Wedding Planning Podcast

How are you supposed to manage all the stress of daily life ON TOP OF trying to plan a wedding on our own, with a million different opinions, options, and outside factors pulling me in a million different directions?

While I cannot send your future mother in law to therapy, or predict the future of an ever-evolving pandemic virus that has put life into a tailspin for coming up on two years now, or convince your boss to let you have a week off to plan your wedding uninterrupted, I DO have a great solution for you if you’re feeling like wedding stuff is about to be the straw that broke your back, on top of all the other challenges life is serving up.

Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we're going to walk through planning your very own WEEKEND WEDDING PLANNING RETREAT.  Whether you chose to staycation at a cheap hotel, hop in the car or board a plane, there is so much value in shaking things up a bit, getting away from home, and giving yourself the gift of TIME + FOCUS on wedding stuff, uninterrupted, for 48 hours.

• I know we’re all full of subscriptions to Netflix, Spotify, wine clubs, beauty boxes, meal kits, but I truly believe this is the BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK out there in terms of personalized wedding planning support.  Membership is incredibly affordable (I wouldn’t have it any other way!), there’s a free 3-day trial, and you’re free to cancel your membership any time, zero questions asked.  Details at www.wedpodcast.com
• Newly engaged & wondering where to begin with your wedding plans?  Reveal the first THREE STEPS to simplifying the planning process, and ditch the paralyzing overwhelm felt by so many engaged couples!  Visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/learnmore to claim your FREE Engagement Starter Kit  >>> my gift to you ;)

THANK YOU for supporting our show partners who make these free weekly episodes come to life!

• Enjoy all the fun & memories of a photo booth for a fraction of the price!  Details at Booth by Mail, & save 10% with promo code WPP10.  
• Get professional help planning your dream honeymoon for FREE when you email [email protected] . Don't forget to mention the Wedding Planning Podcast for $50 off your booking!
• Is your happiness suffering in these insanely stressful times?  Connect with your Better Help professional counselor today and save 10% off your first month.

This week on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we’re demystifying the world of wedding insurance, permits and licensing.

It all seems like a big, scary topic so we're bringing it all down to very simple terms and easy tasks that you can check off your list, typically with a few simple phone calls or clicks.

Visit the FULL BLOG POST with bonus links here >>>

https://weddingplanningpodcast.co/wedding-insurance/

You’ve likely had nightmares about alllllll the things that can go wrong on your wedding day.

While I can’t buffer you against ALL mishaps like a global pandemic that spans years, a lipstick spot on your dress, swollen & hurting feet, or running out of vodka at the bar - the GOOD news is, you CAN protect yourself and your wedding from big disasters with a simple little thing called wedding insurance.

Wedding insurance is reasonably priced, and for just a couple hundred dollars can provide PRICELESS peace of mind.

Side note - Researching your wedding insurance options would be a PERFECT little task to delegate to someone who's been asking you "is there anything for the wedding I can help with?" ;)

Stick around for the second half of the show to hear your wedding questions, answered!

Please feel free to share this valuable episode with your engaged friends, or anyone who's helping you plan.  I appreciate your support of the Wedding Planning Podcast beyond words!

Cheers, Kara

PS - Please enjoy these generous gifts from today's show sponsors:

Enjoy a FREE 3-day trial of my revolutionary digital wedding planning package when you sign up today at wedpodcast.com

Save 21% on awesome wedding bands in just about every type of material imaginable when you visit: www.ManlyBands.com/wedding

Enjoy all the fun & memories of a photo booth for a fraction of the price!  Details at Booth by Mail, & save 10% with promo code “WPP10".

Take advantage of FREE honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book! Simply email [email protected] to get started.

If you’ve been engaged for a few months and are still having trouble deciding on a date, format, and/or wedding venue, then you will definitely relate to today’s show!

QUICK RECAP -

This year I’ve been sharing live wedding planning sessions with my sister Kate, who got engaged on Christmas Day of 2020.

