Lifting the Veil

In today's episode, we dive deep into the crucial topic of work-life balance, featuring Kayley Bacon, with Kayley Bacon Creative Solutions. With years of industry experience, Kayley offers practical advice on setting boundaries, prioritizing tasks, embracing flexibility, and knowing when to ask for help. 

Listen along as Kayley shares her insights as a Virtual Assistant managing various types of clients across a myriad of industries, and demanding office schedules, all while maintaining her own personal well-being. Whether you’re a busy professional or a creative entrepreneur, this episode offers insight you didn't even know you needed! 

Everywhere you turn there's bad news about how trash and pollution are building up around us, leaching into everything we do and ultimately making us sick. There's so much information, it's SO overwhelming, so much so that most people just think, "this is be beyond my control, so why bother". But what if it wasn't? Believe it or not, making small changes in your daily life, and being thoughtful about your event planning can help make a BIG difference.

So how about we give you some nuggets that are quick take-a-ways, for a quick win. It's really not hard, it's just that the info around us is saturated and it feels overwhelming...but we got you.

Check out today's episode where we'll give you some quick tips and tricks on being eco-friendly in your planning process, and a few tips for every day ideas too.

Shout out to @cityoffriscotx for being an amazing source of information on how to properly recycle, and bins that make it easy...and no  you don't have to be a Frisco resident to use the majority of the facility (side-note) you do for chemical or electronic recycling). Visit https://www.friscotexas.gov/1144/Environmental-Collection-Center to learn more!

Today Kathy & Christina are THRILLED to have their dear friend, Rick Bennett with Mobile DJ Services join Lifting The Veil! Tune in as we laugh, happy cry and Lift The Veil on music, teamwork, and all things wedding DJ! This is one you won't want to miss! 

Rick Bennett, a.k.a. DJ Silver Spinner, began as a professional Disc Jockey in the early 1980s, first spinning as a local DJ in Brooklyn, New York, offering custom mix tapes. With a fast growing reputation, he was soon spinning for crowds at public and private events throughout the New York City area. Within a short amount of time, he became the stage manager for recording artist, UTFO. While on tour, he mastered the technical aspects of concert lighting and sound, which he applies to all events provided by Mobile DJ Services.

Rick’s success afforded him the opportunity to co-found his own recording group, Whistle. With the success of his recording career, it taught him how to master the art of entertaining large crowds. He has toured the U.S. and Europe with notable artists like: Run DMC, LL Cool J, Salt & Pepa, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, The Beastie Boys, Big Audio Dynamite, Mariah Carey, MC Hammer, Public Enemy, Tupac, New Edition, and many more.

When was the last time you went to an open house where you actually had a good time and got to enjoy a new experience? That's exactly what was delivered during the Ohhh the Options When You Plan It With Me, The Mason Dallas Open House on July 22nd.

More than 30 interactive sponsor vendors came to share their passion, art, food, drinks, products, to network and meet new potential clients. If you were not able to attend, we hope you have enjoyed some of the photos because it was an explosion of color and texture, produced by Plan It With Me, and The MacMeekens captured the beautifully.

So, have you ever wondered why vendors go through the effort and expense of an open house or styled shoot? Is it worth it? Does it yield the ROI that each vendor wanted? Well tune in because in this episode we'll dive into what it took to make it happen, how it truly takes team work, and just who that team was...in case you need to hire them later.

Sponsor Vendor Listing:
@planitwithme
@themasondallas
@absolutelighting
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@magnifycoffeecatering
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@jenandjacbrut
@momentsforeverphotobooth
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@themacmeekens
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To view the photos, be sure to follow: @planitwithme & @themacmeekens we got pics, pics, and more pics! Special thanks to our models @kenzieennis12 & @soo_rayy_j ❤️

Let's be honest...getting married is the easy part. Being married and bridging families can, at times, be a whole other level of difficult BUT when you have people that truly care about each other and the people in their life that they love, it can be handled like a pro. That's what this family did beautifully and we felt like that was worth celebrating and sharing with our audience. 

In this episode we'll meet Lou Ann, a Plan It With Me Mother of the Bride, who worked to bridge the gap with her soon-to-be in-laws in England, welcoming them to the family and helping make them feel right at home in our little state. We'll also share how we incorporated someone very close to the bride, and gave special attention to an overall topic that was important to the entire family. 

