Wedding Planning Podcast

"The more thought & intention you put into your wedding plans throughout your engagement, the richer your wedding celebration will be." Do we really need to hire a WEDDING PLANNER / Day of Coodinator?  In Part One of today's featured show, we review a list of critical guidelines to keep in mind as you decide whether or not to hire a professional wedding planner.  Do you HAVE to hire a professional planner?  Spoiler alert - I definitely DO NOT think you have to spend thousands of dollars to hire a professional wedding planner. In Part Two of the show, we sort out some common misconceptions and FAQ's about wedding planners and day of coordinators.  When I got married, I wasted a lot of time researching and interviewing planners before I realized that A.) I didn’t HAVE to hire anyone, and B.) John and I had all the tools we needed to plan OUR perfect wedding day. And side note, shocker - obviously, none of the wedding planners I interviewed ever mentioned to me, hey by the way, did you know that you could actually just do this on your own?   Thankfully I came around to that, but it took lots of wasted effort and stress to get there. Flash forward to today - I literally created the Wedding Planning Podcast so that any engaged couple could tune in and use the episodes and the tools we review in the weekly shows to plan their own wedding - no professional or pricey wedding planner required.  Some alternatives?  Try checking out the sites we mentioned in today's show, including your local Craigslist postings, Thumbtack.com,  taskrabbit.com and fiverr.com I also know that there are countless wonderful wedding planning professionals out there, and for some couples it’s a really smart investment … and we’ll get into all of that that much more in today’s show. Click here for the full blog post from today's show. Click here to submit your wedding questions or future show topic requests. Thank you for your support of the Wedding Planning Podcast, and we'll talk soon! Cheers, Kara

Streamline + simplify has been a tagline for the WPP literally since I created the show way back in 2015.  (Look closely, it's even on our old logo!) Not only are these two of my favorite words in the English language - that I try and live by in ALL aspects of my life - more specifically, they perfectly summarize my approach to wedding planning.   Every situation you’ll encounter throughout your engagement can be examined through the lens of simplicity and potentially scaled back or streamlined in some way that will make your life easier, more affordable, more relaxing, and overall, more enjoyable.   Often we find ourselves in the midst of a planning roadblock and the first instinct is to explore your options.  In the first example we’re going to talk about today - a couple who has family in 2 different places, many of whom don’t want to travel, you might consider … getting married in each place, what would that look like?  Getting married where we live?  Getting married on an island with just us?  In all the feelings and family dynamics and charged emotions that fly around throughout your engagement season, it’s sometimes easy to get lost in a million far-fetched options ... when the simplest, most streamlined option is left by the wayside.   On that note, let's explore some other common wedding planning scenarios where things can escalate and become verrrrrrrrrry complicated, very quickly.  I’m going to do my best to point out some straightforward, simple solutions that I hope will make your engaged life EASIER, MORE AFFORDABLE, and put a stop to waking up in the middle of the night with your mind racing over how many passed appetizers there should be, how many people should be in your wedding party, and how much ice to buy for your welcome party.  Ready to get started?  Tune into the full show for so much more!

I went to a beautiful wedding in Carlsbad, CA last weekend - tune in for the highlights, including a really unique venue, rocking dance floor, and the most beautiful gift to all the guests. But first, we're starting this week's show with some newlywed notes from my brother and sister-in-law, Mike & Laura.  They share what worked, what stressed them out, and their true feelings on the wedding being "over".   For lots more details on their Rochester, MI wedding, look for a show dated May 12, 2025. I also have an inbox full of your wedding questions to share: Dealing with grief during the wedding planning process, Communicating open bar vs cash bar, Bouquet toss - outdated? How can we end the night without a "grand exit"? Dealing with very opinionated family about our guest list These shows only work with your participation!  I know, I know - you can ask chat gpt or get lost on Reddit, but this is so much more fun.  Be in touch anytime >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact Talk soon, Kara PS - A link to the Carlsbad Lagoon venue  