It’s been an incredibly exciting and fun time, and a really fun project to share her planning process with you - totally unfiltered and in, more or less, real time.

If you’re new to the show or if you’ve missed these episodes, you can find them beginning in January of 2021, titled “BONUS, LIVE Wedding Planning Strategy Session”, there are 4 of them to-date.

In a nutshell, Kate & her fiance John have created a LOT of personal and financial freedom through their business that they run together.  They share a love of travel, family, & their friends, and it’s critically important to them that their top values of connection and intentionality remain front and center, integrated deeply within their wedding celebration. 

In other words? Spending as much quality time as possible with their closest friends & family is the most important element of their entire wedding plans. 

Over the past 7 months, Kate has remained open to any and every possible option in terms of how that actually plays out - that’s essentially the ongoing conversation that you’ll follow in Parts 1 - 4 of our planning strategy sessions. We literally go from coast-to-coast looking at various venue options, take it overseas with destination wedding scenarios, from a private chartered yacht to a wedding at their home in Puerto Rico. 

Now I know that not every couple has the same time & resources available to consider far flung venues and exotic wedding scenarios, but the undercurrent of indecision and uncertainty that Kate shares so openly is something that we can all relate to. 

Weddings have changed over the past year, and so has the way we think about them and plan them.  An event where all of your friends & family are in the same room was maybe taken for granted 3 years ago ... but today that takes on an all new meaning. 

Right now is a great opportunity to press pause and get intentional about exactly how you want to capture that moment, and one of the best ways to do that is to scrap everything you know, have seen, heard, or experienced about what a wedding from the past looked like. 

I’m not saying that this new way is EASY or QUICK - Kate’s been at it for 7 months, and still doesn’t have a venue or wedding date nailed down. But I can guarantee with absolute certainty that by not settling for the quick & easy traditional way, their wedding celebration will be packed full of meaning, intentional connection, and a moment in time that we will all remember forever.

And with that, today we’re going to continue the journey. In the first part of the show, I’ll be sharing a conversation between Kate and my husband John - I know, so many John’s - from our recent time together in Big Sur on the central coast of California. 

We camped together for a solid week under the redwoods, and I’m a firm believer in mother nature stripping away the noise and revealing the core essence of what’s important - with the help of John. 

And of course, stick around for the second half of the show for an update from Kate since that conversation, including detailed information on sending Save the Dates, bridesmaid proposal boxes, putting together a wedding website, & so much more!

Links & resources mentioned in today's episode:

• Don't miss a thing!  Sign up to receive show notes via email by visiting www.wedpodcast.com
• Learn more about the NEW WAY to plan your dream wedding celebration at www.alignedwedding.com
• BRIDESMAID PROPOSAL BOXES Blog Post

A special thank you to today's show sponsors for making this episode possible:

Get professional help planning your dream honeymoon for FREE when you email [email protected]. Don't forget to mention the Wedding Planning Podcast for $50 off your booking!

Enjoy all the fun & memories of a photo booth for a fraction of the price!  Details at Booth by Mail, & save 10% with promo code “WPP10".

Is your happiness suffering in these insanely stressful times?  Connect with your Better Help professional counselor today and save 10% off your first month.

This week on the Wedding Planning Podcast, enjoy an all-new Wedding Q&A featuring your questions from email & Instagram!

Topics we're discussing include:

• Venue deposits & shopping help,
• Advice for a second wedding,
• Booking hotel room blocks, 
• Receiving line alternatives,
• Alternatives to expensive wedding DJ,
• & so much more!

To submit questions for an upcoming show, simply FOLLOW @weddingplanningpodcast on Instagram, and send a DM (direct message) on the platform. 

Due to the sheer volume of your love and support, we regretfully cannot personally reply to each submission ... you will receive a message when your submission is queued for an upcoming episode.

