Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners

My next guest is Reagan Kerr of Reagan Events. With years of experience managing luxury events worldwide, Regan accepted her first client in 2012 and Reagan Events was born. Today, Reagan leads the firm as creative director and executive producer and is involved in the overall management of each event. She plays an integral role in the design origination and curates vendor teams for each client.

Reagan believes no dream is too big or detail too small. She appreciates thoughtful design and impeccable service. Reagan's greatest inspiration stems from the love she sees in others. She strives to create beautifully tailored memories worthy of the milestone being celebrated and is deeply fulfilled watching the joy of her clients as they live the experience she has shaped for them. Reagan is the sweetest, most open, and as you'll learn, highly experienced planner.

She's easy to talk with, learn from, and I'm honored to call her a new friend. In this episode, we talk about how a professor in college gave Reagan perfectly timed advice, how she worked in smaller industry jobs to get more experience, and then landed a job with a big planner that helped her build her experience and confidence to start her own company. Over the years, life and business have changed for Reagan, and she shares insight into pushing forward, even when it's hard, setting boundaries, and chasing your dreams. 

In this episode: 

• Reagan's journey began with a passion for wedding planning from a young age.

• The importance of mentorship and learning from experienced planners.

• Navigating the challenges of being valued in the wedding industry.

• The significance of building strong vendor relationships.

• Emphasizing the need for a solid money mindset in business.

• The impact of personal struggles on professional growth.

• Innovative services can create new opportunities in the wedding industry.

• The importance of sharing your goals with others.

• Advice for aspiring planners to start at the level they want to end up.

• The value of authenticity and real connections in the wedding industry.

Connect with Reagan Events

Instagram | Website

And listen to her podcast Wine Me Dine Me

This episode is supported by Planner Life Academy.

In case you didn't know, we created Planner Life Academy for planners to have the education, tools and resources we wish we had.

For me, I love sharing all the tips, tools and insight into all the little ways you can provide an amazing experience for your couples, their family and friends.

I think one of the best places to really make sure you are making a great first impression is at the rehearsal. For so many planners, the ceremony rehearsal is something that is stressful and annoying, but I love it! And I think with the right script you will enjoy it too.

So I created a free rehearsal audio recording where I walk you through exactly how I run a ceremony rehearsal.  So you can have my tried and true process to create your own rehearsal script allowing you to start every wedding with confidence and making a great impression.

Get the rehearsal recording today : FREE Rehearsal Recording

My next guest is Adrienna McDermott of Ava And The Bee. As a former wedding professional and current agency owner who has served over 250 vendors around the world, Adrienna is a sought-after thought leader in the world of wedding marketing and strategy. After spending many years as a bridal boutique owner, wedding planner, and florist, she intimately understands the challenges that vendors face in the always-changing digital world and how important it is to stand out from the rest. 

Ava & the Bee, is the in-house marketing studio for wedding professionals ready for inclusive, results-driven marketing that creates freedom in their business and cultivates a client connection and experience before they even speak with you.

In this episode Adrienna shares her story and how she got an early start by leaping into a wedding business and partnership. She shares how an impactful moment in her life led her to shift gears and how Ava and the Bee was born. 

As I am sure you can tell by the guests we have on here, I love experts that are or were formerly planners. I think it’s so helpful for us all to hear their stories and to learn from experts that really understand the unique struggles the wedding industry faces so you have solutions to those challenges as well as the advice and insight into how to improve your business strategies. 

In this episode:

• Adrienna’s Story

• Balancing the Client Experience and Business Strategy

• Reinventing Yourself in the Wedding Industry

• The Importance of Supportive Wedding Community

• Starting a Marketing Agency for Wedding Professionals

• The Importance of a Strong Website

• Building Trust and Consistent Messaging

• Advice for Planners at Different Stages

• Leveraging Your Vendor Network

• Services Offered by Adrienna's Agency, Ava & the Bee

Connect with Ava and the Bee

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

DIY Website & Social Media Audit

https://avaandthebee.myflodesk.com/website-audit

Today's episode is brought to you by the Planner Life Academy online course. 

What is the most important thing to do when you want to become a successful wedding planner? 

Whether you're just starting out or you're ready to level up, these questions constantly creep in. How can I charge more? How do I book more clients? How can I do this better? This must not be this hard. Everybody else seems to be doing better than me. I've been there.

And I've learned so many things the hard way so that you don't have to. The thing is, the path to overcoming doubt is different for everyone, and you can't Google your way to success. I have done over 900 weddings and events, and I've learned so many ways to improve my customer experience, organization, design skills, and wedding day process. 

