Planning a luxury wedding in Michigan or searching for the perfect downtown Grand Rapids wedding venue? In this episode of the Wedding Planning Experts Podcast, hosts Dan and Andrea DeWard of Full Circle Weddings sit down with Olivia LaVergne, Event Manager at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids, one of West Michigan’s most sought-after luxury hotel wedding venues.

Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, the JW Marriott delivers an elevated destination-style wedding weekend experience with stunning event spaces, upscale guest rooms, on-site catering, and luxury amenities—making it a top choice for engaged couples dreaming of a stress-free, all-in-one wedding celebration.

Olivia shares expert insight on what couples can expect when hosting their wedding at a luxury hotel venue, from venue tours and design planning to catering, bar service, guest accommodations, and timeline logistics. Dan and Andrea also break down the difference between hiring a wedding planner versus a day-of coordinator, helping couples understand what level of support they truly need.

Whether you’re an engaged couple, a bride feeling overwhelmed, or planning a sophisticated hotel wedding weekend, this episode offers practical advice, insider tips, and real-world expectations to help you plan with confidence.

Luxury wedding venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan

JW Marriott Grand Rapids wedding experience

Venue tour options and what to expect

Floral and wedding décor planning process

Catering, bar service, and menu creation

Taste testing and wedding menu planning

Wedding cakes and dessert options

Bridal suite for hair and makeup

Wedding rehearsal logistics

Start and stop times for wedding events

Guest rooms and hotel accommodations

Guest parking options, including valet

On-site amenities like the spa and pool

Destination wedding weekend planning

Wedding planner versus wedding coordinator

Find Dan & Andrea DeWard online at...

Find Wedding Planning Experts online at...

Wedding Planning Experts  is produced by Dan and Andrea DeWard with Full Circle Weddings. 

Planning a 2026 wedding and feeling overwhelmed or stressed? You’re not alone—today’s engaged couples are facing more choices than ever. In this episode of the Wedding Planning Experts Podcast, hosts Dan & Andrea DeWard (Full Circle Weddings – West Michigan) break down the most important 2026 wedding trends every bride, groom, and engaged couple needs to know before choosing their wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, tuxedo, wedding venue, or even their save the date and invitations.

With 25+ years in the wedding industry, Dan and Andrea guide you through what’s trending for 2026, including:

Whether you’re feeling excited, overwhelmed, or simply trying to stay ahead of the trends, this episode gives you the clarity and inspiration you need to make confident decisions for your perfect 2026 wedding day.

🎙 Listen now and start planning with confidence.

🌸 Full Circle Weddings – West Michigan Wedding Services

In this podcast episode we will discuss details every bride, groom and wedding vendor should know before attending a Grand Rapids Bridal Show in January at the DeVos Place.

Learn the dates and times of the bridal show, how many wedding vendors participate, wedding dress and tuxedo fashion show times, how to get a free ticket, cost for additional guests tickets, how to register for prizes, how wedding vendors can join and more.

To get the most out of attending be sure the bridal show offers a wide range of vendors covering all categories including wedding planner, wedding venues, wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, tuxedo, wedding rings, bouquets, boutonniere, wedding decorations, wedding invitations, photo, video, DJ, photo booth, limousine, party bus, wedding officiator, catering, cake, tent rental, honeymoon, wedding gift ideas, wedding hairstyles, and a fashion show displaying the latest styles.

It can just be the bride and groom attending the bridal expo but often couples will invite some of their bridesmaids, groomsmen, mother of the bride, father of the bride, mother of the groom, father of the groom to also attend.  

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Let's do this... In our first episode we want to welcome every engaged bride as we share a little bit our our story in the wedding industry. We have been fortunate to have helped hundreds of brides with planning and also hosting their wedding day.

Over the past 25+ years we have owned and operated multiple wedding lines of business including 3 large wedding venues, photo, video, flowers, wedding decorations, centerpieces, DJ, photo booth, limousine, party bus, bridal dress salon, bridesmaids dresses, tuxedo rentals, wedding invitations, timeline assistance, floor plans, and more. Yes, we owned and operated all of those wedding lines with our team.

We have also hosted a large bridal expo and worked with a variety of other wedding services such as caterer, bar service, wedding officiator, tent rental, cake, honeymoon, travel, and more.

We are excited to launch our Wedding Planning Experts podcast and share wedding tips, interview other expert vendors and help brides and grooms plan their wedding stress-free on and on budget. So let's get started... 

Find Dan & Andrea DeWard online at...

Find Wedding Planning Experts online at...