Members of my digital wedding planning package have front-of-the-line, VIP access to weekly Wedding Q&A shows, bonus "off the record" chats, and so much more!  Enjoy a FREE 3-day trial when you sign up today at www.wedpodcast.com

A special thank you to today's show sponsors for making this episode possible:

• Would you LOVE to take advantage of FREE honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book?  Simply email [email protected] to get started!
• Enjoy all the fun & memories of a photo booth for a fraction of the price!  Details at Booth by Mail, & save 10% with promo code “WPP10".
• Check these guys out at Generation Tux and use promo code in today's episode for 10% off the entire groom’s party AND a free groom's tux w/ 5 paid party members.

Today’s convo is a wedding planning strategy GEM!  We’re going to cover every single last little thing that should be included within your wedding venue contract. 

If you’ve already booked a venue and signed a contract, I’d suggest pulling out your actual document & sticking around for today's convo to be sure that all the key items are addressed.

Your wedding venue is literally the centerpiece of your dream wedding celebration.  It’s also likely the most expensive decision you’ll make throughout the course of your engagement, so we need to be extra cautious in getting the details cemented just right.  

Today's show is just the beginning of dozens of strategic recorded meetings that walk you through the ALL NEW WAY to plan your dream wedding!  Sign up for a totally free 3-day trial of my revolutionary digital wedding planning package by visiting www.wedpodcast.com

Thank you so much for supporting today's show sponsors who made this episode possible:

• Enjoy all the fun & memories of a photo booth for a fraction of the price!  Details at Booth by Mail, & save 10% with promo code “WPP10".
• Do you ever feel like your happiness suffering in these insanely stressful times?  Connect with your Better Help professional counselor today and save 10% off your first month.
• Take advantage of FREE honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book!  Simply email [email protected] to get started!

In the last 3 episodes of the Aligned Wedding Effect Bonus Series, I gave you the keys to the NEW WAY of planning your dream wedding. 

You know the importance of:

• A laser-focused wedding planning MINDSET,
• Dialed-in wedding & personal VALUES,
• And the critical ingredients for putting it all into ACTION as you sort through the countless logistics & wedding decisions you’ll be making over the next few months.

But what does it look like to actually USE those 3 keys throughout your engagement journey?

Today in PART FOUR, we're going to pull everything together with a detailed overview of the NEW WAY that couples are using to plan their dream wedding experiences >>> The Aligned Wedding Effect.

I back up everything in the Aligned Wedding Experience with my inner beliefs and deeper purpose. 

I’ve been the overwhelmed bride.  I’ve done the emptiness, the struggle, and the fear of judgement …

And I also planned a wedding celebration that our guests still talk about 11 years later, and that my husband John and I are proud of to this very day - because it was truly a reflection of the two of us, and it created a sense of deep love and connection with our guests that we still share today, and I know we will for decades to come.

And I want the same for you.  And you can have it, with the Aligned Wedding Effect.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to say goodbye to the OLD WAY - the "traditional" wedding planning world that's full of fluff & excess, expense & overwhelm. 

This is your chance to get your wedding planning MINDSET & personal VALUES aligned with your wedding STRATEGY, so that you can create an unforgettable celebration that you & your loved ones will talk about for years to come.

The doors to the Aligned Wedding Effect are officially open.

But the choice to walk through those doors and totally change the course of your engagement journey starting RIGHT NOW - that’s totally up to you.

So, what’s it gonna be?

Welcome to Episode THREE of the Aligned Wedding Effect, a special series from the Wedding Planning Podcast!

You’re one of the incredibly few who’s about to discover the key to a streamlined, simplified, and completely fulfilled engagement season. 

If you’re listening to this life changing series, then you’re here for a reason.

You’re ready to finally cut through the noise of free wedding advice from strangers on the internet, and take ownership of your wedding vision - regardless of what anyone else thinks. 

You want your priorities to take center stage, and to STOP worrying about what everyone else is doing, or what others might think about your wedding choices. 