And after years of hosting in -person workshops for planners, we created an online course so planners can learn what they need to succeed from the comfort of their own home. 

If you want to do this, you can, and we're here to show you how. 

And this just isn't any wedding planner certification. It's everything I have learned over the last 20 years poured into an easy to learn online course that will teach you how to start your business, implement processes. How to create templates, how to guide your clients through each and every step of planning, how to be a great leader, and more importantly, how to build a great reputation so that you can build a sustainable wedding business. 

The Planner Life Academy online course is 45 topics, over 16 hours of video lessons, and all of our templates to help you make immediate upgrades to your business. 

Friend, please stop doubting that you have what it takes to succeed.

Get everything you need to build your career as a professional wedding planner. 

Visit plannerlifeacademy.com to start today.

Meet my next guest, Katie Webb Brundige of the powerhouse company, Intertwined Inc. 

Katie brings a wealth of experience to the table as an entrepreneur with 18 plus years of experience in hospitality, events and design. She specializes in full service luxury event planning, overseeing everything from production and curated design to vendor coordination and executing multi -day experiences.

Her keen eye for refined aesthetics and unwavering attention to detail allows for her to craft unique spaces and creative displays for weddings, galas, and charity functions locally, nationally, and worldwide. She received her bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management with an emphasis in event management from San Diego State University. Postgraduate, she served as a meeting coordinator in planning events for three Fortune 500 companies.

Currently, she's the co -founder of Intertwined Inc., which consists of brands Intertwined Events, Become Intertwined, Reserve, and RadCamp, which is an incredible nonprofit that supports those with developmental disabilities. 

As planners with a similar career timeline in the same Orange County market, I've had the pleasure of a front row seat to the impressive company Katie and her business partner, Megan, have built. If you're a planner really wanting to build a strong brand, a strong reputation, and a big team, here is someone you should definitely look up to. I'm honored to call her a colleague, a peer, and a friend. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• Volunteering, and the impact that had on her life and career. 

• Katie’s background in Corporate Event Planning. 

• Intertwined Inc and it’s growth and evolution over the years. 

• Growing a team, hiring and team culture. 

• Developing systems and processes, especially during downtime, can help streamline operations and ensure a smooth workflow. 

• Finding balance as a business owner is challenging but important. 

• Running a wedding planning business requires treating it like a business. 

• Transparency, trust, and ethical practices are crucial in the wedding planning industry. 

• Raising prices is necessary for growth. 

• Networking and building relationships are key to growing a wedding planning business. 

Connect with Katie 

@intertwinedkatie | @intertwinedevents | @radcamp

Intertwined Events | Become Intertwined | Reserve

My next guest is Alison Lesser Keck. Alison and her husband Bryan are the owners and brilliant minds behind Alison-Bryan Destinations. Alison is a San Francisco and Santa Barbara native who has produced over 400 weddings, from exquisite gatherings in private estates to massive weekends to week long productions in destinations globally. Alison and Bryan have been recognized by Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Brides, Over the Moon, and Elle Magazine as one of the top wedding planners in the world. 

In this episode, Alison and I discuss how she and Bryan got an early start in five -star hospitality that really set them on a path for luxury -experienced focused weddings. We talk about the importance of building strong relationships, how destination weddings require a passion for travel and logistics, how having systems in place is essential for scaling a wedding planning business. We talk about how faking it till you make it is actually terrible advice and how important it is to set boundaries and take care of your own wellbeing to avoid burnout. We talk about how many years of experience reinforces our belief that trust and connections with clients are absolutely imperative to create unique and personalized experiences. 

In this episode: 

• The Journey to Destination Weddings

• Scaling the Business and the Role of Systems

• The Dynamics of Working as a Team

• Moving from Michigan to Santa Barbara

• The Importance of Being a Traveler in Destination Planning

• Navigating Different Cultures and Customs

• Staffing Strategies for Destination Weddings

• Evolving Your Business and Setting Boundaries

• Creating Trust and Personalized Experiences for Clients

Favorite takeaways: 

• Building strong relationships is crucial in the wedding planning industry.

• Pivoting to destination weddings requires a passion for travel and logistics.

• Having systems in place is essential for scaling a wedding planning business.

• Understanding cultural nuances is important when planning destination weddings. Start small and specialize in a specific destination to build knowledge and expertise.

• Respect and understand local customs and practices when working in different cultures.

• Build a core team that has been with you for years and hire locals for specific tasks.

• Set boundaries and take care of your own well-being to avoid burnout.

