"Let's Plan Your Wedding" Presents: A Complete Guide to Wedding Planning

Meet Casey and Mike! They are that unicorn couple who had a simple but gorgeous fairytale wedding day AND actually enjoyed their engagement season. Take 1 laid back couple, plenty of time to plan and a stealthy little power team of highly trained family members.

Venue | Asilomar Conference Grounds
Bridal Dress Shop | Epiphany Bridal
Photographer | Catie Kim Photography 
*Wedding photos coming soon. 

Replicate their experience for yourself with my masterclass style wedding planning course. OUT NOW:

40% off course and FREE training at 

Meet Anna and Abe, a laid back couple with a secret weapon called work ethic. This flexible attitude, sweat equity mindset, and truly committed team of family and friends, came together to convert a pasture of untamed land into the wedding venue of their dreams. Let's hear how they pulled off a ground up land renovation in 1 years time. For couples struggling to find viable in town venues that fit their priorities and unique vibe, private property is often seen as the solution to their venue search problems. But spoiler alert: It's often not as simple as it seems. It's all right here: let's dive in! 

Instagram: @daniweddingplanning 
Wedding Courses Coming soon! 

Meet Natalie and Cullin. A couple who worked hard to keep their dreams alive for an ocean view wedding on the California coastline. If you are a couple with a vision for your day that you feel passionate about, Nat and Cullin's story is the one you need to hear. 

So if you are a couple who cares about the vibe, the decor, the flowers, the details, or the aesthetic, this story may be just what you need right now. Like that classic wedding anthem goes: "don't stop believing."

Have a listen. 

Meet Jackie and Michael! A down to earth couple leaning on their community BIG TIME to have the wedding of their dreams come true despite small budget realities. 

How did you find your venue... "We have a friend..." 
What about flowers? "We have a friend.."
Who's doing your makeup? They've got a friend! Ya'll these are some ride or die friends! 

Learn how to ask for help and put together a wedding yourself. Jackie and Michael will teach us the secrets to their success. 

Moms are baking brownies, guests are stacking chairs, and the couple is thinking outside the box with vendors. Jackie and Michael are breaking it all down for us in detail. So let's dive in. 

For the couple who is also running their own rehearsal ceremony- OR who needs to pass to a coordinator or friend who hasn't run before. 

Let's allow my 16 year old self with all her church wedding training enter the chat. And, pro tip, if you are getting married at a church - let the flower girls and ring bearers ring the church bell! It'll be the highlight of their day.

Have a listen and here's the cheat sheet:

• Have everyone take a seat- give an introduction and a quick "safety talk"
• Explain the order of the rehearsal: 

Order for Rehearsal 

1. Place people for their on stage places: where they will be at the end of the processional (or walking in)
2. Practice recessional and where they will go to be hidden from guests
3. Place people for processional, walk through the processional
4.  Practice ceremony high points- walking through any rituals 
5.  Recessional and have everyone take a final seat
6. Final announcements (if you need you can do a run through of the processional one more time and have people take seats but not usually necessary)

Things to determine before the Ceremony Rehearsal 

• Do you want ushers to help guests be seated 
• Bridesmaids and Groomsmen order 
• Who gets a special walk down the isle (grandparents, parents, siblings?) 
• Who is needed for walking VIP family down the isle?
• Do you want flower girls and ring bearers?- where will they sit after 
• Who, if anyone, is walking the Bride down the isle?

Typical Processional Order- (Typically takes 5-10 Minutes)

• Officiant takes his or her place - nods at DJ- processional music begins
  • Groom and/or groomsmen can also be walked in with Officiant
• Grandparents of the Bride walk down and are seated 
• Grandparents of the Groom walk down and are seated 
• Mother of the Bride is walked down and seated 
  • by her son or other family member or groomsmen)
• Mother and Father of the Groom are walked down and seated 
  • Groom can escort mother if they like or husband or family member can
• Groomsmen enter (unless they have already)
• Groom enters (leads the groomsmen in, or greets them each if they are already in place)
• Bridesmaids enter up the isle starting with the one who will stand furthest from bride 
  • Groomsmen and Bridesmaids can walk two by two as an alternative 
• Flower Girls and Ring Bearers enter and are seated (either order is fine)

(Officiant asks guests to stand "All rise"- Music changes - Bride's entrance)

• Father of Bride's hand off (who gives this woman to be married "we do," hugs bride, shakes Grooms hand or hugs Groom, allows Groom to take Bride's hand and lead her to her place, father steps around the dress and is seated

(Bride hands flowers to maid of honor, takes her Fiance's hands and is ready for ceremony)
(Maid of honor hands off flowers for a moment to be hands free to "fluff dress" as officiant begins the ceremony, returns to her place, takes back the flowers)

Ceremony begins. 

Season 1-3 taught us how to plan a wedding from start to finish... so what's next?

Listen to this short trailer and announcement to hear what's coming up in Season 4. 
And if you or anyone you know is at the beginning of thier wedding planning journey and want's to be featured on the podcast- please reach out! I would love to chat with you! 

Dani C: [email protected]

Congratulations! 1 week to go! Woohoo! For ultimate productivity and peace of mind listen to this podcast and check these final items off of your to do list! You are almost there! 