Get ready for a jam-packed Wedding Q&A show, full of your planning questions & concerns!  Here's a sampling of what's on the menu this week: How much alcohol to buy? >>> click here for one of my favorite hosting tools ever (and tune in to my full answer for lots more helpful tips on the topic!) What can we expect for the price of flowers? Who pays for the bridal shower, & should I offer to help? >>> click here for blog post "Practical Bridal Shower Gift Ideas" Fiance doesn't want any wedding party at all, but I do.  How to proceed? Rehearsal dinner options are way too expensive.  Advice on making it more affordable? Should we hire a babysitter for our reception? What's a good way to ask for cash instead of gifts?  Spoiler alert, I don't think there's a "good" way, but creating cash funds that you can share on your gift registry is an option with Honeyfund.  There are no fees, and you can even link directly to your Venmo or PayPal accounts.   Do we have to seat wedding party members with their dates? Wedding questions on your mind, or topics you'd like to hear more about?  Submit your wedding questions here Thanks for being here, and we'll meet again next week! Cheers, Kara  

Happy Friday, and welcome to a BONUS Q&A follow up show to this week's feature episode, "4-6 Week Wedding Countdown" show that aired on Wednesday, July 16th. Today we're finding answers to everything on your mind, including: Dis-inviting moms to final venue walk through? Last-minute doubts about decor and signage, do we need more? Do we have to tell our guests that we're already technically married? How to design a clean & crisp tablescape {link to Wedding Q&A Pinterest board here!} Is it too late to hire a month-of coordinator? Dealing with unwanted, uninvited "plus 1's" in our RSVPs Questions about your own wedding, or future show topic requests?  Be in touch on our website: weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact. Enjoy the show!  

Today we’re going to run through a 10-item wedding to-do list for when you reach the final 4-6 week countdown before your wedding day.  While some of the items in today’s show are pretty standard, others are much less obvious - and sadly are not commonly discussed.  Overlooking just one of these important action-items can tip the scales towards a stressful, frantic celebration - and I don't want that for you! For a complete recap of today's show, visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/countdown

"Why can't you just tell me the price???" Have you been victim of a vendor who insists on a lengthy meeting before they will provide you a price range for their services?  This can be incredibly annoying when you are simply trying to determine if something is within your budget, or not. I have some advice for navigating this frustrating situation, including a copy / paste script for your inquiry emails: Hi, we are very motivated to choose a photographer {insert service here} for our {insert date here} May 2027 wedding.  {insert how you found them, what sparked your interest}.  Will you kindly share your package options and pricing?   If the response indicates that you need to book a meeting / call for more info, then simply send a firm response: Out of respect for both of our time, I need to confirm your pricing range before moving forward.   Simple, right? Stick around for a handful of listeners questions, including a convo on how much to tip which vendors.  Spoiler alert - it's NOT an automatic 20% to your entire vendor team. Wedding questions or show topics you'd like to hear more about?  I have an open door, and would love to hear from you! >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact   Talk soon! Kara  

Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we’re joined by a very special guest, Tanya Pushkine from The Vow Whisperer. Tanya  offers professional vow writing support, officiant services, and even wedding ceremony production support, including public speaking coaching.   Tanya will guide you through exactly how to put your heart into words, resulting in crafted wedding vows that are truly meaningful to you & you partner. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes tour of her process, best practices for creating your wedding vows and ceremony flow, and so much more. To learn more about working with Tanya, please visit The Vow Whisperer website linked here, and follow her on social media @thevowwhisperer.

