Podcasts about christy matthews

Christy Matthews is back this month. Yay! We've got lots of wedding planning questions from subscribers to answer. Click HERE to become a premium subscriber and unlock all of the amazingness:       Ad-free, full length episodes      The TBWPP Wedding Planning Resource Center with  Access to 6 mini courses of The Big Wedding Planning Master Class  Wedding Planning Templates and Tools Questions We Answered Drinking for the first time in front of my mom at my wedding. How do I handle this? What can I expect for set up and tear down from a Day Of Coordinator?  The B-list: Who do we consider moving forward as space permits? The B-list: How can we tactfully let them know that they are now invited? How do I avoid decision fatigue when it comes to decor?  How many bartenders do we need? We don't want long lines! What should I be prioritizing in the next seven months out? About The Co-host Christy Matthews co-created and co-hosted The Big Wedding Planning Podcast from it's inception in 2016 all the way to episode #283 in 2022. Christy was a wedding planner for 13 years and is now an elementary school teacher. She lives in Texas with her husband Lance and two sons, Joey and Tom. We Love Christy!! Get In Touch:  The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is… Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez  Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics  On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! Easy to get in touch with. Email us at hello@thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christy Matthews is back this month. Yay! We've got lots of wedding planning questions from subscribers to answer.  Click HERE to become a premium subscriber and unlock all of the amazingness: Ad-free, full episodes TBWPP Wedding Planning Resource Center Monthly Wedding Planning Happy Hours via Zoom with Michelle Bonus Episodes Extra tools and gifts get sprinkled in every so often! Questions We Answered Drinking for the first time in front of my mom at my wedding. How do I handle this? What can I expect for set up and tear down from a Day Of Coordinator?  The B-list: Who do we consider moving forward as space permits? The B-list: How can we tactfully let them know that they are now invited? How do I avoid decision fatigue when it comes to decor?  How many bartenders do we need? We don't want long lines! What should I be prioritizing in the next seven months out? About The Co-host Christy Matthews co-created and co-hosted The Big Wedding Planning Podcast from it's inception in 2016 all the way to episode #283 in 2022. Christy was a wedding planner for 13 years and is now an elementary school teacher. She lives in Texas with her husband Lance and two sons, Joey and Tom. We Love Christy!! The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. Easy to get in touch with. Email us at hello@thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our monthly episode of You Ask, We Answer; where we take time to listen to our audience's questions, select top trending picks, and answer them on the show. This month Michelle's co-host is an extra special, familiar voice, Christy Matthews!  Click HERE to become a premium subscriber and unlock all of the amazingness:       Ad-free, full length episodes      The TBWPP Wedding Planning Resource Center with  Access to 6 mini courses of The Big Wedding Planning Master Class  Wedding Planning Templates and Tools Question 1: My fiancé's grandma used to yodel professionally. Yes - not singing, but yodeling. She's in her 90s now and definitely misses her yodeling career. She yodels at every opportunity when she leaves the house.  I am worried that she will try to steal the show at our wedding. There will be lots of new faces for her - a fresh audience. I know that it would mean a lot to my fiancé if we have her perform a song. And I think 1 song would be acceptable, but how do I draw (and enforce) the line?  Question 2:  Do you have any suggestions for something casual in terms of welcome drinks and also something casual to say goodbye at the end of the weekend?  Question 3:  I'm dealing with something very difficult for my January 14 wedding. My older sister who I always assumed would be one of my maid/matrons of honor told me 3 weeks ago that she didn't want to be in the wedding and she thought it should just be me and my friends. We have a hard relationship, 8 years apart, and this was sad and hurtful to me.... Then last week she called to tell us that she's pregnant with her third baby! This is exciting... but her due date it January 13- the day before my wedding She lives in Texas and I'm in Florida so this means she wouldn't be able to even attend, no flower girls, and I'm so happy for her but heartbroken at the same time because I can't picture my wedding without her. I think most of it is out of my control at this point. Any thoughts? Question 4: I'm struggling with how to tell a girl who I'm not close with that she isn't in the bridal party. She's made so many assumptions that she is and references to bridesmaid dresses and it's just incredibly uncomfortable. She got mad at me for not inviting her when I went dress shopping. I'm a people pleaser so I was tempted to just include her, but her personality is not one I want around me on my special day (she will still be a guest).  Question 5: My fiance and his mother are not very close. His brother's wedding anniversary is a week before our wedding. His mother wants us to dedicate a song to them. We will not be doing that. I want to reach out to her and let her know that we will not be dedicating our wedding to them. I know this may sound mean, but I know this woman and she will keep pushing unless I set boundaries. What do you think? Should I just ignore it? Or say something?  Question 6: When is the bridal/wedding shower held? I've seen and heard everything from 2 months to 5 months before the wedding date. Does the timeframe matter? Get In Touch:   The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is… Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez  Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics  On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! Easy to get in touch with. Email us at hello@thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our monthly episode of You Ask, We Answer; where we take time to listen to our audience's questions, select top trending picks, and answer them on the show. This month Michelle's co-host is an extra special, familiar voice, Christy Matthews!  Question 1: My fiancé's grandma used to yodel professionally. Yes - not singing, but yodeling. She's in her 90s now and definitely misses her yodeling career. She yodels at every opportunity when she leaves the house.  I am worried that she will try to steal the show at our wedding. There will be lots of new faces for her - a fresh audience. I know that it would mean a lot to my fiancé if we have her perform a song. And I think 1 song would be acceptable, but how do I draw (and enforce) the line?  Question 2:  Do you have any suggestions for something casual in terms of welcome drinks and also something casual to say goodbye at the end of the weekend?  Question 3:  I'm dealing with something very difficult for my January 14 wedding. My older sister who I always assumed would be one of my maid/matrons of honor told me 3 weeks ago that she didn't want to be in the wedding and she thought it should just be me and my friends. We have a hard relationship, 8 years apart, and this was sad and hurtful to me.... Then last week she called to tell us that she's pregnant with her third baby! This is exciting... but her due date it January 13- the day before my wedding She lives in Texas and I'm in Florida so this means she wouldn't be able to even attend, no flower girls, and I'm so happy for her but heartbroken at the same time because I can't picture my wedding without her. I would ask what I can do- but I think most of it is out of my control at this point. Any thoughts? (Rescheduling isn't an option) Question 4: I'm struggling with how to tell a girl who I'm not close with that she isn't in the bridal party. She's made so many assumptions that she is and references to bridesmaid dresses and it's just incredibly uncomfortable. She got mad at me for not inviting her when I went dress shopping. I'm a people pleaser so I was tempted to just include her, but her personality is not one I want around me on my special day (she will still be a guest).  I know I can't tell her over text- but don't know if it's better to tell her via phone call or in person.  Question 5: My fiance and his mother are not very close. His brother's wedding anniversary is a week before our wedding. His mother wants us to dedicate a song to them. We will not be doing that. I want to reach out to her and let her know that we will not be dedicating our wedding to them. I know this may sound mean, but I know this woman and she will keep pushing unless I set boundaries. What do you think? Should I just ignore it? Or say something?  Question 6: When is the bridal/wedding shower held? I've seen and heard everything from 2 months to 5 months before the wedding date. Does the timeframe even matter? Question 7:  My maid of honor, or Best Woman as she prefers to be called, just turned 22 (6 year age difference) and doesn't have the finances nor health to plan our wedding shower. Normally, I would say our mom could plan it with her. However, our mom has been acting very erratically the past 2 years and has already caused issues with the wedding planning process. My fiance's mom might be willing to plan the shower but that would cause my fiance a different type of stress and my mom would still hijack the shower planning process to have it HER way. I am a people pleaser and one of my friends already gave me encouragement not to settle on my priorities and decisions out of the false hope it would make wedding planning easier. Does that apply to wedding showers? Do brides regret a wedding shower in which they didn't have a voice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

- Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Michelle!

There is a whole big wide world out there and we are roaring to see it! You're going to love today's show as Michelle connects with Linda Mitchell, owner of Luxury Destination Travel. Whether you're planning an amazing honeymoon, a destination wedding, or a little RandR for yourself, you'll want to listen in and learn all about where to find the best pricing, locations as well as understanding how the pandemic continues to add minors hiccups to hitting the road. As owner of Luxury Destination Travel, Linda Mitchell knows the importance of high level customer service. Planning trips for clients to destinations all around the world is her passion! Linda has held positions at esteemed corporate travel offices including Addison Wesley Publishing Company, Harvard University, Fidelity and Stride Rite Corporation. Planning both corporate and personal travel for the top-level executives taught her a level of dedicated VIP service that would become her mission when creating her niche luxury travel business in 2001. Luxury Destination Travel, was born out of planning her daughter's destination wedding in Bermuda in 2002. Creating travel for family and guests, she realized a passion for creating a boutique niche specialty, helping to make memorable, exciting and lasting travel experiences for others. Linda has worked with discerning clients managing luxury travel itineraries all over the globe. Big Takeaways * Much like with wedding planning, you COULD plan your own wedding, but wouldn't it be easier to have an expert planning it for you? * Travel professionals are the same, people like Linda are connected, informed, and educated in the travel industry. She can get you the best experience for your buck AND lower the stress of planning the whole trip. If my honeymoon is the one big vacation of my life, where do I start? * Honeymoons are very emotional and being planned at a veryemotional busy time of your life. * Consider budget, think about the honeymoon registries. * If you are going right after your wedding, you are going to be exhausted quite naturally, so consider your energy levels. * Cruses are not necessarily a great first choice because it's your first big vacation together and you don't want to be surrounded by 5000 other people with little control over your schedule. * Ash, what do you want to experience together? * What do you like to do together? (Drink wine, eat good food, go hiking, etc?) * Once you know everything you can do, think about what you want to do. Pare down the list. * You're not going to be able to do everything, and you won't have the energy anyway. *Should you plan every single day of the trip or leave some downtime? * * Pick the top things you want to do and spread them out! * It will take time to adjust to the new location. * Rest is important and it can be easy to over plan. * If you try to squeeze everything in you won't have enought time to actually enjoy everything. * Most of the time you can make plans once you arrive too. * Check in with the hotel concierge, ask the locals, take time to soak in the location. Tips for Jet Lag: * Take a "no jet lag" homeopathic pill an hour before your flight and follow the instructions. * When crossing time zones, change your watch as soon as you get on the plane, the earliest you can so your body can start adjusting. * Drink lots of water. * Bring whatever brings you comfort and helps you feel "at home" (pillow, favorite eye mask, etc.) * When you arrive, stick to the time zone as much as possible. Try not to keep your old sleep schedule. It will make it so much easier to adjust. What are your top favorites for honeymoons? * With Covid restrictions, traveling outside the US can be very challenging. * Consider places that you haven't been able to explore in the states. * New Your city can be so wonderful if you've never really spent a lot of time in cities. * The Florida Keys * Different spots in California * Caribbean (consider travel time) - Mexico (Mayakoba) * Maldives * Italy * Hawaii * Bermuda *What are the hottest spots for destination weddings? * * Everything is failry local right now. * Consder your guests but don't base it on your guests. * Most guest seas coast to coast: Bermuda, The Caribbean * Read reviews, see Ifit's Fit to Accomodate Destination Weddings * Are there vendors and such? Extra Tips and Tricks * Check your poasspost expiration date. It needs to be 6 months beyond the dates of travel * Get travel insurance with a third party company that insures the whole trip. * Connection needs to be at least 2 hours or more for international connections. * Ask for good luggage as a wedding gift. Links We Referenced nojetlag.com (http://www.nojetlag.com) bungalowskeylargo.com (https://www.bungalowskeylargo.com) caesar-augustus.com (https://www.caesar-augustus.com) mayakoba.com (https://mayakoba.com) awaytravel.com (https://www.awaytravel.com) instagram.com/luxurydestinationtravel (https://www.instagram.com/luxurydestinationtravel/) luxurydestinationtravel.com (https://luxurydestinationtravel.com) Thrive Causemetics (https://thrivecausemetics.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAu62QBhC7ARIsALXijXTHYvybRFIOBE8e1H2AOQxtmQIzr60f7rB8pAq6kih3zXIoaci6N7YaAoftEALw_wcB) Flower Moxie (https://flowermoxie.com) Quotes “It's pride for me, you know. It's a sense of freedom for me. Just knowing I could develop such a successful business and bring so much joy to so many. So that's why I do it.” - Linda “You're not going to [want to] hit the ground running in ten different European cities for two weeks and go crazy. Because there is an emotional and exhaustion letdown that you have to give into.” - Linda Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Linda Mitchell.

Podcast SuperFan Kayla Langton Pepe joins Michelle on the show today. Kayla caught the attention of TBWPP crew because she continually showed up as a thoughtful contributor on Instagram, both through her comments and joining our LIVE experiences and we certainly could never overlook all of the insightful questions she would continually email our way. Today Kayla opens up about how the show influenced her wedding planning, her deviating from professional advice (hint hint, don't do that) and course correcting to finally land an amazing wedding experience in October 2021. Located in Vancouver, Canada, Kayla is a teacher for child actors on film sets. She passionately works on her business, Bunny's Makery on the side. Kayla is a chocolatier with lots of enthusiasm and a love of connecting people. Big Takeaways Kayla met her husband Mark on bumble! With a little wiggle room in their budget, they added string bulb lights indoors and outdoors. They had a DJ, even though they were originally against the idea of it. When it came to her bridal party, Kayla let her friends decide what events they wanted to be included in and how they would be included. She didn't want to have a planner, because of the family having run their own events so many times before. Eventually, it just didn't make sense to do it alone, and she hired a planner. Her work schedule, and life were all too much to not have a planner. She had a two-month out planner and never once regretted it. A lot of their guests said that their wedding was the best one they'd ever been to. Kayla believes that a lot of that was due to truly showcasing who they are as individuals and as a couple. When it came to table seating, she combined people who had things in common! There were conversation starters in the Hygge theme (cozy, comfy, etc) on every table to get everyone talking to each other. With restrictions due to Covid, everything was limited to ages 15 and over. Kayla recommends communicating personally, one on one. It leaves less room for judgement and speculation. Ultimately, they focused on only inviting people that knew them as a couple, which made it easy to have the no kids policy. And they also each knew everyone that was there. When it came to complicated family dynamics, Kayla really had to think critically about how much she wanted to include people in certain aspects. The day was about her and her husband, and she wanted to have healthy boundaries in that regard. Her grandpa ended up walking her down the aisle. Guests under 20 received handmade chocolate bars with their escort cards, and everyone else had a local roaster's coffee beans. Links We Referenced bunnysmakery.com (https://bunnysmakery.ca) instagram.com/bunnys.makery (https://www.instagram.com/bunnys.makery/) instagram.com/kaitlindayphotos (https://www.instagram.com/kaitlindayphotos/) kaitlindayphotography.com (https://www.kaitlindayphotography.com) etsy.com/ca/shop/LittleLarrys?page=1#items (https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/LittleLarrys?page=1#items) foodburnaby.ca/weddings/riverway-clubhouse sayeventsco.com/portfolio (https://foodburnaby.ca/weddings/riverway-clubhouse) theexperientialwedding.com (https://www.theexperientialwedding.com) instagram.com/theexperientialwedding (https://www.instagram.com/theexperientialwedding/) sayeventsco.com/portfolio (https://sayeventsco.com/portfolio) The Big Wedding Planning Podcast YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj1_W_r__yd7cI4jIyAj8UA) FlowerMoxie.com (https://flowermoxie.com) Quotes “I'm 33 and I find, too, more of my friends at this age might not want to wear matching dresses. They might not want to invest a ton of time. You know, they've got kids and other things like that. They just have a lot on the go. So I just didn't want to expect that of them. I just wanted to leave it open to them.” - Kayla _ “I think with wedding planning, you really gotta learn to let things go because you're not gonna be able to do everything.” - Kayla_ “Your mom, or your parent, no matter who they are, they're going to have their opinions and that's okay. Just let them have their opinions and you don't need to take it to heart. That's the advice I would give.” - Kayla Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Randi Smith is an island girl who is passionate about celebrating life's big moments. She is the founder and lead designer at Sugar Euphoria - a boutique wedding cake and confectionery studio in North Carolina. On today's episode of the podcast, Randi chats with Michelle about navigating through the busyness of being an entrepreneur, cake designer, and mother. She's got a lot on her plate, but her story of going from burnout to profit, isn't one you're going to want to miss! Randi has been featured in Style Me Pretty Brides Magazine, Martha Stewart, Borrowed & Blue, Southern Bride & Groom, Munaluchi Bride, Wedding Sparrow, and Grey Likes Weddings. Big Takeaways Top 5 Questions for Randi Does she stay and cut the cake? No. Most caterers offer a cake cutting service though. What if there are a lot of guests but not a big budget? Cupcakes, sheetcake, and more are a great option! What should we do with the extra cake? You can box up cake for guests, create a storage solution, save a slice for the one year! Put the cake in the fridge first, to help the icing harden a bit, then saran wrap it, put it in a box, and put it in the freezer! Will she put the flowers on the cake with fresh flowers? Depends! Are the flowers an important part of thedesign? Ifnot, it's fine if the florist does it. Otherwise, she will try to work with the florist to make it work. How many flavors can you have in your tiered cake? As many flavors as there are tiers. When you have allergies or food restrictions, it is important to do the research on your bakers. There are really great alternative options, and some bakers will even have a referral for you. Plated dinners, you want to make sure you have cake for everyone. * Buffet style, you can have a little less. Not everyone will end up eating a slice. * What you should be looking for in a cake baker? * Make sure they are licensed with the city or state. * Make sure they are insured! * If guests were to get sick, the baker's insurance would cover costs and you as the couple would not have to worry about this. When it comes to proposals and contracts: - They should be detailed. * You want to make sure you know what the icing is. * Size and shape of tiers? * What is the delivery fee? * Are rentals of cake knife, server, cake stand on there? * How do you return those? When? * Sometimes proposals roll into contract and invoice, * Is everything included? * What happens if there is a reschedule? How to cut and serve the cake: * Request a cutting chart from your cake baker or look one up on the internet. * the person cutting needs to know how many servings need to be cut. * Not like a bday cake, they need to be little rectangles (not wedges.) * There will be little dowels in each tier for support that need to be removed. * Work with a clean knife between each cut. Dip it into hot water. You'll need a towel or a rag. Alternatives to cake * Randis' favorite alternative is macaroons. * Easy to customize to theme and colors. * Shells can be dyed to match your colors. * Mix and match fillings. * Fun way to incorporate on traditional flavors into dessert (ie: peanut butter is your fave, funfetti, cookies and cream) * Edible printers - can add pics of your pet, monogram, etc... * Make great party favors * Macarron towers, bowl, plate * Light and dairy - eat a few without feeling guilty * Mini tarts or pies * Level of sophistication ot the dessert table * Pull in the fun flavors * Dessert Shooters * Your wedding cake can be put in a shooter as an alternative to cupcakes - aesthetically pleasing * Lactose, gluten, egg-free, or vegan * Do the research on the bake and make sure to sample! * There are a lot of products on the market so it is possible. Links We Referenced sugareuphoria.com (https://sugareuphoria.com) instagram.com/sugareuphoria (https://www.instagram.com/sugareuphoria/) Quotes “Any time a couple comes to me, and they're like, ‘so, I know we're probably being extra but can we put gold on the cake?' I'm like, ‘you're not extra, you're in the right place. Because I just have leaflets and leaflets of 24 karat gold. I will gold leaf anything. So, yes, we can do that.'” - Randi “I just want to encourage people, if you're not a cake fan, there are so many alternatives out there for you. And there is a baker who can create it for you.” - Randi Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Randi Smith.

