Step-by-Step Wedding Prep

Hello and welcome back to the show! This is show number 35 and today we're talking proposals! We're heading into engagement season, so if you know anyone who's planning to pop the question or if you just want to start dropping some hints, this is the perfect episode to share.

Every proposal needs some key elements to be absolutely perfect and memorable and ensure you'll get a "yes". To help us learn more is Michele Velazquez, co-owner of The Heart Bandits, a boutique, full-service Proposal Planning Company based in southern California known for planning proposals and romantic dates all over the world with clientele ranging from professional athletes to busy executives. Her work has also been featured in the Associated Press, LA Times, New York Magazine, The Morning Show, and much more.

Today, Michele and I discuss:

• What engagement season is, when it is, and why it's so popular for engagements
• The key elements that make a proposal perfect
• The things people get REALLY wrong when planning a proposal
• How to remain calm when proposing
• How to get started planning a perfect proposal when you have absolutely no clue where or how to begin

To learn more about The Heart Bandits, click on any of the links below:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

In addition, Michele also works with wedding professionals teaching them how to incorporate proposal planning and pop-up weddings into their packages. If you're a wedding pro who'd like to learn more, please visit The Heart Bandits Academy

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Hello and welcome back to the show! This is show number 34 and today we're talking about something no one ever talks about and that is the identity shifts that happen once you get married. These are subconscious shifts that you may or may not realize are happening, and they can happen right away, or over time.

To help us learn more about these shifts and how to manage them is Aleigh Huston-Lyons, an Associate Therapist at Aisle Talk, one of the only - if not the only - boutique consultation and therapy practice that helps stress-out brides and grooms manage wedding stress so they can feel happy as they plan "The Happiest Day of Their Lives"

Today, Aleigh shares so much about how to prepare for your new role as husband or wife. She discusses:

• How a married partnership is different from a dating partnership
• Misconceptions couples have about what being married will look like, feel like, or be like
• Challenges couples face when they transition from dating life to married life and how they can navigate those challenges...especially the challenges that come early on in marriage
• Important questions couples need to ask each other, and themselves, to prepare for a successful partnership

To learn more about Aisle Talk, click on any of the links below:

Website

Instagram

We'd love to know what changes you felt once you got married? What do you think marriage will be like, look like, feel like? What conversations have you had with your soon-to-be spouse as you enter into married life

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Hello and welcome back to the show! This is show number 33 and today is all about FOOD, glorious food! This is one of those episodes that I consider to be a Masterclass because my guest discusses EVERYTHING you need to know about hiring a caterer for your wedding.

He is the chef and owner at Edenopolis Events and has over 16 years in the NYC hospitality industry traveling all over the world living, eating and studying food in over 25 countries. He's catered everything from small intimate celebrity dinner parties, to fantasy weddings to 500 plus people corporate events and has done events everywhere from yachts, to European castles, to beaches, mountain retreats, vineyards, farms and more.

In addition to being the chef and owner at Edenopolis Events, he is also the head chef of Hugh Jackman's Laughing Man Cafe opening this Fall.

Today, Richard shares so much about wedding catering. He discusses:

• The most important things to look for in a caterer
• The difference between hiring a restaurant to cater events and hiring a professional caterer
• The most important questions to ask a caterer
• The questions couples don't ask but should
• What 99% of catering actually is...it's not food related
• The licenses and liabilities a caterer needs
• How your caterer handles bartending
• The certifications bartenders need
• day-of liquor licenses
• the importance of a good bartender and where they should have certification from
• Why tastings are so important and what they tell you of your caterer
• The different types of catering and staffing
• the red flags to look out for
• Where to hire your catering staff from
• Why catering staff is the most important part of your event
• Why a wedding day is not the time to try new foods

To learn more about Richard and Edenopolis Events, click on any of the links below:

Website

Instagram

We'd love to know how you found your caterer. Do you have any catering advice you'd like to share with others?

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Hello and welcome back to the show! This is show number 32 and today we're talking about one of my favorite foods...CHOCOLATE! Who doesn't love chocolate? But we're not talking dessert or favors here. We're talking about 3 unique and non-traditional ways to incorporate chocolate into you wedding day and my guest today knows all about chocolate. Not only is she a recent (like last month recent) bride, but she also spend some time on a Cacao farm in Hawaii planting and harvesting cacao and learning how to transform it into the chocolate we love today. She is Sam Mauro, the Creative Director and Chocolate Designer at Noteworthy Chocolates in Bethel, CT

Today, Sam is sharing 3 ways you can wow your guests with chocolate, from signature drinks, to table numbers even Save-the-Dates!! Yes, a chocolate STD!!

To learn more about Noteworthy Chocolates, click on any of the links below:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

We'd love to know how you're incorporating your favorite food into your wedding.

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Hello and welcome back to the show! This is show number 31, and today, we're continuing a two-part episode on all the things you learn about your wedding in hindsight. These are things no one tells you, but that you find out on your own.

We covered 15 truths last week, and today, we're covering the other 15. In today's show, we discuss:

• What you will really do with your wedding video
• The real truth about about traditions
• A realization about your wedding day timeline
• Who you might end up paying for
• The details and what people really care about
• How the relationship with your bridal party might change
• "Wedding Crashers"
• The time of the day when you will feel the most relief, and no, it's not when you think
• How you might feel when your day is over
• The truth about seeing all the photos your guests take
• Where to keep your rings prior to the ceremony
• How you will feel all day long besides happy
• Why it's important to check the reception area
• The most important thing you need to do that day
• What your wedding day will really be like

If you're married, what was something you learned after your wedding? If you rescheduled your wedding during this time of COVID, what's a truth you learned that you want others to know? Let us know...

