Paige & Sam Plan a Wedding

Here it is, folks: the long awaited conclusion to our epic saga a year in the making! And just in time for our first anniversary! To say we were a little late with this one might be a bit of an understatement but it actually worked out well. Not only could we wrap up the final parts of wedding planning but it gave us the chance to reflect on each detail and how they impacted our first year of marriage. Since we had so much to cover, this ended up being a longer one so strap in! As we finally put a button on this podcast, we would like to sincerely thank everyone who has listened, supported us along the way, and even lent their voices and advice as guests of the show! We're only where we are because of all of you and this project wouldn't have been half as fun without you.

We got more family in the house! Er, well, not literally. But talking over FaceTime is the next best thing. We were so happy to (finally) sit down with Grace and Kevin to talk about their relationship and wedding. Grace, until recently, went by Grace Collura and is none other than Sam's favorite little sister! "Little" might be a bit of an overstatement since she's only about 15 months younger but that didn't save her from relentless torture when they were kids. What makes things even more special is that Grace and Kevin just got married this past October, so all the details are FRESH in their minds! This made for a very informative and detailed talk about the minutia that goes into planning a wedding. More importantly, though, we learned about these two and how they met, how they fell in love and how they manage living in a house divided by football fandoms. Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

We had a wonderful and unique opportunity to talk with Paige's cousin, Leighton, and her fiancee, Clayton. This was our first interview with another engaged couple which made for some great deep dives into the finer details. Clayton and Leighton, or "Cleighton", shared with us how they first met, their long, LONG relationship (they've been together longer than we have, which is saying something), how they got engaged and what planning their New Orleans wedding has been like. Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Two Birmingham natives walk into a bar... That's not the start of a joke, that's how these two met! Caroline and Mark took a short break from raising their two adorable children to tell us their story. Caroline is one of Paige's sorority sisters so, obviously, they have some stories to tell. Today, though, we tried our best to keep the focus on her and Mark and learn about how they met, got together, broke up (briefly) and, eventually, tied the knot. Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

We had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with our friends, JJ and Abe. After many months of effort, the stars and schedules finally aligned and allowed us to sit down and chat! These two were a total delight and you can quickly see how well these two complement each other. JJ works with Sam in SCAD's advising office, and Abe is a (very) recently retired 20 year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Abe came in thinking he wouldn't have much to say but ended up hitting it out of the park (like they always do.) We learned about how they met, how they got engaged, and their two, yes TWO weddings! They really add new meaning to "the more the merrier." Later on, we hear about their experience as a military couple and how they made the distance work while Abe was deployed. Their honesty and sincerity was beautiful to see and just as nice to hear. Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Yep, it's true. We interviewed some of Sam's friends for once! But these aren't any ordinary friends. Sam has known these two for years. He and Ross go all the way back to 5th grade! (which, for Sam, is a huge deal.) You'll hear more about how Sam met each of them, including how he made Emma EXTREMELY uncomfortable at first. Seriously though, it was so great to sit and chat with these two. We've been wanting to have them on since the beginning but, until now, our schedules hadn't aligned. We caught them at the perfect time between their kids' bedtime and their own. These two met when they were just in middle school. So, naturally, their story is full of twists and turns that ultimately led them to each other. Sam had a great time reminiscing with these two since he was around for most of the time leading up to them saying "I do." What's extra poetic is that in addition to Sam being one of Ross's groomsmen nine years ago, Ross will be one of Sam's too. (Aawwww) Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

In our first episode back, we jump right in by sitting down with our good friends, Megan and Chris. These two were so much fun to talk with and their natural storytelling ability really shines through as they told us theirs. These two, like us, dated for a while before getting engaged but knew early on where things were headed. We talked about how you just "know" you've found the right person and how that can lead you to either take the next step quickly or take your time. We reminisced about the old days of performing at Muse Arts Warehouse, college and ghost stories. Enjoy! More about Odd Lot Improv www.oddlot.lol More about Megan and Savannah Glamour www.savannahglamour.com www.itsmeganjones.com Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

WE'RE BACK, BABYYYYY!!!!!!!! So sorry for the unannounced hiatus! The last month has been a bit hectic for us with Hurricane Dorian forcing us out of Georgia for a week and the new school year beginning. We're back and ready to get back in the saddle as we tell you about what's changed and what you can expect to hear in the near future.