You’re ready to create a wedding that’s build on intention, impact, and connection with your loved ones, instead of relying on the same old recycled and repackaged advice & traditions that the wedding industry has been serving up for decades. 

You’re ready for your loved ones to walk away from your wedding experience saying to themselves, “that was the most life changing, unforgettable wedding we have ever been to.”

Today’s episode of the Wedding Planning Podcast is PART THREE of a very special series that explores exactly how to create a dream wedding celebration that’s in perfect alignment with what you value the most in life.  

Sound familiar?  Right, this is a common theme on the Wedding Planning Podcast, and I have a feeling that if you’re listening today, you’re a couple who values informed choices, intentional decisions, and actions that are in complete alignment with who you are at the core.

In this special 4-part series, we’re going to press the reset button, and walk through the very specific elements that make up the ALIGNED WEDDING EFFECT - the all new way to plan a wedding that is 100% centered around you, your partner, and your top priorities.

To binge the entire 4-part series right now, AD-FREE, visit alignedwedding.com and sign up for a free trial of this revolutionary digital wedding planning package. 

Right now is the PERFECT TIME to become part of this all new approach to wedding planning that puts YOU & what you value most in the very center of your wedding planning journey.  Details at www.alignedwedding.com

Please enjoy these additional exclusive offers from today's show sponsors:

Is your happiness suffering in these insanely stressful times?  Connect with your Better Help professional counselor today and save 10% off your first month.

Take advantage of FREE honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book?  Simply email [email protected] to get started!

Welcome to Episode TWO of the Aligned Wedding Effect, a special series from the Wedding Planning Podcast!

You’re one of the incredibly few who’s about to discover the key to a streamlined, simplified, and completely fulfilled engagement season. 

If you’re listening to this life changing series, then you’re here for a reason.

You’re ready to finally cut through the noise of free wedding advice from strangers on the internet, and take ownership of your wedding vision - regardless of what anyone else thinks. 

You want your priorities to take center stage, and to STOP worrying about what everyone else is doing, or what others might think about your wedding choices. 

You’re ready to create a wedding that’s build on intention, impact, and connection with your loved ones, instead of relying on the same old recycled and repackaged advice & traditions that the wedding industry has been serving up for decades. 

You’re ready for your loved ones to walk away from your wedding experience saying to themselves, “that was the most life changing, unforgettable wedding we have ever been to.”

Today’s episode of the Wedding Planning Podcast is PART TWO of a very special series that explores exactly how to create a dream wedding celebration that’s in perfect alignment with what you value the most in life.  

Sound familiar?  Right, this is a common theme on the Wedding Planning Podcast, and I have a feeling that if you’re listening today, you’re a couple who values informed choices, intentional decisions, and actions that are in complete alignment with who you are at the core.

In this special 4-part series, we’re going to press the reset button, and walk through the very specific elements that make up the ALIGNED WEDDING EFFECT - the all new way to plan a wedding that is 100% centered around you, your partner, and your top priorities.

To binge the entire 4-part series right now, AD-FREE, visit alignedwedding.com and sign up for a free 3-day trial of this revolutionary digital wedding planning package. 

Right now is the PERFECT TIME to become part of this all new approach to wedding planning that puts YOU & what you value most in the very center of your wedding planning journey.  Details at www.alignedwedding.com

Please enjoy these additional exclusive offers from today's show sponsors:

Check these guys out at Generation Tux and use promo code within today's episode for 10% off the entire groom’s party AND a free groom's tux w/ 5 paid party members.

Take advantage of FREE honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book?  Simply email [email protected] to get started!

Why do some engaged couple THRIVE … while most struggle through their wedding planning journey, languishing in a constant state of overwhelm? 

Why do a few sail through their engagement season incredibly fulfilled & 100% confident with their unique decisions, while so many engaged couples stay stuck in feelings of emptiness and anxiety over whether or not they’re using the right resources, trusting the best sources, and making the right decisions?