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Hello and welcome back to the show! This is show number 30, and to celebrate, we're doing a two-part episode on all the things you learn about your wedding in hindsight. These are things no one tells you, but that you find out on your own.

We cover 15 truths this week with the other 15 coming next week. In today's show, we discuss:

• Why perfection is a myth
• What having a "perfect" wedding really means
• What it truly means to personalize your wedding
• How to deal with the emotions of the day
• The truth about eating at your wedding
• The reality of getting wedding gifts
• Dealing with self-identity prior to the wedding
• Dealing with self-identity after your wedding
• Dealing with the physical exhaustion of your wedding day
• Finding the balance between pleasing and not pleasing everyone
• The role your guests truly play at your wedding
• What it's really like to be the center of attention for the day
• The outpouring of love you'll receive
• How fast the day goes and tips to slow down time

If you're married, what was something you learned after your wedding? If you rescheduled your wedding during this time of COVID, what's a truth you learned that you want others to know? Let us know...

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FB: @WeddingConnectionsHV

If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Hello and welcome back to the show!

This week, I'm going personal and talking about what really worked well for me and what really didn't work well for me when planning my wedding. There's a ton of information out there...everyone is telling you what to do and what not to do and it can get overwhelming and confusing REALLY fast. That's why, today, I want to give you a brides-eye view. I'm discussing what worked and what didn't when it came to:

• DIYing
• wedding album
• invitations
• not hiring a wedding planner
• dress shopping
• wedding video
• day after brunch
• wedding registry
• wedding day timeline
• having a long engagement
• posting on social media
• repaying favors
• following tradition
• choosing a wedding venue and reception location
• alone time

What's been working for you so far and what hasn't been? Let us know...

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

I didn't want to pay my wedding photographer to create a wedding album for us because I was a DIY Bride and wanted to make it myself. I knew I could do it, but three years later, it still wasn't complete, and I ended up asking my photographer to finally make one for us. This is a common idea couples have, that they can do it themselves, but as my guest and I discuss, it'll never get done, and if it does get done, it'll never be the same quality as if a professional did it.

My guest today is Nidya Lloyd, owner of Nidya Lloyd Photography, and in this show we discuss:

• Why you'll never DIY your album
• Misconceptions or ideas couples have about wedding albums that cause them to not always commit to one right away
• The best way to choose photos for your album
• How a photographers blog post of your gallery can help you subconsciously choose your photos
• The number one trick to creating parent albums that'll save you a ton of time and stress
• and so much more...

To learn more about Nidya Lloyd Photography you can find her at:

nidyalloydphotography.com

on Facebook and on Instagram

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If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Now, perhaps you’re listening to this show thinking you’d love to have a wedding at WDW. Maybe it’s your dream, but for whatever reason, it’s just not doable for you. So, then you think, ok, well let’s incorporate Disney into our wedding instead but are kind of freaking out because you’re afraid your wedding might look childish or lack the elegance you want. If this is you, this is the episode for you.

My guest today is Carrie Hayward and will put all your fears away, and even reveals that a wedding at WDW isn’t as expensive as you might think…certainly in comparison to NY wedding costs. She is a print and broadcast journalist, who, Inspired by her own WDW wedding in Epcot, wanted to share what she’d learned with other couples, to help them customize their Disney events to their tastes and budgets. She’s the author of the Fairytale Weddings Guide, a guidebook and bridal organizer for weddings, vow renewals and honeymoons at Walt Disney World and is the host of the Disney Wedding Podcast, a weekly show devoted to weddings and honeymoons at the Disney parks and on Disney cruises and features expert advice, money-saving tips and interviews with real Disney couples.

We discuss:

• Areas in Disney Parks where you can get married and how to get started planning a Disney park wedding
• Basic pricing for Disney Weddings and how it can actually be cheaper than you think
• How to add Disney magic in your at-home wedding without it looking childish
• Different areas of your wedding were you can easily add some Disney touches

To order your copy of Carrie's Fairytale Wedding Guide, click here

To check out the Disney Wedding Podcast, click here

You can also follow her on social:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyWeddingPodcast/

IG: @disneywedcast

Twitter: @DisneyWedCast

Also, if you want to see pictures of her awesome Haunted Mansion-themed bathroom, check out this article

Follow us on

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FB: @WeddingConnectionsHV

If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production

Trying to figure out who to get for wedding gifts for is a challenge, and adds one more thing to your seemingly never-ending to-do list. But trying to figure out what to get is even more challenging. From bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts, to parent gifts - this week we discuss who to buy for and how to find the perfect gifts to say thank you on your special day.

My guest today is Alexandra Puccini, owner of Lavender and Pine Gifting, and in this show we discuss:

• How to begin to answer of the question of "What do I get?"
• Your "Why" in wanting to give a gift in the first place
• Why gifts don't have to be something material and what you can do instead
• Bridesmaids proposals, and bridesmaids gifts -what should be in them and if they should be the same or different
• Gifts for the guys
• Avoiding expensive "trendy", disposable gifts that are basically picture props
• Who you should really give gifts to if you're on a tight budget
• Why buying gifts from local makers is so important and beneficial, not only to them but to you as well.
• and more...

In addition, Alexandra has a very special, limited time surprise for our United States based listeners.

To learn more about Lavender and Pine Gifting, you can find them at:

https://lavenderandpinegifting.com/

on IG @lavenderandpinegifting and Pinterest at Lavender and Pine Gifting

Follow us on

IG: @wedconnecthv #wedconnecthv

FB: @WeddingConnectionsHV

If you are a Hudson Valley Bride or Groom, please make sure you check out Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley, a blog specific to your Hudson Valley needs with local insights,real Hudson Valley wedding photo inspiration, and more.

Music by Chris Orazi, Mixing by Nate Terry at C.A.S. Music Production