Reception to Follow: A Podcast for Wedding People!

'Tis the damn (engagement) szn! Today I'm sharing all of the ways you can book more weddings this December, no matter what era of business you're in. It's also the season of big, sweeping change in my life and in this podcast! I'm ready as I'll ever be to welcome the RTF listeners into the Heather Davis Creative universe--one that would have never existed without episodes 1-49 of this 2020 sidequest. I hope you'll be my +1. Book your Dec. mini mastermind session! Follow Heather Davis Creative on Instagram Heather Davis Creative

It's wedding season halftime: Are you just getting started or are you just getting by? Today's episode is me sharing a few ways I've found some balance after a chaotic May and June. Fall is right around the corner!

Miss me? Hit play to catch up on my adventures and judge my predictions for what's next in wedding world!

The Knot's ‘best of' weddings award is total bullshit and I'm breaking down the why of it all today. 

Raise your hand if consultations make you nervous! This episode is all about how to be confident when meeting with couples looking to hire you for their wedding. 

Need some winter motivation in your business? Session 2 of my live coaching date with Hannah Dougherty of Supercut Creative is the perfect note to start the new year on! Press play to end your holiday haze and actually do something to hit your 2023 goals. 

Ending 2022 by giving y'all the extended version of what happened at That Wedding Venue last fall. To set the scene, Part I is all about what got me here, my relationship with The Wedding Venue, and why I went full Vigilante Shit on everyone.  This will be a multi part series that I'll contintue to share whenever I'm in the mood.  Part I is dedicated to the karmic demise of the OG villains in my life: Street harasseres, Varsity Brands, and Big Burlap. Also: The Knot.

Neon signs, champagne walls, and sparkler exits: Do not pass go, do not sit with us in 2023! Join me on my year end rant of all the wedding day trends I'd love to leave in 2022!

Wanna know what session 1 of a Winter Glow Up coaching session with me is like? Press play on today's minisode! I coached Supercut Creative's Hannah Dougherty live on the air, and created a plan for her to hit the ground running this December + January and meet her big biz goals! THANK YOU Hannah for being brave and doing this in front of an audience--give our session a listen! Book your Winter Glow Up coaching sessions!

How much are you worth? Pricing out your wedding services is a tricky task. Today I'm sharing how I set my rates as a brand new wedding planner in 2016, what I charge now, and things I've learned as my rate has changed throughout my career. BONUS? I share the starting rates from over 30 local Pittsburgh wedding creatives who answered my Instagram survey, and the info is so interesting!   PS - Winter Glow Up Business Coaching spots are still open at Heather Davis Creative! 

...is it though? This and more in today's minisode!

Regardless of the level and timing of all of the 911 moments I've experienced in business, tapping into my wedding community is how I've gotten through all of them more or less unscathed. When you find yourself in an emergency, who are you going to lean on?  If you are unsure of how to go about crafting your emergency plan, or want to prioritize growing your team and strengthening your community as we head into 2023, my winter glow up coaching sessions are for YOU. Sign up today!

If you're inspired by this podcast and recognize yourself in what I'm talking about--maybe you even take notes!--but you never follow through on the action items I'm sharing...then let me coach you through it! I'm so excited to introduce my Winter Glow Up Coaching Sessions! This coaching offering is for anyone who is a wedding creative, or aspiring wedding creative, and isn't sure what the hell they are going to do this winter, aka ‘off peak' wedding szn. If you're trying to turn heads with your wedding biz next summer, that groundwork needs to happen NOW..aka this month! These sessions will run from now until the end of February. There are only 10 spots available, so if I'm making you nervous, that's your sign to sign the hell up!  Visit Heather Davis Creative and let's polish up real nice. NICE!!!!!!!!!!

How come no one talks about this??? Minisodes are BACK with more tangents than ever. Enjoy!

Her panties made my crown y'all. This episode is my muffled, midnight musings on the Mastermind herself: Dr. Taylor Alison Swift. Think of it as the 3AM voice memo your BFF sends you that you feel obligated to listen to before crashing after a night out, even though you know she's spiraling and needs a therapist. 

Do you have a plan for off peak wedding season? I've got four questions to help you make one!   Even better? I just launched my Winter Glow Up Coaching Sessions over at Heather Davis Creative. If you're trying to turn heads with your wedding biz next spring and summer, that groundwork needs to happen now--grab your spot today!

The longer you're in biz, the higher your chances of receiving a negative review. Here's what to do when it happens.

Heather breaks down wtf a black tie wedding is, what happens when your BFF has the same wedding dress as you, and why you should never hire a wedding planner on Thumbtack. 

So many wedding creatives reply on social media to make these businesses profitable, but promoting your business when everything sucks is a tricky, tricky game.  And it's just going to get harder. Who has time to think of a clever caption when they're taking away basic healthcare from half the population?