Wedding planning can be hard but if you listen, pay attention and are thoughtful with intentional planning, you can truly make someone's wedding a day they'll never forget. So sit back and listen to how this family tackled their family dynamics with unmatched class and grace. 

How to avoid the after wedding panic of "I forgot to get a photo of 'x'". This week we talk about all things shot list. From moments to consider, logistics to make it happen and how to keep your expectations realistic. What is "full day wedding coverage", how do family formals impact your day and why golden hour may not always be as clear cut as it seems. 

Come along and join us as we lift the veil on wedding photography shot lists. 

Join us for part 2 of our discussion with Paige Mejia of Pyrotex. In this episode we talk about how she is the queen of networking. How does she do it? How to make it work for you and your business and why it matters. We also talk about how to find local networking groups in your area to get started. 

For so many businesses, networking makes all the difference, so like it or not, get out of your shell and start talking to like-minded industry professionals. You'll thank us for it. 

Independence Day is upon us, so it's the perfect time to talk all things fireworks. Paige Mejia is with us as we discuss how she got started in the business, taking us on a little stroll down memory lane where we learned Pyrotex's first client was the Bee Gee's. I don't care who you are, that's just cool! 

We'll learn the actual names of different types of fireworks, what they mean, permitting, licensing, spacing needs and all those little details you need to be aware of when you want fire present at your event. And most importantly, we'll talk about how to ensure you are hiring someone ethical that is properly trained to handle fireworks. 

If you've ever wanted to learn about this overall process and how to ensure your event is safe and properly prepared for your big day, then grab a sparkler and sit back. We're about to light up the night sky with information! 

Join Kathy & Christina as they visit with Ruth Spirer of Weddings & Events by Ruth, where they'll learn more about the Jewish community, the culture and her path into the wedding industry. Fun fact, with Ruth, we have a combined 65  years in the event industry. 

Ruth has vast experience in the hospitality industry, where she has held key management, catering and event planning positions at locations such as Tel Aviv Hilton Israel and the Dallas Doubletree Hotel Campbell Centre. Her extensive background in the hospitality industry contributed to her high level of customer service, professional experience and broad knowledge in event planning. Her Israeli and European background plus her multi-lingual experience gives her ability to successfully work with a wide range of cultures, traditions and customs.

Since starting her own wedding and event planning business in 2004, she has established herself as an industry expert, particularly in the multi-cultural and inter-faith arenas. Her events flow seamlessly start to finish and no detail is ever overlooked. When Ruth isn’t planning weddings, she enjoys spending time with her family, shopping and music.

If you've ever wanted to learn more about Jewish weddings, traditions and more, tune in and enjoy! 

Join us as we visit with Ruth Spirer of Weddings & Events by Ruth, where we talk about networking events and social awareness of the Jewish calendar. The Jewish faith follows the Lunar calendar, so being aware of other cultures and groups that may be affected by date conflicts is crucial when planning large events and/or being inclusive of our fellow wedding partners.  

About Ruth, and Weddings and Events by Ruth: 

Weddings and Events by Ruth is a boutique event production company based in Dallas, TX, owned and managed by Ruth Spirer, Certified Wedding Consultant. Ruth is a member of the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners (AACWP), a national organization whose members commit to adhere to the codes of ethics and deliver the utmost quality services to their clients. Ruth is also an active member of Society of Wedding Professionals (SWP).

Ruth has vast experience in the hospitality industry, where she has held key management, catering and event planning positions at locations such as Tel Aviv Hilton Israel and the Dallas Doubletree Hotel Campbell Centre. Her extensive background in the hospitality industry contributed to her high level of customer service, professional experience and broad knowledge in event planning. Her Israeli and European background plus her multi-lingual experience gives her ability to successfully work with a wide range of cultures, traditions and customs.

Since starting her own wedding and event planning business in 2004, she has established herself as an industry expert, particularly in the multi-cultural and inter-faith arenas. Her events flow seamlessly start to finish and no detail is ever overlooked. When Ruth isn’t planning weddings, she enjoys spending time with her family, shopping and music.