The Cookie Table | A Wedding and Relationship Podcast

Custom suits aren't as out of reach as you may think for your wedding day. Danielle with Surmesur, a custom clothing boutique for men & women, debunks the fact that having a special day to get your wedding attire isn't just for the dress - it's for the suit too.

We talk about her hilarious marketing idea to ride the mechanical pickle at Picklesburgh, and also touch on several fashion tips for wedding day suits in this episode.

Book your appointment now at Surmesur.com.

Instagrams: ⁠@⁠danielle_surmesurpit | @surmesur

Thank you to ⁠⁠⁠Nancy B's Bakery⁠⁠⁠ for filling this week's cookie table!

Recording venue: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠⁠⁠⁠

Neon Sign: @⁠⁠⁠steelcityneon⁠⁠⁠

Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠

I have been dying to have a venue coordinator on the podcast and I'm so happy to welcome Joanna Bazzano with The Oaklander Hotel to The Cookie Table. More than a venue coordinator, Joanna is the Director of Catering at the hotel, and we cover understanding hotel blocks to working with planners in this week's episode. If you're getting married at a hotel venue (or have dreams to) this one is perfect for you.

www.theoaklanderhotel.com

Instagrams: ⁠@joannax27 | ⁠@theoaklanderhotel

Thank you to ⁠⁠Nancy B's Bakery⁠⁠ for filling this week's cookie table!

Recording venue: ⁠⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠⁠⁠

Neon Sign: @⁠⁠steelcityneon⁠⁠

Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠@thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠

COMING UP NEXT ON AUGUST 26: Danielle with Surmesur

Taylor Ollason Photography has some of my favorite wedding industry hot takes, and I'm excited we finally got to dive into several together.

Taylor travels for wedding while also capturing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Her photos are truly beautifully unique and she also won 2025 Best Engagement Photo with Junebug Weddings.

We dive into the reality of inquiries coming from The Knot, vendors drinking at weddings, a few different Instagram vendor recommendations, and conclude with how some planner's takes on the CRM Honeybook are wildly drastic.

https://taylorollason.com/

Instagrams: @taaayollaphoto | @tayollasports

Thank you to ⁠Nancy B's Bakery⁠ for filling this week's cookie table!

Recording venue: ⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠⁠

Neon Sign: @⁠steelcityneon⁠

Follow us: ⁠⁠@thecookietablepodcast⁠

COMING UP NEXT ON AUGUST 12: Joanna with The Oaklander Hotel

Miranda with Community Flower Shop joins me as my first guest in my new DIY podcast studio at Joyful Commons. (so bear with my lighting & video adjustments as I continue to work this out lol!)

Miranda grew the wedding department at CFS to where it is now. 5 minutes from my house, this local shop has delivery & pick up options, which as a wedding planner - I love. I discuss with Miranda where couples should spend when it comes to their wedding flowers, parent personals, DIYing weddings, and Taylor Swift's toss bouquet.

If you're engaged and planning your wedding, you especially don't want to miss this one.

https://www.cfsweddingsandevents.com/

Instagram: @communityflowershop

Recording venue: ⁠@joyfulcommons⁠

Neon Sign: @steelcityneon

Follow us: ⁠@thecookietablepodcast

COMING UP NEXT ON JULY 29: Taylor Ollason Photography

Expensive recording studios, a failing business concept, and being way too busy all added up to a hiatus but we are BACK, and recording in now exclusively in my venue Joyful Commons.

This episode I walk through how weird 2026 has been so far, and discuss the major epiphany I had where I realized I finally had to let go of the business concept I worked so hard to get going.

I am also so proud to be a 2026 Pittsburgh's 50 Finest Honoree this year! If you're interested in supporting my campaign, register as a golfer or foursome for my golf outing to support Cystic Fibrosis! Not a golfer? Consider joining us for a dinner only ticket, sponsoring the event (email jade@joyfuleventsbyjade), or donating to Jade's campaign directly.

COMING UP NEXT ON JULY 15: Miranda with Community Flower Shop

Recording venue: @joyfulcommons

Follow us: @thecookietablepodcast

This is our first bakery on The Cookie Table which made things extra exciting, because Pastries A-La-Carte themselves provided the cookies and a wine pairing for this episode.

Maddy, who runs the bakery's cookie room, discusses how Pastries A-La-Carte has become the go-to bakery for the Pittsburgh Penguins, how cakes have always been more décor than dessert, the vintage cake trend, and how baking for a Pittsburgh Cookie table is like being a part of that couple's family.