Our monthly episode of You Ask, We Answer; where we take time to listen to our audiences questions, select top trending picks, and answer them on the show. Question #1: I have an awkward bridal [wedding] party question for you... My fiancé has been married once before. It was short. They were young. It was essentially a mistake. His best friend from childhood was his best man [back] then. Now, we aren't as close with him anymore. Even though I was friends with everyone from the former wedding and we were close with his best friend at that time. We are definitely still friends but we now spend more time with another couple. My fiancé wants to ask the guy from the couple we spend a lot of time with now to be his best man, but he's afraid of hurting his old best friend's feelings. My mother doesn't even think the old best man should be in the wedding at all because he was in the first one lol I'm torn because I probably wouldn't make a decision that would I don't want to hurt my the old best friend but of course, I want my fiancé [to be] happy. Do you have any experiences like this or any advice I can give my fiancé? Answer #1: This is a new chapter in your lives! A new best man is an exciting and great idea. Plus, it might actually be a relief for the original best man to not have to take on that duty again. Also, while your mom probably means well, it is your wedding so you can leave her out of the equation. You are being proactive and so caring, but it doesn't have to be a big deal. Be careful of asking someone new in your life to be in your wedding party. Just make sure they are legit, true, caring, connected friends. Would one of them ask you to be in their wedding? The old best friend should absolutely be invited to the wedding! Question #2: I am 41 years old and this is my second marriage. I got married on a beach in Jamaica at the age of 22, and was separated by the time I was 26. I went on to raise my four lovely (and sometimes not so lovely) sons. This is my first big wedding and I would like to have my sons (now aged 22, 19, 17, and 16) be the ones to walk me down the aisle. The question is how to do this without it being so messy looking? For starters, my wedding is at an indoor venue and the aisle itself is quite short. I had envisioned dividing my aisle walk and walking with each son for a 1/4 of it - but if I follow with that plan, it will only be about 4 or 5 steps with each son. I have also considered walking with two halfway and then the other two the other half, but to fit the chairs for my 140 guests, the site coordinator is not sure how wide we can make the aisle. Do you have any suggestions on how to organize this walk? I also wonder if it would be messy or time-consuming for each of my sons to hug their stepfather after walking me somehow. We have been together just under 10 years and he has played a role in raising them. Also, if I do the one at a time scenario, would you recommend I walk out with my oldest and work my way to the youngest or come out with the youngest and work up to the oldest son? Answer#2: Try doing this in two sections of two. Youngest to oldest. Youngest walk you down the aisle to your husband, and the older two can meet you and your husband to congratulate you after the ceremony. And the youngest can meet halfway down to join, and all 6 of your can walk down the aisle together. Obviously this will take some coordinating and choreography. If there is a break in the middle of the aisle, you could have the youngest two walk half way up, and the older two meet there and complete the walk. ** Question #3:** I am a professional event planner and used to solely work in weddings which is why I have been so excited in planning my own wedding coming up in March. I wanted to reach out and see if you had any tips for how to take off my “work hat” and put on my “bride hat” when the big day rolls around. While I'm doing the bulk of the planning myself, I've hired the best vendors around and my day-of coordinator is incredible. However, as we know, most event planners are control freaks and I'm no exception. I'm worried I'll be too focused on trivial small details like whether the chairs are too pushed in to truly enjoy my time with my friends, family and soon-to-be husband. Any tips or tricks you can provide would be really appreciated. Answer #3: As a planner, David says he would NEVER plan his own wedding again. The stress was major. Especially as it got closer to the wedding, he couldn't let go of the control. You should be a couple leading to your wedding, and a guest at your own celebration. You have to take the hat off and let the responsibility to whoever is in charge. It's hard, but you have to decide to let the reins go. Question #4: My fiancé and I got engaged in October 2021 and we wanted to wait to jump into things as we didn't want to get married until 2023. I realized things were booking up super quickly so we had a panic! We picked a venue that we love for September 2023. I have a decent idea of what I want and want to start picking photographers and florists but I'm so scared I'll change my mind on my aesthetic given how far away the wedding is. I don't want to lose out on great vendors but feel like I am not ready to commit to a style or colors. Advice? Answer #4: Taste changes, that is normal. It's okay. The biggest thing to consider is to connect with vendors that have range and build relationships with them. Go with the vendors that you love and know can do the work you want. If changes need to happen (in a reasonable time), they should be able to help adjust. If you wait until the last moment, the stress is going to be too much. Have a dialogue with all your vendors. It is important to plan early. You don't have to commit to style or schemes that far in advance. You will always have room to make changes down the line, within reason. Question #5: I am getting married in June 2022. I Want to require vaccines but am trying to figure out how to go about it. Common to do's? Answer #5: Pointing out how intense the spread is right now is a great way to not get political. The invites can describe that you are concerned about immune-compromised guests, and that you require vaccines and rapid tests upon arrival. It's not political to want to be safe. So many guest are actually going to feel so much better about attending your wedding. Some people might be resistant, but that's okay. Overall, you're going to relieve a lot of worries. A special thank you to our sponsors of this episode. Zola - They have everything you need all in one place! Visit zola.com/bigwedding Flower Moxie - Flower Moxie is a DIY flower company that ships all over the US. Go to flowermoxie.com and use code: BIGWEDDING for $25 off your purchase. Links We Referenced: davidtutera.com (https://davidtutera.com) experience.davidtutera.com (http://experience.davidtutera.com) instagram.com/davidtutera (https://www.instagram.com/davidtutera/) facebook.com/TheDavidTutera (https://www.facebook.com/TheDavidTutera) We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to learn more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Learn more by checking out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Deno and Carl of Emerald City Band travel all over the world helping throw the best parties ever. Listen closely about the way they talk about what they do because when you're interviewing a band, you want to hear this kind of passion, drive, and authentic talent as well as a love for what they do. The energy of these bands is dynamic! Deno Taglioli was born in Detroit, Michigan and has studied music at Interlochen Arts Camp, Western Michigan University, Wayne State University, University of Texas, and the University of North Texas. Deno has performed all over the United States, from every house of Blue to the White House. He is the innovator, creator, and producer of "Emerald City Presents" the most sought after wedding bands in the country. Carl Poposki has had a diverse career as a freelance trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator in his home state of Michigan, as well as Texas, Indiana, and all over the globe. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Michigan and a Masters Degree in Music Education from Baylor University. A nine-year teaching veteran of the public schools in Michigan, Carl has also performed for over 30 years with groups of almost every genre. Carl also served as Musical Director and trombonist for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. He is currently the Director of Operations for Emerald City Presents/EC Bands specializing in the best in live entertainment. Big Takeaways * Reach out directly to the band, sales team, band leader - if you can. * When you go to an agency, they are the middle man. This does mean, you are paying for their service. Not all bands have the capability to speak to you individually, so the agency is a great step. However, we do live in the time of social media, a couple can reach out straight to the band. * When you are researching, go see the band live! This is the best way to know what you will be getting. There are “fake” bands that are thrown together right before the big day. They read music off iPads and phones, and just play the hits together, sometimes it's the only time they have ever played together. * The price point of the band is obviously important. Often though, they are those “fake” bands when it seems too good to be true. It can be a good sign to look deeper. A good band is not the cheapest route to go. Think about what kind of party you want! * A band rider outlines the production needs for the band, including sound, lights, instruments, etc. Wedding bands should come ALL-INCLUSIVE. If the band if going to ask for anything, it should be a hot meal, water, a room to dress in, etc. * There are a lot of things to consider about your space with a band, including power. So it's good to ask questions, and do the research. * The first dance can be edited down! That way you are hanging out on the floor solo for too long. Every band should be able to learn your first dance song. * Bands are typically booked for 4 hour blocks. To Consider For Ceremony: * Have you secured PA speakers for mics (for officiant or readers)? Do you prefer recorded music, or do you want a musician live? Links We Referenced instagram.com/emeraldcityband (https://www.instagram.com/emeraldcityband/) instagram.com/downtownfever (https://www.instagram.com/downtownfever/) instagram.com/pmbanddallas (https://www.instagram.com/pmbanddallas/) instagram.com/elevationpartyband (https://www.instagram.com/elevationpartyband/) ecbands.com (https://ecbands.com/) youtu.be/kIJF6QAa6O0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIJF6QAa6O0&feature=youtu.be) deno@emeraldcityband.com Quotes “You have to be able to have a big playlist - now we're not Spotify we're not going to do 2,000 songs - but we've picked the best of the best.” - Deno “[...] Our bands don't just start playing and just hope that people are gonna [say], ‘Oh it's time to start. Set starts at 8 o'clock, go.' It's different. There's the connection between the band and the leader of the band, specifically, and the audience working together to all party together. It's just the difference between a group of musicians who may be very talented playing songs and one of our bands creating a party. It's as simple as that.” - Carl Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Real wedding retrospectives with couples fresh off their wedding planning journey is so much fun! Their crisp memories about the wedding gets you so excited about your own wedding. On today's episode of the podcast Michelle is connecting with Averi Harper and her husband Ken Robinson. Averi is a journalist for ABC News and has been an avid listner of the podcast. She and her husband Ken live in New York city and customized their wedding, adding some beautiful traditions and so much fun to the event that the party went well into the early hours of the morning. Can you say after party?! Listen to their journey of hiring a wedding coordinator, to why they chose their venue, and eventually having their wedding picked up by the NYTimes! Big Takeaways Their wedding was a night because there was another wedding during the day attheirvenue. People are planning wayyyy in advance, and at the end of the day, that was the time they could get. Ceremony was at 7, and last dance was at 1am. They had a DJ While most o fthe planning was done by Averi and her crew, they did have a month of coordinator - who stepped into really take the reins on the day of. Ken is a chef, and they customized their own menu with lots of options fo reveryone. During cocktail hour, they had passed apps and stations available. They did a first look Ken hired a Groom Concierge- Cameron from Fontaine Concierge Cultural aspects were very important for their ceremony. Steel band during cocktail reception JumptheBroomstick Moko Jumbies (stiltwalkers) DIY Favors - rumcake,etc After the wedding, they read their written vows to each other in private. During the ceremony, they couldn't find their vows and so they had to improvise a bit. Links We Referenced instagram.com/averiharper (https://www.instagram.com/averiharper/) flowerfield.com (https://flowerfield.com) https://www.fontaineconcierge.com/ (https://www.fontaineconcierge.com) https://www.amerisierevents.com/ (https://www.amerisierevents.com) www.fetefone.com (https://www.fetefone.com) Quotes “In defiance of everything I have heard on your podcast, about setting your budget first, I can't say that we had a number or a budget that we stuck to.” - Averi “Listen, I had heard so many brides, and so many grooms say that they had not eaten on their wedding day, I was determined.” - Averi “It was still a shock to see her all in her wedding dress, and all those things and all that. But it did make coming down the aisle and all that a little easier.” - Ken “You cried, you forgot to mention you cried.” - Averi “I listened to the episode about a groom's concierge, and the interview you guys did with him. And I always said, well that'd be really nice, but that really feels like something that's so luxurious and so out of the question for us. But it would be great to have someone to keep Ken on track, because Ken is a wanderer. He will get very distracted, very easily but Cameron [the Groomsmen Concierge] was there to make sure all the groomsmen were, you know, on their best behavior. And so I am grateful for that.” - Averi Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Birdy Grey was founded in 2017 in Los Angeles by digital marketing, social content and branding expert Grace Lee. Lee has 13+ years of experience working for top female brands in fashion and beauty including InStyle, Kate Spade, Stila Cosmetics and Kate Somerville Skincare. Having been a bridesmaid six times herself, she personally knew how fun (but damn expensive) being a bridesmaid could be. She saw an opportunity for aspirational bridesmaid dresses at affordable prices, and so Birdy Grey was born. Based in Los Angeles, Grace combines her expertise in fashion with her love for digital storytelling and all-things bridal to make Birdy Grey one of the fastest-growing bridal brands today. Now, Grace is getting married! With a new perspective on weddings, she joins us to talk about her big day, the planning process and all the in-betweens. *Big Takeaways * In finding an officiant, Michelle recommends Unboring Wedding Academy to make sure whoever she chooses to officiate can really make the perfect day. For wedding invitations, Grace decided to use digital invites with a wedding website. Then, she sent out a beautiful informational card to those who RSVP'd yes. That way it was useful, and not wasteful. Although a large part of their families can't make it over to the states for the wedding, they do intend to travel to Asia and have a second wedding there. They have opted to not have a virtual component because of the time difference, and the ability to travel once things have cooled down with the pandemic. While their wedding venue is very classic, they are mixing classic and modern for the design. Blue and grey are their main colors. They plan to have an installation, and an instagram backdrop lounge where people can take photos and hang out. They intend to rent furniture and again mix vintage with more modern. Grace highly recommends a wedding photographer, and creating a shot list well before the big day. That way you can work with them to get all the beautiful photos you are really wanting. Links We Referenced birdygrey.com (https://www.birdygrey.com) The Big Wedding Planning Podcast: Episode 144 (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/episodes/1r88f26ohuuyqsksn5zw4e662nfbsj?rq=144) unboringwedding.com (https://unboringwedding.com) withjoy.com (https://withjoy.com) wedfuly.com (https://www.wedfuly.com) Rosewood Hotels (https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/miramar-beach-montecito) suitshop.com (https://suitshop.com) carolinetran.net (https://carolinetran.net) @birdygrey Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/birdygrey/) Quotes _“Had I gotten married 10 years ago, I feel like my bridal party would be quadruple the size. But at this point, I have a maid of honor, and a bridesmaid - so we have two people in our bridal party - and we have our nieces and nephews, who are like flower girls and junior bridesmaids and little flower boys.” - Grace “I have always understood wedding planning, and we are very much in the wedding industry and we have worked with brides day and day out. But I think planning a wedding has made me realize, I am more in the apparel industry versus wedding industry. Now that I am getting married myself, I feel like a true expert on how things should be done and/or what our brides are going through. And so it's definitely given me a better perspective.” - Grace “No one teaches you how to plan a wedding, because, you know, for a lot of people you do it once, perhaps twice in your life.” - Grace _ Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Grace Lee.

After many hours of contemplation, considering, and real reflection, Christy has decided to step out and away from weddings, events, and podcasting. This is her last episode, and while we are so sad to see her go, we know she has great and beautiful things ahead of her. Christy shares her favorite experiences on the podcast, her love for Michelle, and what lies ahead for her. Question #1: My question might pertain more to Michelle than Christy, but here it goes: My partner and I have been together for a decade and we're finally getting married in May of 2022 in Mexico City. I've always wanted a destination wedding weekend, and I'm so excited to have it in a city as opposed to on a beach resort. However, I'm a little torn on what to do about the hotels: We had originally planned on getting a few different hotel blocks in the central neighborhoods of La Roma and Condesa – which we love – but most hotels are small/ boutique-sized. We are also considering a bigger block at a large hotel (Sofitel Reforma), staying there ourselves, and encouraging guests to stay there as well. The big hotel is the same distance to the venue in Juarez, roughly 10 min, as the boutique one(s). Seeing as most people are coming from the states, and may not have been to Mexico City before, would you recommend limiting options and encouraging guests to stay together at the large hotel (for ease of transportation, etc)? Or do you think most people will prefer the charm of the smaller hotels and don't mind being scattered? We plan to provide a few different price points for people, but generally, luxury hotels in CDMX are cheaper than those in the U.S. Answer #1: For your American guests, having a property like Sofitel is going to be a better option. It's in a good location, and it's a familiar name. One big block in a central location is a great start. If you are going to be providing transportation to and from the wedding, it also is so much better to have everyone staying at the same property. If anyone else wants to stay in another area, let them figure it out themselves. In general, having everything simplified with a destination wedding is always a better choice. If people decide to branch out, then just make sure they know when and where to be and they will be! Question #2: I have an invitation etiquette question! A bit of context: My fiancé and I are paying for the majority of the wedding and keeping the price to ourselves. My parents are divorced and have been for over 20 years. It wasn't always civil, but it's much better now and everyone gets along. Mostly. My dad is contributing a generous amount. And my stepmom has been in my life for 18 years. My dad will most likely play host as we're getting married at the venue he and my stepmom got married at 14 years ago. I love my mom and she's contributing in any way she can. Leaving her off wouldn't feel okay. And my fiancé's parents are paying for a pretty extravagant rehearsal dinner for 50+ people, so having them on feels right too. The complication is my step dad. He's a nice guy. But he's only been around officially for the past 4 years. He and my mom have been off and on since BEFORE my parents were divorced (as in while my parents were married way back when) and while I'm sure things will remain civil at the wedding, it will be the first time my dad and stepdad are meeting after all of these years and my dad essentially holds my stepdad responsible for ruining our family. Regardless, leaving him off feels very blatantly like leaving someone off given how many people we're including. And putting him on the invitation feels completely wrong. I look forward to building my relationship with the man my mom has loved for so long, but honoring him on the invitation just doesn't feel right. So what do we do? Do we include all parents except my stepdad even though my mom is remarried? It doesn't feel right to have him on there and it feels like a massive disrespect to my dad. But it feels disrespectful to my mom and my stepdad to leave him off. And leaving off all parents doesn't feel right because they're helping with the wedding and honestly, we want to honor them and say thank you. Any advice on what to do and invitation phrasing would be much appreciated!! It's black tie, so a formal, traditional invitation wording. Answer #2: You are definitely overthinking this. You are starting something together with your partner. It is not about your parents divorce, or your mom's husband or anything. You gotta include all the parents on there. It's not that big of a honor, truly. You dad is the one who is walking you down the aisle, giving you away, and giving a toast, etc. Intentionally not including him could cause so many more problems than you need. At some point you just have to let it go. None of this drama has to do with your marriage, remember that! Michelle also says, since she is not a traditional person in anyway, she might not have the best traditional advice. Try something like this: Together with their parents, Miss _ and Miss request the honor of your presence at . It can still look fancy and black tie. If you end up listing out everyone except your step-dad, it will cause more feelings and drama. If you are going to list everyone, list everyone. Or condense it down to “parents” and call it a day! There are MANY other ways to honor your parents. Personal letters, toasts, special moments on the day-of. It doesn't have to be the invitation. Links We Referenced emilypost.com/shop/books/emily-posts-wedding-etiquette-6th-edition (https://emilypost.com/shop/books/emily-posts-wedding-etiquette-6th-edition) We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

This week's episode is a fan favorite. We almost never share repeats, but this episode (originally #94) has a new intro and is a top 10 favorite on all the things you need to know about planning your wedding. We're getting personal about what we really think about our clients, talking about the things that drive us crazy, and what we wish more people knew. Get ready because we're going to tell you everything so buckle up. Big Takeaways: Listen to the episode for our elaborations! Come Prepared to a wedding meeting. Especially if it's an initial consultation. Look at the vendor's website at the VERY least. Communication is VITAL. We're talking about between the client and planner, but it goes for life generally too. Be open, be honest. Make decisions! In a timely fashion. When you hem-and-haw, you frustrate everyone and you slow down the process of wedding planning. Yes, there are big decisions...there are also deadlines. Embrace the deadlines Once you find what you are looking for, stop looking. Instead of a hard number for your budget, have a range. Make sure you have the funds for the TOP of your budget range. You don't need to let your vendors in on your entire decision-making process. Vendors need final decisions. Emailing them everytime you change your mind is probably not necessary and could muddle and confuse things. Keep it simple. Be smart about how you display your seating assignments! And don't worry if someone cancels the day before the wedding...no need to mark up that perfect seating chart sign that you printed. BUFFER time. Know it, love it. You need it. Definitely consider the hair/makeup micro-timeline, and definitely consider the shuttle/transportation schedule. Be prepared for an extra 10-30 minutes of buffer time. Hair and Makeup stylist should stay past the ceremony if possible! Embrace every moment. This is a challenge, so choose to practice mindfulness during the wedding planning process so that you are ready to live in the moment on your wedding day! Your wedding party shouldn't act like assholes to your wedding planner. Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