Welcome to the first minisode ever! I really missed the weekly episode format, so to keep that up, I'll be publishing a minisode in between the big business focused eps to hopefully make you laugh, and kill 20 mins while you drive somewhere, walk your dog, or do laundry.

Welcome back! Ep. 37 is all about how I went on a ten day European vacation during peak wedding season, and some steps you can take to do it too. Cheers!

Lead planner Emily Haas is on the pod today! We talk about how she directed her first #dayofpgh wedding with just 5 days notice, her least fav setup task (lol it's place cards), and why the morning of her wedding day literally made history.

Voted Most Likely to Fixate on Your Escort Card Arrangement, lead planner Jess Hunnell started as my FIRST EVER wedding assistant! Her plus-one interview is full of great wedding advice, that time we coordinated a wedding in a legit rain storm, and her favorite Pittsburgh wedding venues to work at. She also made me CRY it's fine.

Voted Most Likely to Follow the Timeline to the Exact Minute, lead planner Emily Daniels is this week's plus one! Her rapid fire advice to all our 2023 couples? "Do a first look. Don't have 2, 3, 4 different tablescape, and hire cohesive vendors!"

Today's plus-one (and OG #dayofpgh lead planner!!!) Katie talks about how she never intended to get into the wedding biz, why the speeches are her favorite wedding day moment, and the #1 thing a vendor can do to make our job easier day of. Katie and Heather's interview is live today, we hope you love it!

Voted Most Likely to Micromanage Your Room Flip, this week is all about lead planner Lindsey! Fun fact, she's ALSO a 2023 #dayofpgh BRIDE and we're stoked about iiiiiit!

It's been a minute, and I wanted to start season 4 with a little Eat, Pray, Love for the wedding vendor soul lmao siiike it's just 30 minutes of me rambling about my 2022 wedding season, #dayofpghprom, and why I need a social life. ENJOY!

Samantha Skelton Jewelry Design

Oh Joyful Day

Supercut Creative

Tasty Bakery

Palermo Photo

To all of those husbands, wives, and partners of crazy wedding creatives...I see you! I interviewed my husband Andy for the season 3 premiere and he comes off way better than I do. Enjoy!

This week was dominated by the daunting tasking of building the new Day of Pittsburgh website, so I'm sharing the top 5 lessons I learned during my second rebrand!

Heather Davis Creative Forefolk brand strategy and design What Type of #dayofpgh Bride Are You?

Heather Davis Creative

find me now Burgh Brides Supercut Creative

I was trying to brainstorm today's topic, and I feel like I've been taking on some really serious business stuff this season, and I'm kind of over it. I'd rather just laugh and share a few funny stories. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GUNNA DO!

Supercut Creative Food I Ate at the Wedding

Tuesdays Together Pittsburgh Chapter of The Rising Tide Society Facebook Group Pittsburgh Wedding Pros Facebook Group How to Survive (and Thrive!) at a Vendor Networking Event

Why I Booked a Personal Branding Photoshoot Here's What Happened At My Personal Branding Shoot Hot Take: Burlap is the Worst

It's no surprise to me I am my own worst enemy

Grab your Spanx. Season 2 of Reception to Follow is dropping on Thursday, August 5! Listen to the trailer now.

Show Notes Day of Pittsburgh Blog How to Instagram During a Pandemic Devoted to You Events Postponed Blog Series Paused Blog Series

Had a little fun with episode 12 and went trolling on r/weddingplanning to dish out some professional advice to internet strangers!

Inspired by the Burgh Brides Vendor Guide Facebook Group discussion, I'm sharing the big ‘a ha' moment that led to finally raising my rates. Enjoy!

I came up with a few questions I think couples should be asking during consultations with wedding vendors, and also went on a huge tangent about venue coordinators. I regret nothing. Enjoy!

Thought we were due for a fun story! Here's how I found my wedding gown. Show Notes Boss Girl Creative Bridal Beginning Blanc de Blanc Bridal Bridal Maven 5 Tips for Wedding Gown Shopping

I finally worked up the courage to invite a guest onto the pod, and I couldn't have asked for a better person to join. Meet Victoria Deardorff: The owner and content superstar behind Burgh Brides, aka Pittsburgh's (only) wedding planning blog, resource and all around powerhouse. The influence Burgh Brides has had in the city's wedding community can be felt online and off. Victoria bravely climbed my attic steps to call out all of the marketing mistakes she sees wedding vendors make, and the truth bombs never stop dropping! We had such a blast recording this episode for y'all, and I'm so lucky to call this woman a friend. Show Notes Burgh Brides Dubsado Honeybook Quickbooks Planoly Later Tailwind Squarespace Christina Montemurro Photography Image Box