We're once again going back to our roots with this one! It's just the two of us this time as we talk about where we are in our planning process in relation to where we "should" be (as determined by The Knot.) This one's pretty straightforward so jump on in! Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Yep, it's another family episode! We were super lucky to catch Steph and Kyle during their 14 m/o daughter's nap time through the magic of video chat and we definitely made the most of it. These two have a wonderful story laced with everything from chance meetings, to self-actualization, to diving catches (maybe?) This was a terrific conversation and Steph and Kyle were very open in sharing the smaller, personal details that informed their overarching story. We talked so long, we also got a special appearance by a little someone who had just woken up from a nap. Stick around to find out who! Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Hold onto your butts, we got ourselves a twofer! We were thrilled to finally sit down with our friends Zach and Ashley and talk about their journey. Not only are they a certified (and adorable) married couple, but Zach also works in the wedding industry as a videographer! Two for one!!!!! These two were such a delight to talk to and were total naturals behind the mic. It makes sense once you hear about their backgrounds! Ashley first rose to stardom on a little TV show called Ghost Hunters International where she got to travel the world and record herself going into spooky places (dream job, or nightmare job?) Now, she continues to scratch that explorer's itch with her YouTube channel, "The Godwin Network." There, she explores abandoned locations and decrypts how it came to be that way. Zach and Sam first met back in 2009 when they both transferred into SCAD's film program. Since then, Zach has started his own video production company, Ardsley Park Productions, where he shoots weddings, parties, bar/bat mitzvahs and much more. Needless to say, both of them are natural storytellers and they took us through every twist and turn of their relationship. They were super open with us and we so appreciated hearing their story. See more of Zach's work at www.ardsleyparkproductions.com Visit The Godwin Network at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsTNEMn8ihQ08-NUSCJxuEA Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Yet another lovely interview with a lovely couple! These two let us pick their brains all the way from Austin, Texas and shared all the fun details about how they met, fell in love and tied the knot. Margaret is one of Paige's first friends from college and they have stayed close since the first time they met and Margaret made herself comfortable in Paige's lap. She is one of Paige's three matrons of honor and, as of this recording, she's 8 months pregnant! Andrew is an accomplished runner, technology wizard, photographer, dog dad and tall human. His cool demeanor is a perfect complement to Margaret's boundless energy and his long legs make a perfect nest for Margaret now that Paige lives far away. Follow Paige and Sam @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

WE'RE BAAAAAAAACK! Thanks for bearing with us as we took a break last week. We're back and ready to rock! This week, we have two wonderful people on the pod who we've been dying to catch up with: Kylie and Vince Carpri. These two and Paige go all the way back to freshman year of college and have stayed close ever since. You know that one couple from college that paired up early on and stayed together yet somehow you were totally cool with it and knew deep down it would last? Well, that was these two. We had a great time talking with them through the magic of video chat (please ignore the patchy moments) while Kylie and Vince told their story. These two are loads of fun and I'm sure you're going to love them as much as we do! Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

This week, we sat down with Paige's parents: Jamey and Karen! We were lucky enough to have them in town for the 4th of July weekend so, naturally, we brought them into the studio to tell their story. These two are as charming as always as they painted the picture that is their history and touched on some details that even Paige didn't know about! Other topics included the "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" trilogy, butchering, animal control and, most importantly, what elements go into a marriage that can last 32+ years. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Sorry for the delay with this one, dear listeners! The holiday weekend and parents visiting had me running behind my usual editing schedule. Luckily, this week's episode is well worth the wait! We had the pleasure of sitting down with our friends Seb and Erin (and their dog, Nessie) and listening to their story. These two were an absolute delight and were total naturals behind the mic. They talk about meeting in NYC, getting to know each other, food faux pas, long distance relationships and combining their cultural traditions in their wedding. SHAMELESS PLUG: In addition to Erin being a wonderful friend and dynamite podcast guest, she's also the founder and designer behind Gunner's Daughter! To check out her amazing work, visit www.gunners-daughter.com/ Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

This week, we sit down with our good friends Wade and Melissa. They have been our friends for many years now but, more importantly, they've been together for even longer! They were nice enough to sit down with us and tell us their full story. Melissa and Wade both work at SCAD with us. Outside of work, Melissa is the jeweler and visionary behind LouBangle® and Wade is a former journalist and college professor with a wit as sharp as...something really sharp (I should've had Wade write this description.) Together, these two are an absolute delight and their story made us laugh and go "aww" more than once. To see Melissa's work, visit www.etsy.com/shop/LouBangle Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Photographer& Videographer& Stationery& Flowers& Cake& DJ. Picking your vendors can seem overwhelming, especially when there seem to be limitless options out there. In this episode we talk about how we picked our wedding vendors and what the search process was like. We were lucky in that we have lived in Savannah for a while and had some leads going into this process but that doesn't mean we didn't stress about our picks. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