After years of listening to the show Michelle Dobbs reached out to Christy for a wedding planning consultation regarding her cocktail style wedding reception. If you've never heard of this kind of wedding, you're not alone. There's no sit down dinner and well you're pretty much just throwing out the rulebook, so if you make the decision to have this kind of wedding reception then you'd had better be ready to JUST DO IT! This episode is all about the planning, execution and retrospective take-aways after the big day. Big Takeaways * For a cocktail style event/wedding, have something that happens every 30-minutes or so. It can just be an announcement, or something bigger, but it helps with the passage of time. * For seating: set it up like you would see at a bar or restaurant so it encourages people to not settle down on to one table, but to move around and sit where they want. * Writing your own vows and privately sharing them was a huge relief and felt very intimate. * We wrote a note to each couple/guest and had them exchange that note for a polaroid picture and we had them take an extra polaroid to take home. This ended up being one of our favorite parts of the day. Guests loved it - it's what most ppl posted on FB and IG that night! Variety of seating * I think this is the biggest reason the cocktail vibe worked. And it totally did! No one picked a table and camped out, actually - lots of moving around. Some cocktail tables had barstools and they were a huge hit. * I also added a note in the invites on what to expect and I think that really helped people get it. * People loved the tray - pass drinks. * I did end up doing the "order of events" sign - Icalled it "here's the plan" which people complimented because that's so me, which was fun. And I think that helped people know what food was when and what to look forward to * Speeches were my favorite part and we took a note from Christy in that we let everyone who wanted to speak go for it. We had 5 speeches total and it was amazing. * Something I didn't do and really needed to - I did not make a list of formal photos I wanted and only scheduled one hour for those with no hair/makeup buffer. So we ended up starting pics at 4:30 because hair/makeup ran late duh! and ended up with very few posed pictures and honestly we really did want these. Jessica's Takeaways (after the wedding) : * Everyone says the day goes by so fast. I had no idea! * There is a lot I didn't see. * I was present for every conversation I had but not much else. If I could go back I would be more intentional about building in time to see the reception space and take a moment to take a deep breath and really take it in rather than just keep moving. * We eloped last year and this was our reception/one-year anniversary celebration. And I just want to say this should really be a thing people do outside of a pandemic! It's what we wanted to do initially but didn't because we didn't know logistically how it would work, if people would get it, and if it would seem like rude? In the end, we did exactly what we wanted and the benefits were so much more than we could have imagined. * We wrote our own vows and since we read them to each other without a bigaudience, we wrote exactly what we wanted to say. Without worrying about if the other person would be funnier, or more romantic, or write way more or less. We enjoyed each other all day and it was the most romantic and connected either of us had ever felt. * Get married andcelebrate in a way that works for you! * At the end of the day, it'll be you and your partner at home holding on to those memories. Links We Referenced manscaped.com (https://www.manscaped.com) aisleplanner.com (https://aisleplanner.com) Quotes _ “For us, we wrote our own vows. And since we got to read them, just to each other, without a big audience, we wrote exactly what we wanted to say. Without worrying about if the other person would be funnier, or more romantic, or write way less or way more.” _- Jessica “If I walk into a party, I am pretty anxious about what is the expectation of me? And also, when do I get to eat?” - Jessica “ It was more amazing to have all of our people in one place. [...] I felt like beaming love towards us. That was more incredible than I could have expected, because you're not in ever that situation really. There's no other time.” - Jessica Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

For many people it's daunting to think about the design process for their wedding. You'd think it be as simple as picking some colors and tying some bow, right? On today's show, Christy and Michelle connect with Birch Event Design, a high-end production design and floral installation company that brings awe-inspiring moments to life. As experienced creators, Birch's goal is to discover what inspires their clients and design an immersive world that perfectly expresses that energy. At every stage their team works hand in hand with clients to elevate their event to the highest level. Founder Josh Spiegel has done over 3000 events— weddings, milestone moments, corporate affairs, soirées, installations— and is consistently transforming raw spaces into breathtaking ballrooms, eyesore counters into eye-popping tablescapes, and bare-as-bone poles into effervescent fairylands. Birch Event Design has been featured in Brides, The New York Times, and People Magazine. While not everyone can have a million dollar wedding, Josh shares his suggestions to make any budget feel big, beautiful, and budget-less. Big Takeaways * How to get big looks with a budget * Whatever you do, do in the masses. * It doesn't have to be made of the most expensive materials. * Anything in abundance creates a wow factor. * Candles give you a lot of bang for your buck! * Use different variations of anamazing item you love. * Don't try to mix all the ideas. Find the ones of whichy ou can get the most and you love the most. * Uses of twhitelighting, not colored lighting. * Down lighting can really look more romantic than uplighting. * Go where thepicture takes you. * Spend where it is going to be seen! - * Look for hacks on TikTok. * Recycle the old! * Find something you love and make it your own. * SPRAY PAINT anything/everything! * There are no rules. Links We Referenced manscaped.com (manscaped.com) birchevents.com (https://birchevents.com) instagram.com/bircheventdesign TikTok: @bircheventdesign (https://www.tiktok.com/@bircheventdesign?) rentmywedding.com (https://rentmywedding.com) Quotes “And one door just opened the next, and opened the next, and opened the next, and I said yes to every single one. And years later, after much trial and tribulation, much debt, much craziness, much learning how to become a business man, much learning how to run a company, much learning how to take something and make it profitable, and making tons of mistakes in my personal life and my business life, I'm proud to say that I survived it all. And Birch is flourishing, and it's an unbelievable, humbling - even as I am saying it now, I'm like ‘holy shit what am I saying?' - This is so cool. But that's how I am here today.” - Josh “I want people to walk in and say, ‘oh, that's so them.' Not, ‘that's so Birch.'” - Josh “Take what you can and make the most out of it. Take the idea you've seen before. Take the concept that you love. Steal it. Make it your own. Edit it, to where it becomes your vision as opposed to the vision you saw, within your budget. So it maximizes that and it irons that dollar out so thin, that it's almost see-through. That's our job. Our job is to make the wedding not feel like it was ever on a budget, regardless of how much they've spent.” - Josh Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Josh Spiegel.

Choosing a wedding party can be an honor but sometimes it's D.R.A.M.A! It's not always an easy relationship to assign and people tend to put some really high expectations for on those fulfilling these roles. Things don't always turn out the way you hoped, causing tears to be shed and friendships to be dismantled. Enter in Bridesmaid For Hire. On today's show Christy and Michelle connect with Jen Glantz, Jen Glantz is the founder of the viral business, Bridesmaid for Hire, the creator of the project, Finally the Bride, the voice of the podcast, You're Not Getting Any Younger, the founder of the coaching business, Jen & Juice, and the author of the Amazon-bestselling books, All My Friends are Engaged, & Always a Bridesmaid for Hire, published by Simon and Schuster. Bridesmaid for Hire has been featured on more than 500 media outlets around the world, including TODAY Show, Good Morning America, FOX News, and CNN, and Jen serves as a recurring wedding and bridesmaid expert for media on a weekly basis. Big Takeaways There is a lot of weight put on the role of bridesmaid. And often, there can be a lot of drama that mixes into the equation. It's a big, emotional event, and things rise up to the top. People tend to hire Jen for two major reasons: they don't really have close friends, and want someone to come in and act the role of bridesmaid, or they need someone to come in and sort of bring calmness to a messy team of bridesmaids and their drama. The job of groomsmen and bridesmaids starts months before the wedding. Jen loves getting to the deep, emotional stuff quickly. She is able to bond quickly, and help the bride or groom feel seen and heard. She also runs interference between people so the couple doesn't have to deal with the stress of that. Tips for the wedding party: * The morning is NOT about you. * Let it go,and move on. * If you're not happy, don't bring it up. * If something is going wrong, and you notice it, do NOT tell the bride. * Tell the wedding planner, tell a family member, etc. * Keep it calm. * It's a big day, ease into it. * Having zero pressure to entertain is so important. * Just be a GOOD friend, in the best way possible. * Have some separate spaces for getting ready, if possible. Go-To Pep Talk Ideas: Ditch the motivation, get real What are the options right now? Just listen, ask questions, and help them see how irrational they are being. It really helps Links we Referenced bridesmaidforhire.com/hire-jen/ (https://bridesmaidforhire.com/hire-jen/) instagram.com/bridesmaidforhire (https://www.instagram.com/bridesmaidforhire/) instagram.com/jenglantz (https://www.instagram.com/jenglantz/) manscaped.com (https://www.manscaped.com/) Quotes “Dynamics between people are interesting. And the role of a bridesmaid, a groomsmaid, what ever you want to call it, is so interesting because people agree to take on this role without ever really knowing what it means.” - Jen “Most people at a wedding aren't looking to spot a hired bridesmaid, so it's not obvious. And if I messed up on something or I say something wrong, think about it, at weddings you're not really engaging in conversation with a lot of people that deep. [...] We keep it surface level, I flip it on them, and we move on.” - Jen “Please do not trust any of your vendors, except for the wedding planner, about the timeline. Because every vendor cares about them and their service, not what time the wedding starts.” - Jen “People think they have to do all of these things. You don't have to do any of it. You really don't. Do only what you really want.” - Jen Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Jen Glantz.

Every month, Christy and Michelle spend time reading through hundreds of emails and listening to voicemails from podcast listeners. You Ask, We Answer Episodes are a listeners treat as they spend some time answering your questions. Question 1: My fiancé and I are having trouble figuring out how to find a good DJ. Music is one of our top priorities for our wedding. We have yet to hear a DJ that we've loved. In fact, most have made us cringe. How do we go about finding a DJ that we like? With other vendors, we're able to see a few full albums of photos, see their floral arrangements, have a tasting of food, but with a DJ you can't watch videos of full sets. We've been part of wedding parties where the couple is sooo excited for their DJ and when the wedding happens cringe songs like “sexy and I know it” are played, it's all the same music we heard at the last wedding we attended (we've had enough of “single ladies”), or the DJ/MC are obnoxious. We've had discussions about whether we even need a DJ because we know the music we want and we have not liked all the ones we've seen, but ultimately, we don't want either of us to be responsible for coordinating the music/dances, troubleshooting issues that may come up with a sound system, etc. on our wedding day. Any advice you can give us would be really appreciated! Answer 1: Music is such a personal thing. Sometimes, the music you consider cringe is exactly what will get your aunt up and dancing and creating magical moments. That said, finding the right music is definitely one of the hardest parts of the planning process. A club DJ is not the same as a wedding DJ. Remember, there are parts of a wedding that are standard for a wedding. It is very different. It might be important to open your mind a little bit to different kinds of music. Not everyone likes the same kind of music. Check out The Flash Dance DJs - they travel. Michelle has had so many positive experiences with them, and see entire rooms up on their feet dancing. They know what they're doing! If your idea is curating a playlist and having it play song by song, then don't hire a DJ, maybe hired a sound tech and an MC. There is an episode about how to DJ your own wedding (#46). Question 2: My daughter will be 15 when my fiancé and I walk down the aisle. She is currently expressing interest in wanting to be my Maid of Honor and not just a bridesmaid. It would mean the world to me to have her in that position but I am afraid she would be biting off more than she can chew. I have told her some of the tasks associated with being a MOH but I am sure I have not thought of some. What are the typical (and not typical) MOH duties for a wedding? I was already planning on paying for a chunk of the bachelorette party, but wasn't planning on paying for the bridal shower. I was thinking of maybe asking the other two women who I want to be bridesmaids to help my daughter in her tasks, but I'm not sure that would be fair to any of them. Thoughts? Answer 2: We love the idea and think you should make it work! People come and go in life, but your daughter will always be your daughter. As far as tasks and obligations go, the role is not written in stone. Things have morphed and changed so much. A lot of time the maid of honor is just a title or toast, and the whole wedding party takes on the jobs. It doesn't have to strictly be up the MOH to do all the typical tasks. You can figure out, with her, what she can do and what the bridesmaids can do. Maybe you could have two MOHs! Co-Maid of Honors. If you have an adult who was already planning on taking on financial tasks, and planning, have her be the MOH with your daughter. Maybe even Senior MOH and Junior MOH. Question 3: My partner and I are planning a wedding for October 2022. I originally wanted to elope to avoid a bigger wedding as I find large groups to be overwhelming. He is very extroverted, comes from a large family that is very close and also has several friends that he feels must be there. I have very few people that I wanted to invite, only immediate family and a few close friends. After much discussion we settled on a list of 100 people. As we get closer I am feeling intensely overwhelmed at the thought of saying vows in front of so many people—many of whom I am not close to. As a compromise, we are considering turning our welcome dinner on Friday into a wedding ceremony with family and wedding party only, about 50 guests, and then having our larger reception the next day with 110-120 people. Is this something you have seen done before? My main concern is that people only invited to the reception will feel slighted or be less likely to come as they are not invited to the ceremony. Do you think it would be appropriate to do it this way? I am trying my best to make this situation feel comfortable for myself so I can enjoy marrying my partner while still making sure he feels celebrated in a way that is meaningful to him. Hoping I don't upset too many people in the process! Answer 3: This is completely okay! In fact, many people chose to do this. Not just because of the social anxiety. Sometimes it's an even smaller group of people, as well. You are going to be giving people a party! There is no reason to torture yourself! Enjoy your day in a way that feels so good for you both. We have also worked with couples that have exchanged vows with only the officiant, the photographer, and themselves. And then they have the big party afterwards. Take a look at what part of the vows is making your nervous. Is it the saying your own written words aloud? Because you could still have a ceremony that is a quick, no personal speech part. There are things that happen at a wedding reception that make it more than just a party. Speeches, first dances, etc. Question 4: Is anyone having trouble with hair and makeup? I have seven girls I need to get ready the morning of. I was planning on having stylists come on- site so we don't have to worry about driving back and forth, but every stylist I've consulted doesn't get back with me. One of my bridesmaids is suggesting we all go to a salon the morning of. Is it better to leave the ceremony preparation area to drive a half hour there and a half hour back to a salon as opposed to having stylists come to us? I was just in a wedding where we had to go to a salon to get ready, and we nearly missed the ceremony start time. Makes me so nervous. Answer 4: You want the stylist to come to you. Especially with seven people. Although, if you are going to a salon, and you can all get done at the same time, that would be helpful! But that is rare. You have to put a huge chunk of time into hair and makeup on the wedding day. Typically, it takes at least 30 minutes for non-brides and that doesn't include the chatting, and setting up. Same with make-up. So each woman needs an hour. And the Bride needs 90 minutes to 2 hours. A half hour drive is not horrible, but it's not great. If your ceremony starts at like 4, it could work. But if its's starting at 1 or so, that is going to be so stressful. Either choice, create a schedule. In terms of them not calling you back, it is an absolutely crazy time for weddings. They are probably booked if you aren't hearing anything. Stylists are one of the professions that are very word of mouth heavy. You may have to widen your search. Start with someone that is amazing for yourself, you are the most important one. You get the pro, and if you have to put an ad on craigslist or ask a friend to do the bridesmaids' makeup and hair. Links We Referenced The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com) Use Discount Code: THANKS2021 for $150 off at Checkout. theflashdance.com (https://www.theflashdance.com) myneonstore.com (https://myneonstore.com) (35% off with code BIGWEDDING - expires 12/1/2021) zola.com/bigwedding (https://welcome.zola.com/allproducts_alldevices_50/?pkey=bigweddingpod&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=bigwedding&)(50% of Save the Dates - SAVE50) manlybands.com/bigwedding (https://manlybands.com/?utm_content=bigwedding&utm_source=veritone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=january&utm_campaign=podcast) (Use promo code BIGWEDDING for 25% off through cyber Monday!) We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

David Tutera and Joey Toth are co-hosts, and producers of the David Tutera Experience. The goal of the experience is to educate, inspire, and motivate people within and adjacent to the event planning industry. Together, they have learned to work through their issues in efficient ways so they can show up as their best selves in public spaces. Big Takeaways * Be open to things that challenge your process and try toa tleast see their perspectives. * Remember to rest after big events (like your wedding!) * There is so much work that goes into the big day, and it's totally natural to want to shut off afterwards. * It's ok to disagree. * Stay groudned * The trick to a great planner is to have fun! If they aren't having fun, then maybe that planner isn't who you should be working with. * Obviously there are hard moments, but overall this is an exciting thing! * Remember it's about love. Not having everything perfect. * 75%-80% of events and weddings will have some sort of issue come up. It's an emotional dynamic and can cause waves. * Let your differences help your success. * A big pucture and small pictuer person together can get amazing things done! * Talk. Ask questions. You don't have to agree, you just have ot know how to communicate! * Acknowledge pride with your partner Quotes “Myself and Joey, both, are keynote speakers. We come from two perspective places, and our attendees leave filled with joy and love and excitement and energy and positivity. When we let them go, it's like we're letting our children leave, and [...] sending them off to their first day of school.” - David “We show up open for what we're doing. We take it all in. It is a huge emotional exchange, and drain in some areas. But it's also an emotional fulfillment of seeing that excitement, [...] you see these people are bubbling. And so excited and have so much energy. It shares back to us to help propel us through it. Then when it's all said and done, and get back on the airplane, and hop home, it's exhausted.” - Joey “This is really, for some couples, the first time they ‘work' together on a project. Planning a wedding is totally project management.” - Michelle “As you know, as both planners and us as being involved with people's personal lives, we have to step in and try to soften the environment. We may not fix it, but we may be able to help it.” - David Links We Referenced davidtutera.com (https://davidtutera.com) Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: David Tutera.

