Wedding Planning Podcast

Today we’re going to review 5 creative ways to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on your wedding.  I’m sharing FIVE on my favorite wedding money savers, from food, to decorations, to your venue!

I thought it would be really fun and a huge *value bomb* to roll together TEN of my favorite money saving opportunities and share them in two detailed shows.  This week we’ll review the first five, and don’t go anywhere because next week in Part II, there are five more.

I’m 100% confident that we can trim at least $1000 off your wedding budget with these easy access money saving tips, and I can’t wait to hear the creative ways that YOU have found to keep costs in check - shoot me a DM on Instagram to share your money saving stories!  @weddingplanningpodcast

A special thank you to today's show sponsors:

• ON-DEMAND wedding planning services anytime, anywhere?  Yes, please!  To take advantage of what one VAULT members calls “a breath of fresh air in the wedding industry” simply visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/vault
• 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 "WPP".
• 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!

What's a good starting point for our wedding plans?  What should we do first?  What dress code would be best for our guests?  Mixed gender bridal party tips?  Invitations, transportation, "DIY" catering?

Today we're reviewing your wonderful wedding questions in a fun, casual & value-packed Q&A.

To submit your wedding questions & ideas for future shows, shoot me a DM on Instagram --> @weddingplanningpodcast

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!

A very special thank you to today's show sponsors:

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

• Connect with your Better Help professional counselor and save 10% off your first month with discount code “WEDDING".

• Enjoy FREE honeymoon travel planning services from Susan & her team at Susan's Travel Services!  Email [email protected] and mention that you heard today's show for $50 off your booking.

Your bachelorette party is a really fun wedding milestone, and there are endless ways to celebrate that don't involve questionable behavior & week-long hangovers.  (Although if that's what you're going for, I DON'T JUDGE!)

Tune in for some unique ideas for ways to celebrate, including a few sample COVID-friendly gatherings.

We also review a quick a history lesson on how this tradition started, some great listener questions & more!

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

>>> ON-DEMAND wedding planning services anytime, anywhere?  Yes, please!  To sign up for what one VAULT members calls “a breath of fresh air in the wedding industry” simply visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/vault

>>> 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 "WPP".

>>> 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!

Your top COVID-19 wedding questions, answered!

A quick note before we get started today - events from the past couple of weeks have prompted some last minute programming revisions.  This being the Wedding Planning Podcast, I typically stick straight to wedding planning - for those who do NOT know the show well, this is a podcast for anyone and everyone preparing to marry their person, regardless of color, identity, religion, or politics. 

This is a message I live by every day, but is especially relevant now - please take good care of one another.  We live in a world full of injustice and hatred, but also full of love and hope. 

Shares and likes and comments on social media are one thing.  Funneling your sadness and anger into making tangible change within your community - is quite another.  Please consider sharing your time in support of those whose voices matter, but aren’t always heard. 

Be well, and enjoy the show.

Concerned about COVID-19 affecting your wedding plans?  Enjoy tons of free resources when you sign up for the totally free "Wedding Plan B" workshop brought to you by yours truly >>> www.weddingplanb.com

Submit your wedding questions via DM on Instagram >>> @weddingplanningpodcast

ON-DEMAND wedding planning services anytime, anywhere?  Yes, please!  To sign up for what one VAULT member calls “a breath of fresh air in the wedding industry”, visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/vault

Connect with your Better Help professional counselor and save 10% off your first month with discount code “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 "WPP".

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!

This week on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we have a jam packed wedding Q&A show.  Tune in for answers to your top questions on summer wedding tips, saying NO to vendors & wedding party members, chasing down something that was promised for free, sidestepping family drama, and so much more!

Virtual wedding planning packages for just $9.99 / month?  Yes, please!  Visit the Wedding Planning Podcast VAULT for more information.

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 "WPP".

Save 15% site-wide on men's wedding bands from Alpine Rings and enjoy FREE 2-day shipping & exchanges!  

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!

We’re a long ways away from the inception of the bridal shower, when women historically gathered to shower the bride with gifts for her new home. 

How you celebrate your shower is entirely up to you, and can go way outside the bounds of tradition - in today's episode, we're giving the old-school bridal shower some creative, modern twists!

I realize that in many cases you don’t plan your own shower, so please feel free to forward this episode along to anyone who's helping you with the wedding plans.

Another quick note >>> in our current state of social distancing, not every activity we review today will be available in every area, as of the air date of today’s show.  You’ll want to make adjustments accordingly based on your circumstances, and based on when you’re listening.  

Enjoy, all my best to you & yours! 

A special thank you to today's show sponsors:

ON-DEMAND wedding planning services anytime, anywhere?  Yes, please!  To sign up for what one VAULT members calls “a breath of fresh air in the wedding industry” simply visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/vault

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!

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

Your wedding dress questions, answered!

From vintage dress shopping tips, to saving $$ on your alterations, to inviting your future mother-in-law along for shopping - take a full tour of everything you need to know before you hit the boutiques with your bridal posse and say YES to the dress!

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!

Worried about COVID-19 affecting your wedding plans?  Enjoy tons of free resources when you sign up for the totally free "Wedding Plan B" workshop brought to you by yours truly >>> www.weddingplanb.com

A huge thank you for supporting today's show sponsors:

• Save 15% site-wide on men's wedding bands from Alpine Rings and enjoy FREE 2-day shipping & exchanges!

• 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!

• Connect with your Better Help professional counselor and save 10% off your first month with discount code “WEDDING".

To submit questions for future Q&A shows, follow @weddingplanningpodcast on Instagram, and keep an eye on the "stories" area - or simply shoot me a DM, I'd love to hear from you ;)

Cheers to finding the perfect dress, and I can't wait to chat again soon!

xo, Kara

Your COVID-19 wedding questions, answered in this bonus episode of the Wedding Planning Podcast!