We also talk about one of the latest cake trends - faux cakes - and in all honestly when we talked out it.. what is even the point?!

Be sure to follow Pastries A-La-Carte on Instagram!

Join The Cookie Table Family on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow along with my business endeavors @j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠oyfuleventsbyjade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠brieandbaskets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠

This episode of The Cookie Table was recorded live at the 2026 Pittsburgh DJ Summit, and it’s one of those conversations that reminds me why these rooms matter. I was very honored to be asked to not only podcast from this space, but to be a panelist for the second time on the Pro Panel.

I sat down with three incredible voices (@mayalovro, @wildnativephoto, & @burghbrides, from different corners of the wedding industry to talk about the things we don’t always slow down enough to unpack: identity, inclusion, trust, communication, and how we show up for couples and each other.

We talk about what it means to work in an industry that hasn’t always been built for everyone - from navigating pronouns and assumptions, to being transparent with couples about who they’re actually hiring, to scaling a business without losing the trust that got you there in the first place.

If you’re a wedding pro, a creative, or a couple who’s ever felt like you didn’t quite fit the “traditional” mold, I hope this conversation leaves you feeling seen, and inspired to ask better questions, set clearer expectations, and do this work a little more intentionally.

Maya Lovro : Inclusive Wedding Photography

Wild Native Photography

Burgh Brides

Join The Cookie Table Family on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow along with my business endeavors @j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠oyfuleventsbyjade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠brieandbaskets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠

The last few months have been full — in all the ways.Big ideas, big responsibilities, big growth… and, if I’m being honest, a little burnout too.In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what the end of 2025 really looked like for me: the pace, the pressure, the lessons, and the moments that forced me to pause and ask, “Is this sustainable?”

I’m sharing how I’m setting clearer boundaries, redefining what “showing up” looks like for me, and why building better in 2026 means doing things differently — even when it’s uncomfortable.

You’ll also hear about the evolution of Joyful Commons, including why we refreshed our membership tiers for 2026 to better support real life, real families, and realistic rhythms of work and care.If you’re a parent, business owner, or anyone feeling stretched thin but still deeply committed to what you’re building — this one’s for you.Less hustle. More intention. And a whole lot more joy.

Join The Cookie Table Family on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow along with my business endeavors @j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠oyfuleventsbyjade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠brieandbaskets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠

Learn more about & get tickets to: The Pittsburgh DJ Summit

Cassie Horrell (@weddingprocass) is the Director of Events at Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center, as well as the owner of Clink '92 Mobile Bar! Cassie began her career in Florida around luxury events, and her current team sees an average of 200 events per year at her venue, so we can confidently say Cassie is a wedding expert.

It was refreshing to have a venue director on the pod to be able to pick their brain about a few pressing thoughts I've had - does having an exclusive caterer cap couples' budget? How do you handle clients who push boundaries and vendors who are non-compliant?

Given her expertise, I needed to know what she wants to see more and less of in Pittsburgh weddings. You also won't believe her two most controversial hot takes.

Join The Cookie Table Family on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow along with my business endeavors @j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠oyfuleventsbyjade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠brieandbaskets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , and ⁠⁠⁠@joyfulcommons⁠

Thank you⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Grandview Bakery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for filling this episode's cookie table!

Welcome Rebecca Harold of Margaret James Photography & Video, and Rewind the Moment to the podcast!

This week is all about living in nostalgia and how Rebecca and I align so heavily on family - which makes her new business the perfect bridge to my new business, too.

Outside of the camcorder trend, I pick Rebecca's brain about if wedding planners make her life easier or not as a photographer, and pose an interesting question that was presented to me by another friendor.

Ending with an exciting announcement of how we're bringing the two together for Joyful Commons' grand opening party!

www.rewindthemoment.co

www.margaret-james.com

Are you living in nostalgia, too? Be sure to check out Rebecca's podcast all about the stories of those behind the camcorder!

Rewind The Moment: The Podcast

and follow along with her on Instagram:

@margaretjamesweddings

@rewindthemoment.co

Join The Cookie Table Family on Instagram @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecookietablepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow along with my business endeavors @j⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠oyfuleventsbyjade⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠brieandbaskets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , AND NOW - ⁠⁠@joyfulcommons

Thank you⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Grandview Bakery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for filling this episode's cookie table!