How important are wedding flowers? We're pretty sure you'd agree they're a huge part of your decor, right? Yet is it really, totally, and absolutely necessary to use live flowers? “Say whaat? Fake flowers? No way!” But wait, we're not talking about the kind of faux flowers you'd find at your local craft store. On today's show Christy and Michelle are talking to a Megan and Amanda Rapacz, sisters and co-founders of Silk Stem collective , a silk flower rental company that offers a menu of options for you to choose from. Their model of rent, use, and return isn't only sustainable it's quite savvy don't you think? You'll also hear from Maria, a wedding planner from Kara Mia Events as the ladies chat it up and discuss manufactured wood flowers. The discussion leads to fresh vs fake flowers, sustainability in the wedding industry, and how to make the right choice for your big day. Ready? Set. Learn. Big Takeaways * There are ways to sustainably source and dispose of real cut flowers. * Look for locally grown, in- season flowers. * Use them without flower foam. * Arrange to have them donated or composted at the end of the day. However, sometimes there isn't a viable option with travel, guests having allergies to flowers, not having a proper way to dispose of them, etc. * And if you want to keep the flowers having the sola wood option means you can keep them forever or even use them again. * There is definitely a craftsmanship with florists. This isn't to say you can't DIY, but when you really want something perfect, the extra cost of a florist can absolutely be worth it. * With Silk Stem, they do make the arrangements for you. They have multiple collections you can choose from. This can really help you match colors and see exactly what you're getting when you order. * Another benefit of these flowers is that they will still look good a day later. If dates are changing, or you have two day photoshoots, you know for sure these flowers will still look fresh and new. * Basically - as Maria said - there is no one size fits all. And if you're thinking of alternatives to fresh flowers for your wedding - both fabric and sola wood are options you can consider. * What do you like the look of? * Order samples? * What can you afford? * What do you want to do with it afterwards? * And remember - aiming for a green wedding is not an all or nothing endeavor. * You don't need to feel overwhelmed by the prospects and options - there are ways to zero in on one element and make that a more sustainable option for your wedding. * There is a lot of fear around faux flowers. If you are on the fence, order a sample! Links We Referenced greenweddingguild.com (https://www.greenweddingguild.com) karamiaevents.com (https://www.karamiaevents.com) instagram.com/greenweddingguild (https://www.instagram.com/greenweddingguild/) facebook.com/greenweddingguild (https://www.facebook.com/greenweddingguild) silkstemcollective.com (https://silkstemcollective.com) (Use Code: PODCAST20 for 20% of $200+ and free shipping) instagram.com/silkstemcollective (https://www.instagram.com/silkstemcollective/) Quotes “There is no one size fits all option. Everyone is going to have a different take on what they prefer. This one happened to work for me, and I liked it. I am sure there are others that will feel the same way.” - Maria “There isn't an easy way for a florist to show you exactly what you are going to get on your wedding day. Flower availability changes. Flowers are in and out of season. They can make great recommendations, and you can give them a great inspiration board. But at the end of the day, you don't know what you are going to get until the actual day of your wedding, right?” - Amanda “It worked so well for us, and for our wedding. That easily transitioned into a business, because I felt so passionately that other people would love this too. Other people also don't want to spend $2000 on flowers. Other people also want really beautiful floral options that don't look plasticy, and look like real flowers.” - Megan Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

We talk a lot about wedding gown shopping on the show. It's a process, which for many, is something really fun! Yet believe it or not, there are some brides who just don't look forward to the shopping process at all and would simply rather not do it. On today's show Michelle connects with Lillian Hung, owner of Lyra Vega Bridal; a direct to consumer online bridal line built to bring high quality yet affordable gowns to modern brides. Michelle met Lillian on Clubhouse and instantly new bringing her on the show would offer listeners a cool new concept. Especially because Lyra Vega Bridal, is focused on empowering women to make smart choices with their big day, rather than blindly following tradition. Big Takeaways Planning * Budget: Attire typically accounts for 5% of youroverall wedding budget. How you wish to spend your budget is up to you! Timeline * 15-10 months-do your research, set your budget, and start the searchf or your wedding gown * 9 months-given the wide range in the time it takes for a gown to arrive (average4-8 months), you will want to finalize your decision around the 9 month mark. Research Seek Within First: BEFORE you throw yourself into the sea of information that is the internet, take a look at your own closet or other gowns that you've worn in the past first (hello long forgotten prom dress!). This will help you get an idea of what styles and shapes make you feel the best,what's worked and what hasn't. Give yourself a mental frame work based on what you know about your dressing habits and what have proved to be flattering on you. Pay attention to shapes (bodyhugging,a-line), fabrics (flowy,structured), embellishments (florals, bling, minimal), details (sleeves, necklines), etc. Start Browsing Start with trends articles on reputable publications to get your brain started on some style ideas. This will give you more up to date and organized compilations than generically searching for “wedding dresses”. When you see some thing that catches, take a moment to understand what you like about it. Use those details as keywords to find others that you might like! Keep Track of Your Research: Whether its having a dedicated wedding dress pin board or a saved folder on IG, you'll thank us later when you can find all your wedding dress musings in one place. Screenshots won't work unless you drop them into a dedicated album right away. Action BookYourVenue Securing your venue before buying a dress wil lhelp you visualize your day and how you want to dress for it! Because your venue will be the backdrop to everything, you will want to pick a dress that doesn't feel out of place. Examine Your Research * Look at everything you've collected and try to find the patterns of what you like. Are you a minimal bride that wants a simple sheath dress? Or are all your pins ball gowns encrusted in jewels? * You should be able to narrow in on a handful of styles you might be interested in. Decision * When it comes to sizing, Lyra offers made to measure gowns, no sizes on the site. This helps make sure each dress fits each body and reduces the need for excessive tailoring. * One thing to keep in mind when going a typical gown shopping route is that you are likely going to need to plan on spending an extra $300-500 on tailoring. * Every body is different and unique and it is your wedding day. * Find the dress that excites you and wear it. * Rules about shapes and what you can and cannot do are made up! * Ultimately it's all about what makes you feel good, and that confidence will make you shine. Quotes “I think when it came to the bridal industry, the biggest innovation was the styles and nothing else. That was the only place where we were finding innovation and doing things differently, exploring our creativity. Whereas the entire process stayed like how our grandmothers shopped for wedding dresses.” - Lilian “People are so ready to have fun and do something really joyful. People are taking bigger style risks, when it comes to their wedding style even. And just doing something a little more out of the box than pre-pandemic when people wanted to stay more classic and safe. I feel like after having been cooped up for a year, people are just ready to party” - Lilian “I get asked a lot this question of ‘what body shape fits in what style of gown?' And I just feel like that is a lie that it's time we break through that. And we should just be able to wear whatever we want to wear and feel good in it.” - Lilian “At the end of the day, it really is about you owning it and owning the moment. And the confidence carries very far. Wear the dress, don't let the dress wear you.” - Lilian “At the end of the day, it really is about you and your significant other. Just really bring it back to the basics, and stay true to who you are as a couple, and make your decisions accordingly.” - Lilian Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. Links We Referenced lyravegabridal.com (https://www.lyravegabridal.com) (Use Code BIGWEDDING for $50 off any one gown) youtube.com/channel/UCexH-nJRE2SWQRvLJuaw0Xg (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCexH-nJRE2SWQRvLJuaw0Xg) twitter.com/lyravegabridal (https://twitter.com/lyravegabridal) instagram.com/lyravegabridal (https://www.instagram.com/lyravegabridal/) pinterest.com/lyravegabridal/_created (https://www.pinterest.com/lyravegabridal/) facebook.com/lyravegabridal (https://www.facebook.com/lyravegabridal) The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Lillian Huang.

Our monthly YAWA episode - when Michelle and Christy answer all the pressing questions you want answers to. This month's questions are definitely going to take you across a few different spectrums from the challenges the grandparents you love pose, all the way to Destination Weddings. Question 1: How do I deal with a grandparent who doesn't seem to want to listen to our needs and requests? I.e.: not respecting no photography rules, getting in people's faces and way. Do you guys have any advice on how to deal with family dynamics like this? Not inviting him really isn't an option, because that would cause even more drama. Anything would be much appreciated! Answer 1: You have to talk to him. Make it a positive! We don't want you to be distracted, etc. What about asking him to do an “engagement shoot” of you and your fiancé before the wedding? And you can feature his pictures at the wedding! Maybe he's socially awkward and needs that camera as a crutch. Question 2: My fiancé (35M) and I (30F) finally decided on a venue that we wanted. The date we want (a Thursday in June) was available at an amazing venue in Key West. So a destination wedding. We were very excited to get moving with some real tangible plans. After reviewing their required/ preferred vendors list. Just after the caterer our budget is hit. The budget I'd like to stick to is 15,000- 20,000 absolute max. After emailing the the venue wedding planners, asking them for advice to keep the wedding within budget I got the following response. "Well another option could be to have the wedding ceremony here and maybe have a reception at a restaurant? They tend to be a bit cheaper. For 50-60 people this will definitely bring you to the top of your budget with food and alcohol. Maybe inquire with Bagatelle or first flight they will be able to accommodate your size party and might be able to keep you on budget? " I guess, I just don't understand how I could have saved up so much money and that can't cover a reasonably small party. Personally, I don't like the idea of leaving the venue for a dinner reception. I went on Wedding Report for my town and it says that based on the answers I gave I could achieve a wedding around 18k-25k for 75-100people. My fiancé doesn't want to get married here, so that doesn't really feel like a back up plan. Should I keep pricing things out in Key West? Thanks for at least letting me vent a little. Answer 2: Destination weddings are typically expensive. If you love this venue that much, it's not going to be enough to just have the ceremony there. Is there a way to put the wedding off a few more months to give you more time to save money so you can have your wedding there? We suggest you each go through and define what your priorities are for the wedding. That will help you make the right decisions. Maybe it IS possible to have an awesome wedding closer to home within your budget. Explore those options, it can't hurt to look at venues and get quotes from local wedding pros. Question 3: What are the thoughts on shape wear and when to get the shape wear? Should you get it before dress consultation? Answer 3: Most of our clients, that wear shape wear, wear Spanx. There are lots of brands now, in comparable to that brand. It does help. Try somethings out ahead of time. Wear them all day and see if it's something you can handle having on for 8+ hours. And definitely take them with you to the dress consult! Question 4: Instead of going the traditional catering event, they decided to use a restaurant that will set up the buffet. Without needing servers, they are looking for people to help with pouring water, cutting cake, etc, how do we find a staff? What do we look up to find the right help? Answer 4: This is tricky! Ultimately this comes down to budget. You may not need people to serve, but like you say, you need bussing, refilling water, set up, take down, cleaning up spills, etc, and these tasks require a proper staff. Thumbtack is a great resource for finding staff to come and help with a party. Staffing companies, bartending companies, etc will often list themselves on that site and you could find a proper staff on a pre-negotiated rate. A free-for-all style can get really messy. It can be very helpful to have some people there to scoop things on to plates. Also google ‘event staff company' and your location. Taskrabbit might be a good choice too, but it would be individuals instead of teams. Be careful, you get what you pay for. We understand budgets, but it's important to be prepared. Could you ask the restaurant if they know anyone that could help out for the day? They might have a connection or have staff not working in the restaurant that night that want to work. Question 5: We are having a 40 person wedding. How do you feel about DJs? Our families are a mix of partiers/dancers and those that just want to sit. Is a DJ awkward with 40 people? Answer 5: Hell yeah have a DJ! It is really not awkward. It elevates the party and makes everyone feel special. Tell the DJ it's a smaller party. Decide ahead of time if guests are allowed to request songs. The DJ takes so much stress off of you on the big day. We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our existing Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Learn more by checking out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

You just got engaged! Naturally you're thrilled to share the exciting news with everyone you know, but wait...who should you tell first, and in what order? Then there's the overload of thoughts spinning inside of your head with the checklist of what to do next. On today's show Christy connects with two beautiful brides to be, Ashley and Mallory. Their recent engagement brings out all the questions you want answers to when first venturing down the wedding planning path. The ladies offer tips on planning a wedding in 2021 - which of course we all know, is unlike any other time in history. Big Takeaways When it comes to announcing the engagement, order of who you tell can be important. Malori and Ashley had specific orders of who to let know before letting the whole world know. Venue was the most important thing to get figured out first. They made a list of the spots they were interested in, and worked there way through to see prices and availability. Because of Covid, a lot of places were booked for a long time out (more than a year out). It really can be very important to see a location in person. You can't hear ambient noises in a picture or get the real vibe from a website. Size matters too. They did see a venue that was much too large, and realized how much work would go into making that space work. Remember when looking for venues: * Account for the guest list * Is there enough space for the wedding party? * Make a list of what is important beforehand * After, create a pros and cons list for each place * Sense the vibe when you get there, especially as a same sex couple When it comes to booking, some vendors might be able to facilitate multiple events in a weekend, where as photographers, planners, musicians, etc are likely to be booked for just the one event. You definitely don't want to be thinking about the quality of your photos on the day of. So consider your photographer's portfolio and what they are good at, that way you can loosen the reins and have the most fun. Set clear boundaries up top with family, and those involved in planning and preparing. It is important to have a balance. Links We Referenced theclaytonhouse.com (https://www.theclaytonhouse.com/) instagram.com/malleyinlove (https://www.instagram.com/malleyinlove/) Quotes “Honestly your wedding venue is going to be the most expensive purchase of your life, as a couple. We have never, other than our student loans, looked at that kind of money in our lives.” - Ashley “Those photographers who can do that for us, are going to be able to do that for a couple who has only posed together for their engagement photos. They know how to make it not awkward. They know how to make it comfortable and look natural. The first piece of moment, because we went to our parents and asked, ‘What is your one piece of advice?' Malori's mom said that if there is anyone you give your money to, make it a good photographer. Because you want them to document those memories. You want it to feel like you're just doing your own thing, and they're there doing their job.” - Ashley “If there is something that you have a really big stipulation on, say it before they agree to spend all this money.” Ashley (in regards to parents helping pay) Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

When David's Bridal reached out to Christy and Michelle about being on the podcast - it was excitement all around! David's Bridal is an iconic brand that has been around longer than any other company of its kind. Though they are best known for the sale of wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses, you're in for a treat as you learn about the many other services they offer. Including the most comprehensive and up to date information on what's happening in the wedding market. Maggie Lord, Vice President and Head of Strategic Partnerships at David's Bridal and the founder of Rustic Wedding Chic, a popular wedding blog and directory acquired by David's joins Christy and Michelle on the show today. Maggie is also the author of six books and a sought after wedding expert and she's offering insider tips for creating a memorable wedding. Big Takeaways * In a David's Bridal store, you can order a tux and color match with bridesmaid dresses. * There is a large prom and junior section. * They also offer tangible items for the wedding and other celebrations, not just the clothing. * Dresses start at $99, and include a wide range of sizes. * The Pearl Report is a comprehensive report put together by David's Bridal. * They include information about what is happening in the wedding market and with their customers. Some specific stats from this year's report: * 82% of brides are confident when looking att heir financial future * 70% more brides are now comfortable shopping and buyinginstore * 29% of brides will have more than 5 bridesmaids * Concerns over venue availability are up15% * 37% of brides are not worried about COVID at wedding * Event guest limitations have dropped 14% Quick Tips For Wedding Decor on a Budget * Not every single table needs to have the same arrangement or fancy centerpiece * Candles/Hurricanes make great center pieces for the tables without flowers * You can have non-floral centerpieces Quick Decor Ideas (Outdoor weddings) The more simple the better Find a focal back drop for the ceremony (an arch with flowers, barnd oors, etc.) Make sure there is dedicated spaces that are easy to discern (ceremony, cocktails, dining area) Signage is great for directing guests Think of your guests, and what kind of accessibility you might need Links We Referenced rusticweddingchic.com theblacktux.com davidsbridal.com Quotes “After you buy your dress, and your have your amazing wedding - well most people want to do something with it, right? It doesn't just hang in the back of your closet. We would be falling short if we weren't standing with her in that moment, to how to preserve it, the right way.” - Maggie “What is magical about David's, along with a lot of other things, is that you can walk in the store and try on something in your size. Or find something really close, and it's not about the clips and the grips and everything else. You put it on, and you feel like yourself, and you see yourself exactly how you might look on your wedding day. And that is phenomenal.” - Maggie “Everybody wants to look and feel their best. And nobody wants to feel like they are settling for a dress that isn't the perfect dress.” - Maggie Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Maggie Lord.

When you're planning a wedding, the most special people in your life come forward to center stage as those who you want to include in the event. But how do you choose who will be part of your wedding party without hurt feelings? How do you navigate the logistics of who should do what? Are there requirements you need to meet like with an even number of people, matching jammies and photos? And what if you're just not into a wedding party at all? On today's show Christy and Michelle are connecting with Leah Weinberg. You might remember her from Episode 181 (https://weddingplanning.fireside.fm/the-wedding-is-over-now-what), she's a former lawyer and current wedding planner in NYC, owner of Color Pop Events and author of the book “The Wedding Roller Coaster: Keeping Your Relationship Intact Through the Ups and Downs.” Leah's breaking down a few rules and tips on how to avoid Wedding Party Drama. Big Takeaways * Planners love when you don't have a wedding party! It really makes things so much easier. This is not to say you can't have, but don't feel weird about the decision to not. * When you are picking members of the wedding party: - Don't do things out of obligation * It is important to consider how you are involving meaningful people in your wedding, and that might not be as a member of the party * Being a wedding party is a huge commitment, consider that as well. It is not personal if someone cannot show up or afford to dive in to the more in-depth role * Tell the people you are asking to be in the party exactly what their expectations will be up front. And go from there. Figure out your deal breakers. * How do the people you are considering make you feel? * Someone telling you they can't or do not want to be in your wedding party should be okay. It's okay to be sad and disappointed, but you must respect their decision. * Even if you don't have a wedding party, you can still incorporate your friends on the day of. I.e., makeup and mimosas! Firing a wedding party member * No matter what has happened, as the Marry-er, what will give you the most peace and zen for your wedding day? * Weigh the positivity vs the negativity. Ultimately you want your wedding day to bring you joy and celebration * Tell your wedding party about how much you love your vendors and planners. It's more common than it should be that a wedding party is rude to the planner and that just makes it harder on everyone. Best Practices for Looks: * Give your wedding party as much detail and specificity as possible, especially if there is not one type of dress * There are brands that do a variety of colors/styles. Then you can give more specific parameters for everyone. * Do not dictate the hair style. It is very old school and does not always look very good. * You can set loose parameters for hair and makeup, but gone are the days of everyone looking the exact same. * Being too particular about what you want can be unintentionally offensive. People's style can * be a very personal thing. Links We Referenced colorpopevents.com (https://www.colorpopevents.com) instagram.com/colorpopevents (https://www.instagram.com/colorpopevents/) facebook.com/colorpopevents (https://www.facebook.com/colorpopevents) The Wedding Roller Coaster: Keeping Your Relationships Intact Through the Ups and Downs (https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Roller-Coaster-Keeping-Relationships/dp/0578883015) Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Leah Weinberg.

