If you haven't checked out the BrideChilla Podcast - you should!  I was lucky enough to be asked back as a guest to talk about High Impact, Low Cost Wedding Wisdom.

Keith Willard is back, and he is bringing stories, strategy, and straight-talk wedding wisdom. Fresh off a marathon stretch of events, Keith shares what that whirlwind taught him about sanity, planning, and what truly matters on a wedding day.

In this conversation, Leah and Keith dive into how couples can create high-impact wedding moments without blowing the budget, why managing expectations is just as important as choosing the right vendors, and what couples should finally stop wasting money and energy on. Keith also shares some of his favorite creative, meaningful ways to elevate your celebration while staying grounded in what really matters.

If you want your wedding to feel intentional, elevated, and smartly spent, this episode is for you.

Listen to more of the BrideChilla podcast: https://www.thebridechilla.com/ 

Find Keith on Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/keithwillard⁠

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

 

This special Episode I am a guest on the AMAZING BrideChilla podcast.  If you haven't listened to it, you should.  Check out all of their podcasts at  http://thebridechilla.com 

Join Leah and luxury event planner ⁠Keith Willard⁠ for a deep dive into the craft of unforgettable wedding planning. From organizing childhood penny drives to collaborating with industry icons like Colin Cowie and David Tutera, Keith shares how his journey shaped his signature, high-touch approach.

Together, they explore:

• How to create an amazing wedding at any budget—whether it’s $5K or $500
• The emotional impact of thoughtful, personal touches
• Insider insights from celebrity weddings
• Smart planning tools including wedding websites, QR codes, and AI

Plus, Keith shares behind-the-scenes details from Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck’s wedding—and what everyday couples can learn from high-profile events. This is a must-listen for couples, planners, and anyone who believes the experience is the event.

Find Keith on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/keithwillard⁠

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

For this episode we are going off topic.  I was lucky enough to do a bucket list trip.  Two weeks starting in Jordan, and then cruising down the Nile in Egypt.  

I met this amazing podcaster on the trip and of course we had to do a podcast about the trip.  To hear more about river cruises and travel - please check out River Cruising Masterclass Podcast by Sydney Schellinger or follow this link: https://open.spotify.com/show/3xzx88VZ2GXpUh17Ek0H0x

First a note to anyone thinking about going to Egypt - it is safe!  If anyone tells you different do not listen to them.  As long as you are with a tour group, you will be fine!

My overall itinerary- 

Wednesday - Travel to Istanbul, with a connecting flight to Amman, Jordan, followed by a four hour drive to Petra.

Thurs  Petra - Home of "The Treasury".  Building that were cut into stone.  Petra is several miles long and you should take two days because there is just so much to see.

Fri  Petra - Went to the top of the mountain, which is 950 steps, to see the great temple (not related to Egyptians or pharaohs) 

Sat  Travel to Cairo - 4 hour car ride and 2 hour plane ride... it's not an afternoon walk for sure!  Went to the Grand Bazaar our first night.  Cairo is double the density of people per square foot when compared to New York City.  Home to 25 million people!  This is where our official tour with Uniworld began.

Sun  Cairo - a tour of the Citadel and Mohammad Ali Mosque, which is modeled on the Blue Mosque of Istanbul.  From there we went to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).  

Mon Travel to Luxor

Tues  Dendera - Dendera Temple.  It is the most complete temple in all of Egypt. The only place in Egypt where Queen Cleopatra is actually depicted - who was not a queen BTW. 

Wed  Luxor - hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and saw 2 of the 62 tombs there plus King Tut’s 

Thurs  Kom Ombo - the Kom Ombo Temple half dedicated to the Crocodile God (an evil good) and half to the God of Protection (a good god).  The Kom Ombo Temple showcases the use of medical tools for brain surgery and cesarian operations (performed by the high priest in 230 BC! Forceps, clamps, tubbing, and sponges can all be cleary seen.

Fri  Aswan - temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari.  These were moved to higher ground when Aswan dam was built 

Sat Aswan - tour of the Philae temple and the quarry where all the obelisks were created 

Sun Esna - the Khum Temple  - a lot of the original colors are still visible.  It was converted to a church by Coptic Christians who burned fires inside.  The resulting soot covered the colors and archeologists are removing the soot, exposing amazing colors.  

Mon 1/5/2026 Cairo - back to the US!

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Dawn Diehl has been a part of this historic South Florida tradition for over thirty years and now captains this vessel.  We will speak with her about what it takes to put on this massive production that is seen every year by over a million people and impacts the local economy by a whooping fifty million dollars.  We will also dive into her own cruise and what else is rocking the boat and making waves!

