Mindy Weiss wears Sweater Blumarine. Skirt Acquired Vintage. Tiara Mindy’s Own. Shoes Ferragamo.
Hollywood’s most sought-after event planner sits down with frequent client and NBA legend Russell Westbrook to talk exploding cakes, wedding crashers, and the one thing no budget can fix.
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TUESDAY 8 AM FEB. 24, 2026 LA
WEISS: Hi, friend.
WESTBROOK: Hey, how are you? Are you ready for me?
WEISS: I’m ready, my buddy. Should we tell people how we know each other?
WESTBROOK: Yeah.
WEISS: Okay. So Nina [Westbrook, Russell’s wife] called me three months before your wedding and hired me to do it. Little did I know you had planned the entire thing. You were very involved, so we became family. It’s very rare to get extremely close with people you work with, so I’m very lucky.
WESTBROOK: No, I’m very grateful. I hired the best in the business. And here we are, 11 years later.
WEISS: There you go.
WESTBROOK: So, friend, you’ve been doing this since the ‘80s.
WEISS: You weren’t even born. [Laughs]
WESTBROOK: How different does event planning look today compared to when you first started?
WEISS: Back in the ‘80s, I pretty much faked the whole thing because I didn’t know what I was doing. My parents gave really incredible parties, so I had a little experience. But it wasn’t as intense back then. Most events were at hotels, not these elaborate unique locations, and you only got four hours to set up. Today, sometimes I need a week to set up an event. It’s gotten much more detailed, much more elaborate, and much more personalized. It’s a huge business.
WESTBROOK: I can only imagine. You’ve thrown some legendary parties. What’s one that still gives you the chills?
WEISS: The jobs that give me chills are the ones that take me around the world, like when I went to India. That was something. You’re going to a place you’ve never been knowing nobody, and you’ve got to figure it all out.
WESTBROOK: That’s cool. I have another one. If you could throw one type of party the rest of your life, what would it be?
WEISS: I love birthday parties. They’re still emotional, like weddings, but not as stressful.
WESTBROOK: What is the worst age for a birthday party and what’s the best?
WEISS: That’s a good one, friend. The worst age is anything over 85, because people die and the guests leave.
WESTBROOK: No!
WEISS: I swear to god. I did a 90-year-old’s birthday, and people kept dying. It was the saddest mess ever.
WESTBROOK: That has to be hard.
WEISS: It’s reality. For older folks, you have to plan differently. You have to make sure everything’s accessible and safe. The best age is about seven years old, when the kids actually realize it’s their birthday and they aren’t jaded yet. I love their excitement over everything from the cake to the presents.
Dress and Earrings Givenchy by Sarah Burton. Tights Falke.
WESTBROOK: I love that. What’s the biggest party you ever thrown?
WEISS: About 600 people.
WESTBROOK: Was this a concert, friend?
WEISS: No, it was a wedding. In some ethnicities, the tradition is the bigger the better. I found it a bit challenging because the clients literally wanted me to seat and place every guest. That took weeks and weeks, and of course it continued to change.
WESTBROOK: Six hundred is a lot of people, friend. And a lot of people can cost a lot.
WEISS: Oh yeah. [Laughs]
WESTBROOK: What does a Mindy Weiss event actually cost? I mean, I have my own Mindy Weiss costs.
WEISS: Let’s make it known that you were one of the very few people I stayed on budget for.
WESTBROOK: That’s true.
WEISS: It was out of fear, but I stayed on budget. And of course, the week of the wedding the budget doubled. But that was your fault, not mine.
WESTBROOK: Well, yes.
WEISS: My parties tend to cost a little more because my clients expect the best. They come in with a budget, and I charge a certain price.
WESTBROOK: Right. Friend, I feel like you know what I need before I’ve even thought about it.
WEISS: Yes. That’s it.
WESTBROOK: How do you know? What’s your secret?
WEISS: I think the one gift god gave me was empathy. I can become a chameleon. I’m not good at everything but I’m good at picking up on cues of personality, needs, desires. I’m a very calm person. That allows me to really look into and remember—because Russell, I don’t often do just one event for a person. Like you, for example, I do all your celebrations, from the wedding to the baby showers and on and on. And my legacy clients don’t have much time to connect, so being a good listener is probably one of my best secrets. I listen and remember dates, birthdays, celebrations, and I try to reach out before they reach me.
WESTBROOK: Wow. See, this is why you’re the best in the world, friend.
WEISS: Thanks, buddy.
WESTBROOK: Okay, so you have a good sense of what people are thinking. Do you sometimes feel like you are less of an event planner and more of a therapist?
WEISS: Oh my god, yes! And I’m a really good therapist.
WESTBROOK: I feel like, friend, you can make your own lane. You’re a party therapist.
Jacket, Shirt, Skirt, Tie, Socks, and Shoes Thom Browne. Earrings Christina Caruso. Ring Grown Brilliance.
WEISS: It’s a natural progression when you’re planning an event, because people are at their highest stress levels and unexpected things always come up. Also, when you’re getting married, a new personality comes out. [Laughs] I think 60 percent of my job is therapy.
WESTBROOK: Speaking of that, what is the biggest bridal meltdown you’ve ever had to talk someone off the ledge from?
WEISS: Goodness. I couldn’t get a bride down the aisle.
WESTBROOK: No!
WEISS: She had total panic attack, and it wasn’t because she didn’t want to get married. She couldn’t physically do it. I tried some herbal remedies for calmness, but they don’t work fast enough, so I went to tending her heart.