Today we are joined by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez from The Big Wedding Planning Podcast! These two wedding planners joined us for discussion about their planner pet-peeves, how the industry has changed over the last decade+, and spilled the tea on who the biggest diva on the wedding day often is. This was super fun and a totally different kind of episode and we hope you love it! We also had the opportunity to be on THEIR podcast (which also went live today!), where we were the guest hosts of their "you ask, we answer" monthly series. If you want to hear even MORE of Gabe and Kami, hop on over to their podcast and take a listen to hear us answer listener questions about all things wedding photography!!!! Email us at donttakethispersonally.pod@gmail.com  Follow along on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/donttakethispersonally.podcast/ Follow Kami! @https://www.instagram.com/kamiolavarria/ Follow Gabe! https://www.instagram.com/gabrielconover.photo/ Thank you to Ryan Majoris for the rad intro+outro music! https://www.ryanmajoris.com

It's September and this month is our extra SPECIAL Photography Edition of YAWA! You Ask, THEY Answer! To help us answer all the big photography questions we are joined by delightful wedding photographers, and co-hosts of Don't Take This Personally Podcast, Kami Oliavarria and Gabriel “Gabe” Conover. Ideas for Unique First Looks: * Make them make sense from a story telling perspective. * Think location! Are there stairs? Do you like the tap on the shoulder? Think about your * preferences. * Getting ready together is a great way to include both halves of the couple * Take room to be yourself! Talk about what you love beforehand, not the day of. How much time does a photographer want between ceremony and reception for formal photos? How much for after ceremony formals? * There are really no rules at the end of the day, we just have to talk and communicate about it * to make it possible. * They say they need about 15-20 mins for family, because he will have a very specific list of * shots * 5-10 mins for the rest of the party * This way, if there was no first look, more time can be given to the couple. * If you don't do a first look, you (the couple) will not make it to cocktail hour. How can I make formal photos easier on the photographer for the day of? * Delegate wedding party members to be “wranglers.” Don't leave the responsibility on the photographer. Pick someone who knows the family. How do you decide whether or not to include the significant others of the unmarried people in the your family and wedding party - in the formal photos? * Do one with, one without the significant others. * It covers all the bases, and they are generally understanding! * Have a list beforehand! Share any information needed with the photographer if certain people shouldn't be next to each other, etc. During the cocktail hour and reception, do you ask guests who are standing/talking together to directly smile at the camera in order to get some fun action shots of guests? * Yes! They try to get a mix of candids and more posed/smiled shots. What is golden hour and why is it important? * Golden hour is when the sun is going down. * It can't always happen. It's a beautiful time of day, but no photographer wants to interrupt a * part of the day for a quick pic. * It's pretty. It's not as easy to control on a wedding day as it might be on an engagement * shoot or similar. How do I find out if a photographer has a more 'photojournalistic style'? I feel like they all say they do. I really want our wedding photos, for the most part, to be natural, candid shots of us and of our guests. * Photojournalistic is a buzzword. * Nothing that wedding photographers do is really that photojournalistic. * You are going to want someone who can direct and help you find the right spots/angles etc. * Look at their full galleries. Do you like what they shoot? If not, go to the next. * Don't focus on buzz words. Focus on what excites you. Interviews are important, yes, but * make sure you like the results before you even get to the interview. What are the best questions to ask a photographer to see if they're the right fit for you? * Learn about their personality * Get clear answers on what the process looks like * If they are newer, there are more questions to be asked for sure. With more experienced * photographers, you should already know you like their style and what they do before you * even reach out. * Think process-oriented questions. How much do you help? Do you have calls? How do I get * info to you? What do you need from me? * “It doesn't matter if I shot at your venue before” - any photographer that knows what they * are doing can figure it out. They research, show up early, and come in with new energy! Links We Referenced instagram.com/kamiolavarria (https://www.instagram.com/kamiolavarria/) instagram.com/gabrielconover (https://www.instagram.com/gabrielconover/) instagram.com/donttakethispersonally.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/donttakethispersonally.podcast/) instagram.com/gudtimes.sd (https://www.instagram.com/gudtimes.sd/) *We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. * If you want to learn more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Live music gives weddings big energy and meets the moment by elevating everything. It has the power to impact your guests in a way they will enjoy and experience a variety of emotions with. When Stephen and Kevin got married they knew live music would be a huge part of their wedding day. For this reason they decided to include a cello trio, a 16 piece orchestra including vocalists, a saxophonist, and a wedding band that sang a large majority of Whitney Houston songs. They wrapped the night with a DJ, giving their guests and themselves the best of all words. Christy connects with Stephen and Kevin as they share what they learned from the experience and what you can do to experience something as dynamic on your wedding day. About the Couple Stephen Lawrence currently serves as the manager and violinist of the Piedmont Strings Quartet and has performed for 100's of weddings since he was 16 years old. Stephen also serves as the Director of Orchestral Activities and Department Chair at North Atlanta High School's Fine and Performing Arts Department and on the Atlanta Public Schools Arts Resource Team as the District Orchestra Lead. Kevin Carroll currently serves in a Senior position for an international auditing and accounting firm and is the creator of Carroll Candle Co. and Carroll Real Estate Investments in St. Louis, MO. Kevin is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he earned his Bachelor's degree at Park University in Human Resources with an emphasis in Finance and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. Big Takeaways * Through Covid, and having to reschedule, the number of guests changed from about 120 to 80. * The guest list was definitely different than initially imagined, but it was okay, because everyone that did make it was there to party and have a great time. * Live music was such an important part of the equation, especially for Stephen, that they didn't even want to really consider recorded music. * They went for the wow factor. * Live music from the moment you walked into the space. * Musicians and DJs don't want a full list of every song they have to play in exact order. They were able to set particular songs for particular moments of the day, and then the musicians had free range to work within the set parameters/mood. * When you are looking for your musicians and choices of certain songs, make sure you go on YouTube and find a version played by strings and see if you actually like it. Sometimes, the song just doesn't sound good with a string quartet or sung in the style of the musician you have. It helps to have an idea of what you are going to get. * If you are hiring someone to be the expert on something, let them be. * Use the music to set the tone of the wedding. * Just because your friend is a great singer, or guitarist, or etc, doesn't mean they are trained or able to perform in the wedding space. If you want to hire a friend, and a professional group, you will need a rehearsal. * Best Practices: 1. Choose a performing group that is cohesive with your music style. 2. Be clear about your expectations and allow the musicians to speak on what is comfortable to them. 3. Consider your audience/guests. 4. Find music that speaks to you both. 5. Consider the number of songs you would like to include during the ceremony 6. Considering timeline: build in time for the musicians to set-up and sound check. 7. LOCATION: if your wedding is outdoors or has outdoor elements that you plan the live musicians to use, have a plan b location. Avoid direct sunlight or precipitation. Consider amplification and the way sound travels. Links We Referenced instagram.com/sandkforeverandaday (https://www.instagram.com/sandkforeverandaday/) piedmontstrings.com (https://www.piedmontstrings.com) instagram.com/carrollcandleco (https://www.instagram.com/carrollcandleco/) Quotes “We had a celebrity saxophonist there, and he put on a whole show.” - Stephen “The quartet and the orchestra were making sure they were playing music that people would enjoy. We're just about to have Bach.” - Kevin “Our wedding planner, Chris, he was like, ‘we have to always play around with the five senses for every part of the wedding.'” - Stephen “Make sure you have fun at your wedding. Have fun. Please. When the day comes, leave it to your planner or whoever you have in charge, and enjoy the day. And actually become the people that the day is for.” - Kevin Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

When you're planning to spend the rest of your life with someone, it can feel quite challenging to bring two very different people together and have them work towards one common path. Sprinkle in multi-cultural and interfaith differences and you can quickly see how planning a wedding to meet these various needs might make you feel like you're on a lone island. Christy and Michelle have the pleasure of connecting with Lara Wagner and Amer Ahmad, a married couple with beautifully diverse backgrounds. Lara had the satisfaction of growing up in the American South as a Unitarian Universalist, a liberal religion characterized by a free and responsible search for meaning, which she credits to providing her with the open mindedness to marrying someone from a different religious background. On the other side of the couple coin is Amer, whose family is from Pakistan but grew up in South Carolina practicing Islam. These two join the show today to talk about how they met, their two wedding ceremonies and meeting their parents' conditions of attending pre-marital counseling. Listen in and learn how Lara and Amer came together in blended bliss. Big Takeaways There was so little easily accessible information about what a blended wedding looked like when they were planning their wedding. Their parents' condition was that they went to pre-marital counseling. While they originally wanted a fusion wedding, it wasn't possible. In the end, there were 3 days of celebrations that incorporated both cultures. They were very intentional about food and drink, bringing both cultures in on each day. The easiest way to fuse things is FOOD. When starting to plan a blended wedding, it could be amazingly helpful to speak to your parents/family about what the non-negotiables are from each side. What are the expectations? Know that there will be challenges, ultimately do the things that bring joy to you and your most important loved ones. Lara and Amer were able to incorporate parts of their own family traditions and experience new things together. Links We Referenced instagram.com/blended.bliss/ (https://www.instagram.com/blended.bliss/) Quotes “I don't want to say I felt alone, because I had a lot of incredible people go on the journey with us. But when I reached out for different inspiration, and was wondering, ‘is it normal to have a number of outfit changes?' ‘Will my white family understand this spicy food?' Things like that, I didn't have any answers to those questions.” - Lara “If it is fusion, it is a compromise on many different levels. If it's going to be one day, it's not a compromise, it's a western wedding.” - Lara “We just realized, we're going to make everyone kind of happy. And then that's going to make us very happy.” - Lara “And that gets back to that being a stressor, everyone had very different expectations about what the size of the wedding should be.” -Ahmad “I have probably a very unpopular opinion, but ladies and gentlemen, this is not your day. You don't spend your day double bagged in Spanx, paying $100 for people you don't know to eat a plate.” - Lara Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

If you're like Christy and Michelle, you've been dreaming of your wedding day since you were a kid.....NOT! No doubt however, you've heard the myths of something blue, something borrowed, and no one else wearing white except the bride. On today's episode we're talking to Wedding Editorial Stylist Leona Morelock. She's helping us break down the myths, offload the expectations, and she's offering insider tips on how to design a wedding your own way! Big Takeaways Design Tips: * Everything doesn't have to be matchy matchy. Think white on white, or another color using multiple shades. * When choosing the right color palette, ideas to come up with colors, think what color is most. * Plan your color palette first! This will help you make all the decisions that follow. * Design a mood board - start big picture then narrow things down. Give your wedding day a life and a story. * What are the things you gravitate towards? Narrow down from there. * Have a common denominator throughout that appears minimally but ties the day together. * Design your weddings with your guests in mind. How will they know what is next? Wedding Myths: * It is your day - it is both parties of the couple. Not just one or the other. It's also your guests day. Remember everybody. Find boundaries with parents, and guests, it is your special day, but mind the fact that all the guests are there to celebrate and have fun too. * Everything will be perfect - don't go into the planning thinking this, there never has and never will be a “perfect” wedding. * Every single detail needs to be unique - you don't need to out do your friends. * You shouldn't pick the first gown/first vendor - if you like it, you like it! * You should have a one year engagement. * You need to spend your money on your wedding - another comparison trap. A modest budget still allows for special weddings. * Hiring family is the same as hiring professional - It can be done, it is doable. But remember you get do get what you pay for. * You need to have a white gown, and be escorted by your father - there are so many ways you can do this. You don't have to fit into a standard that you don't relate to. Meghan Markle walked herself down the aisle * You can't see each other before the wedding. * Guests can't wear black or white. Links We Referenced The Wedding Stylist Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wedding-stylist-podcast/id1534965236) leonamorelock.com (leonamorelock.com) instagram.com/leonamorelock (https://www.instagram.com/leonamorelock/) Quotes “One of the first things is to come up with a color palette. Your color palette that you're going to stick to. And every decision that you make, bring it back to that color palette and does it match?” - Leona Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Leona Morelock.

Kelly Bron Johnson is an Autistic and Hard of Hearing self-advocate, author, and founder of Completely Inclusive, which is a consultancy helping businesses transform their company culture to be inclusive and accessible to ALL. She lives in Montreal, QC, Canada with her husband and two boys. Her passion is to help people, and make all things easier for everyone. 25% of the population of the US and Canada has a disability, that's 1 in 4. It is something that definitely needs to be talked about. Big Takeaways When planning, and making accommodations for certain guests, you can ask them what would make it easier for them. This is, on course, is easier for people you are close to. Crowd sourcing can help, if you are not as close to the guests with disabilities. Weddings are difficult, but you can do things that are going to help a vast majority of people. It only takes a little extra labor. And you might be surprised that more people than you expected take advantage of the accommodations you make. None of this has to be hush hush. Talk about it. There are so many people around us with disabilities and special needs, and they should never have to automatically feel like a burden because of that. We can make it more normal to just accommodate everyone. What is Pagan Handfasting? Earth worshiping religion that follows the cycles of nature and the moon. Old tradition of Celtic hand fasting - joining together of two households, arms are tied together with ribbon during the ceremony. Promise to stay together a year and a day, considered a trial relationship and any child conceived would be taken care of equally, but if they don't stay together, they make a choice to untie a ribbon and walk away from each other and the kids will still be taken care of equally by each parent. Every year, you decide as a couple if they want to continue the commitment. Extra Tips: - Include notes on your wedding website, encouraging those with special needs to reach out - A room for guests to pop into when they need to decompress or step away is an awesome option. You have to let the guests know too! - Provide accommodations to everyone when possible. - Provide a bowl of cheap earplugs so any one can grab them. - Ask about food allergies or aversions Links We Referenced kbronjohn.club (https://kbronjohn.club) completementinclusif.org/en_US (https://completementinclusif.org/en_US/) intersectionsonthespectrum.com (https://intersectionsonthespectrum.com) Quotes “The disability community is the largest minority group that you can become a part of at any time in your life. You could have an accident. You could become sick. Anything could happen. And as we age, a lot of us join the disability community. So it's not just about who you are right now, it's also planning ahead for the future of what could be and what could happen.” - Kelly “As much as she knows her brother best, her brother knows himself best. You can have a collaborative session, brain storming session. What would work for you, what would you like to do, how would you like to feel included.” - Kelly “Getting diagnosed really helped me to understand. And it helped me to put boundaries. And to accept that, you know what, I'm not going to do everything the way that other people do. And it's not really useful to try and force myself to do these things. It gave me a way to accept myself and also to say no to certain things and say, 'I'm going to do it my way, and it's okay.'” - Kelly “It's not just about wheelchairs, sometimes it's about including people in different ways.” - Kelly We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to learn more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Learn more by checking out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/) Special Guest: Kelly Bron Johnson.

Kelly Bron Johnson is an Autistic and Hard of Hearing self-advocate, author, and founder of Completely Inclusive, which is a consultancy helping businesses transform their company culture to be inclusive and accessible to ALL. She lives in Montreal, QC, Canada with her husband and two boys. Her passion is to help people, and make all things easier for everyone. 25% of the population of the US and Canada has a disability, that's 1 in 4. It is something that definitely needs to be talked about. Big Takeaways When planning, and making accommodations for certain guests, you can ask them what would make it easier for them. This is, on course, is easier for people you are close to. Crowd sourcing can help, if you are not as close to the guests with disabilities. Weddings are difficult, but you can do things that are going to help a vast majority of people. It only takes a little extra labor. And you might be surprised that more people than you expected take advantage of the accommodations you make. None of this has to be hush hush. Talk about it. There are so many people around us with disabilities and special needs, and they should never have to automatically feel like a burden because of that. We can make it more normal to just accommodate everyone. What is Pagan Handfasting? Earth worshiping religion that follows the cycles of nature and the moon. Old tradition of Celtic hand fasting - joining together of two households, arms are tied together with ribbon during the ceremony. Promise to stay together a year and a day, considered a trial relationship and any child conceived would be taken care of equally, but if they don't stay together, they make a choice to untie a ribbon and walk away from each other and the kids will still be taken care of equally by each parent. Every year, you decide as a couple if they want to continue the commitment. Extra Tips: - Include notes on your wedding website, encouraging those with special needs to reach out - A room for guests to pop into when they need to decompress or step away is an awesome option. You have to let the guests know too! - Provide accommodations to everyone when possible. - Provide a bowl of cheap earplugs so any one can grab them. - Ask about food allergies or aversions Links We Referenced kbronjohn.club (https://kbronjohn.club) completementinclusif.org/en_US (https://completementinclusif.org/en_US/) intersectionsonthespectrum.com (https://intersectionsonthespectrum.com) Quotes “The disability community is the largest minority group that you can become a part of at any time in your life. You could have an accident. You could become sick. Anything could happen. And as we age, a lot of us join the disability community. So it's not just about who you are right now, it's also planning ahead for the future of what could be and what could happen.” - Kelly “As much as she knows her brother best, her brother knows himself best. You can have a collaborative session, brain storming session. What would work for you, what would you like to do, how would you like to feel included.” - Kelly “Getting diagnosed really helped me to understand. And it helped me to put boundaries. And to accept that, you know what, I'm not going to do everything the way that other people do. And it's not really useful to try and force myself to do these things. It gave me a way to accept myself and also to say no to certain things and say, 'I'm going to do it my way, and it's okay.'” - Kelly “It's not just about wheelchairs, sometimes it's about including people in different ways.” - Kelly We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to learn more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Learn more by checking out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