Dawn Diehl - Event Director, Winterfest Inc.

Dawn is happily married to George and has three sons.  A Broward County Native, Dawn’s love for Winterfest developed when she watched the parade as a child and continued that tradition into adulthood. Dawn proudly celebrates her 33rd parade this year.  She is committed to creating quality, high-profile events for the community that brings family and friends together. Winterfest, celebrating 54 years that continues to grow and is an internationally recognized event, The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade has earned the title “The World’s Most Watched Boat Parade.” With over a million cheering spectators, the Parade has become not only the largest one-day live audience of any event in Florida, but also the seventh largest one-day spectator event in the country! 

Dawn is very proud that this tradition not only contributes to the aesthetic, cultural, and tourist development of the area, but it has an economic impact of over $50 million per year on her hometown!  Additionally, Dawn coordinates events for the Winterfest Foundation, a 501c3 organization.  

Dawn enjoys her community and charity involvement, serving as Chairman of the Board for Freedom Waters Foundation, past Chairman of the Board for Florida Festival & Events Association, past President of Children’s Opportunity Group (COG), currently serving on the Friends of Birch State Park Board, Becca’s Closet,   The Chamber of  Commerce Beach Council, and a variety of committees in the community. Always with intention and a goal of leaving the organizations better than she found them.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Behind The Veil Podcast - The Real Weddings Study from The Knot

This week we welcome Tom Chelednik - The Associate Director of Vendor Engagement of North America to talk about the recently released "Real Weddings Study" from The Knot. 

In The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study, we discover how couples are bringing this exciting day to life through the entire planning process. 

The wedding report includes insights from nearly 17,000 US couples who got married in 2024 as well as data from couples getting married in 2025 to help you understand how to plan a wedding. For the first time, it also includes user behavior trends from The Knot Vendor Marketplace, The Knot Registry and The Knot Invitations.

And we are going to talk about all of it!

Tom Chelednik is the Associate Director of Vendor Engagement of North America. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing, with 16 specifically in the wedding industry. From 2008 - 2020, Tom held several sales positions at The Knot, including Regional Director of Sales and Director of Training and Enablement. He led teams instrumental in growing and retaining new business across 20 states and Canada, ultimately helping wedding professional book more weddings and grow their businesses. During his time at The Knot, Tom traveled the country 70% of each year to speak with and learn from wedding professionals. 

Tom is passionate about sharing the knowledge he has gained over the years and continues to coach pros, specifically to help them increase their leads and bookings. In addition to The Knot, Tom was the COO of The Treasury Venue Collection in St. Augustine, Florida, where he learned firsthand what it was like to operate a wedding venue. During that time, he also helped build an online learning platform called Venue Profit Pro, designed for wedding venues nationwide to improve their marketing and sales results. Tom rejoined The Knot Worldwide in the summer of 2022

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

The Knot Worldwide 2025 Wedding Trends Watch Report.  

This weeks guest: Tom Chelednik - Associate Director of Vendor Engagement of North America.

This years report is wide ranging with data captured from thousands of couples about what they are looking at, where they are looking at, who they are looking, and why they are looking.  It's a plethora of knowledge that will help vendors and couples figure out what is going to be the next hottest thing.

About our guest: Tom is the Associate Director of Vendor Engagement of North America. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing, with 16 specifically in the wedding industry. From 2008 - 2020, Tom held several sales positions at The Knot, including Regional Director of Sales and Director of Training and Enablement. 

He led teams instrumental in growing and retaining new business across 20 states and Canada, ultimately helping wedding professional book more weddings and grow their businesses. During his time at The Knot, Tom traveled the country 70% of each year to speak with and learn from wedding professionals. Tom is passionate about sharing the knowledge he has gained over the years and continues to coach pros, specifically to help them increase their leads and bookings. 

In addition to The Knot, Tom was the COO of The Treasury Venue Collection in St. Augustine, Florida, where he learned firsthand what it was like to operate a wedding venue. During that time, he also helped build an online learning platform called Venue Profit Pro, designed for wedding venues nationwide to improve their marketing and sales results. Tom rejoined The Knot Worldwide in the summer of 2022.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Behind The Veil: The Art of The Hustle 
 
"The Art of the Hustle" often refers to the skill and finesse required to navigate the world of business and entrepreneurship successfully. It's about more than just hard work; it's about strategy, perseverance, adaptability, and sometimes a touch of charm. The "hustle" implies a relentless drive to achieve goals, overcome obstacles, and seize opportunities, even in the face of adversity. 
 