You’re one of the incredibly few who’s about to discover the key to a streamlined, simplified, and completely fulfilled engagement season. 

A wedding planning journey where your top values & priorities are in perfect alignment with every single wedding decision you make, resulting in a wedding that will leave a lasting legacy on you & your loved ones.

If you’re listening to this life changing series, then you’re here for a reason.

You’re ready to finally cut through the noise of free wedding advice from strangers on the internet, and take ownership of your wedding vision - regardless of what anyone else thinks. 

You want your priorities to take center stage, and to STOP worrying about what everyone else is doing, or what others might think about your wedding choices. 

You’re ready to create a wedding that’s build on intention, impact, and connection with your loved ones, instead of relying on the same old recycled and repackaged advice & traditions that the wedding industry has been serving up for decades. 

You’re ready for your loved ones to walk away from your wedding experience saying to themselves, “that was the most life changing, unforgettable wedding we have ever been to.”

Today’s episode of the Wedding Planning Podcast is PART ONE of a very special series that explores exactly how to create a dream wedding celebration that’s in perfect alignment with what you value the most in life.  

Sound familiar?  Right, this is a common theme on the Wedding Planning Podcast, and I have a feeling that if you’re listening today, you’re a couple who values informed choices, intentional decisions, and actions that are in complete alignment with who you are at the core.

In this special 4-part series, we’re going to press the reset button, and walk through the very specific elements that make up the ALIGNED WEDDING EFFECT - the all new way to plan a wedding that is 100% centered around you, your partner, and your top priorities.

To binge the entire 4-part series right now, visit alignedwedding.com and sign up for a free 3-day trial of the ALIGNED WEDDING digital planning package. 

Right now is the PERFECT TIME to become part of this all new approach to wedding planning that says NO to the 70 billion dollar wedding industry, and says YES to you & what you value the most.  Details at www.alignedwedding.com

Please enjoy these exclusive offers from today's show sponsors:

Enjoy 21% off his Manly Band, plus a free silicone ring when you visit www.manlybands.com/wedding

Is your happiness suffering in these insanely stressful times?  Connect with your Better Help professional counselor today and save 10% off your first month.

Take advantage of FREE honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book?  Simply email [email protected] to get started!

If you’re the type of couple who values connection and meaningful time spent with the people you love the most, then a 3-5 day  DESTINATION WEDDING might be the perfect set up for you!

Close your eyes and imagine a packed ballroom with blaring music, flashing lights, and going around to 30 different tables saying a quick hello to each one of your wedding guests.

Now, I love an amazing party just as much as the next person, and for some couples that’s how they chose to celebrate - a traditional reception, with a DJ, hundreds of guests, and a laundry list of wedding to do’s.  Cut the cake, first dance, toss the bouquet, that sort of thing.

I bet you love a good party too ... but if you're like me, then truly connecting with your loved ones in meaningful ways throughout your wedding celebration takes absolute top priority over pretty much everything else. 

And I truly believe that the best way to maximize your opportunity for connection is to design a celebration that gives you TIME and SPACE to spend time with people in a more intentional & meaningful way ... and a distraction free, unplugged 3-5 day destination wedding is just the ticket.

You’re going to hear a lot of really valuable info from Susan of Susan’s Travel Services today, and if you’d like to schedule a totally FREE informational call with her to get your destination wedding OR honeymoon plans underway, she’s just an email away!  Contact her any time at [email protected]

And with that, enjoy today’s show!

PS - A special thank you to today's show sponsors:

• Download the free BACH app & get ready to elevate your bachelor or bachelorette party experience!  Just look for “BACH” in the app store.
• It’s no secret that I LOVE a nice glass of wine for happy hour, and right now I am LOVING Usual Wines.  Your first glass is on us when you use promo code “PLANNING” for $8 off your first order!