We have another fun one on our hands! Today, we are joined by one of Paige's matrons of honor, Maggie and her husband Mario. We (particularly Paige and Maggie) had a blast reminiscing about their early days and how their friendship has lasted through the years. Eventually, we talk about how Maggie and Mario met and how their particular method of meeting informed their early dating days. They take us through their relationship starting with their first date, meeting each others' families, the proposal, wedding planning and, you guessed it, marriage. There isn't much more we can say other than that we absolutely adore these two and are so glad we get to share their story. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Event coordinator. Mother. Hostess. Beyblade master. These are just a few of the ways you can describe today's guest: Larissa Szynski. She has been our go-to person at our wedding venue since day one and she was kind enough to sit down with us. We talk with Larissa about her journey from the Australian film industry to event planning in Savannah and how the two inform each other. In addition to Larissa's life story, we also talk about work/life balance, the craziest thing she's had to organize and Minecraft. Needless to say, we feel even more confident with our choice of wedding venue knowing we have Larissa in our corner! Follow Paige and Sam at paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

BUCKLE UP, BUCKAROOS! Get ready for what was easily our longest episode to date! I guess that's what happens when your friends, who you haven't seen in a year, come to town and the first thing you decide to do is sit down with some mics. The tangents are strong with this one. Connor and Emma joined us for our married couples series and told us about meeting in college, falling in love and, eventually, gettin' hitched. We went on some INTENSE tangents here including, but not limited to, flat earthers, Southern-isms, living with parents and the most perfect vehicle ever invented: the Honda CR-V (1998-2006) We laughed, we thought about life, we talked about how arguing is an effective relationship builder. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

You might remember our good friend and frequent guest Brianne Dupuis. Well, Paige and Sam decided to sit down and chat with her parents, Bob and Heather, to get more of that intergenerational perspective! Bob and Heather look back at how they met, dating and their wedding. As was the theme of this episode, they talk about the ups and downs of relationships and how they've grown closer through them after 35 years of marriage. They also talk about the most memorable part of their wedding reception. Here's a hint: it wasn't the crab cakes. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Bringing it back to their roots, Paige and Sam talk about another aspect of the wedding planning process! This time, Paige takes the reins and talks about her experience shopping for, and ultimately buying, a wedding dress. She talks with her mom, Karen, and one of her matrons of honor, Margaret, about the process and their own experiences dress shopping. They cap it off by having a frank discussion about the fashion industry, particularly as it pertains to accessibility and size inclusivity. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

In one of the most ambitious crossover events in history (well, at least this podcast's history), Sam and Paige sit down with fellow podcasters Aaron and Elizabeth Hinds! You may know them from their funny, insightful podcast "Married to the Idea." Today, they join forces with Sam and Paige to talk about their lengthy and adorable relationship. Aaron and Elizabeth take us through the highs and lows of their relationship from the time they met in their middle school library, to school dances, long distance relationships, sharing water beds and sexy cruise directors. They also tell the story of how Elizabeth and Sam met in college and how they convinced Aaron to let her live with two guys he had never met before. Keeping true to form with this format, they also talk about how they got engaged after years of dating, planning their wedding and, most importantly, creating a marriage that's built to last. The word "awwww" was said more than once in this episode. For more Aaron and Elizabeth, check out their podcast, "Married to the Idea" on facebook, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud. You can also email them at marriedtotheideareviews@gmail.com. Follow Sam and Paige at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

On this very special episode Sam and Paige sit down with two VERY special guests: Sam's parents! They were a little gun shy at the start but they quickly settled in and had fun thinking back to their early days, dating, getting engaged and, eventually, married! Sam asked them to stop there because he didn't want to hear how he came to be. Other topics include marriage counseling, Wisconsin weather, sleeve sizes and Sam's struggles with making male friends. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

