The Toast and The Tea

Molly and Jessica swap the most ridiculous requests they’ve heard as wedding musicians—from a surprise Love Actually-inspired forest ceremony to a mom insisting her daughter walk down the aisle to “Canon in D.” They also share stories about costumes actually being really fun, a bride's surprise wedding performance that went off the rails, and why vendors need a reprieve when November rolls around.

Have a wild wedding request of your own? Email [email protected] or submit your story at www.thetoastandthetea.com.

Molly and Jessica talk through the unspoken rules of weddings—from guest etiquette and vendor teamwork to what couples should keep in mind when hosting. They share real behind-the-scenes stories, debate wedding dilemmas in a round of “Sip or Spill,” and offer practical tips for making the day better for everyone. Have a wedding story or question?

Email [email protected] or submit it at www.thetoastandthetea.com.

It's Halloween week, and Molly and Jessica trade ghost stories from the wedding venues. They cover Chicago's Congress Hotel, the Drake and the Pfister  Hotel in Milwaukee. Molly shares her own spooky night at River Roast, and listeners share a story about a haunted painting and a gear-buying trip that almost end up like a real life horror story.  

Contains strong language and a few heavy topics.

The biggest wedding-industry stereotype may be wrong: brides aren’t always the source of the chaos. Molly and Jess share behind-the-scenes stories about demanding grooms, unruly speeches, unqualified “planners,” and the unpredictable moments that can turn a wedding into an event to remember.

Whether you work weddings, are planning one, or simply enjoy a good behind-the-scenes story, this episode offers plenty of laughs—and a few reminders of what can go wrong when no one’s really in charge.

Millennial weddings can be super sloppy, Gen Z weddings can feel fake, and one bride just asked if the emcee would hide behind a curtain. If you work weddings or just love a good behind-the-scenes snark, this episode is for you.

Molly and Jessica unpack their most recent weddings and get into the curious new obsession with aesthetics over reality - including TikTok requests, late night snacks, stereotypical mother of the brides, and the unforgettable question: why do people want to hide the band?

Episode 10 is pure wedding-industry ridiculous in the best possible way: a guest's outfit inspired by Carrie Bradshaw, a bandleader climbing over an HVAC colon, a jacket literally eaten by the AC, and a bride who may have just invented the most uncomfortable dance-floor power move ever.

Molly and Jessica are back with a reception rewind that turns into a full-on deep dive into the wildest things happening at modern wedding and  the trends they’d happily never see again. 

They trade stories from the field, compare notes on what vendors actually notice, and unpack the stuff no guest ever sees.

This week, Jess and Molly sit down with Micky York, the musician, published author, professor, and most importantly, Fake Benny from Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute. He plays keys, harp, and sings across weddings, pits, and Chicago stages. From hot takes on sock-less groomsmen to keeping a harp in tune in cold, rainy weather, Micky shares his takes on the strange, glamorous, reality of being the person everyone assumes is “just” playing background music.

Purchase Micky’s book, "The Pain of Cooking" at www.mickropolis.com and find him on IG at @mdlyork or @dancingqueen_abbasalute.

A groom who can't stop stage managing his own wedding and a bride who changed venues the day of the event (a happy ending!) It's peak season and Molly and Jess once again share crazy stories from recent events and also discuss burnout relief for wedding vendors, from list-making to walking to the deeply scientific concept of a “fart walk."

Jessica gets screamed at in the rain, a power outage threatens the whole event, and the band has to decide in real time whether to keep the party alive or walk away. For anyone that’s worked or attended a wedding with Mother Nature calling the the shots, this one is for you.

The wrong first dance song can turn a wedding into a full-blown crisis ...for 1 maybe 2 people. Molly and Jess get discuss what actually makes a first dance work, why some first dances feel magical, others feel like homework, and one felt even X-rated.

If you’ve ever planned a wedding, worked one, or just love the behind-the-scenes disasters people never admit out loud, this one is for you. Jessica and Molly swap stories from the trenches of wedding entertainment, including a father-daughter dance that went on so long it started to feel like a performance piece, a bride who counted 167 steps of her choreography, and the very real consequences of choosing a song that sounds simple but isn’t. Along the way, they break down what makes a first dance memorable, when to let the band handle it, and why “just one friend that DJs” can become a logistical nightmare.