These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

Episode Summary
This is arguably one of the touchiest subjects when it comes to a wedding - what should our wedding budget be? What’s the average cost of a wedding? How much should we spend on each vendor? This episode will breakdown some key points to consider when creating your budget, and how you can create a budget perfect for your wedding.

Episode Notes
Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now what? After all the celebratory hugs and high-fives, the next step should be to sit down with your SO and have the talk about… BUDGET. Yup, it’s the conversation that no couple wants, but every couple needs. Creating a realistic budget is KEY to your wedding success, and we’re here to help! Joe and Tessa will share their professional advice on how to keep your budget (and stress that comes along with in) in check.  Brides, grooms, family and friends - this episode is a MUST LISTEN.
Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

Rules of Engagement for the Perfect Budget

• Know your budget range - it can be huge range, but keep it as realistic as possible. Don’t plan a $100K wedding if you can’t afford a $100K wedding.
• Must Haves vs Nice To Haves - You NEED an officiant, you NEED a venue… do you actually need a live band, or a wedding cake? Figure out your must haves, and your essential "nice to haves". 
• Get the biggest bang for your buck with the vendors you choose.
• SHAMELESS PLUG: Hire a wedding planner! Wedding planners can help you save money in multiple ways - they offer preferred vendor discounts and partnerships, they help you stick to your budget, and they red flag very costly mistakes.
• Know where your money is coming from - parents, sponsors, on your own? This is an important part of creating a budget.
• If you’re planning to DIY your wedding on a shoestring budget - own it!

Episode Links:

• Couple cancel's $3200 photographer for $50 Craigslist photographer then gets mad when they receive photos - blames OG photographer!
• Couple invites guests to their wedding, then sends a $75 invoice for meals.
• Guest charged for eating a second slice of cake!
• Gorgeous couple plans a wedding for $500 - valued much higher.
• Budget bride gets angry when family wears more expensive dress than hers.
• Honeymoon funds

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These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

It’s an old tradition for a bride and groom NOT to see each other before the ceremony, but does it make sense? Looking at it from a professional photographer and wedding planner’s perspective, Joe and Tessa will share their advice and experience from weddings that do and don’t do a first look. 

Seeing each other before your ceremony feels wrong - we get it. But what if we tell you that you might not have time post-ceremony for all the photos you want? Maybe you won’t have time to hang out with your guests during cocktail hour, or *GASP* you won’t have time for sunset photos? Would any of those reasons change your wedding day plans? Listen in to learn all the reasons why you should (or shouldn’t) do a first look. BONUS: Find out who was the crier during the first look at their wedding - Joe or Tessa… Destination weddings, local weddings - this episode is for everyone!

Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

First Look Facts for Your Wedding Day

• We answer questions about a first look in this episode, including the obvious one: What is a first look?
• We also discuss why should you do a first look? 
• If you do a first look, get creative. We LOVE it when they’re emotional, funny, or crazy. 
• If you don’t do a first look, it’s OK! Our advice is to plan ahead to make sure you have time to do everything you want on your wedding day, post-ceremony.

Links and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode:

• THE FIRST LOOK: A first look is a planned, organized period of time before the ceremony when the couple has a moment to see each other, alone.
• The superstition behind a first look is that if you see each other before the ceremony, your wedding will be cursed. This came from the old tradition of arranged marriages, and how couples didn’t meet/speak or see each other until the ceremony. YIKES!
• Why should you do a first look? It can calm your nerves, it helps get a lot of photos done before the ceremony which allows more time with your guests, it can make your day feel less rushed, and it helps with the logistics of the day.
• Why shouldn’t you do a first look? Doing photos beforehand can make your day feel longer, and might cost more for photo and video. It also requires your family to be onsite earlier (before the wedding) for photos. If you know your family is tardy all the time, this can be frustrating and a waste of precious time. If one or both of you feel very strongly against seeing each other before the ceremony - don’t do it!
• Creative ways to do the first look:
  • Emotional/romantic option: read your vows to each other privately, or turn around and look at each other together. 
  • Joe talks about a couple funny moments - Groomsman dressed in a wedding dress, and  when a bride grabs the groom’s butt.
  • Tessa talks about a couple who got married where Jurassic Park was filmed - the bride dressed up as a dinosaur!
  • Alternative options: Do a first look with others - your dad, your grandpa (LOVE THIS), your wedding party, YOUR DOG!!
• TRUTH #1: Tessa did a very low key first look.

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

EPISODE SUMMARY:
There are so many elements of a wedding that you have total control over. Unfortunately, your wedding day weather isn’t one of them. Will it rain? Will it snow? Will it be too hot? Will it be too cold? This doesn't mean you should hope for the best without a plan. Tune in to hear advice from the POV of wedding experts Tessa and Joe - a wedding planner and a photographer working outdoor weddings all year round.

EPISODE NOTES:
In this episode, we share crazy examples of bad weather, and how it makes your wedding day memorable and still very, VERY awesome! If you’re planning an outdoor wedding - this episode is for you.  Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

How to Prepare for Wedding Day Weather

• Controlling the weather: In Episode 2, Tessa shares her pro tips.
• Understand the seasons and plan for it.
• Hope for the best, but have a backup plan.
• Indoor vs Outdoor Venues: Outdoor venues just hit differently, especially with destination weddings. Indoor venues have a special place in our hearts because they are weather-proof, literally a wedding planner's dream come true.
• Have a Backup Venue: A lot of hotels have outdoor wedding options but will hold an indoor space (like a ballroom) just in case. BRILLIANT! 
• Hire a Wedding Planner: Joe's words, not mine! A wedding planner’s job is to create a plan B for all things wedding, including weather.

Links and Musings from this Episode 

• INTRO: We start this episode talking about historic surf that sends waves crashing into a wedding on Hawaii island. (Don’t worry - they saved the cake!)
• PRO TIP: A hair and makeup touch up is a great way to manage the heat and change up your look.
• Joe the "inventor" suggests a hidden fan in your bouquet or a portable AC to stay cool.
• Be aware: hurricane season in Hawaii is June to November. 
• Longer days = summer wedding (more sunlight, longer ocean views)
• Longer nights = winter weddings (gorgeous nights under the stars, smores, firepits)
• The elephant (or shark) in the room is BAD WEATHER. Don't ignore it - have a backup plan.
• Joe didn't tell the CRAZY TORNADO story!
• Overcast weather: diffused light means no sweating or squinting.
• Joe randomly told the story about the false missile alert in Hawaii. OMG.
• Sharknado - W

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

Brides and grooms - don’t skip this episode! Whether you’re already engaged or waiting for your SO to pop the question, listen in to hear Joe and I talk about our favorite proposals, some of the major wedding proposal disasters, and we’ll share advice on how to make yours an epic success!

From a flash mob proposal in a destination location, to hiring a wedding planner to coordinate this moment, to hiring a professional photographer to climb a tree to secretly capture that big moment… is it ever “too much” to pull off the best proposal ever? We think not! Bride, grooms, family and friends - you don’t want to miss this.

Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

How to Propose 

• Understand the Rules: Where can you propose? What’s allowed/not allowed at the location you plan to propose?
• Be Prepared: Plan ahead and get the ring, hire a photographer, practice your speech and be ready for your big day!
• Wedding Proposal No-Nos: No ring, no plan, no conversation about weddings beforehand = RED FLAG.
• Location, Location, Location! Choose a location that can be a special, memorable location for both of you.
• Unconventional Proposals: Double proposals are a fun way to both propose.

Links and Thoughts from this Episode:

• Intro: Check out the proposal FAIL at Disney Paris (thank you, Disney ninja!)
• Understand the rules of your location - what’s allowed/not allowed?
• Do you guys remember that song: Red Solo Cup? Hide your Dom Perignon!
• Girl Scout Motto: Be Prepared
• Tessa’s EPIC flash mob proposal (Is it rude that Joe didn’t like it?)
• Joe tells a story about a proposal gone wrong… listen in to hear the juicy details.
• Check out some of the worst wedding proposals ever!
• Proposing at a funeral is ALWAYS a bad idea. (Joe’s song: Rude)
• Do you love Kiss Cam proposals? Or prefer something more intimate? “Know your audience” and do something you know they’ll love.
• A destination proposal while on vacation is a GREAT IDEA!
• Hire a professional photographer and videographer for your proposal. Getting engaged in Bora Bora? Joe will travel!
• Joe talks about dressing up to take pics at a proposal with dolphins at the Kahala Hotel 

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

Our most controversial topic to date - should you have kids at your wedding, or should weddings be kid-free? Joe and I lay out our points for both cases, and end up with a *major* plot twist and surprise guests at the end. Intrigued? Listen in for all the details.

First and foremost, I LOVE KIDS. Whether or not they should be at a wedding is a different story. In this episode, Joe gets deep about kids’ meals, while I recount a very specific story about a bridesmaid-baby disaster. Brides, grooms, family and friends or anyone with a kid - you don’t want to miss this episode!

Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

Kids or No Kids

• Kids can stress people out. Crying babies, flower girls who don’t make it down the aisle… kids are unpredictable!
• Kids are great for those fun, impromptu moments. Dancing solo on the dance floor, swiping frosting from the cake - adorable! 
• It changes the vibe. Parents need to watch their kids and can’t fully enjoy themselves. OR parents don’t watch their kids and it becomes a safety issue.
• Kids allow weddings to get creative and build fun, family-friendly experiences.
• If you want kids at your wedding, plan ahead and keep them entertained!
• Don't want kids at your wedding? Again, plan ahead! Make it clear, and let your guests know in advance. 

Links and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode:

• Intro: We debate a Reddit AITA thread about bringing a baby to a child-free wedding.
• Was Joe on Hot or Not? We’ll never know.
• Tessa POV: Even though my vote is for kid free weddings, I’m not like a regular mom. I’m a cool mom.
• Joe POV: I love the unpredictable. “I’m the photographer - whatever happens, happens!”
• Type A vs Type B personalities. Which one are you?
• FACT CHECKED: I Googled wedding cake explosions and couldn’t find an example of a wedding cake exploding. WHEW!
• FUN FACT: A baby’s cry can be 130 db (within a foot of the baby), while a helicopter’s noise level at 500 ft away is about 87 db.
• Even at destination weddings, there are reso

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of reasons why we love weddings. In this episode, we’re unpacking WHY we love weddings - destination weddings, surprise weddings, elopements, all of it! Is it for the cake? The dancing? The unfiltered post-wedding stories? Listen in to find out. As professionals, we see everything, hear everything and we are HERE. FOR. IT. 

Episode Notes
In this episode, I test Joe’s patience by holding out on my favorite part of a wedding. There are so many things to love, and it’s so hard to pick just one! We learn how serious I am about cake (VERY SERIOUS), and how serious Joe is about old fashioneds. Don’t worry - we also share advice and tips on how to incorporate things that you love into your wedding, while still staying true to you and your wedding. Brides, grooms, family and friends - listen in to get the inside scoops.

Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

Things We Love About Weddings

• The Overall Guest Experience: Have you seen a surprise wedding or enjoyed an over-the-top dessert bar? How about a whiskey bar, late night baby donuts, or a dance floor under the stars? These are just a few examples of how to create a memorable guest experience.
• A Good Toast/Speech: We’re not talking about a “speaking from your heart” speech - we’re talking about a pre-planned speech with intention, humor and a toast at the end. 
• The Couple, Taking it All In: We’re obsessed with that moment before the couple walks into their reception for the grand entrance. Does it get any better than this? 
• Post-COVID Celebration: We love when a party comes to life. Does it feel like things have gotten even better post-COVID? We think so.
• An Open Bar: Not gonna lie, I love when guests do shots. Listen in to find out my reasoning (I promise, it makes sense). 

Links and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode:

• Intro: I rapid fire questions at Joe, and try to get him to answer them as quickly as possible. (SPOILER ALERT} Joe talks too much, doesn’t give quick yes/no answers, and he hates cake. Major eye roll.
• I talk about a surprise wedding… love this!
• Joe tells us about a story involving helicopters and surprises… listen in for the details.
• Having dessert bars on each guest table just makes sense.
• How to make an Old Fashioned
• Cocktail, the movie
• The secret to a good speech? Don’t Google it!
• Check out some speeches gone terribly wrong.
• Dad Jokes (When does a joke become a “dad joke?” When it becomes apparent.)
• Does anyone else love SHOTS as much as I do?
• Are these son

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

Episode Summary
One of the biggest questions to consider when planning your destination wedding - should you hire local vendors (local to the destination) versus bringing in your own vendors. Is there a right or wrong answer? Unsurprisingly, Joe and I have very different viewpoints on this very important question, and also unsurprisingly, I think my points are better than his. Listen in and let us know what you think. 

Episode Notes
Hire local or BYOV (bring your own vendors) is the topic of today’s episode. We ponder important wedding questions such as - Do you hire Joe because he has a nice personality? Do you hire Tessa because she can get you discounts? When does it make sense to hire a local vendor, and when is it better to bring someone with you? We’re excited to share our personal and professional insights, so listen in.
Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

Hiring a Local Vendor or BYOV (Bring Your Own Vendor) 

• It’s so important to hire a vendor that meshes with your personality. Is this person a good fit for you and your wedding? 
• Local vendors have experience with the destination - they know the weather, the weekday traffic, the landscape. 
• Local professionals know the rules. Counterpoint: Vendors can research and learn the rules. If a vendor does their homework and plans ahead, they can make it happen. 
• Local professionals have relationships and connections. 
• Hiring a local vendor supports the local economy. 

Link and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode

• Intro: Joe reminisces about a wedding he did in St. Barths. Did he make it to the wedding on time? Did his boat sink? Find out on this episode.
• FUN FACT: St. Barths does, in fact, belong to France. 
• Looking for a marquee sign for your destination wedding in Hawaii? We got you.
• According to Urban Dictionary, udgy is a real word (weirded out, uncomfortable feeling). 
• Destination florists do exist! Check this out: Designs by Hemingway
• In this episode, we talked about a wedding in Denver that I coordinated. Here’s the amazing photographer who saved my butt: Libbie Holmes Photography (Listen to the episode for the full story).
• Monthly average temperature in Denver (when in the world does it snow)?
• Looking to get a beach permit in Hawaii? Reach out to the Oahu Wedding Association.
• FACT: Sparklers and non-commercial fireworks are illegal in Hawaii.

Here we are!

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

Episode Summary
Welcome to our next episode of Unveiling Paradise: Your Go-To Destination Wedding Podcast. We’re kicking things off with the top 5 reasons you should have a destination wedding, and {SPOILER ALERT} - there are way more than 5 reasons! Coming together with different points of view, our goal is to show brides, grooms, family and friends the ins and outs of planning a memorable destination wedding. 

Episode Notes
There are so many things to consider when planning a destination wedding - unknown vendors, language barriers, additional costs - it can feel extremely overwhelming. In this episode, we share our personal and professional insights on how to navigate planning a destination wedding that your family and friends will talk about for years to come.

Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

Our Top 5 Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding

• You can control the weather… or can you? (Tessa can!)
• Small guest counts > large guest counts 
• We’re OBSESSED with built-in vacations (no walking the dog or cleaning your house before ceremony)
• Learning a new culture, like a lei exchange in Hawaii
• Pick a meaningful location to share with your family and friends… awwww.

Links and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode:

• Intro: We talked about J+B’s amazing destination wedding that included dancing under the stars, a boba bar, and so many other details that made their Hawaii destination wedding “better than his sister’s wedding”.
• If you want a winter wedding, check out destinations like Whistler, Canada. (Vancouver wannabe here!)
• Shout out to Siberia! Getting married in Siberia means warm, stylish capes and coats. OBSESSED. 
• We’re throwing it out there - Joe’s DREAM WEDDING is in Bora Bora. Let us know if you’re getting married in Bora Bora and we will be there! (And yes, you can come on our podcast to talk to us all about your wedding). 
• LINK: Couple Skipped Feeding their Guests to Hire Mickey and Minnie
• Dessert Bars and Late Night Snacks
• CHECK THIS OUT: Dancing under the stars is the BEST way to do it. 
• Hire a bartender that can create yummy and gorgeous drinks.
• Immerse yourself in a new culture (lei exchanges in Hawaii)
• Explore Hawaii as a destination for your wedding. Hawaii really is an amazing place. :)
• Australia’s Acknowledgement of Country
• Proposals in Hawaii
• LINK:

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com

Episode Summary
Marijuana, deception, and drunken fights… What do these 3 wild things have in common? We talk about all of them in this week’s episode! Join us as we go through our list of wedding dos and don’ts. (DO: Listen to the episode. DON’T: believe anything Joe says.) 

Episode Notes
Wedding Rule #1 - Don’t get arrested on your wedding day. Seems pretty obvious, right? Not so much! In this episode, we talk about things you definitely should do and things you definitely should not do at your wedding. We also answer some burning questions that we’re sure you’re asking yourself… Can you do sparklers at your destination wedding in Hawaii? What happens if the groom and his groomsmen get into a fight and the police show up? Do you need to feed your wedding planner? What happens if you forget to bring your pants to the wedding venue? Listen in to hear our thoughts and advice for all of the above, and more.

Support us: patreon.com/unveilingparadise

Our Dos and Don’ts for your Wedding Day

• Don’t get arrested and end up in jail. Does this even have to be said? Based on our experience, yes. Yes it does.  
• Do know your guests. “Know your audience” and focus your time, energy and budget on what’s important to you and your guests.
• Don’t pack in too many things on your wedding day. Give yourself time to breath (and troubleshoot issues that may arise). 
• Do take care of your vendors. PRO TIP: Feed your vendors - they’re working hard for you all day! Also, give them time to use the bathroom. (Joe needs to pee!!) 
• Do put thought into your wedding photos. Curate a family photo list, but give your photographer the creative space to take your photos throughout the day. 

Links and Miscellaneous Thoughts from this Episode:

• Intro: Joe talks about a CRAZY wedding in Florida, where a bride and caterer were arrested after lacing the food with weed! Is that crazy? Or a good idea? 
• FACT: You CAN do a cannabis bar at your Colorado wedding, and at Canada weddings, too! 
• Tessa made a mistake!! I kept saying corsage, knowing it wasn’t the right word, but couldn’t actually remember the correct word. It’s a CORSET-back, ladies. CORSET.
• How to correctly lace up a corset back wedding dress.
• Do you know how to tie a bowtie? (Joe can’t!) Check it out HERE. 
• Do you know how to tie a double windsor knot? Check it out HERE.
• Take care of your vendors. Remember, Tessa needs to eat, and Joe needs to pee.
• Vendor meals are ALW

These are our top 3 episodes to start with if you are about to have your summer wedding. We'd love to hear from you. Hit us up and mention our show to learn more about our Unveiling Paradise Promo. 

Support the show

Find Us on Instagram:
Unveiling Paradise @unveilingparadise
Joe @josephesser
Tessa @fredandkateevents

Email us [email protected]
Web unveilingparadise.com