For access to tons of free COVID-19 wedding resources & workshops, visit www.weddingplanb.com

You're newly engaged and BURSTING WITH EXCITEMENT about marrying the love of your life!

Unfortunately, most couples dive right in to making BIG WEDDING DECISIONS ... with friends, family, and free websites all clamoring to guide their next steps.

But without a strategic master plan & realistic wedding vision, it's easy to get lost in CRUSHING OVERWHELM and loads of UNFORESEEN EXPENSES.

That's why I created The VAULT, where we can create a stress-free, streamlined master plan to get you all set up ... with your DREAM WEDDING!

Learn more about small group virtual wedding planning services when you visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/vault

Thinking of you >>> stay healthy, HAPPY, and safe!

xo Kara

Great news - there are lots of workarounds to hiring a professional florist to create towering, elaborate centerpieces for your wedding reception tables!

Full blog post for today's show:

www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/centerpiece

Wedding plans affected by COVID-19?  Get answers in this totally free workshop series, brought to you by the Wedding Planning Podcast.  To sign up, simply visit www.weddingplanb.com

In today's show, we’re going to discuss lots of affordable wedding table decoration ideas.  We're also going to review some actionable tips for doing your own wedding day flower bouquets & boutonnieres.

It’ll take some extra work on your part, and you may need to simplify things a bit ... but if you’re looking for a spot to save a ton of money, creating fun table centerpieces on your own is a great place to start.

So exactly how can you create beautiful reception table decorations, for not a ton of money?  

We’re going to start with tips for incorporating flowers into your table decor, and move into some other beautiful centerpiece ideas that incorporate lots of creative materials OTHER than flowers. 

I'll also share some fun examples of complete table set up’s that you can do for less than $10 / table!

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!

A very special thank you to today's show sponsors:

Save 15% site-wide on men's wedding bands from Alpine Rings and enjoy FREE 2-day shipping & exchanges!

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!

Train your loved one to deliver your ceremony like a pro with the Unboring Officiant training package!  Listeners enjoy 50% off when you visit www.unboringofficiant.com/weddingplanningpodcast

Let’s talk about the recipe for your perfect wedding, and when you get right down to it - it’s pretty simple.

I’ve been guiding engaged couples to planning their dream weddings for 10 years now, and here’s something I hear way too often: 

“We’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed about all the little things, and losing sight of the big picture.” 

Couples who plan every single last painstaking detail, only to realize that they haven’t even thought about the marriage ceremony itself, or who haven’t had one single NON-WEDDING related conversation with their partner in the past 6 months.

I know firsthand how easy to get swept up in feeling like everything on your wedding day has to be PERFECT - the wedding industry has been sending the message that your wedding is the “most important day of your life” for decades. 

Well, here’s a little secret - no doubt, your wedding day is exceptionally special, and a day you will cherish for the rest of your life … but you’ll likely have many more “best day ever's” in your future, and spending unnecessary time and stress over perfecting all the little things, while failing to focus on that WHY of your relationship and marriage -

is quite simply a recipe for disaster.

I know I’ve learned a lot about myself over the past couple of months (if you’re listening in real time, we’re on about week 8 of stay-at-home orders related to the corona virus pandemic.)

I’ve also been put on the spot and challenged to strip my life down to the basics. 

I know this doesn’t necessarily apply to our hero essential workers who are on the front lines in our hospitals and stores, and delivering supplies to keep everyone’s fridge full, bills paid, and packages arriving - I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve sacrificed over these past few weeks - your service to the community at large is priceless and so appreciated.

For those of us who are NOT essential workers, the calendar was abruptly wiped clean, and we were suddenly left with the all holy grail of TIME.  When you’re not rushing around all day every day with “normal” activities, there’s lots of time to think about what really matters, something I know I’ve been doing a lot of lately.

If you’ve been a long-time listener of the show, then you’re very familiar my minimalist philosophy of approaching your wedding plans.  In other words, prioritizing and identifying what’s very most important to you, and letting the rest go.  This is my timeless way of guiding couples through their wedding plans, but it feels exceptionally appropriate given our current circumstances.

Lots of couples get overly anxious about all the little things throughout their engagement and lose sight of the BIG PICTURE.  You default to thinking that every single little thing needs to be perfect, and spend unnecessary time & stress over things that simply don’t matter. 

You forget and / or lose sight of the WHY of your relationship, which is the WHY of the entire wedding! 

Instead of stressing out over favors and cakes and color swatches, we need to take a deep breath and re-center our focus on celebrating your marriage - I do.  2 lives becoming one.  That’s it.

If you’ve had to postpone or reschedule your wedding in these past couple of months, then you know exactly how quickly all the little things lose meaning - all those months of stressing over this and that detail, and then you’re hit with the crushing truth that your entire wedding has been cancelled.  Maybe you went ahead and made your marriage official, and plan to celebrate later, or maybe you put everything on hold for another year.  Maybe your wedding is in May of 2021 and none of this applies.  Regardless - if you have had to postpone, cancel, reschedule -

If only we could rewind just 3 months, what you would give to be able to simply have your loved ones all in one place to witness your marriage, and then to celebrate with good food and drinks.  mmmmmm, that sounds SO GOOD right now!

So here we are - what are the essential ingredients of your perfect wedding?

Tune in for much more, including a Q&A in the second half of the show!

A HUGE THANK YOU for supporting our show sponsors:

Save 15% site-wide on men's wedding bands from Alpine Rings and enjoy FREE 2-day shipping & exchanges!

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!

Connect with your Better Help professional counselor and save 10% off your first month with discount code “WEDDING".