On the last Wednesday of every month, Christy & Michelle answer listener questions live on the show - YAWA! This month we're answering questions about: engagement parties, a ceremony planner, a bride with fibromyalgia and eloping in France! We're able to produce this podcast because of YOUR support. If you want to learn more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). If you want to become a Patron (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast), and get exclusive access to our monthly newsletter, bonus episodes, and more, check out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast)! A giant thank you to all of our Patrons, who help keep this podcast running! Learn more by checking out our Patreon Page (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. Question #1 I got engaged in December 2020 and my wedding is in May 2022. I'm doing a destination wedding with about 40 vaccinated people. This was planned with Covid in mind. We are fortunate enough to be able to have our wedding at a winery that has a bnb which we were able to rent out for all of our guests. So we will have our own little bubble for our wedding weekend, which I'm so excited for. I do have a lot of family members who would still like to celebrate me and my fiancé and while I appreciate that, I kind of feel uncomfortable throwing any type of engagement party or bridal shower where I have family that's attending but not invited to the wedding. I just feel like I don't want to be throwing a party and expecting people to feel like they need to help me throw a party or give me gifts or anything, especially if they're not coming to my wedding, which is absolutely not what I want. My mom and soon-to-be mother-in-law though is constantly reassuring me that, that's not what people are thinking and people just want to celebrate us, but I just wanted to know your thoughts on having a bigger engagement party or bridal shower as opposed to the not having a wedding that would include all those people that are invited to the precursor events. AnswerChristy: If they want to host a party for you, the guests at that party are more likely to be there for them and less for you. Not to say it's not about you, it is. But there is less room for the weirdness of them not being invited to the wedding. Try to get out of your own way a little bit. This party could be a totally hands off, fun day for you. People do just want to celebrate you with your mom and mother in law. Michelle: It does feel a bit weird. And can be easy to gravitate to the awkwardness of expectations. However, when people have a destination wedding, they never invite everyone or at least not as many people as they would if it were local. As long as most of your guests are aware that you're having a very small wedding, and that your mom and mother in law just want to have a party/celebration, then it could be really good. Let them handle the whole thing. The wording of the invite should be about a celebration of you getting married. If the original driver for a small wedding was covid safety, make sure they know that too. Question #2 2 questions - one is regarding a catering coordinator, and the second is about getting ready time for 6 ladies. 1. Do I need a ceremony planner? We have booked a caterer, and their services come with "Basic Coordination". It seems like this coordination covers everything we need for planning the reception, but their planning is very hands-off when it comes to the ceremony. Do you think we should hire a planner to just cover the ceremony? 2. Getting ready schedule: We are going to have an 11am ceremony, and I am a little worried about the getting-ready schedule in the morning. Our photographer would like to have our first look at 9am. I'm a morning person, and I'm happy to wake up around 6am but don't want to wake up earlier than that so that I'm not panicked about sleeping the night before. Do you think there is a reasonable way to fit this into the morning without making everyone wake up too early? Is it reasonable to ask a hairdresser to only spend 30 mins max on each person's hair? What if the bridesmaids come to the venue a bit later than me because they don't need to be ready by the first look? Answer 1. It depends. Is your ceremony at the same place as your reception? Is your officiant a professional, or a friend? Is there a venue manager? (I'm thinking about who will be there to manage Strike at the end of the night.) If there is a venue manager, you can probably get away without one. If not, and your officiant is not a professional, and the venue isn't necessarily used to weddings, you should definitely hire one. Also, the final chapter in our masterclass is all about this. Including ceremony, rehearsal, layout, etc. 2. Totally have your gals do their own makeup and talk to the hair stylist about your desire to keep this part of the day pretty short and simple - I think 45 minutes per lady is what she is going to prefer. She should be able to help you with a timeline. And if she can bring an assistant, you'll be able to get more done in less time. Also - bridesmaids usually know that part of the 'job' is waking up early and being there whenever the bride tells you to be! Question #3 I hope I'm not jumping the gun in my question, but I have a big one (in my opinion). I have a chronic illness, fibromyalgia. It can be very tolling on me. Fibromyalgia causes widespread pain and serious fatigue. There are times when I just can't function because of my illness and I want to stay in bed. I am worried that this could happen to me on the big day OR that I may not be able to enjoy the big day as much because I will be overexerting myself. Often, when I overdo myself or have higher than normal levels of stress then I suffer the consequences. We recently celebrated our engagement with an engagement party, and man oh man was that tough!! I was a social butterfly, greeting and celebrating with all my guests. I was spent by the end of the night, and don't even get me started with my recovery over the next couple of days. I'm bumming out/worrying that I won't be able to celebrate in the bedroom on my wedding night, if you know what I mean ;). I'm wondering what advice you may have for a chronically ill bride to be? I know what I can do on my end, such as resting leading up to the day but I'm curious if you have specific ideas on what I can do on my wedding day to make things easier on me. I hope my question can help many individuals because I can only imagine I'm not the only one that suffers from some type of chronic illness. Answer This is such a good question - I'm glad you wrote us! And I'm really glad that you are finding the podcast helpful with wedding planning so far. I don't know what I have any good advice for you since you know your own body and your ebbs and flows with this illness. I know you are already thinking of mitigation strategies...I haven't worked with anyone with chronic pain like this, but I have worked with a groom with intense social anxiety and he ended up cutting out of his own reception about three hours early on the wedding night. I think you need to give yourself a lot of grace and ask your close friends and family to help you manage things on the wedding day...like, have a few Plan Bs for the whole wedding weekend..."if this, then this", type of stuff. Your people want to help you enjoy the weekend to YOUR fullest extent and they will likely be a lot easier on you than you are on yourself! Also, please know that most people don't actually ef on the wedding night. Everyone is exhausted/drunk/over it/exhausted again. You have plenty of time for that later! And staying in one location will definitely make it easier on you and everyone else! I think you should make sure to take a few days off before the wedding, and a few days off afterwards, honeymoon or not. Take care of yourself and listen to your body. I hope this helps a little! We do have an episode coming out soon with a health and wellness advocate and she talks about events for people with autism and other issues/illnesses, and how to create a fun environment for everyone, but I don't know that she speaks to chronic pain specifically. Question #4 For background, we are eloping to France next April and then hosting a small (35-ish people) dinner party at a resort venue in Sonoma County, California next May after we get back from our honeymoon. We live in Michigan with family and friends all over the place. My question is: the venue for the dinner is beautiful but I would like to add perhaps some flowers or greenery to the table. The majority of our budget is going towards the elopement and the venue/food/beverage fee for the California dinner party so I need to find a very low-cost option. I've looked into decor rentals and they are beyond what I would want to spend for a simple, 3-hour celebration dinner. I also thought of having guests each bring a bouquet to display on the table but we are already asking them to fly across the country and book accommodations so that doesn't seem fair. I would love your thoughts on how I could add something to the plain white linens that are included with our venue space. Traveling from Michigan, I won't have much room to bring things with me since I will also be bringing my wedding dress to wear for everyone. Answer This dinner sounds absolutely lovely. In Sonoma, you are surrounded by beauty, and the food/ wine will be wonderful. I don't think you need to do much for decor. If you can't afford rentals - and it's wine country where they are VERY expensive - then totally scrap the idea. White linens, regular chairs and tons of bud vases with grocery store flowers will 100% do the trick. For greenery - you can get fresh eucalyptus branches and snip them ahead of time, then use them on any supplemental tables, like a dessert table, or a welcome table, or as a runner in front of you and your fiancé at the table. Little candles are always beautiful and photograph really well (just make sure you ask the venue about candle rules too - little tea lights in glass votive holders are usually fine). I like save-on-crafts.com for vases and candles. You can also get really cheap glass vases at Walmart or the dollar store. If you're going with small vases, it's easier to do your own flowers. But you need a LOT, imo. Still very affordable. Links We Referenced: save-on-crafts.com (https://www.save-on-crafts.com/) The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Christy and Michelle head down to San Diego's Intercontinental Hotel (https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/san-diego/sanhb/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-IC-_-US-_-SANHB) to coordinate April and Aljon's wedding. The Bride and Groom give us behind-the-scenes coverage into their special day, filled with rich Filipino traditions, while Michelle & Christy offer tips and tricks to setting up for a wedding and lots of overall great advice. While Christy and Michelle are no strangers to pandemic weddings, the planners help to keep the bride and groom calm as they offload the millions of little details that can quickly add stress to a bride and groom without the help of professionals. If you've ever wondered how to navigate the ebb and flow of COVID and its new delta variant, how to talk masks and vaccines to your family and friends; or whether you've considered postponing the whole thing all together, this episode is a must listen! Today's show captures the day before, day of, and day after moments of a weekend wedding as April and Aljon go from Me to We. Big Takeaways * Aljon's, easy going nature helped keep April's spirits high through the stress that came along with the build up to the wedding. * They knew that their family might have some issues with showing up on time, so the ceremony was listed as starting at 1pm, but they were actually planning to start at 2pm. * Because of Covid, they required proof of vaccination, or a PCR test 72 hours beforehand. This helped them feel that it would keep their guests healthier and happier. It was a fast shift in response to new variants of the virus. * Don't understimate the value of hiring a videographer and a wedding planner. * April loved having the first looks. She found it really calmed her nerves, and felt comforted seeing her partner in the hustle of the morning and before the ceremony. Aljon said he was indifferent at first, but in retrospect would absolutely do it again and thinks everyone should do it. It's a nice, personal, intimate way to connect with your partner. * They were married in a full Catholic and Filipino ceremony. * The wedding was a huge success, and was everything they had dreamed. * Unique things they included: - Boba later in the evening - Money Dance Links We Referenced intercontinentalsandiego.com (https://www.intercontinentalsandiego.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=RLSA&utm_content=InterContinental-San-Diego&trackingSource=RLSAPaidSearch&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvO2IBhCzARIsALw3ASpbZW4Uksz2Y_BANTqf-VyJ81aC5Q_M2q-bVrrm9OIjLf766XkqBYsaAgiQEALw_wcB) Quotes “Every once in awhile he'll look at me, Aljon will look at me, and be like, ‘We're going to get married tomorrow. You're going to be my wife tomorrow.' Or we'll talk to our dog, ‘you're not going to be a bastard dog anymore!'” - April “I, at the end of the day, just wanted to get married. I wanna marry the man of my dreams. And if that meant that other people had to wear a mask, or if I had to wear a mask, I was okay with that.” - April “I'm about to do first look. She's had her dress for about 6 months now, and I have never, ever seen it until today.” - Aljon
 “Are you excited to see it?” - Michelle “Do you care, do we care about the dress? Do men care about the dress?” - Michelle “She's going to look beautiful either way, so...” - Aljon “I really enjoy the first look. It kind of also calmed the nerves. I still cried going down the aisle, but when I saw him, I think it was the most genuine.” - April “I'm someone who doesn't even care about little things. But I always dreamt of my wedding. I always knew that when I went to other weddings, like ‘I want this,' so it was exactly what I wanted.” - April Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

*About This Episode: * Wedding planning takes a turn when the happiest day of your life involves adult children, step children, blended families and a previous spouse who isn't on the best of terms with the family. Do weddings really bring families closer together? Or do they just force the tough stuff we bury deep down inside of us to rise to the surface? On today's episode Christy and Michelle connect with Tanya Pushkine, creator of the Vow Whisperer. Tanya is no stranger to helping others manage the emotions that arise when expressing meaningful feelings. Tanya shares her own intimate story about her wedding day, and her communication with her son, and healing old pain. Tanya gives us powerful insights on how she came to grips with letting go of the anger that holds us back from compromise and forgiveness. Big Takeaways: Often, a therapist is the best person to help you heal family trauma. Talking things out might seem like a good idea, but sometimes it just serves to rehash the ugliness of the pain. Setting aside your ego and acknowledging the pain of someone else by honoring their feelings, is most often what the other party is searching for. If you can set aside the desire to be apologized to, it's easier to move forward. Quotes “The concept of writing to him, not to say how you felt, but acknowledging how he felt, is most likely what allowed him to open up and be like, ‘You get it!'” - Michelle “A wedding day can be the beginning of a new family story.” - Christy, attributing Tanya "Moving through the conflicts in life with the end destination in mind instead of your ego." - Tanya "When [we] let go of [our] own anger and ego you feel better. Holding onto anger and waiting for that apology is what screws you up." - Michelle Links We Referenced thevowwhisperer.com (https://thevowwhisperer.com) instagram.com/thevowwhisperer (https://www.instagram.com/thevowwhisperer/) tanya@thevowwhisperer.com The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners)) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly ([https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/](https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/)) SuitShop ([https://suitshop.com/](https://suitshop.com)?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance ([https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast](https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast)) Cactus Collective ([https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/](https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/)) Unboring Wedding Academy ([https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/](https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)) Special Guest: Tanya Pushkine.

The dinner party is back! Our guest, Nathalie Cadet-James (https://www.luxefetesocial.com/pages/our-story) throws the most amazing dinner parties and you are going to love hearing Nathalie & Christy talk about the most effective ways to give your guests all the "feels" at your next dinner party. Nathalie Cadet-James (https://www.luxefetesocial.com/pages/our-story) is a Former Attorney turned planner and started Luxe Fete, an event planning and design studio, in 2009. Nathalie is an International Event Planner and Designer who has been featured in Harper's BAZAAR (https://www.harpersbazaar.com/wedding/planning/g6965/best-wedding-planners/), BRIDES Magazine (https://www.brides.com/best-wedding-planners-in-america-5090730) and Martha Stewart (https://www.marthastewart.com/7939221/top-wedding-planners) to name a few. She was named one of the Top Planners on the Martha Stewart Top Planners list. As a producer of large weddings, the pandemic and lockdown really helped Nathalie open the door to create dinner parties in a box, allowing for celebrations around the world, and right in your own living room. Big Takeaways * The old white china dinner party is gone. In fact, so much of dinner parties have become a lost art form. * Conversations can be difficult. Conversation starters, included in the Luxe Fete boxes, are a great element of a successful party. Elements of a great dinner party: - Conversation Starters: a way to put down phones and start more purposeful dialogue - Music: it's a great equalizer and mood setter - A great looking table: the centerpiece of the whole event - Good food and drink: think of your favorite restaurant, you can get takeout! Grab some great wine and desserts too. You can also hire a private chef, or cook yourself. - A plan: it's okay if it's not all set out and ready to eat when the guests arrive, as long as you know what's going on, you're going to have a great time Links We Referenced instagram.com/luxefete/ (https://www.instagram.com/luxefete/) instagram.com/luxefetesocial/ (https://www.instagram.com/luxefetesocial/) Nathalie's Dinner Party Music Playlists (https://www.luxefetesocial.com/pages/nats-favorite-dinner-party-music) NY Times Article (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/style/a-wedding-planner-with-a-lot-on-her-plate.html?searchResultPosition=1) Quotes “You raise a really good point about how people feel about dinner parties. I do think it's a lost art form. I think technology has completely rendered us disconnected.” - Nathalie “I think every gathering needs to have a purpose to really be successful.” - Nathalie “The goal is for all of hosts to be like, ‘Oh shit she is the hostess with the mostest. Amazing music. Amazing dinner party. So thoughtful in conversation. People are becoming friends.People are loving it. Food's outrageous. Oh my goodness." - Nathalie “Just focus on being present, and enjoying your family and friends. And let nature do what it does. Which is ignite, inspire and connect.” - Nathalie Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

On the last Wednesday of every month, Christy & Michelle answer listener questions live on the show - YAWA! This month we're answering questions about: How to include special people into the wedding / How to have a rehearsal at an alternate location / Family-style dinner / Not hiring a DJ and using playlists instead / Alternative ways of honoring in-laws, and more! Email Question #1 My fiancé and I have a large wedding party (9 each). Most of them are dating each other and friends we've had for a long time. We have one more couple that we are close to, but we don't see as often that we want to include in our wedding day. They are already invited to all of the pre wedding events. We are in their wedding (smaller party and less friends of theirs from before they were dating) the weekend after ours. We've been racking our brains for ways to include them in the day that doesn't require giving them a job because they feel too special to give a job to. We were considering a reading or something like that during the ceremony since they are both Catholic like my fiancé and we are trying to include that in our day without it being a full Catholic wedding. I wanted to see if you had any suggestions of ways to include them in a way that honors our friendship without them feeling super left out or like we are just assigning them a job? Answer to #1: You answered your own question a little bit here! The best options feels like readings. The readings don't have to be religious, unless you want them to be. Another fun idea that has grown in popularity recently is Flower Adults (like as opposed to flower girls). They could hold the rings, deliver a poem, sing a song. There are also other elements of Catholicism you could tie in. Are there any parts of a Catholic wedding your fiancé wants to include that they could participate in? Email Question #2: I am in 3 weddings this years, so I've been trying to be the most knowledgeable I can be to help out my friends. One of the brides has a venue that does not allow a rehearsal at the venue, and I know how important rehearsals are. Do you have any ideas on how we can have a rehearsal not at the venue? And how I can convince the bride she does in fact need a rehearsal since the Officiant is an "Unofficial Officiant"? Thanks and keep up the great work! Answer to #2: Check out our Episode #37 (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/episodes/sq1hgq4uadk2ovpuq3ams76fvzqxiu?rq=37), the show notes alone are very informative! Rehearsals are so important! In fact, we dedicated an entire lesson in our Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/) to them. It is absolutely possible to do it outside of the venue. The idea is to walk through the main points of the ceremony. Ultimately it's more about timing than the exact space itself. This helps the big day go so much smoother. Any rehearsal is better than no rehearsal. The location doesn't matter as much as the actual run through. Lobby of the hotel, backyard, etc. all of those places are totally acceptable and doable. Voicemail Question #3: I am getting married in September of 2022 my fiancé and I are super excited. We're getting married at this really cool Blank Slate industrial venue in Cleveland, Ohio. We really wanted to tie in some of our cultural backgrounds, because that's really important to us at this venue. My family is super Polish and we're going to have a Polka Band coming cuz that's something that we do at all of my family parties. And for Sam's side, he's super Italian. So one of the things we wanted to do is different family-style Gnocchi, passed around the table for dinner. And that's kind of where my question comes in. I was curious if you guys have seen family-style work well and how they really designed the table for that. We don't want to light a bunch of candles or have decor that could get knocked over or crushed if we had all of these bowls on top of it and whatnot. Answer to #3: We love family style! Here are some elements to consider: - The size of the table (the bigger the better) - The way the guests are sitting (they need some space) - How many guests are at each table (you probably want 2 platters of each food type) - Decor (a centerpeice on a large round table is still doable) - The food itself (you want things that are easy to share) - Service (you still need wait staff and in some instances, it's best for the wait staff to help serve at each table) - Shape of the table (ideal would be a 72" round or an extra wide banquet table) - Price (Family-style can be more expensive because the caterer needs to order extra food) - Timeline (Considering toasts and that this food service type is typically a little faster than a buffet or sit - down meal) Remember, guests are typically passing the food around the table. When you are passing around the trays, think about the dishes that are being used. Shallow dishes are the standard for something like gnocchi - so it is important to talk to the caterer about logistics. The last thing you want is for the food to spill on a guest as it gets passed around. You don't have to do the whole dinner service family style, but keep it in mind that it does require extra consciousness about each element of the table. It can be more expensive, because you need more of each option on the tray to make sure that everyone gets what they want. The portions can be smaller, but you have to assume that each guest will take one of each option. Centerpieces are not impossible, just keep them low. Voicemail Question #4: I am a Music lover. I'm a musician. I feel like I'm really good at making playlists and creating an Ambience with music. But of course, I can't be my own DJ, right? So my work around is that I am making a playlist I've been working on it, far before I even got engaged and I'm going to have a friend who works in radio emcee the night and play my playlist so I still have the emcee but you know, I get to play all the songs that I've curated. I'm already getting guests talking to me about wanting certain songs played and I know this is a cool thing that some people do if they are doing a playlist. They might ask their guests. Did you want to include a song request, you know on your RSVP, but I personally don't want any of that. I don't want anyone having any say in it. I have thought about my guests and the songs they will like. My partner is from Ecuador, so we have a lot of Latin music included but a lot of old favorites that my family will enjoy as well and I just don't want take requests on the night-of either. I am telling my Emcee to be firm in this but is there anything else I can do? Can there be a nice way of saying this before the music even starts? I think people will really enjoy the playlist if they just let themselves, but you know how drunk people can be so this is just a big concern of mine and I know it might sound a little crazy, but I just really don't want anyone requesting anything. I want my playlist to play because I worked so hard on the order of it! I've just put a lot of time into this. So, I was just wondering if there was a nice way to say this without sounding like the biggest party pooper of all time. Answer to #4: Check out our Episode #46 (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/episodes/wv6lajmysmvlkgatxglvfz71ipslc7?rq=46)! It's all about DJ'ing your own wedding and In it, our guest talks all about the things you need outside of the actual playlist itself. He also suggests having more than one playlist available just in case. We see you have an emcee, so make sure they are completely control of the playlist so you do not have to have any part in that. It's too much stress to add into your day when you should just be able to dance and enjoy. As wedding planners, we always suggest a professional wedding DJ if the budget allows. It is also okay not to have one. You are also not required to take requests, at all. You can even add it to the wedding website so people are not inclined to keep asking. Email Question #5: My fiancé and I got engaged on July 4th, 2020, and have the bulk of the planning for our March 26, 2022 wedding complete (yay!). We're really starting to focus on guest and family experiences, which are some of the things we care the most about with our wedding. Our wedding mission statement is "host a fun, logistically convenient party for all of our family and friends". That said, we come from very different kinds of families. I'm from a big, warm, loud, mushy, huggy, Italian family, and he's from a more reserved, intellectual, independent German and Pennsylvania Dutch family. Our families get along really well, and we both love, appreciate, and enjoy spending time with each other's families. I'm super close with both of my parents (and quite close with my fiancé's parents as well...what can I say, I'm a people person), but while he loves his parents, he's still working on building the kind of warm and fuzzy relationship I have with mine. We recognize that our families and upbringings are different, but there are values from each family that we want to share and build on. All that said, my question centers around how to include my future mother-in-law in our wedding in a way that makes her feel comfortable and feels authentic to the relationship she has with us as a couple and with her son. My father-in-law is a friendly Midwesterner and is excited to be part of as many parts of the wedding as possible (rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception, the whole thing). My future MIL is a brilliant, caring, introvert who I think has a bit of social anxiety. Do you have any ideas of how we can honor my mother-in-law and/or father-in-law in a more subtle way that will still show them and our guests how much we love and appreciate them just the way they are? We did ask my future MIL if we could hold our rings in a beautiful small wooden box that her father made, and she really liked that idea. We would love any suggestions or thoughts you may have! Answer to #5: The best piece of advice we can give to you is to take her cues. Remember that her social anxiety has nothing to do with you or your wedding, or how she feels about your marrying her son. It can be easy to take it personally, but know that it has nothing to do with you. She is advocating for herself about wanting to leave early. She may surprise you and stay longer, but just let that be unexpected and a nice bonus if it happens. It will only happen if she feels heard and comfortable. If they don't feel comfortable doing the mother/son dance (ask mom/ask fiancé), then skip it. You can have a group parent dance if she wants to do it but without being the center of attention. Maybe you can include your siblings, or all the parents/grandparents. Ultimately, just communicate beforehand. She may be more willing than you expected, but regardless she will feel loved for that effort. Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Karlie & Josh got engaged a month before the United States shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite the challenges and uncertainty, they were married in May of 2021. Karlie is an avid listener of The Big Wedding Planning Podcast (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/) AND a user of The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). With our help (yeah, we love hearing that!), Karlie was able to plan a wedding that most of her family and friends had never experienced before. Big Takeaways Karlie & Josh were on a strict budget, and could not afford a wedding planner. However, they were able to pay to consult with a wedding planner multiples times. Having that resource of someone who can help suss out details and ease stresses is a big game changer, even if they can't be included in the whole process Karlie & Josh also purchased The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/) to guide them in their planning and really iron out the details. Assigning people to tasks at specific times, and having the whole day lined up before it starts allowed them to enjoy the day without sweating over each detail when they should be celebrating. Before the ceremony, they opted to exchange gifts and read their vows to each other. These things helped ease the stress and nervousness. They read the more generic vows during the public ceremony, but kept the self-written, more intimate vows private between the two of them when they saw each other the morning of the wedding day. Remember even the most thoughtful beings are still human, be gentle and forgiving with your partner. They will mess up sometimes. The day was a success, but the best day in their opinion was the day after the wedding. Being done with the stress of it all was the biggest relief and it was the day they started off as a married couple. Quotes “You're just like those people that kind of pick you up, and dust you off.” - Karlie to Christy & Michelle “It gave me the great fondness, and love in my heart that all my guests had the ability to do what they wanted to do.” - Karlie “It hit a point where he was like, ‘Karlie, had I known that it was going to be that bad, I would have hired a wedding planner. We would have made it in the budget, because this is just a lot on us right now.'” - Karlie (What Josh told her after the planning) “Value your sanity, more than you value your wedding.” - Karlie (Karlie' advice to those planning a wedding) Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Irina Vishnevskaya, from Alle Travel (https://alletravel.co/ethics-travel-covid-19-october-2020/), joins us again to talk about traveling (especially with honeymoons) mid-pandemic. She shares tips on traveling abroad, how to find out restrictions in other locations, and more. While traveling is different right now, it doesn't mean it can't happen. It's all about adjusting expectations, and having grace for those on the ground. Big Takeaways While the pandemic has shifted and things are starting to open back up, there are still travel restrictions in most countries. Before planning the big getaway, think about whether or not it is worth it. There are places that have been consistently easier to access if you are vaccinated, like Iceland, Hawaii, etc. The CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html) and State Department (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/) websites have a detailed breakdown of every country and their current status with Covid as well as travel restrictions. Keep in mind that the state department is approaching it from a safety standpoint. As an example, while New Zealand is safe in terms of Covid cases, they are not allowing tourism, so you will have to do more research. Remember, even with traveling with less restrictions, every body is still reeling from shut downs. Some stores might be closed, or hotels under staffed, or restaurant hours cut. Just be mindful. As far as vaccine passports go, it is unlikely that there will ever be a globally accepted passport, but be mindful of how to show you have been vaccinated. Keep your card with you at all times, take a picture, laminate, etc. As of now, if travelling abroad, in order to return to the U.S., you will have to give proof of a negative Covid test. Hawaii is a very popular destination right now, but it comes with its own issues. Lack of rental cars, limited hotels, etc. Book your car before your flight! Europe, Costa Rica, and Mexico are other great options. Flight times are changing pretty consistently. You are buying a flight for the day, but the time is likely to change. Do not try to plan a tight schedule. Things will change and shift. TSA is also delayed and airports are packed. Give yourself plenty of time for travel. Dream big, but accept the mental load of what that means! Check money back options, in case you have to cancel or change dates. Get comfortable with the small print. Traveler's insurance does not cover COVID restrictions. If a flight is cancelled, they have to give you a credit. Links We Referenced alletravel.co Alle Travel (https://alletravel.co/ethics-travel-covid-19-october-2020/) Alle on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/alletravels/) CDC Travel Recommendations (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html) US Dept of State Travel Advisories (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/) UK Government Travel Advisories (https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus) Australian Government Dept. of Health (https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-%20covid-19-case-numbers-and-statistics) Quotes “Napa Valley is incredible. The Pacific Northwest. There's just so many good options in this country too. So if the unknown feels like, “ugh!” Don't do that to yourself. There is no need to torture. Your honeymoon should not be a source of stress.” - Irina “Keep in mind you can research and talk to people, but ultimately there's always going to be a bit of a wild card. And just accepting that.” - Irina “Just please have grace. Know that nobody is wishing you ill. They're just doing their best.” - Irina “Europe is such a rich destination and every country as so much to offer, even though it's so tiny. I know as Americans we're always like, ‘It's the size of Rhode Island! I can do like 10 countries in 10 days. That's so cool.' What we have always wished is for clients to focus more in Europe because there is so much more. Please trust me you can spend two weeks, three weeks in any European country and never get bored.” - Irina Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast). Become a member and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Our guests are Shia and Shashank Gupta, the sister and brother team behind Nazranaa (https://nazranaanj.com/), the biggest Indian bridal boutique in the country. They design and offer South Asian Wedding Wardrobes, and are sharing all you need to know. From figuring out what to wear during all the wedding festivities to navigating expectations of parents Shia & Shashank are the leading South Asian designers in the US and they help couples look Instagram ready on their wedding day. To them, they are not just outfits but memories. The owners of Nazranaa, the biggest Indian bridal boutique in the country, are also the hosts and Executive producers of the hit reality web series, Nazranaa Diaries (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCojWWxmazRznwpqJPPT7uyw), which has over 14 million views. Their work has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo, South Asian Bride Magazine, Brown Girl Magazine - to name a few. Big Takeaways More South Asian weddings are considered marriages of two families, and not two individuals, so there tends to be much more family involvement in every step of the wedding planning process. South Asian couplese often to see each other in their wedding wardrobes far before the wedding day itself. There is a lot factors like matching colors and fits that come into play. The magic, though, is still just as potent during the ceremony. Shivangi and Shashank's customers often leave their dresses with them for alterations and such before the big day. So there is an added element of joy and surprise when they go back to pick them up. You don't have to go completely traditional nor "off the rack". There is so much customization that can be done. Links We Referenced Nazranaa Diaries Web Series on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCojWWxmazRznwpqJPPT7uyw) nazranaanj.com (https://nazranaanj.com/) Nazranaa on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nazranaanj/) Nazranaa on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nazranaanj/) Nazranaa on Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/nazranaanj/_shop/) Quotes “I used to be a below average student when I was in India. I was a straight-A student when I moved to the US. But never has my dad looked at our report cards. He never cared about our studies. He always believed that kids should be allowed to play and grow.” - Shashank “How do you know what job to dedicate? So the standard is, if you think someone can do that work 75% as efficiently as you can, hand it over.” - Shashank “Whether it's your mom, whether it's your dad, whether it's your best friend, until they're supportive - I'm not saying you shouldn't guide the bride to do the right thing, that's exactly why we're here - but if you don't like something there is a way to say it. There is a way to convey that message without being very dramatic about things.” - Shivangi “Once you see her coming down that aisle - you could [have seen] her in that outfit in the store a million times - but once you see her coming down that aisle in her full get-up, it's a memory.” -Shashank Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

