The We Do Wedding Podcast

Diana Warner, owner and creative director of Eventistry by Diana, is a wedding planner based in Cleveland, Ohio. In our very frank conversation, we talked about what it takes to chart your own course (and be yourself) in an industry that often breeds conformity, competition, and perfectionism.  

Diana is a straight shooter who doesn't have a problem telling it like it is. We had a refreshingly honest conversation about ideal clients, learning to be true to yourself, and what COVID has meant to those of us in the wedding industry and to entrepreneurs in general.

Diana also had a lot of insight about the regulatory side of dealing with the pandemic, and she talked openly about how nebulous the mandates (and people's interpretations of them) have been. She also talked about how she's dealt with people's varying willingness to follow the mandates, and what's at stake for vendors and clients alike when clients or vendors choose to bend the rules. 

*Recorded January 2021*

Where to find her: www.eventistrybydiana.com 

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @eventistrybydiana on Instagram, @eventistrybydiana on Facebook

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

www.WeDoWeddingPodcast.com
www.WeddingsbyReginaMarie.com
www.CateBarryPhotography.com

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Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

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Cait Fletcher Photography is a wedding photography company based out of Guilford, Connecticut. Owner Cait joins Regina and Cate to discuss the joy of shooting weddings, having a trusted network of professionals, and finding the style she's been working towards for the past seven years.

Cait and Cate geeked out about taking the long view of wedding photos and what kind of photos they're both inspired to take. Cait walked us through what a typical wedding day looks like in such brilliant, clear detail--she's a teacher, and it definitely shows! She also talks about what kind of client typically finds her, and why she thinks that is.

We also discussed the perils of editing--perfectionism, outsourcing, and why it might take several months to get a wedding completed during peak wedding season. Basically, Cait dropped a ton of knowledge, insight, and joy about all things wedding photography. We absolutely loved Cait's interview and hope to have her back for future episodes!

*Recorded January 25, 2021

Where to find her: photographybyfletcher.com 

Email: [email protected] 

Social media: @photographyct on Instagram, @caitfletcherphotography on Facebook

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

www.WeDoWeddingPodcast.com
www.WeddingsbyReginaMarie.com
www.CateBarryPhotography.com

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Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
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Rick Starke is the band leader of The Glorious Unknown, a wedding and event band based out of Western Massachusetts. Rick joins Regina and Cate to discuss what it takes to play a wedding, why he thinks having a female-fronted band is so important, and how he can pretty much guarantee they're going to crush any wedding they're hired for.

The Glorious Unknown have been together as a band for the past decade and have been playing weddings for the past five years. Rick schooled us on what makes that scenario unique and how the group has used their history to their advantage in the wedding industry.

Rick also walked us through what the booking process looks like for the band and described what exactly clients can expect when they hire The Glorious Unknown. He enlightened us on the particulars of how a band differs from a DJ (note: it's not just in the final product), and explained why wedding bands cost significantly more than DJs. And we got to geek out with him about how much we all love good communication between vendors: Rick proved himself to us already on this front!

Where to find her: www.tguband.com 

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @TheGloriousUnknown on Instagram, @TheGloriousUnknown on Facebook

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

www.WeDoWeddingPodcast.com
www.WeddingsbyReginaMarie.com
www.CateBarryPhotography.com

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Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

**This episode was recorded in early February 2021, prior to Connecticut expanding the size regulation of events.  The statement that vendors are included in your total allowed body count is no longer true.**

Kristin Ferrarese is the Executive Chef and Creative Director of Fortuna's Catering Co. based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Kristin was the first caterer to come on the podcast, and she did not disappoint. We talked about so much in this interview, from kitchen fires to preparing dinner by moonlight to how COVID has fundamentally changed Fortuna Catering Co.

Cate and Regina soon realized that Kristin is something of a rarity in this industry: she is both super detail-oriented/type A and is also a creative, through-and-through . She can manage a kitchen like nobody's business and understands the ins and outs of event logistics better than most, but she also gets joy from taking homespun, comfort foods and turning them into food worthy of two people's first meal as a married couple.

We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Kirstin. Through it all, her easy demeanor, passion, and expertise shone through.

More information about Kim and Fortuna Catering Co.: Once I became a mom in 2015, I joined my mother and became partners in this catering business. I have a deep passion for events and weddings! I think a lot of these COVID wedding trends will remain for a few seasons, so[I love rethinking events to make them fun and special in new ways.

I’ve also been engaged with the CT Events Coalition for reopening events safely again and feel very comfortable navigating an event during the pandemic. The coalition meets regularly with the governor, so it’s helpful to know what timelines and restrictions are coming our way! 

