grandmother's home, so I wanted
to make her happy and she was sohappy that day, so.
Can I just talk about Macedonianweddings a little bit because I
know you're like, you know, Masoand Maso Queen when it comes to
planning. I'm finding a shift with Maso
wedding, not a shift. It's actually not a shift.
That's the wrong word to use. I'm finding a switch a little

(54:38):
bit with like every second Macedonian wedding I'm shooting.
They're either all in with the traditions or all out.
Yeah. Can you give me some insight?
I don't mean this. It's like an an exhausting day.
It's such a long day. Is that the reason why couples
are so OK? Anyone who's not Macedonia
listening, Yes. Right.

(55:02):
What time would you say a photographer starts at a Macedon
wedding? 9:00 AM.
Like or. Or 8:00 AM depending what time
the guests have been invited from.
So I'm going to paint the picture.
The masa is my correct me on like what I'm trying to say
correct me correct. Me as well, so yeah.
But like when when I'm a photographer, I'm booked to 9:00
AM, guys, I'm shooting guests arriving.

(55:23):
So they arrive, they have a bandand the band plays for every
family member that rolls in every single family and every
Nasai wedding. I get offended because they
don't play the music for me. OK, we have to do that for the.
Who's that we have? A masso couple or half coming up
I. Swear if it's not there but
you're just going to. Be there.
You're going to be at the bride.She's Croatian.
Anyways, so the they shoot everyfamily walking in the family

(55:46):
gives them something. So that's what tradition one I'd
call it, right? They do the bread making.
So then literally make bread from scratch in the morning of
the bride's wedding. The bride comes out for that and
the groom and the groom. Sorry, I always remember bride
prep because I'm there the groomthey do shaving on top of the
guest arrival. Is there anything else I'm
missing in the morning that's like?

(56:07):
Really. Best man's delivering the shoes.
Best man leaves the best man's house, which is always early,
which starts everyone else earlier because he has to go to
the bride's house. They deliver the bride's shoe.
So we don't even have the bride's wearing their wedding
shoes until the best man arrivesright before exit.
They have to like put money intowork, kind of do that, exchange
all of the little things. The bride has to kick a glass of

(56:30):
water in the groom outside the door.
We have to like get that as well.
The morning is filled with so much.
Food chaotic. It's, it's not chaotic, it's
just it, there's so much in fourhours and then we have the
church full of traditions and then the reception is another

(56:50):
level of like tradition. That's why I said it's
exhausting. They dance with every single
important person leads. Like for the level who's
listening, it's a dapke. For the masos it's same thing.
It's like a it's. Called an order.
An order, yeah. It's like a cultural dance in
like a circle, and the person leading it is like an important
figure. So it the dance is like a

(57:10):
dedicated to that person. Yeah, each time.
Yeah, the list can get quite long.
Yes. And then at the end of the
night, the best man has to hold the bread.
They baked. That was made, Yeah, made early
in the day. And people have to try to steal
it. Yes.
There's a lot going on, a lot going on.
So I'm now seeing a lot less of that.

(57:33):
Yeah. Do you reckon parents are
getting their shits? I think it's 5050.
I think a lot of parents aren't fussed because it's a it's a
lot. You starting to say that?
It's a lot, yeah. Like my cousin's weddings coming
up next year and I know that they don't want to do any of
that. Yeah.

(57:55):
And I think it's also hard me being emotional again.
I think it's also hard maybe when, like, grandparents aren't
in the picture anymore. Yeah.
And maybe the parents feel like they don't know what to do.
Yeah. And maybe they feel like it's
more so for the grandparents, just like I did all of that for
my grandmother. Yeah.
So. Do you feel like it's also sorry

(58:16):
to touch off this column with a monetary thing?
It's also a cost thing because it's very expensive to quote a
Macedonian wedding. Yes, and it's also very
expensive to be a Macedonian guest at a Macedonian wedding.
Yeah, because we give money whenthe groom's being shaved.
We give money at the church. Yeah, we give money in the gift

(58:37):
and we tip the band in the morning and the night.
Fun fact, I never knew this. Is it all the bands or some
bands? If it's a full what I've found
correct me if I'm wrong maso bands but if it's.
Don't think this needs a crew. That'd give a fuck to be honest.
They all work their week jobs and they make bank on the week.
That's it. They're not listening to the

(58:58):
podcast. Let's go.
They what was? I saying pay with the bands
because I was going to spit the fact but I didn't want to say
it. It's like a half half wedding.
So like one person's maso, one person's one person is another
background nationality. They'll have like a minimum, a
minimum. So if they don't make the
minimum, you need to make up forit.
Yeah. So to fill in the lines and the

(59:20):
gaps, you guys, they don't actually charge a fee, correct?
They just work. Off you don't pay them, they
work off tips. So everyone has to tip them.
You don't have to, but they needto make a certain amount and
then if you don't make that thenthe couple make.
I think they make that because of that cultural dance.
Every time that person is at thedance, they get tipped.
I've noticed that, right? So it's like you can see this

(59:40):
sounds. It's a guarantee.
Yeah, this sounds so stupid but it's like if that dance is
dedicated to you and you don't go put and and splat money.
On the 100% in the plane for you.
Singer's head. People will be like, did you see
that tie arse? Yeah, put money on the band and
you can. Dance.
Do you predict that Massa weddings, the culture will kind
of shift or they'll still be kind of there?