On the last Wednesday of every month, Christy & Michelle answer listener questions live on the show - YAWA! This month we're answering questions about Catering Compromises, Sibling Issues, Airbnb Weddings, Listener Comments on Our Recent Episode with Linsday, and more! Question #1: Compromising on catering and dealing with a sibling issue The first detail is the caterer. Fiancé really wants to go with a PA Dutch-style caterer, but I prefer a farm-to-table vendor that we found. Both are on our venue's preferred vendor list, so that isn't helpful in making a decision. I understand that PA Dutch food is really good and a family staple for him, but I'm thinking about our guests and various food sensitivities, and feel that farm-to-table would be more accessible for our families. Any input would be appreciated. The second detail is one of our potential guests. My older sister (I'm one of 5) and I don't have a great relationship. I'm non-binary, and over Christmas 2 years ago, she made some really terrible comments about both my sexuality and gender identity. I originally didn't want to invite her at all, but my family sort of guilted me into it. I know I probably won't have much one-on- one time with her, but some members of my wedding party (mixed genders) will be wearing suits, as that's what makes them comfortable and their comfort is important to me. I know my parents would be upset if she wasn't there, but I'm not willing to put people that I am on good terms with in the position of possibly having their choice of clothing lead to insults of their character. Again, any advice would be more appreciated than I can tell you. Answer to #1: Sound's like you got off to a great start with wedding planning! Caterer: PA Dutch-style caterer, but I prefer a farm-to-table. Can you compromise? Can you do PA Dutch-style for cocktail hour and F to T for dinner? OR Can you maybe do stations for dinner and have them themed so that you get the both of both worlds? Inviting Your Sister: I'm sorry to hear that your sister is unaccepting and was hurtful to you about who you are. That is really difficult. You have 4 sisters, wow! I can see how it's important for your parents that all of their children be present at the wedding. I do think inviting her is the right thing to do, but I would hope that you did not ask her to be a member of your wedding party...did you?? There is no certainty that you sister will cause a scene. Even your language on your email said "possibly having their choice of clothing lead to insults of their character." I think having her there, but as you said not really giving much one-on-one time to her, should be fine. I see estranged siblings at weddings all the time and they typically behave. HOWEVER, if she starts acting up and being rude and loud leading up to the wedding and giving you the impression that she will not behave on your wedding day, then you have every right to un-invite her. Additionally, I want you to remember and keep in mind all the other family and friends that love and support you and that will be there on your wedding day. Don't focus on the negative and don't let it worry you. Question #2: Can we rent an Airbnb for our Wedding? My fiancé and I are on a tighter budget for our wedding and since his mom knows many vendors in our area that could provide us a tent, chairs and tables, etc., we're looking to maybe do a backyard wedding. The only problem with that is that we aren't all that close with anyone we know that have big enough backyards for even just the reception. I remember hearing about renting an Airbnb with a big, beautiful backyard for a wedding - is this even doable? Have y'all ever done an Airbnb wedding or know even how to go about this? We want to have around 100 guests so I don't know if having so many people at a rented place like this is even possible. Answer to #2: It is not entirely impossible, but that would be generally with less than 50 people. Not may Airbnb property owners allow parties or events, so there is a lot of searching that would need to be done to find one. You then have to communicate with the owners directly. Make sure the contract states that the date cannot be pulled or changed by the owner. Ask specific questions about capacity, parking, local noise ordinance, and all their policies. peerspace.com (https://www.peerspace.com/) is a company that aggregates properties that are available to rent for meetings, etc. That might be a good place to research. There is a lot that goes into a private home wedding, so make sure you have every detail figured out from trash to parking to where cooking will be, etc. Question #3: My fiance is in a wheelhair Fiancé is in a wheelchair, and the bride wonders if she should be sitting or standing during the ceremony. Answer to #3: Do what feels right to you. There is no right answer. There are ways to stand and sit, only sitting, only standing, etc. The decision might be made right then and there at the ceremony. It is not uncommon for the couple to be sitting the whole time (ie: Catholic Mass Ceremony). Maybe have a chair available off to the side, and if you start to feel like you want to sit in it, do so. You don't have to be given permission for any movement. It's your day! Pinterest is a great resource to see ways that others have done this. Just search "wheelchair wedding" Question #4: Religious mom wants religion in our ceremon and we do not My mother is very religious and wants [religion] to be a huge part of our ceremony. However, my fiancé is not religious and doesn't really want it to be a religious ceremony. My parents are paying for most of [the wedding], and I want to make her happy, so we are going to include a few elements including some readings. The biggest issue is the Officiant. We really want to have one of our friends officiate, as we want it to really be personal to us, but my mom wants it to be a pastor. It's causing a riff between us to where I get nervous to even talk about the ceremony with her because I don't want to have the same conversation over again (I don't do well with confrontation and want everyone to be happy). How can we make her understand that it's important to us to have someone we know and love marry us instead of someone that we don't know (we live in Seattle and the wedding will be in Illinois)? Answer to #4: I'm happy you are compromising and incorporating some readings. When someone else is paying for the wedding, it does often come with their demands. Are they DEMANDING this or are they just nagging? I too hate confrontation, but you are going to have to have it if this is important to you. I would use the wording you wrote in your email. "I don't want to have the same conversation over again"
 "it's important to us to have someone we know and love marry us instead of someone that we don't know” Tell her that you are so thankful they want to pay for the wedding, but that this is something that you and your partner are not willing to do. Tell her that you love and respect her and don't want to fight about this. There is no easy way to have this conversation, so you just have to have it and then stop talking about it. You may also consider not taking the money from your parents if things don't get better. Is that an option? You don't want this to become a big fight, so choose your battles wisely and perhaps see if there are any other compromises you and your partner are willing to make with regard to the ceremony. Links We Referenced Michelle Walker Photography (https://michellewalker.com/) - California based Peerspace.com (https://www.peerspace.com/) Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Kirsten and Margie talk to Christy all about their experience wedding planning as a Queer couple during the Pandemic. They share replanning their wedding multiple times, marriage equality, and more. Things get edgy on this one, so buckle up and enjoy! Kirstin is a creative living and desperately trying to thrive in Los Angeles, the land of creatives. She is a passionate dog mom, plant connoisseur, blossoming baker, and newlywed to her wonderful wife, Margie, who she has with her today too! Margie works in the talent agency space, is an intersectional feminist, a foodie at heart, and an aspiring forest hag. Kirstin, the creator of the Queerlyweds blog (https://hellokirstin.com/queerlyweds), states the goal of Queerlyweds is to be a wedding planning guide for Queer people where they can feel safe, seen, and secure. Everything she writes is based on real-life experiences and she always include personal anecdotes in her writing. Big Takeaways * Kirstin and Margie wrote their vows together and read them one line at time, switching back and forth. They found it so magical, and mesmerizing. * They ultimately decided to get married in October 2020, before the election, because of fears around the potential of losing marriage equality, and therefore certain rights that come in medical emergencies, etc. They made the decision to be sure they were protected. * The use of “bride” so widely can create a bit of an emotional labor overload. There is a lot of extra work to be done to increase representation. * Something to look for on vendor websites and social media grids that show representation/queer friendliness is language. Word choice, descriptions, explanations, etc. Ex: how heavily gendered is their content? Is their idea of weddings open-ended? * Because of the smaller wedding, and needing to be particular about who was attending, they eliminated plus-ones, unless they were friends of the couple. They also organized a small cocktail party for those who weren't invited, but in the end felt that it was unnecessary. Some Potential Vendor Red Flags: * Use of the word "Jesus" can sometimes be a veiled way of saying the vendor does not do queer weddings * Terms like "Boss Babe" and "Boss Bitch" plays into hustle culture in a weird way, and can really come off as aggressively feminine Links We Referenced Queerlyweds on Instgram (https://www.instagram.com/queerlyweds/) Kirsten on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellokirstin/) hellokirstin.com/queerlyweds (https://hellokirstin.com/queerlyweds) Quotes “If this is what is going to happen, if this is the course of events that life is handing us, then that's okay. Let's make the most of it. Let's still do the thing that's going be incredible and beautiful and we're going to be surrounded by people that we love, to celebrate us. We have these people that want to throw together a wedding for us in a week. Which was absolutely wild to me.” -Kirstin “If marriage equality wasn't in the position that it's in, I really wouldn't feel pressured to get married. I don't really think that marriage is necessary.” - Margie “Unfortunately, us existing is political. And us moving through the world. Us moving through the bridal industrial complex is political.” - Margie “I already know that I exist as a person that experiences certain marginalizations, I don't need my vendors to remind me. I really don't need that.” - Margie Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Combining faiths and religious traditions into a ceremony can be both beautiful and confusing. Our guest, Rabbi Block is the master of dual and even multi-faith ceremonies. And of course, being that he is a Rabbi, we are getting some great insight into Jewish ceremonies as well. Rabbi Kenneth Block (https://rabbionthego.com/) began his rabbinical career in 1974 as the Rabbi of the Jewish Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland. In 1978, Rabbi Block was honored with the Boston College Alumni Association Award of Excellence for Religion. Rabbi Block retired after 40 years as an addiction Chaplain for the Veterans Administration Maryland Health Care Systems and as the Chaplain for the Bel Air, Maryland Volunteer Fire Company. Aside from the innumerable weddings and other religious and secular ceremonies Rabbi Block has performed in association with specific organizations, he has written and performed well over 500 ceremonies outside of those affiliations. Rabbi Block describes Jewish ceremonies, as well as weddings that are combined with other clergy and belief systems. Big Takeaways * There is a difference between being religious and being observant. Rabbi Block highlights how religion is about having relationships with others, so that makes marriage religious, inherently. * Rabbi Block officiates many many weddings, and he is not only available to a certain crowd, or congregation. In fact, his credo is, “No couple should be denied the right to be joined together.” * Fun history bit: Bridesmaids and groomsmen were originally included as a line of defense when two rival families came together. * If the officiant is your dad and is also walking you down the aisle, logistically you should absolutely have a planner to help with this. There is a lot of thought that goes into this process and no one wants to be worried about this on their wedding day! If you must do it on your own, get all the right resources ahead of time (planning courses, etc.) so you aren't scrambling on the day of. Links We Referenced rabbionthego.com (https://rabbionthego.com/) Rabbi Block on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrGzwWwGKWrgKfU53XPjYbA) Washington Post Article (https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-jewish-wedding-for-two-non-jews/2011/10/14/gIQAwaRvYN_story.html) Quotes “People [often] say, ‘I'm not religious.' Well if you weren't religious you wouldn't be talking to me, so it's important to separate being religious from being observant.” - Rabbi Block “The goal is always one ceremony, two traditions, regardless of what the two traditions are.” - Rabbi Block “I have come a millimeter from being Obi-Wan. I have been two millimeters from being Gandalf. But, always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” - Rabbi Block “It's always what the couple wants, not what I want.” - Rabbi Block “There are no wedding ceremonies described in old or new testament.” - Rabbi Block Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Some people start planning before they are officially engaged. It really does happen a lot more than you might think. Our guest this week is Lindsey Leardi. Lindsey has been a listener of the podcast for several months. She is not engaged yet, but she knows it's coming. She has started planning her wedding and we wanted to know more. Oh, and we have decided that Lindsey is our honorary little sister...we adore her! Big Takeaways * Set up a separate email that is just for your wedding! This is a great way to organize communications and saves time trying to hunt down emails later on. * When it comes to wedding parties, they are much less common than before. When they do happen, they tend to be very small, or mixed genders. When you have a wedding party, and a lot of friends, it can create a lot of drama or frustration. That is not to say it's bad to have one, but when you have a lot of close friends, it can create a big challenge when choosing. * Another consideration is that being a bridesmaid, especially, is costly. According to a WeddingWire article from 2017, the average cost was $1200 per person. That price has only gone up since then. * The pressures of the big fancy wedding are still here post-covid times. Especially with social media. It's important to remember that you can do what you want and what works for you. Comparing people with very different resources and experiences is a fruitless effort. *Links We Referenced * weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/actual-cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid (https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/actual-cost-of-being-a-bridesmaid) Quotes “Who in your group of friends makes you feel like the best version of yourself? Because that's who you want in your close proximity orbit on your wedding day.” - Christy “People say, ‘you can say no,' I mean how often does that happen? Who says no? Who is asked to a bridesmaid and then is like, umm..?” - Lindsey Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Georgia Clark joins us to talk about her new rom-com novel, It Had To Be You (https://www.georgiaclark.com/it-had-to-be-you), set in the world of wedding planning in NYC. She also shares tips and fun stories of her own wedding planning experience. Big Takeaways During her research for the book and her own wedding, Georgia (https://www.georgiaclark.com/about-georgia-clark) dug into where traditions come from. For instance, she found out that the idea that an engagement ring needs to cost 3x your monthly salary comes from a jewelry company's marketing campaign. Georgia, an Australian, married an American woman, and found that there were a lot of feelings that came up with such a big decision. It meant leaving her home life behind, having a wedding thousands of miles away from her family and dear friends, etc. There was a lot of emphasis on making a loving and connected experience for their wedding, especially since so many people were traveling in for the celebrations. They had a phone-free wedding! Their personal friend, author and speaker, Esther Perel (https://www.estherperel.com/) talked and led a conversation to help get real connectivity between guests. Links We Referenced georgiaclark.com (https://www.georgiaclark.com/) generationwomen.us (https://www.generationwomen.us/) estherperel.com (https://www.estherperel.com/) bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwtdeFBhBAEiwAKOIy53ybuMGd2OLavmrDG5rwEoaIvG9VuAP2Y0EJ8lCXhRXJbT5uY8az4hoCbVkQAvD_BwE) indiebound.org (https://www.indiebound.org/) bhldn.com (https://www.bhldn.com/) Quotes “It's funny actually, the more I think about it, how similar writing a novel and wedding planning is.” - Georgia “We've been together for five years when we got engaged. So, we have been through things together, and lived together, and knew each other pretty well. But you're still constantly learning how to live with another human being and make them happy, and make you happy, and make you happy as a couple. Which are three totally different things, and completely different agendas. And to truly be able to do that is tough, you know?” - Georgia “In our family dynamics, we are generally raised for autonomy or raised for loyalty. And if you're raised for autonomy, then the values are go out into the world, go and see it, do it on your own, independence is important. What are your ideas, as opposed to the community's ideas? That's being raised for autonomy. Or you're raised for loyalty which means family is first, family is everything.” - Georgia “It's sort of an interesting part of the book, that the central relationship, of what is certainly a romantic comedy, is not a sexual relationship. And it's not between a man and a woman. It's between two women.” - Georgia Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