1) Confirm headcount and guest list for wedding day and rehearsal dinner
2) Finalize final seating chart display for wedding day (and rehearsal dinner if needed)
3) Finalize day of schedules, send to vendors along with day of contact for your coordinator and vendor contacts for each vendor
4) Give final headcount to catering and any other vendor that needs it
5) Connect for a meeting with catering. Re-confirm target start time for dinner service
6) DIY couples: make a gameplan for ordering and weekly preparations needed especially for items like food and/or flowers that need to be prepared close to the event to stay fresh. 
7) Create Decor List: make sure you know what you are providing 
8) Pack! 
9) Load up your car with personal luggage, decor, gifts, favors, and anything else you need to take to the venue
10) Connect with wedding party, immediate family and ceremony participants to confirm where they need to be throughout the weekend
11) Confirm final photo list and send to photographer for the family portrait groupings
12) Prepare cash tips for vendors (optional)
13) Wrap gifts for Fiance, family, and bridal party 
14) Drop off hotel gift bags (optional) 
15) Wedding day emergency day kit 
16) Complete beauty regiment 
17) Clean and Pack Rings: make plan for rings (who is in charge of rings, what rings will you wear day of?)
18) Pass of Wedding Certificate to Officiant or Planner (be sure they know how to file it after the wedding)
19) Transfer vows to a book to read from day of
20) Hydrate! And manage stress with energizing outdoor activities 

Imagine yourself naked... that's the way my visualization technique begins. Whether I am packing for a weekend getaway or a European vacation I have a tried and true packing method I will teach you today that if followed, you will not forget a thing.

Let's make piles, find luggage, organize based on where you are staying which nights, and double check our lists before the big day.

As a cheat sheet as you listen. Here are some main points to revisit.
1) Decide how you want to separate items over the weekend. Some people may want 1 big suitcase full of everything (better for flights). But others may want to pack separate bags they can more easily bring onsite to the venue to get ready or a getaway bag to throw easily into their car for the night of their wedding.

2) Check the weather! Leading up to the week of your wedding double check the weather to be sure you have what you need to thrive in the elements.

3) Start with the most important "looks" per bag. Visualization excercise will help you organize each "look." Example: Wedding day look, Rehearsal dinner look, getting ready look, day after brunch look.

4) Create post it notes and lists of items you need to buy, track down, or move from one bag to the next as the weekend goes on.

5) Don't forget gifts for bridesmaids/ groomsmen and fiance. Don't forget to pack decor items for venue and favors. Don't forget lay flat items like invitation, mirror, jewelry, special hanger for the dress.

Most commonly forgotten items 

• The garter! 
• Copy of the Invitation for photographer
• Specialized hanger for the wedding dress
• Comfortable shoes for "getting ready" in day of 
• Jackets for nightly outfits (wedding rehearsal and wedding day)
• Dancing/ Comfortable shoes for wedding day to change into if needed 
• Day of Emergency kit: Scissors, tape, fashion tape, bandaids, safety pins, bobby pins, tampon, sharpie, hand held steamer, tide to go pen.

Hey lovers! Pass this episode to your mother, father, maid of honor and anyone giving a speech at your wedding. We'll dive into the simple ways to give a great wedding speech that is short and sweet. 

It doesn't take much to wow at a wedding. The magic of the moment lends itself to amplify a few thoughtful sentiments that will encourage the couple as they enter their marriage. What an honor to bless them on this important day. 

Life gives us a few sweet occations to celebrate the people we love as we journey through life with them. Take the time to embrace this unique moment and formulate a great wedding speech. 

My Simple Speech formula (3-5 Minutes) 

• NAME, ROLE (Hi my name is Dani and I'm the cousin of the bride and the maid of honor)
• How you met person 1 (I grew up with my cousin and we were basically sisters...)
• Positive attribute about Person 1: (she is so caring and so sweet)
• Example/ Story or more detail about that trait (one time she saved a squirrel)
• How/ When you met person 2 (we started hearing about this guy from work...)
• Positive attribute about person 2 (I have seen how tenacious and industrious this person is)
• Example of positive attribute or story (one time we all got stuck in an elevator- person 2 figured out how to get us out)
• How these attributes will be so great together in marriage (how these traits will work together in their marriage)

At the end of the speech say "Cheers to the happy couple!" or 
"Let's raise our glasses to Person 1 and Person 2: Cheers!" 

The time has arrived!!!! 2-4 weeks before the wedding you need to decide your strategy for a seating chart. (deep breath) And then you need to make it. Before you dive in, you should know that creating the seating chart and the display is the most tedious element of wedding planning. FULL STOP.  But, for 9 out of 10 weddings, I still HIGHLY recommend that you do it. So today we will talk about all the things.

WHY do it?
WHEN to start it
HOW to display it
TOOLS to make it

And answers to the most FAQs
1) Where do we sit? Sweetheart Table or Head Table?
2) What do we do with bridal party plus ones?
3) Difficult people: Where to seat estranged family members
4) Should I play matchmaker? Do I try to mix up the groups or seat people with their friends?
5) How do I not offend my guests with their seat assignment?
6) Should I have a "Singles Table?"
7) Should I have a "Kids Table?"
8) Who gets put in the cheap seats? Someone has to sit at table 19...

Featured on this episode
Sarah Greathouse | A Paper Flower Wedding