What happens when your dream vendor doesn’t show up and they send someone else in their place?

In this episode of The Venue Underground, Kate, Gemma, and Rachel share candid stories about dress alterations gone wrong, family members who overstep, and the rising trend of vendors double-booking wedding days.

From a bridesmaid dress disaster that cost hundreds, to a sister-in-law secretly livestreaming a wedding, to advice on handling vendor substitutions, this episode is equal parts funny, frustrating, and full of real-world wisdom.

A baby crashes a child-free ceremony, a DJ walks out, and a $12K venue vanishes! Here’s how we’d actually save the night.

Three venue pros, a fallout shelter, and the internet’s messiest wedding clips. In this episode of The Venue Underground, Kate, Rachel, and Gemma tackle child-free ceremonies that get ignored, DJs storming out mid-reception, and parents who think paying means picking.

From a $12K ghost-venue horror story to floor-plan fights with DJs, we break down the chaos, explain why it happens, and give you the fixes that actually work on wedding day. You’ll walk away knowing the red flags to watch for, containment scripts to save your night, and how to keep boundaries with family “gifts” that come with strings.

Not just a reaction. An investigation, from the people who’ve seen it all.

Taylor said it best: sometimes the math isn’t mathing. In this episode of The Venue Underground, Kate, Gemma, and Rachel break down the girl math of entrepreneurship: the sleepless nights, the bad reviews that stick longer than they should, and the mental gymnastics we do to convince ourselves we’re “making it.”

We talk about:

• The girl math of lost sleep vs. revenue

• Why saying “no” is sometimes the smartest yes

• Pricing your energy and sanity like money

• Burnout seasons vs. balance seasons

• Pivoting without losing your “why”

If you’ve ever felt like running a business was its own era, this one’s for you. Swifties, entrepreneurs, and dreamers alike, Taylor was right.

🚨 Review hostage is real.
Threatening bad reviews to get freebies. Fake five-stars. Kickbacks to make vendor lists. In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on why trust is for sale in the wedding industry.

Couples think “preferred vendors” are vetted. Vendors assume reviews are honest. But behind the scenes? Money, leverage, and quiet deals are running the show.

🎧 What you’ll hear inside:
– What kickbacks really look like (and why they matter)
– Shocking examples of “review hostage” in action
– How to tell if a vendor list is bought or earned
– What couples & creatives must ask to protect themselves

Whether you’re planning your wedding or running your business, this episode is your survival guide to the trust economy.

👉 What’s the WORST review or shady vendor story you’ve seen? Drop it in the comments — we might feature it in a future episode.

💌 Share this with someone planning a wedding — it could save them thousands (and their sanity).
📲 Follow @thevenueunderground on IG for the unfiltered truth.

Your Weird Hobby Could Be Someone’s Dream Wedding Upgrade

When Kate posted a TikTok claiming she could turn any hobby into a wedding business, she didn’t expect it to explode. But the comments section became a goldmine of creative business ideas and some listeners are already turning them into real income.

In this episode of The Venue Underground, Kate, Gemma, and Rachel break down the most-liked suggestions and share step-by-step launch plans for each, including:

• Becoming a Wedding Hype Guest to keep the dance floor packed

• Starting a Wedding Day Content Creator service for couples and vendors

• Monetizing niche passions like bugs, houseplants, and sword choreography

• “Rent-a-Grandma,” the unexpectedly heartwarming wedding service

• Choreographing surprise fights, spooky wedding activities, and more

Whether you’re a wedding vendor, creative entrepreneur, or just looking for a profitable side hustle, this episode will spark ideas you can start in 30 days or less.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to:

• Turn your skills or hobbies into a profitable wedding industry service

• Price, market, and book your first clients

• Use social media to grow a wedding business fast

Kate Dear started her venue brand with a $10K bet, a crumbling marriage, and zero room for mistakes. In this episode, she shares the first five strategic moves that turned her startup into a multimillion-dollar business.

Recorded from a Cold War fallout shelter beneath one of her venues, this one is packed with unfiltered strategy, startup grit, and stories from the early days. If you're dreaming of leaving your day job and building something that actually works—start here.

Kate Dear didn’t plan on building a wedding venue empire. She was a newly divorced stay at home mom who wanted to work for herself on a bigger scale than an Etsy shop. Recorded in a Cold War fallout shelter underneath one of her business locations, this premiere episode of The Venue Underground introduces Kate and her all-woman leadership team: former teacher Gemma and bar manager turned venue director Rachel. Together, they share how they went from survival mode to a seven figure business and a national franchise. From burnout and babies to building a brand from the basement up, this is where the real story starts for anyone dreaming of something more.