"Let's hurry, we have so much time to see and so little to do! Wait wait...strike that. Reverse it." Or should they? In this episode Paige and Sam decided to check in roughly one year out from the big day to see how much they have done and still need to do. Using a handy guide courteous of The Knot, they look at where they are in the planning process in relation to what's "recommended" at that time. Spoiler alert: one year is NOT that much time. Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Coming up with a title for this one was a puzzler. But one thing that was definitely NOT a puzzler is who Paige and Sam wanted to be their wedding photographer: their dear friend Wendy Norman. In fact, they love her so much that just minutes after their consultation they dragged her into the studio to chat about her work, how she fell in love with photography and what the wedding photography industry is like in a town like Savannah. In this episode, Paige and Sam do a deep dive into Wendy's life (after college) and learn how she decided to go from a cozy desk job to the high flying world of event photography. They also talk about posing, sexy vegetables, antiquated wedding traditions and puppy bouquets! Wendy was an absolute delight to have on the pod and we hope you enjoy! Follow Wendy at @aptbphoto For more information about Wendy and her work, go to www.aptbphoto.com Follow Paige and Sam at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Regular listeners might remember our guest Kimmie Chonko from ep. 6 and how she masterfully helped with our proposal. Luckily we didn't scare her off last time because she is BACK! Not only that, she brought her husband Tim along for the ride. In this episode, we ask Kimmie and Tim about their own Savannah wedding and how the last five years of married life has been. Other topics include grad school, volcanoes and teen pregnancy (that last one does NOT pertain to Tim and Kimmie, FYI.) Make sure to listen all the way to the end for a HUGE surprise that even the guests didn't see coming! Follow them at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at www.paigeandsamplanawedding.com

In this episode, Sam and Paige sit down with their friend and professional event planner, Erin Bankston. They discuss the finer points of wedding planning and creating a memorable experience for the families and guests. They also talk about Erin's extensive bridesmaid dress collection, breakdancing 10 year olds and how her time as a florist prepared her for her own wedding. Follow them on instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at paigeandsamplanawedding.com

Amidst all our planning, shopping and location scouting we finally took care of one of the most important steps: the proposal. In this episode, Paige and Sam sit down with their friends Kimmie Chonko and Brianne Dupuis, who played MAJOR roles in Sam's scheme to ask the big question. They discuss, in full detail, Sam's plan, the execution, the unexpected problems and how they helped make it happen. Follow them on instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at paigeandsamplanawedding.com

"Welcome back, faithful listener! When we last left our heroes, they were in the midst of their most epic battle yet: finding their wedding venue." Ok, now that I got that out of my system, welcome to the exciting conclusion to the venue saga! In this episode, we talk about narrowing our search to two finalists and *deep breath* making our final decision! In addition to our usual shop talk, we got a pleasant surprise while we were recording. Listen to find out what it was! Follow them on instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com Visit their website at paigeandsamplanawedding.com

$$ Money money money money mooooney. (Mooooonaaayyy) $$ This is all we could see when we started searching for, arguably, the most important piece of our wedding puzzle. In this episode, we talk about how, after tons of research, we visited some prospective venues. They say clearing the first hurdle is the hardest part and this was definitely no exception. We recorded this after our first day of visitations. Since this was our first foray into the actual planning, we had a LOT to talk about. Because of this, we decided to split our venue discussion into two episodes. This is the first one. I was hoping to end this one with more resolution but this ended up being my chance to make this show like the ones I grew up watching with the cliff hanging two-parters! "Did Sam and Paige eventually pick a venue? Did Sam finally get up from the corner of the room crying as he looked at the pricing estimates? Tune in next week to find out! Same bat-time, same bat-channel!" *Cue theme music* Follow them in instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com

In this episode, Sam and Paige describe how they went about asking Paige's parents for their blessing. Of course, things didn't quite go according to plan. Follow the instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com

Paige got a package. Can you guess what was inside? 1. Cookies 2. Gwyneth Paltrow's head 3. Engagement ring It's anyone's guess! Listen to find out more! Follow the instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at @paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com

Gold or silver? Diamond, sapphire or cubic zirconium? What about clarity, cut and carat and color? Now that you have all that, where is the best place to buy? At the end of the day, do I even need a ring?! Buying an engagement ring isn't for everyone but if you do, SO MUCH goes into that decision. Paige and Sam were no exception. In this episode, they discuss their experience researching metals, stones and sellers and finding the perfect ring for them. Make sure to listen until the end! Follow the instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com

Paige and Sam reminisce about the beginning of their relationship starting when they met in the summer of 2012. They go over how they met, how they became roommates and, eventually, began their relationship. Follow the instagram at @paigeandsamplanawedding Email them at paigeandsamplanawedding@gmail.com

In this pre-episode episode, we talk about why we decided to make a podcast in the first place and set the stage for our first episode.