Our guest: Terrica 
 
Terrica has been creating exquisite weddings and events in the Golden Isles area for the past nineteen years. Her weddings and expertise have been in The Knot, Reader’s Digest, Martha Stewart Weddings, HLN tv, PeopleTV, and more. 
 
A Speaker of the Year nominee for the National Association of Catering and Events ONE award and a popular educator for The Knot and Wedding Wire, she launched her new wedding industry education system, Wedding Pro University, and Wedding Pro Workshop, to provide niche and nuanced education that help wedding professionals implement and build their businesses quickly and efficiently. 
 
Terrica also hosts the “She Doesn’t Even Go Here” podcast. 
 
Personally - this is going to be one of my favorite conversations of all time! Terrica is going to bring it. If you haven't gotten a chance to see her speak, this episode is going to give you just a small taste of what it is like to see her in person.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

Behind The Veil - Founder and CEO of Honeyfund Sara margulis

Our guest this week: Sara Margulis, Co-founder and CEO Honeyfund.com, Inc.

Honeyfund is the Go-To website for couples wanting to provide a whole array of gifting options. How she got started and the trends she is seeing will be just be one of many things we will talk about!

Sara is an enthusiastic champion of love and travel. As co-founder and CEO of the popular honeymoon registry Honeyfund, she is focused on a singular mission: helping all couples make their honeymoon happen. This is simply because research shows that couples who start their marriage with a honeymoon are more likely to be happily married 11+ years later.

Sara's winning appearance on Shark Tank in 2014 has propelled her into regional, national and international speakerships and media. She’s sought as an expert on a variety of topics including weddings, honeymoons, personal finance and empowerment, marketing and entrepreneurship, and women in business.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramargulis/

facebook.com/honeyfund

linkedin.com/company/honeyfund-com-inc-/

instagram.com/honeyfund

https://www.tiktok.com/@honeyfund

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

We all think "How cool would it be to work with celebrities and athletes" but have zero idea of how to get in front of them.  And once we book them, what are they truly like to work with.

Our guest today: Randy Long

Randy Long is the owner of The Pix Squad, a professional event photography company specializing in corporate gatherings, golf outings and charity galas. The Pix Squad’s Mobile Pix Cart has turned golf photography upside down and is welcomed by PGA, LPGA and PGA Canada tournaments as well as hundreds of local tournaments. The Mobile Pix Cart led The Pix Squad to work with 24 pro sports figures such as Von Miller, Ron Jaworski, Patrick Williams and Darren Waller, further bolstering their fundraising galas and events coast to coast, creating a measurable increase in philanthropic donations through the heightened level of entertainment they provide. 

With a degree in theatre and extensive event management experience, Randy and his Squad leveraged that experience to produce jaw dropping photo experiences to increase sponsorship income and extend social reach. Randy was first a small town newspaper reporter/photographer who translated his experience into opportunity when he took a side gig as a mall Santa to pay for his family's holiday spending. Frustrated with the experience, Randy created Santa Magic (shopping center Santa/Easter Photo) and later 

The Pix Squad. Huge corporate clients like Microsoft, United Way, Bell Bank and Great Clips, have also used The Pix Squad to increase brand awareness, corporate goodwill or employee engagement at their events. One of Randy’s proudest accomplishments as a business owner is his Squad Members who often get job offers from Pix Squad clients due to their enthusiasm and work ethic.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

This week we dive into what it takes to get published on The Knot, and we hear directly from the source!  Esther Lee is the Deputy Editor for The Knot Online and In Print.

Whether you are a couple or a vendor, getting your wedding published is like winning first prize in the wedding world.  The most visable location is The Knot.  Known worldwide as the go to source for all things weddings, having an article or photos that include your event adds credence to vendors reputation.  But what does it take?  How do you even go about submitting?

Esther Lee, Deputy Editor, The Knot
Esther Lee is the The Knot Deputy Editor for both the magazine and digital, overseeing the Features & Travel verticals on The Knot. She has been quoted as a wedding expert in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, as well as The Financial Times and has appeared on CBS This Morning, among other media outlets. In her day-to-day, Esther is responsible for shaping the narrative across destination, news, relationship and wedding features. One of her favorite topics to cover is Destination Weddings and observing how broader trends influence the spirit of celebrations as they continue to evolve. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to awe-inducing destinations, as well as writing and reporting for broader features stories that reflect the wedding and events industry.

Support the show

Behind The Veil Crew:

Host: Keith Willard
www.keithwillardevents.com
www.instagram.com/keithwillard

Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg
www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com
www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci