Luxury wedding planners have it all, right? And with so many high-end weddings, they have to be making high payouts too, right? 

Well, not always. This is the story of Gabrielle Pinkerton, and how she ran her business $7,000 in the red. And it’s a valuable listen for anyone who wants to avoid costly mistakes as they grow their wedding business. 

Gabrielle is the owner of Cause We Can Events, a Nashville-based wedding planning company that specializes in full weekend events. When the business gained traction in 2016, Gabrielle found herself in the luxury market, paying out big commissions and handing off the most fulfilling work to her team. 

And she also found herself burnt out, underpaid, and running her business at a loss. When she ended 2024 with $24,000 in owner pay, she knew things needed to change. 

This is where the story gets good: Gabrielle didn’t let this setback be the end of her career. And now she’s using her comeback story to help wedding planners run their businesses in a way that earns profits and avoids burnout.

This week on Wedding Industry Insider, Gabby Pinkerton is sharing all the gory details about what awakened her to her business’s financial crisis, AND she’s giving us the playbook for how she finally got it right.

Tune in and hear all about:

To hear our full interview with Gabby, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Gabby for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

The post WII 190 – How Does a Luxury Wedding Planner Only Make $24k? (The Fall and Rise of Gabrielle Pinkerton) appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

What happens when a scientist becomes a wedding planner? They operate with strong SOPs and make decisions based on data. Today on Wedding Industry Insider, we’re talking about how you can run your business like a scientist.

Our guest Dana Kadwell has a degree in chemistry and physics, and a background in education. Still, when she changed careers to wedding planning, she had problems finding balance. Her son’s early life is a blur because she was so busy. She got burnt out as her business grew. And in Dana’s words, her business became her god. 

But it didn’t stay that way.

During this heartfelt interview, Dana is walking us through her journey as a wedding planner and the changes she made to find balance and joy in her business. And a lot of it comes down to science. 

Now with thorough processes, thoughtful goal setting, and data-driven strategies, Dana helps other event professionals through her company Hustle & Gather. Tune into this week’s episode as Dana lays out her most hard-learned lessons as a wedding pro. 

Here are some of our favorite highlights from Dana & Eddie’s honest and insightful conversation:

To hear our full interview with Dana Kadwell, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Dana for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 189 – Dana Kadwell Has Wedding Planning Down to a Science appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

Wedding Planner Georgie Mitchell talks about cringey TikTok videos, flat-fee pricing, and why she doesn’t plan luxury weddings. 

Feeling pressured to start planning luxury weddings? For many wedding planners, the luxury market seems like the sole place for growth and profits. But what if you don’t feel drawn to luxury events? 

This week’s Wedding Industry Insider episode is perfect for the wedding planner who wants a path toward success that’s not intertwined with extravagant, luxury events. Our guest is Georgie Mitchell, owner of Georgina Rose Events, author of “It’s Your Wedding,” and TikTok wedding expert.

This interview is so powerful and will be refreshing for anyone who feels pressure to book luxury weddings, pressure to make the biggest sales, and pressure to get social media just right. Because Georgie is rewriting the wedding planner playbook. And during this episode, she’s getting real about the journey that brought her success. 

Tune in to hear Georgie’s honest advice for wedding planners, including…

To hear our full interview with Georgie, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Georgie Mitchell for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

The post WII 188 – Georgie Mitchell Doesn’t Plan Luxury Weddings (And You Don’t Have to Either) appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

You’re ready to plan weddings for Gen Z couples, but do you know how to market to them? For most of us wedding planners, we’ve begun to shift our strategies. We know to be on social media, we know to keep things clear and snappy. 

But that’s just the surface, and if you haven’t thoroughly restructured your marketing plan, you’re just hitting the surface of the market. 

That’s why we’re so excited for this week’s episode of Wedding Industry Insider. Today we’ve got Daria Neretina & Alina Krupenina bringing us the best marketing strategies to reach Gen Z couples. Daria & Alina are the co-owners of WedVibes, and they’ve got some surprising and expert-level insights for wedding planners. 

They’ve got loads of advice packed into this one-hour interview, so tune in and get ready to tap into a brand new market. We’ll go deep into lots of topics, including these 5 ways you can start standing out to Gen Z couples:

Daria & Alina also share their own journeys as entrepreneurs and how they teamed up to create WedVibes. Stay tuned into the end, because you’ll want to hear their #1 advice for wedding planners!

To hear our full interview with Daria & Alina, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Daria, Alina, and the WedVibes team for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 187 – 5 Ways Wedding Planners Can Stand Out to Gen Z Couples (With WedVibes Founders Daria Neretina & Alina Krupenina) appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

Yes, you read that right – our guest on Wedding Industry Insider is Eddie Babbage! As founder and longtime host of the podcast, Eddie offers so many glimpses into his values and journey as an entrepreneur. But this week we’re getting more than glimpses! We get to hear the full story of how Eddie became the CEO of Timeline Genius, and his many failures, wins, and lessons along the way.

As an entrepreneur, Eddie seeks to serve and solve problems using technology. And as an individual, he has so much wisdom and encouragement to share with us. 

This interview was a joy to record, and we hope it will transform the way you listen to every Wedding Industry Insider episode. Here are some of the fun topics Eddie covers this week:

To hear this special interview with Eddie Babbage, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

Today’s guest host was Emily Sumners-Tuipulotu, who manages the Wedding Industry Insider Podcast. She has over 12 years of experience as a wedding planner and is the owner of Day of Middle Tennessee Weddings. 

We want to say a special thank you to Eddie for taking on the role of guest and sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 186 – A Special Conversation with Eddie Babbage appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

RIP to the marketing funnel, and welcome to the Marketing Theme Park. Today’s couples enter the realm of wedding planning, and then it’s madness. They’re going all different directions, with short attention spans and noise all around them. 

What does that mean for wedding planners like us? It means we have to meet potential clients where they are, keep the friction out of the buying process, and know the most impactful way to speak over the noise.

This week on Wedding Industry Insider, Becca Pountney joins us to talk about her Marketing Theme Park theory — and she’s breaking it down for wedding planners who want to reach their ideal clients. 

Becca is a wedding industry marketing expert, author, and coach with so much wisdom to share during her interview. Tune in to hear Becca’s advice for self-confidence, marketing, and overcoming struggles in your wedding planning business. 

Here are some of our favorite moments from this week’s episode:

To hear our full interview with Becca Pountney, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Becca for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 185 – Becca Pountney and the Death of the Marketing Funnel appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

When Annette Naif opened her event planning business at the age of 46, she had one big secret: she had no idea what she was doing. She knew how to plan events, and she was good at it. But when it came to running a business, she was clueless, and she didn’t want anyone to know. 

This was despite having a degree in business, a legal background, and commercial experience. Everyone has to start somewhere. And for Annette’s first wedding, her starting pay was negative $57 per hour. 

Over the course of her career — with help from coaches, her network of support, and a lot of dedication and learning — Annette grew to be a successful event planner with a thriving business. And now she’s sharing her hard-learned lessons with wedding pros like us. 

Annette is our guest this week on Wedding Industry Insider, and this lively conversation is full of fun anecdotes, helpful advice, and thoughtful reflection. She’s sharing excellent marketing advice and dishing out her secret sauce to networking. Here’s what we’ve got in store for you in this week’s episode:

To hear our full interview with Annette, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Annette Naif for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 184 – What Annette Naif Learned Making Negative $57 Per Hour appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

You want to grow your leadership skills in 2026, but you’re not sure where to start. Here’s a great launching point: this week’s Wedding Industry Insider interview.

We’ve got Broc Barton with us for an insightful conversation about leadership, mindset, and business growth. It’s a must-listen for anyone who wants to make confident decisions for their business. 

Broc is the founder and CEO of Elevate Entertainment, which went from zero to 850 events per year during its first 5 years in business. He is also a lifestyle leadership coach who helps business owners and individuals harness their strengths to make the world a better place. 

During this one-hour interview, Broc shares the biggest keys to his success as an entrepreneur and offers easy-to-follow advice for anyone who wants to become a stronger leader for their business. Here’s what you can expect when you tune in:

To hear our full interview with Broc Barton, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Broc for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 183 – Broc Barton’s Top Leadership Tips For Wedding Planners appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

You didn’t get into wedding planning because you love bookkeeping and finances. But to do the work you love, you need to learn how to manage your cash flow. 

Not a money person? Neither was Candice Coppola. But after some tough mistakes and hard-learned lessons, she dug herself out of her financial difficulties and became a thriving wedding planner and mentor. 

And she’s got great encouragement for you: you can learn how to run the financial side of your business and come out on the other side smarter, wiser, and (likely) richer!

Candice actually has a lot of encouragement for wedding planners, and that’s why we’re rebroadcasting her fantastic interview on Wedding Industry Insider Podcast. Here’s what we’ve got waiting for you in this week’s episode:

To hear our full interview with Candice Coppola, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Candice for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

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The post WII 182 – Learn to be a “Money Person” [Rebroadcast with Candice Coppola] appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.

If you’re looking for the dos and don’ts of running a wedding planning business, our interview with Fallon Carter is a great place to start. We’re revisiting this fan-favorite episode to soak up all the kindhearted wisdom and actionable advice Fallon has to offer, so tune in and see how you’re inspired to reshape your business. 

Fallon is the founder and creative director of Fallon Carter Events. She’s also an endearing podcast host and wedding expert who has persevered through challenges as an entrepreneur. 

During her fantastic interview with Eddie, Fallon shares reflections on weak contracts, chaotic hiring, and imposter syndrome. And best of all: she’s sharing how she solved some of the biggest problems she faced as a wedding planner. 

Here’s what you can look forward to in this episode:

To hear our full interview with Fallon Carter, you can press the play button above. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast in iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

We want to say a special thank you to Fallon for sharing these insights with our Timeline Genius community.

Please take this information, act on it, and carry on the journey toward fulfilling your dreams!

The post WII 181 – Fallon Carter Solves Your Wedding Planner Problems [Rebroadcast] appeared first on Timeline Genius Blog.