• Build trust and connections with clients to create unique and personalized experiences.

Connect with Alison-Bryan Destinations

Website | Instagram

My next guest is Kelley Gilster. Kelley is a cinematographer based in Southern California. She runs 618 studios with her husband, Paul, and this year they celebrate their 14th year in business. Kelley and Paul and I have been fortunate to work together numerous times over the years and really grew up in the industry together. They have supported planner life through speaking and helping produce the online course and testimonials.

After over a decade in the industry, Kelley has become an educator alongside her business partner, Taylor Petrinovich, a Napa based videographer over at the Level Up Co. Kelley and Taylor teach photographers and filmmakers how to elevate their businesses to successfully break out the mainstream market and into the luxury wedding market. 

It was so fun to bring this conversation to the podcast as Kelley and I often chat about the industry, best practices and share insight into what we learned from our events and our education platforms.

In this episode, Kelley shares how a specific class in high school set her on this path to wedding filmmaking and how as high school sweethearts and newlyweds, Kelley and Paul have always been a team. I love how Kelley shares how she edited their wedding video and then 618 Studios was born. Kelley gives great perspective on what up and coming video and photo might be learning as they shift to working more with planners. 

Kelley shares such great insight like advice for planners on educating couples on the deliverables unique to wedding films. She shares when and how you can help set up your video team for success throughout the wedding day. We chat changes in the industry, new trends, and Kelley shares her reason for becoming an educator. 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Kelly's Journey in the Wedding Industry

• Starting and Growing the Business

• Outgrowing Markets and Pricing

• Recognizing When to Move On

• Planners as Matchmakers

• Portfolio and Ideal Client Avatar

• Understanding Video Deliverables

• Timing and Wedding Day Schedule

• Optimizing Timing for Pre-Ceremony Activities

• The Importance of Dedicated Time for Filmmakers

• Building Relationships Between Planners and Filmmakers

• Educating Filmmakers for Success in the Luxury Market

Connect with Kelley

Kelley’s IG  |  618 Studios  |  Level Up Co  |  Westmade Films 

618 Studios Website  |  Level Up Co Website

This episode is supported by Sunday Muse Design. 

We know that you are knee-deep in wedding planning chaos, juggling a million details and striving to make every moment perfect. Not to mention trying to navigate and puzzle-piece together overlapping timelines while simultaneously consoling stressed-out clients. Safe to say... you're busy.

Here's the thing: Shannon from Sunday Muse Design knows what that feels like. She remembers the whirlwind of coordinating everything down to the tiniest detail. And the one thing that always felt like an extra burden? Managing her own brand and website.

Shannon took her love for design and her understanding of the wedding industry and founded Sunday Muse Design. They offer custom web design, brand identity, and SEO services tailored specifically for wedding planners and creatives. They actually understand the challenges you face, and they're here to make your online presence effortless and effective. 

If you're ready to elevate your brand and website, visit sundaymusedesign.com or find them on Instagram @sundaymusedesign. And be sure to mention that you heard about Sunday Muse Design through the Planner Life Podcast can get 10% off any Sunday Muse Design service booked.

Heather and Karen are back again with an Ask Me Anything episode answering your most pressing questions.

In this episode we answer the following questions from planners: 

• My 2024 season has been so weird. How can I try to have a better 2025?

• What do you think the best part time job is while I am building my new business?

• I see people getting invited to all of these events, but I never seem to make the list. How do I change that to be included?

• Do you think it’s okay to offer discounts?

• I have increased my prices but now I can’t seem to book anything. My leads all feel like they are price shopping. HELP. 

• I am having such a hard time finding good day of assistant help. What is your advice?

• Hi, I want to get into planning. What are planners looking for in hiring for their team?

• When do you feel like you’ve “made it”?

• How to figure out color schemes for couples?

• Where do you find inspiration?

• Why are potential clients ghosting me?

• How do I build a good reputation?

• What is one of the worst things you have done in your business?

• What is one of the best things you have done in your business? 

Thank you to everyone for submitting your questions!

Want to submit your questions?! We would love to continue the conversation on our next ask my anything episode. Feel free to DM me on @plannerlifepodcast on Instagram or 

Email [email protected] 

This week’s guest is Sara Dunn of Sara Does SEO. 

Sara Dunn is the Wedding SEO Specialist for wedding planners, photographers, venues, and other wedding professionals who want their websites to rank higher on Google. 

With a knack for making SEO easy to understand, she’s created a unique Wedding SEO Framework that simplifies what it takes to get your wedding business in front of your dream clients. 