Where to find her: www.fortunascatering.com 

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @FortunasCateringCo on Instagram, @FortunasCateringCo on Facebook

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate:

Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

Yajaira Daniel of YD Beauty is a makeup artist based out of Branford, Connecticut. Yajaira joins Regina and Cate to discuss what she's learned in over a decade in the industry, why hair and makeup on a wedding all comes down to timing, and (as often comes up during this podcast) why it pays to hire someone with a lot of experience.

Yajaira started out as a model and has been in the beauty industry ever since. In addition to her gorgeous work, her clients come to love and refer Yajaira because her energy lifts up everyone in the room. She had Regina and Cate cracking up throughout her interview.

When it comes to weddings, Yajaira does it all. She's a highly experienced hair stylist as well as being an amazing makeup artist, and she can do either or both for a wedding. We learned that her secret to getting someone's look right for their wedding is being an investigator--asking the right questions to get to the heart of what they want. 

She and Regina discussed wedding day extensions, and they reiterated how vital it is for Black women to work with competent hair and makeup artists. Finally, in a new segment we're calling No Crusty Lips, Yajaira echoed our last makeup artist's plea to please exfoliate your lips before getting your makeup done by a professional. Your makeup artist will thank you.

Where to find her: www.yajairadaniel.com 

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @yd.beauty on Instagram, @ydbeautyct on Facebook, @ydbeauty on Pinterest 

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast

Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie

Cate: @catebarryphotography

www.WeDoWeddingPodcast.com
www.WeddingsbyReginaMarie.com
www.CateBarryPhotography.com

Intro/Outro Music

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Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

Kim DeBose, owner and creative director of Curated by Kim, is a wedding coordinator (and budget wizard) based out of Connecticut. Kim was our first guest to arrive with a specific subject in mind: BUDGETS. In our conversation, we talked about how it all starts with a couple's hard-stop number, and Kim walks us through her process of helping clients allocate each piece of their budgetary pie.

Underneath all the numbers, Kim wants to help couples get to their big 'why.' Through talks about money, she opens up conversations about values, priorities, and from that, she offers personal recommendations on how to prioritize precious funds.

It was fun to learn how Kim's personality helps her in her role as wedding planner, both during the process and on the big day. She says above all else that she is an advocate for her clients, and she's not afraid to "be the bad guy" when it comes to defending her clients' budget and vision. She discusses specific elements of design that can impact a wedding, and she and Regina laugh about how wedding planners come to understand ALL the quirky family dynamics that might impact a wedding.

From Kim's website:  Here at Curated by Kim, we believe in the timeless traditions of Family, Fun, and a Packed Dance Floor! We understand that every love story is unique and each wedding should reflect the journey of the couple! I can’t wait to chat about one of the most important days of your life. So please feel free to share each romantic, gushy and frightful moment with me, I certainly live for them!

Where to find her: www.curatedbykim.net 

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @Curatedby.Kim on Instagram, @CuratedByKim on Facebook

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast

Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie

Cate: @catebarryphotography

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Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

Cate Barry, owner of Cate Barry Photography and co-host of this podcast, is a wedding and portrait photographer based out of New Haven, Connecticut. This was part two of a special episode where we turned the tables on the interviewer, and to do this, we invited Paulo and Irsa of John Paulo Films back to guest host with Regina! In our conversation, we talked about taking the long view of wedding photography and asking clients big questions about their 'why' to get at the heart of what matters to them most. 

In our chat, Cate discusses what most of her clients seem to have in common and why being the 'right fit' for and with people is so important to her. Things get emotional when Regina recalls the photo session she and her family had with Cate before Regina's father passed, and they get to the heart of why photography really matters--and what photographs Cate will always prioritize on a wedding day.

The four of them get real about touchy topics in the wedding industry, and Cate explains why she's obsessed with her wedding albums and the unusual reason she's all about a first look. She also talks about her commitment to centering fellow LGBTQ+ folks, and why she thinks it's much more than just 'luck' that connects her with all the right clients.

Cate opens up and is vulnerable in this interview way more than she normally feels comfortable doing, and it was such a pleasure having this safe, friendly environment to do it! 

Where to find her: www.catebarryphotography.com 

Email: C[email protected]

Social media: @CateBarryPhotography on Instagram, @CateBarryPhotography on Facebook, @CateBarryPhotography on Pinterest 

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast

Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie

Cate: @catebarryphotography

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Instant by Ne

Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

Explicit Language Warning:  Regina's words get a little colorful at times, but they say swearing is a sign of intelligence!