On the last Wednesday of every month, Christy & Michelle answer listener questions live on the show - YAWA! This month we're answering questions about: Destination wedding logistics / Hybrid wedding invitations / Food for a multi-cultural wedding / Surprise pregnancy while wedding planning / who to share wedding excitement with when nobody you're around regularly are invited to the wedding. Question #1: Voicemail Couple lives in Hawaii and family lives on the mainland. They have decided to have wedding in Hawaii but they have not resolved the guest list issue. They have a lot of potential guests, large family, etc. There are still some COVID restrictions in place, max 100 people including wedding staff. It's also later next year, so they might not have the same restrictions. They don't want to hurt feelings, but make sure people know about the limits. What should they do with Save The Dates? How can we make our guests feel welcomed to the destination? Answer to #1: Just send Save The Dates to the 100 people for now. Not invitations! Don't talk about it anymore with your family, you don't have to make the big decision now. Make a list, whittle it down to 100 people as the A List, and then make a B List for if restrictions are removed or people say no. Don't rush anyone to RSVP quickly. Because it's a destination wedding, send the Save The Dates earlier than you normally would, this gives time for the guests to make plans. There are lots of things you can do for the guests at a destination wedding. If you are having everyone at one hotel/resort for the whole wedding, it would be really nice to leave a little gift in their room. People will most likely want to adventure and explore on their own. And if your budget is not huge, this is plenty to make everyone feel warm and welcome. Question #2: I have a question about addressing invitations. Due to COVID restrictions and an over abundance of caution, my fiancé and I decided to do a pretty small wedding of 60 people (which is hard with two Mexican families)! We have also decided to stream our wedding to include family members we can't invite to physically come to the wedding. Because of this, we are having 3 types of invitations: 1) physical guest invitation 2) virtual guest invitation 3) hybrid invitation where part of a single household is invited physically and the other is virtually. For the hybrid, it's mostly split between parents who are invited in person and their kids (ages ranging from 1 year to over 21) who are invited virtually. My question is how to address these hybrid invitations - should I have 2 separate invites in the envelope with the parents names on one card and the other with the kids names? Or if they are older kids, maybe 15+, should they just get a completely separate invite? I'm not sure what makes the most sense. Answer to #2: We've talked so much about this topic, but never this specific angle - about invitations for the same event, but two different ways, and to members of the same family. I'm actually not sure of the best answer! I'd like to answer this with Michelle on a YAWA if that's ok with you. I'm going to put it in the outline for this month's YAWA now. We usually record those in the last 10 days or so of the month. In the meantime - my thinking is this - I think you should send the main invitations to the in- person wedding to everyone you are inviting. Address the invitations specifically to the people invited - using their full names. If there are kids in the household - include an insert in the invitation with the virtual information. I don't think you need to send a separate invitation to them for the virtual component. If you are inviting some people to the virtual wedding and they live just the two of them (so NOT the hybrid families), you can send them their own invitations with all of the virtual info. I hope this makes sense! You can also send the invitations for the in-person guests first, and then send out the invitations for the virtual guests a few weeks later. Some of the in-person invitees might decline and opt to just attend virtually. I think it would be the most clear if you just include an insert in the mail invitation that you're sending to the parents. You could even hand write on it - “Jane and Hank- I'd love to have you join us on the live stream via zoom that we are setting up for the wedding. Hope to celebrate with you in person later in the year!” And then the insert is just the virtual information. I don't think a separate invitation or anything that official/formal is necessary. Question 3: My fiancé and I are having our wedding in October 2022 and we're starting to plan things out and create a budget and look at vendors etc etc. My fiancé, Jonathan, is Mexican and I'm white. We're both from the US but he and his family definitely have a lot of traditions and customs that we will be incorporating into the wedding. One of these will be the food. Most of the Mexican weddings and parties we've been to normally serve carnitas (pork), rice, and beans, as well as tortillas. We want to provide this for our Mexican guests (who will likely be the majority) because we feel that is what they will be expecting. BUT I want to provide other options for members of my family who maybe don't eat pork and are probably expecting other options such as chicken or beef. Our plan for the Mexican food is to buy the carnitas already cooked and then my future MIL would be making all the rice and beans, and we would have a buffet style. What I am wondering is: are we able to do that, but also have a catering company as well to provide more options for my side of the family and other friends of ours who maybe aren't too keen on Mexican food? Answer to #3: Not every Mexican wedding has to have carnitas. You could choose different protein options! Since the pork is more divisive, it might make sense to offer chicken or carne asada. Caterers often do not like to even touch a job where there is homemade food available. It is a liability. The go around is instead of getting it catered, you can pick up or have food delivered. Then the staff isn't there and they do not have liability. You can set that other food up the same way, as a second buffet. You can look into staffing companies for servers who are just there to serve food but have no liability with food preparation. Question # 4: Voicemail Bride is pregnant and family is saying they need to wed before delivery. But it isn't what she wants and isn't sure how to tell them they don't want a courthouse wedding. Also, she wants to know how to feel like a bride in this season, planning for a baby and not really focusing on the wedding. Answer to #4: There is no reason, unless you need it legally, to worry about getting married before the baby is born. The wedding is for you. This is the beginning of many times your family will interject and tell you what they think is best. And it's coming from a good place. But this is the start of your new life together. If what you want to do is wait until next year June 4th, then that is what you should do. And your baby doesn't care if you're married or not. This way they can also be in the photos! Planning a wedding and getting ready for a baby are not mutually exclusive! If you're going to wait until next year to have the wedding, that gives you room to be the expectant mom and THEN plan your wedding. Question #5: We currently live in Sweden but are planning our wedding to be stateside in 2022. Living in Sweden, my fiancé and I have made several new friends, but we are actually not planning on inviting them to the USA wedding, as our guest list with family and closest friends is already at 150 people and we are working with a more limited budget. I have really been enjoying the wedding planning process and sometimes feel excited to share it with the people I talk to here, but have hesitated to do so, since I am not planning on inviting them to the wedding. Some of the people most likely already would understand, but some might expect an invitation. Is there an unspoken code to who you can talk to about wedding planning details when you're spending so much time on it and just so excited? Do you have to reciprocate bridal party memberships, and how can you break it to someone if you won't reciprocate, nor likely give an invite to them? My fiancé and I plan to host a party in Sweden before or after we have our wedding next year with all of our Swedish community, so that we can have a chance to celebrate with the friends we've made here. Answer to # 5: Stop being so friendly! You don't have to appease everyone that loves you. And you are clearly very loved. Our suggestion was going to be what you said here! Have a reception/party in Sweden and invite all those people that love you but are not getting invited to the big day. You do not have to reciprocate bridal party memberships! You're going to have a great time. You have the right ideas here. Links We Referenced zola.com/bigwedding (https://welcome.zola.com/allproducts_alldevices_50/?pkey=bigweddingpod&utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=bigwedding&) - SAVE50 manlybands.com/bigwedding (https://manlybands.com/?utm_content=bigwedding&utm_source=veritone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_term=january&utm_campaign=podcast) Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. Thank you to our new Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast) members! You all make it possible to keep this podcast going. Amber D. / Laura G. / Toni D. / Karina A. / Lauren G. / Kaitlin S. / Kerry L. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Y'all. WEDDING PLANNING IS HARD.  There are 4,654,643,842 wedding planning resources (wedding planning tools, checklists, and budgets) available for free on the web. 4,654,643,826 are wrong. LIES! #fakenews.  The best example, google "wedding budget".  You're going to get 12k arbitrary budgets, none of which have I found to be correct.  Why?  Because every wedding is different. Depending on where you are getting married in the world, the number of guests you are having, your priorities, etc. these are the things that actually influence your budget. That budget you found at planmyweddingbudgetperfectly.com doesn't know or take these things into consideration.We also chat about why sometimes its best to hire an amazing, well seasoned day-of coordinator vs a low quality inexperienced full service wedding planner.In this episode Michelle and Christy are going to tell you about their new wedding planning masterclass. They created it for those who are planning on their own.  They created to give you a sigh of relief.Michelle Martinez and Christy Matthews are the creators, producers and hosts of The Big Wedding Planning Podcast, a show for anyone involved with planning a wedding. Since 2016, and with over 245 episodes, Michelle and Christy have brought heart, humor, and honesty to a diverse community in the midst of planning their weddings.Their message and mission? Inclusivity is key. Perfection is a myth. Wedding Planning for ALL!Your bonus: The Big Wedding Planning Masterclass discount code is THISVSTHAT . Here's the link: https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/My Wedding Spending Plan.  Here is the link . Make the most out of your wedding budget, most likely save you money & take out the stress of wedding spending. This multi page digital workbook shows you how to make a spending plan that keeps you in check and without money stress. Listen to this episode for more.Brought to you by 175 questions to know you are prepared for your wedding day. A wedding planning  workbook to ensure every detail has been planned & finalized. On sale now!Places to go - People to see:Kelly's Site: http://www.kellymcwilliams.comKelly's Blog: https://www.kellymcwilliams.com/blogInstagram: @kellyamcwilliams @thisvsthatweddingpodcastWebsite: https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast/Previous Episodes: https://thisvsthatweddingpodcast.buzzsprout.com/About Kelly:A vet of the wedding industry, Kelly knows how incredible a wedding can be. She creates  from scratch and believes every moment counts and every decision plays a part in what makes your event magnificent. She believes in making events beautiful AND fun.  Published & recognized locally, nationally and globally including Martha Stewart Top Wedding Planner, Brides magazine and WeddingWire's best podcast. Home is in SWFL with husband Kelly J , mom to Maddy & Emily and dogs Reau & Olive.Thank you to my rockstar Podcast Editor: Lance Panton

In this episode, we're calling bullsh#t on the wedding being "all about the bride". A wedding is the union of 2 people. Let's pay attention and pamper each them...equally! The dedicated groomsmen coordinator concept began to develop as founder Cameron Fontaine (https://www.fontaineconcierge.com/aboutus) decided to elevate the experience of his groom clients. While working as the Made-To-Measure specialist for a luxury menswear retailer, clients would come in to have bow ties made within an hour of their wedding. While attending to these sometimes frantic gentlemen, Cameron realized that the bride would never have to leave her room for anything on her wedding day. Why should the groom have to? After identifying this void in the wedding service industry, Cameron began to offer what is now referred to as "Day-of Groomsmen Concierge”. These services included pressing shirts, primping groomsmen, staging photography, pinning boutonnières, and of course tying bow ties. *Big Takeaways * * When it comes to the wedding day between a bride and groom, the bride is often pampered in unexpected ways, while the groom doesn't even expect special treatment. Think about the things the groom wants from his experience, allow room for a little selfishness in the brainstorming time. * The special day should be special for both of the couple! There can be a lot of missed moments from things being done in the old way, like the groom getting dressed. * When planning with the photographer, they don't need as much time in the groom's room, but it can be meaningful to have them pop in to take photos of the "getting ready" process too. * All this translates to two grooms as well! Cameron's Tips for getting dressed on the wedding day 1. Wear your pants at their proper height 2. No show socks - loafers are popular 3. Know the proper way to tuck your shirt 4. Wear suspenders with a tuxedo, and a belt with a suit 5. Have an emergency sewing kit and lint roller on hand 6. Have someone else put on your cuff links and use this as a photo op 7. Everyone should get dressed at the same time for the photos 8. Have a second shirt handy *Links We Referenced * FontaineConcierge.com (Mention the Big Wedding Planning Podcast for 20% off or use code: BIGWEDDING) instagram.com/fontaineconcierge facebook.com/fontaineconcierge Quotes “I think the word of the day is intention. Asking the groom, ‘what is the one thing you want for yourself?'Just think about that and get him into a selfish mindset, just for a second, to start identifying the things the groom wants for their experience.” - Cameron “Be authentic in your experience.” - Cameron “To me, I feel like it's not so much, it's just the same things that are happening on the bride's side.” - Cameron “How many times do you get to be your own James Bond? You're going to be dressed to the nines. You're going to be in a beautiful venue. You're probably going to be transported in a super nice car. Take those shots. Get that photography and that video of you looking the best ". - Cameraon Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Hosts of the new unscripted Netflix show, “Marriage or Mortgage,” Sarah Miller and Nichole Holmes are our guests on this one! Sarah Miller (https://southernvineco.com/meet-sarah/) is a wedding planner and Nichole Holmes (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nichole-holmes-b68b821/) works in real estate. The show centers around trying to convince a client to either choose the house or choose the wedding. Also on this episode, have the pleasure of interviewing Denise & Nick who were one of the couples on the show. Denise & Nick were fetatured on episode 2 and chose....Mortgage! tThey share the decision to pick a house over a wedding. As an added bonus, we had a few TBWPP listeners and fans of Marriage of Mortgage on the Zoom call so they would have an opportunity to watch and ask questions. Big Takeaways When it comes to having a wedding planner, a huge bonus is their connections. Sarah, for instance, has planned weddings in Nashville for many years, and has strong ties with her vendors. She can help get costs down, and find the best team for couple's big day. Remember the most important part of the decision making is how you begin the commitment you give to each other. You can get a house without getting married. You can get married without a wedding, etc. Questions from the Zoom audience: Q: Is there a season 2 in the works? 
 A: Not sure yet! Keep watching and get the numbers in. Q: Did you ever want to shake someone to choose the house over the wedding? A: Every one! Ultimately they get to choose. Links We Referenced netflix.com/title/81113929 Southern Vine & Co. (https://southernvineco.com/) Quotes “Hiring a wedding planner saves you money, saves you time...everything in the long run.” - Sarah “You can get a house, put the majority of the money down, and then have something intimate, and special, and meaningful and still have all of the 'ooey gooey' loveliness that this one thinks they should have.” - Nichole “It is all about us digging deep and trying to know our couples, in real life and on the show, and really figure out what they want. And meet those expectations or exceed them as much as we can.” - Sarah Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics. * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)

Gone are the days of calling that big tux rental place. Gone are the days of seeing your Groomsmen wearing that ill-fitting suit. Gone are the days of spending hundreds of dollars on renting a tux or suit that's been worn by a hundred people before you...yuck. Enter SuitShop! SuitShop (formerly The Groomsman Suit) is changing the old, archaic way of suiting. They are an all-inclusive, brilliant, affordable, excellent quality brand. Listen in as Christy and Michelle interview co-founders Jeanne Foley & Diana Ganz, who by the way have been friends since the 3rd grade! Oh, and you're welcome! ;) SuitShop is the first and only brand to offer a coordinated collection of suiting for men, women, non-binary individuals, and children. They're very size-inclusive, offering one of the largest size ranges of any brand. Additionally, their three adult fits are interchangeable allowing individuals to mix and match combinations to find a fit they prefer. Jeanne Foley is a fashion industry expert and entrepreneur who co-founded The Groomsman Suit in 2016. Jeanne spent 12+ years in the fashion industry, engineering apparel fit & construction as a Technical Designer for Under Armour, Abercrombie & Fitch and Talbots. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fashion Design from the Illinois Institute of Art. Prior to co-founding The Groomsman Suit, Diana Ganz served as Chief Executive Officer for two different Boston based companies. She earned her degree in Biopsychology from the University of Michigan and graduated with an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Together, they join us to talk about building a company, friendship in business, rebranding, and great suits. *Big Takeaways * SuitShop provides a high-quality suit that looks great, fits very well, is comfortable, and affordable. While other retailers offer sets and extremely high-priced options for custom orders, SuitShop offer separates so you can find the right pieces for you. They are not ‘true custom' but they have every size imaginable, and you can mix and match. The company takes pride in its quality and sizing. Fit is a priority at SuitShop! If a customer doesn't know their size at all - the technology on their site asks questions like height, weight, age, shoe size, and typical pants waist size. The system then calculates with the fit finder and suggests the best-fit options. From there, customers can do virtual appointments and talk to a team member. Their suits are lightweight, and travel well! The price point is between $194 and $294. Their suits are less expensive or the same price as a rental. They offer a free at-home 7-day trial with a free exchange policy. They also offer shoes, ties, shirts, accessories and more. *Links We Referenced * SuitShop.com (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) (Code: BIGWEDDING10 for 10% off) Quotes “When times get really tough, you have to have that person that's just your rock.” - Diana “Our supply chain is super lean. We manufacture our fabric from raw materials, and we are really excited to be working on new material with stretch and recycled components, which is super important in the fashion industry.” - Jeanne “We get so many customers saying ‘I really didn't think I would get a suit that fit me ever, off the rack, at this price point.' And they're always amazed.” - Jeanne Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class (https://www.thebigweddingplanningmasterclass.com/). A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle. The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... * Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez. * Edited by Veronica Gruba. * Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics (https://www.mophonics.com/). * On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! * Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. * Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode * On Patreon. Become a member (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonuse episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle! Our Partners (https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/partners) Special Deals for Listeners - TBWPP Enthusiastically Approved! Wedfuly (https://wedfuly.com/bigwedding/) SuitShop (https://suitshop.com/?utm_campaign=EngagedLeads&utm_content=BWPPPartnership&utm_medium=BWPP&utm_source=ReferralLink) FlowerMoxie (https://flowermoxie.com/pages/the-big-wedding-podcast) The Flashdance (https://www.theflashdance.com/virtual-party-the-big-wedding-planning-podcast) Cactus Collective (https://www.cactus-collective.com/the-big-wedding-planning-podcast/) Unboring Wedding Academy (https://www.unboringweddingacademy.com/bigwedding/)