Sara has been featured by Honeybook, Special Events, and NACE. She was named a WeddingPro educator for 2023 and has presented to audiences including WeddingPro, WIPA, Wedding MBA, and Two Bright Lights.

In the last year, her framework has helped over 1 million searchers find the wedding pros and advice they’re looking for. If you’re ready to reach rockstar status on Google, Sara’s ready to be your geeky best friend that shows you how it’s done. 

I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. Admittedly, I know very little about SEO and I was so thrilled to be able to speak with Sarah and ask the questions that I've always had. And boy, does she deliver with great advice and action steps for us. It's the kind of episode where I hope you feel more excited about the knowledge rather than overwhelmed about this topic that often is so daunting. 

In this episode:

• SEO is essential for wedding planners and vendors to improve their online visibility and attract potential clients.

• Understanding what people are searching for and using their language in website content is crucial for effective SEO.

• Blogging, particularly venue spotlights, can significantly improve search engine rankings and showcase expertise.

• Consistency in blogging is not as important as the quality of the content. Having educational content, such as blog posts, on your website is valuable for attracting and converting potential clients.

• Ranking for specific keywords is not the only path to success in SEO. Ranking for venue names and advice articles can also drive website traffic.

• Creating a strategic list of blog post topics related to your location can showcase your expertise and attract potential clients.

• Not every planner needs to do SEO. It depends on your goals, growth plans, and target market.

• Expanding into new markets through SEO can be challenging, and it is important to have local connections and resources to establish authority.

• Optimizing the home page of your website with a specific keyword is crucial for SEO success.

• Not every page on your website needs to be SEO-optimized. Focus on strategic optimization rather than trying to optimize every page.

• When hiring a web designer for SEO services, ask specific questions about what they will do and manage your expectations.

• Check website statistics and use Google Search Console to evaluate the performance of blog posts and understand what keywords they are ranking for.

Sara Does SEO Website

Use code PLANNERLIFE20 for 20% OFF the SEO BOOTCAMP

Connect with Sara on Instagram

Join Sara’s Free monthly SEO Lunch & Learn: https://saradoesseo.com/learn/

Embracing Inclusivity and Creativity with Jove Meyer

This week’s guest is Jove Meyer, Jove Meyer, Owner and Creative Director of Jove Meyer Events. Jove is a prominent figure in the wedding planning industry, known for his vibrant and inclusive approach to events. Jove shares his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a celebrated wedding planner, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity, creativity, and authenticity in the wedding industry.

Jove Meyer is a true visionary of joy for the spaces we call home and the ones that house life's biggest moments. He crafts a vivid colorful world inspired by his clients who dare to be different. Known for bold colors, patterns and unique designs, Jov's work in events and interiors has been featured in Vogue, Domino, the New York Times, the Magnolia Network and Rachel Ray Magazine. 

Harper's Bazaar, Brides and Over the Moon have named him one of the top wedding planners in the world. You may catch Jov on Good Morning America or recently the Today Show, as well as read his new column in The Knot Magazine. We didn't get a chance to talk about it, but Jove is also the host of a popular podcast, Weddings -ish with Jove. 

We dive into this more in the episode, but Jove has really set out to build a global design firm antithetical to his conservative and rigid upbringing by encouraging authenticity, celebrating diversity, and empowering marginalized communities. He is a fierce advocate and someone I really look up to. Jove shares about his ally pledge that he requires all creative partners to sign, vowing them to choose love over hate.

In this Episode:

• Jove reflects on his early career and the influences that shaped his path.

• The challenges he faced and the perseverance required to establish his own business.

• How his passion and hustle kept his career growing and evolving.

• Memorable moments and milestones in his career, including working with high-profile clients.

• Jove discusses his approach to wedding planning, focusing on personalization and attention to detail.

• The significance of understanding and interpreting clients' visions to create unique and unforgettable events.

• Anecdotes from some of his most remarkable weddings, highlighting creativity and innovation.

• Jove shares the story behind his Ally Pledge and its evolution.

• The necessity of promoting inclusivity and diversity in the wedding industry.

• Real-life experiences that underscored the importance of standing up against discrimination and hate.

• The value of following one's passion and starting small.

• Encouragement to embrace creativity and take risks in design and planning.

"If you have a calling, a passion, if there's a voice telling you to do something, you have to listen to it." - Jove Meyer

Connect with Jove Meyer

Jove Meyer Events

@jovemeyer

Weddings-ish with Jove

In this episode, Heather is joined by Ashley Saffer and Renée Sabo, the founding partners and creative directors of Baciare Events.