(01:00:04):
I feel I feel like it depends how traditional and patriotic
you. Are I just want to say I
freaking love Macedonian? Weddings.
Yeah, me too. I always say if I wasn't
Lebanese, I'm Macedonian, because I've shot that many
Macedonian weddings. Likewise I've shot.
So yeah, I know. I've shot so many Maso weddings
I can't even keep count. And I love it because I love.
And I hope he doesn't, to be honest, as hard as it is, and

(01:00:26):
I'm going to tell you guys to bevery, very transparent, it's
it's a big struggle for photo. I could not even talk about
makeup pairing video. Such a long day.
But for for me and my team, it'sa struggle.
Like I have to now plan carefully with my calendar when
I have a master wedding because we're there from when we start
at 9, right? I have to be the bride, like be

(01:00:47):
out of the house by 8. Yeah.
I can't do that on a Sunday if I'm finishing at midnight.
So if I have a Sunday maso wedding, I have to make sure
that the wedding I have before it's either guaranteed early
finish, like I say, like 11:00 AM and I start late, or I just
don't take it on because it's it's not fair right on me or
them. But I love it.

(01:01:09):
It's like there's more than. It's so fun.
Yeah, there's a lot of culture in it.
Kaylee Kirk, it's time for your LA lager game.
I'll pick it and read it. I'm not even going to get you to
pick your car. Also, have you thought about
your question for the next guest?
Because we had animation on. We had animation on before you

(01:01:29):
and I carelessly told them to tell me later and I didn't
follow up. So.
I have three options. I can't remember the second one.
I read it on the notes in my phone.
So do you want to tell me the two and I'll pick it?
Yeah, go on camera now. Yeah, OK.
The episode will be aired. I don't know if these questions
been asked if this what would you call this chapter in your

(01:01:52):
life? OK, that hasn't been asked.
What's the next question? Again, me being emotional, like
how are you? And then you heard the first
question because I haven't heardthat before.
OK, I randomly picked this. When was the last time you did
something that made you happy? When was the last time, probably

(01:02:19):
say, my honeymoon? Oh, a year ago.
That's the last time we did something that made you happy,
Kaylee. Obviously little things, Kaylee
in between, but that was just the best time, yeah.
Yeah, you feel like 100% content.
Yeah. Was it because you're done with
your wedding? No.
Just kidding, you're going to ask one more only because you

(01:02:41):
didn't get an emotions question?That's another happy question,
so I'm just going to skip it. I might say the answer.
Let's go right here. Oh, this is a good one.
What is a dream that you had to let go of?
Think tape about this one. It wasn't a dream.

(01:03:07):
I mean, at one point in time it was, but like I didn't go to
uni. I got into uni, I got accepted
and I didn't go because I was like, no, I don't want to be
stuck with this heck step. Like I'm already, I already felt
like I was behind compared to a lot of my friends, people around
me, family, financially and withmy upbringing that I didn't want

(01:03:32):
to go into life with like a burden.
Kind of makes me sad. Does that make sense?
Yeah, but now that I'm looking back on it, uni is not for me
to. It makes me sad that you felt
that. So imagine four years of
studying. Yuck.
What were you going to do at UniA?
A Bachelor of marketing, NPR, I think it was.
I did Bachelor of Marketing. Let me tell you, you're not

(01:03:53):
missing out on anything at all. Yeah, yuck.
I don't want that. Especially the heck step.
No, but in that moment in time, yeah.
Yeah, it makes me sad that you felt that.
But I, I, I did a double major and I, I don't dare use it.
It's like just ticking out a box.
To be very real. You are well fitted in your lane

(01:04:13):
right now. Yeah, you are.
I'm very content. I'm very content.
I'm so excited for my KKW weddings coming up.
Yes we are. I'm going to leave my last joke
to the end. OK, what?
I reckon your success is becauseit's KKW.
You don't even pick up on it. Kim Kardashian West.
Yeah, Baby. No.
It's KKEW. Katie Coco Benton.

(01:04:36):
But yes, I like. JKW, we're changing you.
We're reprinting it. OK, OK.
I love you. Love you too.
Thanks for coming on. Thank you for having me.