WESTBROOK: Your therapy had to really work that time.
WEISS: You know what we did? We switched to cocktails and hors d’oeuvres first, before the ceremony. That gave her that extra time she needed. We were able to smooth things over and get her down the aisle.
WESTBROOK: Wow. You always know what to do, friend.
WEISS: There is no choice. In that moment, there’s only solutions.
WESTBROOK: I love that. What is the most outrageous thing a client has ever asked you for?
WEISS: Twenty years ago, the groom, who was not one of my faves, wanted a Nacho Libre wrestling ring built over the pool during cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. I couldn’t do it. I typically don’t say no unless it’s very unsafe. But I just didn’t want my name on that. To me it was just not okay.
WESTBROOK: Wow.
WEISS: A wrestling match during the wedding. It said a lot about their future.
WESTBROOK: Friend, here’s one I would love to know the answer to. How do you handle crashers?
WEISS: My reputation is total calm, but crashers piss me off. Sometimes I’ll go up to them and ask, “How were you raised?” We typically catch them at the bar, because they’re coming in for free drinks. It makes me angry, so first I calm myself down and then I say, “Get the hell out of here!”
WESTBROOK: You have to go!
WEISS: And then one of my team members takes over because they know I’m going to lose it. It just feels very entitled. Now we have security everywhere, so I just let them deal with it.
WESTBROOK: That’s smart. I don’t want you to get in any fights, friend.
WEISS: Thank you.
WESTBROOK: What’s the biggest disaster you’ve had to deal with, and how did you hold it together?
WEISS: A lot of times it’s weather, but I’ve learned how to deal with that. But one thing still sits with me. Every couple typically focuses on one thing, it could be food, it could be music. This bride focused on the wedding cake, how it looked, how it tasted, how high it was. During the wedding, I’m like the bodyguard in the back of the room. I’m always watching. People get sick, people fall. So I’m looking over at a table, and I see a look on this guy’s face, like total horror! I turned to see what he’s looking at—the wedding cake had completely exploded. It was like a ghost came and blew this cake up. It was the weirdest experience.
WESTBROOK: Woah.
WEISS: I will admit I got a photographer and I took a picture with the cake to document it because it was so unbelievable. I didn’t let the client see me doing that, but I needed a moment to figure out what to do. I called the baker, who was quite far away, and I said, “I don’t care what you have in that refrigerator. You need to bring a cake here.” When the bride came up, I said, remember it’s just flour and sugar. I tried to get her to see the humor in it.
WESTBROOK: Wow. Well, friend, you’ve done a lot of events. Anything you wish you could go back and do differently?
Coat Sportmax. Sunglasses Max Mara. Earrings Lady Grey. Rings (on right hand) 23Carat. Ring (on left hand) Grown Brilliance.
WEISS: I could have been more financially organized, but I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t take the same steps to form these relationships. I think this was the trail I was supposed to blaze.
WESTBROOK: I love it. Okay. Friend, what do you think a person’s party says about who they really are?
WEISS: It says a lot. I really, really try to stress what is truly important. For weddings, people don’t concentrate enough on the ceremony. They’re already at the party. A lot of it’s because these couples are a bit jaded by what they see on Instagram. I learn a lot by watching how they treat each other, if they’re open to communication. I can predict whether they’re going to stay married or not too.
WESTBROOK: I wonder what your success rate is?
WEISS: Every year it’s a little different, and sometimes I’m very shocked by the breakups. But you learn so much by the end of the wedding. It’s probably one of the most intimate experiences. You know things maybe you shouldn’t know about these couples and their family dynamics.
WESTBROOK: After everyone goes home, what’s the first thing you do?
WEISS: I drive home so fast. I’m sorry, but I love when it’s over. It’s like a big sigh of relief. But the downside is I’m so hyped up after an event it takes me a long time to come down.
WESTBROOK: That’s like a game, friend. It takes me hours to come down, too.
WEISS: You would think I’d come home and just get in bed and pass out. Unfortunately, I’m analyzing, which I’m sure you do, too. Analyzing the party, what I could have done differently, how unexpectedly great it was. But I do drive home very fast. You know how I feel about my bed.
WESTBROOK: Oh, I know. Okay, a couple more, friend. What’s the wedding trend everybody’s going to be doing this summer?
WEISS: I think color is going to be everywhere. Maximalism is in. I still have clients who are minimalists, but we are going to see some some fabric bombing, things that add energy and excitement. I think we’re getting away from these tall, over-the-top centerpieces and you’re going to see a lot of low landscapes where people can really appreciate what’s in front of them. You’re going to see a lot of personality this year.
WESTBROOK: Okay. I cannot wait to see the next Mindy Weiss event.
WEISS: It’s probably going to be one of yours.
WESTBROOK: I mean, that’s definitely happening. Okay. Last question, friend. What’s something no amount of money can fix?
WEISS: My son got married this last year and I learned that nothing can stop time. Not money, not anything. So instead of looking at my watch and saying, “We’re off schedule. Did the photographer get that picture?” I just took it all in. If you’re fully present, if your guests see you having the best time, they’re going to follow that lead.
WESTBROOK: That’s a great answer. We did it, friend.
WEISS: Thank you. I love you.
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Hair and Makeup: Britanny Drake using Armani Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury.
Tailor: Susie Kourinian.
Photography Assistant: Walker Lewis.
Production Direction: Alexandra Weiss
Photography Production: Georgia Ford
Fashion Assistant: Lauren Carr-Gasso.
Production: EPPY at Radish Films.
