As much as we love living vicariously through a number of people's travels on IG, we also love a good event. There is something about an immersive experience where you know that the food must have been amazing, the setting is transportive and the visuals make every picture look epic! These things just don't happen on their own, it's a blend of cohesive themes that come together and in many cases, there is an event planner who makes it happen!
We have been fans of Mindy Weiss for decades as she has created events with phenomenal themes whether they are large scale or intimate in nature. Her work has been used by some of the biggest celebrities and athletes while executing their vision to perfection. Her work has been cosigned by Vogue, Brides and Harper's Bazaar! So, when we had the chance to find out more about how she got into the industry, how she stays inspired and what we need to think about our event regardless of whether she is at the helm or if we are doing it ourselves, we had to take a few moments of her time!
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been fans of yours for a few decades now and whether it’s a wedding, launch event or whatever it is. There is something about how you create an immersive experience that also showcases the vibe of the person that is hosting the event!
MINDY WEIS: Oh thank you and thanks for noticing that!
AM: Of course! When did you realize that you wanted to be an event planner?
MW: Well, I got married the first time, very young and I was looking for a part-time job. In college, I thought that I was going to go into production and didn’t know that I would go into this direction. I got a job in a little precious stationery store. This stationary store is where they don’t do it as much, but you look through books and you order custom stationery and innovations. Oh my God, I loved it! From that point, the person who hired me who is now my best friend in the whole world, for the last 40 some odd years, we started to work out of the house. We left that store and worked out of the house and people started asking me to do their events besides just doing their invitations.
Now growing up, my mother gave the best parties. Hysterical, now as an adult and a mother, my Sweet 16 was at the Playboy Club! Back when they used to have Playboy Clubs – so embarrassed now! I mean, they weren’t naked, but they were definitely in their bunny suits and it was like, what were you thinking? But she thought that that would be clever. So it was in the blood and I did the first party and then it just stuck from that one party, I got 10 events. So that is my story!
AM: How do you get inspiration when you are tackling your next project?
MW: Well, I really try to personalize it as much as possible. So we have great conversations, I’m trying to pull things out of what they love! You know they give me Pinterest pages that literally have 20 different ideas from a traditional event, a modern event, a vintage event. I try to pull itall back to personalizing it as much as possible and that brings me here to say that right now, the biggest trend is guest experience. This is the trend obviously for every event from a wedding on. Everything is very important and is the key, but how is your event going to be different from all the events that you’re going to at the same time. Typically, if you’re getting married, you’re group of people are getting married and then you are on the wedding circuit.
Like my middle son was in 6 weddings and he is on the circuit and I keep saying to him – elope, elope! But no, his girlfriend is going to want the whole thing! So bringing it back to guest experience, I’m always trying to find what is new, what would be a cool thing that you could include people in that looks beautiful, that is something that they may have never considered before and that’s kind of why I teamed up with Seedlip for the Seedlip Soiree because it’s so up my alley.
I don’t know if you have seen these bottles.
AM: We have seen these bottles and my boyfriend has had them. I like that sometimes when you have been partying maybe too much, but you still would like to have a beverage that looks tasty and it pairs well with fruit juices – it’s a great mocktail! I’ve even made it into a cocktail as well because the ingredients are great!
Why did this collaboration come about?
MW: Well, the truth is, I don’t drink. Once in awhile in Cabo at the end of a very big event, I’ll take a shot of tequila. So what interests me in this is exactly what you just said! I want to have a beautiful drink that doesn’t necessarily have to be mixed with alcohol, but certainly can be. I can still feel like I can be social and I don’t feel the pressure, but I would like to carry a beautiful drink that feels somewhat organic and beautiful. The last event that I served it at, let’s just say one of the ingredients is the rosemary, well I took it to a new place by making sure that there was a sprig of it in the drink, I made sure that there were beautiful flowers to represent what that drink was. I think that I have a few more holiday parties, I’m on the countdown and at one party, we’re going to do a party with a bar that is in the Seedlip drink, I’m going to design where that bottle sits with what’s in it.
AM: I’m sure that that will be beautiful because you do beautiful work.
MW: It will enable people to know what exactly is in it immediately. And again, it’s a guest experience. I do get asked to represent some different companies, but I’ve kind of made a pact with myself that I can only really speak to the things that I can relate to.
AM: How important is it to have a signature cocktail(s) at an event?
MW: I actually thought that at one point is was going away.
AM: Really?
MW: Yeah, because all of the Old Fashioned drinks were coming in, but then it’s back in a really big way! A big part of my business was making bar menus so people could see the creativity and look at the names of the drinks and what is in it which is important obviously for a lot of people. It’s on every wedding list that we check off. So how is it important? It’s very important because no one is letting it go!
AM: Exactly!
Regardless of all of the things that you have done in terms of the amazing events that you have created, if we’re not able to book you as I would obviously love to do so for a future event...
MW: Book me! Yes!
AM: Every time we see your IG, you’ve killed it again! How does someone go about creating their own events if they are doing it themselves? What should they be focusing on? What should they be organizing so that they can execute their vision?
MW: First of all, they should sign up for my Masterclass because I have a Masterclass now! It takes you through all of those categories, but it needs to represent you. So, put aside the IG for a second and the Pinterest and everything. What are your favorite drinks? What are your favorite flowers? What’s great is that when people walk into a wedding or a holiday party or a shower or whatever it is and you want people to come in and go, “oh my God, this is so them!” Of course they have that because this is what they like! If you can pull from that when you're doing your signature drinks it should represent what you drink. So you want to share that part and obviously we would do Mindy’s Mocktails which would have what I like and my husband loves Old Fashioned and we would do that – he is so old fashioned which he is! But then, that’s how you would personalize these things with music you play, the food you serve, the vows you say -everything comes from within you and trying not to be a copycat!
See, there’s nothing wrong with going to an event and seeing a beautiful bar with the drinks that they serve. You can still have a beautiful bar with drinks that you serve that represent you. Look at everything as inspiration.
AM: I love hearing that. As someone who is the Co-Founder/Creative + Style Dir of Athleisure Media who is also a fashion stylist, I like the concept of mood boarding, pulling all of these different inspirations in and making sure that when I’m dressing our celebrities, I like adding things that speak to them while adding in a layer to it so that it is a little different. But it still feels true to who they are. So I can totally get what you’re saying about that.
MW: Because in our world, the first thing that people go to unfortunately is, “I saw that already!” I’m sure in fashion, you really see that a lot because if someone already wore it, how are you going to change it up? In my world, the competition with event planners is pretty up there. I love to Instagram to do inspiration and to give inspiration, but don’t you think that I don’t get inspiration from there and then put a twist on it where I feel like, “ooo I can make it better” or “I can make it different.” That’s the same with every aspect of celebrating.
AM: You’ve been talking about guest experience. Whether someone is hiring you or creating their event themselves, what should be in your mind when it comes to those that are attending your party regardless of your theme or why they are there?
MW: If you’re having a party, it’s not just about you! You’re inviting people to your event, it’s a gift to them and it’s a gift that just keeps on giving, It cannot be all about yourself. Not when people are coming, bringing a gift, spending money to get there, buying clothes – it’s a gift for both of you. You need to remember that when you are the host or hostess that it’s not going to be all about you.
IG @mindyweiss
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 94-97 Dennis Kwan Photography
Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see MAKE IT A SIGNATURE | Mindy Weiss in mag.