Baciare Events, (pronounced Buh-CHAR-Eh), is a premier planning and design firm dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences. Through strategic planning, renowned creative designs, and concierge style service, Ashley and Renee are based in New England and always passport ready. Their experience with sought after destinations and connections to talented vendors around the world allowed them to take their clients on an unforgettable planning journey and produce one of a kind milestone celebrations and events. 

Renée is a true Leo, outgoing, charming and extroverted! She has a creative eye, has a welcoming persona and loves connecting people through networking. Ashley has a cheeky sense of humor, is a logistics queen and she is one of the most positive people you'll meet. She truly goes above and beyond for clients and no detail is ever overlooked. 

I love getting the opportunity to meet new planners and share unique stories. I think more often than not, we hear about business partners splitting up or moving on. But in this story, we learn that Ashley and Renee each had their own planning companies for years. Then they decided to start a new company together. I love how candid this conversation is about their journey and their partnership. In this episode, we talk about how a wedding planner inspired Renée's story when she was just 15. How hospitality and entrepreneurship was something that was modeled for Ashley and led to her desire to dream big. Renée and Ashley share about their goals for the future, advice for those needing a change. As well as advice for those really struggling with work-life balance. 

One of my favorite things we discuss is how important it is to really love weddings and to continue to evolve your career as your life and the world continue to change. 

In this episode we talk about: 

• Ashley and Renee's journey from individual wedding planning businesses to forming a partnership.

• Initial connection through mutual friends and shared experiences in the industry.

• Decision-making process for merging their businesses, including alignment on values and vision.

• Shared responsibilities and strengths, balancing each other's skills.

• The importance of maintaining quality of life and work-life balance.

• Emphasis on communication and learning from other planners.

• Adjustments in the sales process, including shared sales calls and setting client expectations.

• Importance of creating a structured and consistent experience for clients.

• Managing work-life balance while providing high-quality service.

• Vision for Baciare Events, including expanding to larger events and corporate projects.

• Emphasis on creating immersive and unique guest experiences.

• Goals for becoming a well-known boutique event planning firm.

• Encouragement to take risks and learn from experiences.

• Importance of setting boundaries with clients to prevent burnout.

• The value of continuous growth and adapting to industry changes.

Connect with Ashley & Renee of Baciare Events

Website | Instagram

And be sure to check out Renne on The Confetti Hour.

Interested in Monday.com? Learn more.

Today’s guests are the sister duo from Details Darling. A full circle moment for all three planners as Aubrey and Kenzie came to Planner Life Academy early on in their career and it’s been so fun to watch them grow. 

Aubrey and Mackenzie founded Details Darling, a Southern California and Arizona based boutique full service wedding planning and design company. They emphasize the importance of design details that bring out their couples personalities and tell their love stories through one of a kind events. Details Darling’s work has been featured in People Magazine, Martha Stewart, The Knot, Brides and more.

Listen in as they candidly discuss their early inspirations, the struggles of starting a business, the importance of mentorship, and how their family plays a crucial role in their company. Mackenzie and Aubrey also talk about their experiences growing a team, the challenges they face in the current market, and their strategies for sustaining and growing their business.

In this episode, we talk about: 

• Early inspirations and the importance of family in their business.

• How generosity from a mentor and key opportunities shaped their early experience.

• The AHA moment at a wedding where they realized their love for weddings.  

• What it’s like to own a company, plan and design together. 

• Realizing each other’s strengths, establishing roles and responsibilities.

• The journey of building a successful wedding planning business requires passion, persistence, and a supportive network.

• How building a team impacted their growth and the struggles with that growth. 

• Mentorship and community are invaluable resources for growth and learning in the industry.

• Continuous learning and adapting to market changes are crucial for sustained success.

• The importance of social media presence and industry networking.

• The significance of having a supportive and competent team.

Connect with Details Darling

Website | Instagram

This episode is supported by Planner Life Academy.

In case you didn't know, we created Planner Life Academy for planners to have the education, tools and resources we wish we had.

For me, I love sharing all the tips, tools and insight into all the little ways you can provide an amazing experience for your couples, their family and friends.

I think one of the best places to really make sure you are making a great first impression is at the rehearsal. For so many planners, the ceremony rehearsal is something that is stressful and annoying, but I love it! And I think with the right script you will enjoy it too.

So I created a free rehearsal audio recording where I walk you through exactly how I run a ceremony rehearsal.  So you can have my tried and true process to create your own rehearsal script allowing you to start every wedding with confidence and making a great impression.

Get the rehearsal recording today : FREE Rehearsal Recording