Regina Burrus, owner of Weddings by Regina Marie and co-host of this podcast, is a Certified Wedding Planner and Coordinator based out of Waterbury, Connecticut. This was a special episode where we turned the tables on the interviewer, and to do this, we invited Paulo and Irsa of John Paulo Films back to guest host with Cate! In our conversation, we talked all about the invisible benefits of hiring a wedding planner, the 'why' behind the phrase, 'you get what you pay for,' and how Regina's job as a nurse impacts (and is impacted by) her role as a wedding planner.

As always, Regina brought energy, humor, and great stories to our discussion of weddings. It was such a treat to have her in the spotlight for once! We got to hear more of her backstory (spoiler: we learn Regina was a self-described outcast Goth in high school), and she let us in on *truly* behind-the-scenes horror stories that made us laugh and cringe all at the same time. She talks about how she discovered who her ideal clients are, and she has excellent advice for people planning their wedding, and specifically those who are thinking of hiring a wedding planner.

What stands out about this conversation, however, is Regina's dedication to her clients' vision, her integrity as a wedding vendor and professional, and her honesty, describing how experience is hard-earned and worthy of value and merit. 

 Where to find her: weddingsbyreginamarie.com

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @WeddingsByReginaMarie on Instagram, @WeddingsByReginaMarie on Facebook, @WeddingsByRegin on Pinterest 

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast

Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie

Cate: @cateb

Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

Reverend Orsella (or Reverend O, as people tend to call her) of Serenity Ceremonies is an ordained wedding officiant and pre-marital counselor based in Connecticut. Reverend O joined Regina and Cate for one of our deepest conversations yet, in which we discussed the heartbreak of having your dream wedding pulled out from under you, the new challenges engaged couples face, and the vital importance of focusing on the marriage in addition to the wedding.

As someone who has years of experience counseling people leading up to their marriage, Reverend O's perspective on weddings and relationships was unique and powerful. She talked us through her pre-marital counseling system, SYMBIS (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts) and gave us tips for having a Come to Jesus moment with family members with a lot of opinions. She talked about ways to bring excitement and joy back into the 24-hour/7-days-a-week togetherness that so many couples have been thrust into during the pandemic. And she discussed what makes a ceremony shine, and why you shouldn't rush through it. 

Throughout her interview, Reverend O infused us with her bright, optimistic-but-realistic energy, reminding us of the fundamental WHY underneath all of our occupations in the wedding industry.

Click HERE for the blog posting.

Where to find her: serenityceremonies.com

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @revorsellaofficiant on Instagram, @RevOSerenityCeremonies on Facebook  

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast

Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie

Cate: @catebarryphotography

www.WeDoWeddingPodcast.com
www.WeddingsbyReginaMarie.com

Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...

Royal Beats DJ Services is a complete-service DJ company based out of Connecticut. Owner Stephanie Stardust joined Regina and Cate in SUCH a thoughtful, smart, and candid way to discuss what her eleven years in the industry have taught her, playing to your strengths, and what it really means when people tell you you're "too nice."

DJ Stephanie was such a joy to talk with. She's comfortable on the mic (as you can imagine), and she knows of what she speaks. We got real about things like COVID, learning to know and communicate your value to potential clients, and all the hats a good DJ wears on the big day. We also chatted about the vital importance of good communication among wedding vendors, and how one inexperienced or ill-prepared vendor can really throw a whole wedding out of whack. Finally, DJ Stephanie had some excellent tips for couples looking at DJs--things even Regina and Cate wouldn't have thought of!

Here is her mission statement and philosophy: Sharing the magic of music is my mission! I’m committed to treating every event as if it was a royal affair. I'm dedicated to powering your party with pure energy, passion, and an aura of professionalism. No matter the occasion, you can trust me to deliver elite services paired with a vivacious personality.

My philosophy for Royal Beats is to provide a service that is fit for Royalty!  I invite people to have some fun and break a few of the regal rules! My brand revolves around igniting the spark in others by treating them with high regard. You can rely on me to serve you with sophisticated sound and a side of sass, no matter what the occasion!

Click HERE for the blog post.

Where to find her: www.royalbeatsdjs.com 

Email: [email protected]

Social media: @DJStephanieStardust on Instagram, @RoyalBeatsDJServices on Facebook 

Find the hosts on social:

Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast

Regina: @weddi

Follow Us!
Podcast: @weddoweddingpodcast
Regina: @weddingsbyreginamarie
Cate: @catebarryphotography

Reach out to Cate or Regina today!

Intro/Outro Music
Instant by Nettson https://soundcloud.com/nettson
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/al-instant
Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/3MPl9j...