Tune in for the most common wedding weekend planning mistakes I see couples make as they formulate the details of a multi-day, multi-event wedding celebration. In this episode, we highlight 6 common planning mistakes, including: Feeling intimidated by the COST of hosting multiple events, Trying to accommodate ALL of your guests perfectly (spoiler alert - it's not possible, so don't even try!) Failing to consider the endless creative possibilities for food & drinks before committing to an overpriced & underwhelming caterer, Not communicating clearly with your guests before, during, and after your wedding weekend experience, Getting OVERWHELMED and losing sight of your most important priorities, Relying on a DOC to organize and manage things that are not actually their responsibility Today's highlighted planning mistakes come from couples who I've worked with inside Wedding Weekend By Design, my 6-STEP PLANNING FRAMEWORK that's incredibly easy to follow, and works with any budget, any timeline, and any hosting format.  For a limited time, Wedding Weekend by Design is available to Apple Premium Subscribers - for FREE!  To access the full planning package, simply subscribe to WPP Premium in your Apple Podcast feed. Not an Apple user?  No problem.  Head to weddingweekend.co for all the details. Inside WWBD, I'll show you exactly how to: Design your master schedule, Budget for various events & pre-parties, Find the best venue to fit your vision, Uncover creative options & workarounds for food & drinks,  Get and stay organized, and make an airtight communication plan, And you'll even have access to sample wedding weekend schedules & menus so that you can get inspired by what other couples have done! I can’t wait to see you inside  Wedding Weekend By Design! Cheers, Kara

Over the course of 11 YEARS in the wedding industry, I've seen literally thousands of weddings unfold ... and all of them together have given me the priceless gift of HINDSIGHT. In wedding planning, hindsight is literally a super power - so I've packaged mine up to share with you in today's brand new show featuring your Wedding Weekend planning questions!   We're going to unpack, decode, and get to the bottom of your questions, including: How should we go about offering onsite cabins / rooms to guests in an order that makes sense? We’re torn between 2 very different "wedding weekend" visions - how do we decide? What are some tips for trying to pace events so we don’t feel overwhelmed?  My fiance and I have totally different visions for how to stock our own bar.  He wants to basically recreate a top-shelf situation with all the liquors and mixers, and I see more of a simplistic set up of beer, wine, maybe a signature cocktail.  Your thoughts? How can I get over feeling like we need to please everyone? Today's highlighted questions come from couples who have followed Wedding Weekend By Design, my 6-STEP PLANNING FRAMEWORK that's incredibly easy to follow, and works with any budget, any timeline, and any hosting format.  For a limited time, Wedding Weekend by Design is available to Apple Premium Subscribers - for FREE!  To access the full planning package, simply subscribe to WPP Premium in your Apple Podcast feed. Not an Apple user?  No problem.  Head to weddingweekend.co for all the details. Inside WWBD, I'll show you exactly how to: Design your master schedule, Budget for various events & pre-parties, Find the best venue to fit your vision, Uncover creative options & workarounds for food & drinks,  Get and stay organized, and make an airtight communication plan, And you'll even have access to sample wedding weekend schedules & menus so that you can get inspired by what other couples have done! I can’t wait to see you inside Wedding Weekend By Design! Cheers, Kara

I’m willing to bet that you’ve heard from all your newlywed friends & family that their wedding day "came and went in the blink of an eye."  The beautiful news is that your wedding celebration doesn’t have to RUSH BY IN A TOTAL BLUR. Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, I’m bringing on a very special guest to share the details of exactly how she designed a wedding celebration that left her saying this: "I always get to look back and say that it was the most incredible 4 days of my life." To go along with our conversation today, I‘m incredibly excited to introduce Wedding Weekend by Design, a digital planning package that walks you through a simple, 6-step framework to designing your perfect wedding weekend celebration ... ... so that when we flash forward a few months, you’re echoing what Kate just said - and not left feeling like you missed out, and it was all over in the blink of an eye. For a limited time, Wedding Weekend by Design is available to Apple Premium Subscribers - for FREE!  To access the full planning package, simply subscribe to WPP Premium in your Apple Podcast feed. Not an Apple user?  No problem.  Head to weddingweekend.co for all the details. The intuitive planning framework inside WWBD is designed to proactively steer you clear of the mistakes I see couples make over & over again, so that you can design your entire wedding weekend with CONFIDENCE + EASE. You’ll enjoy a 6-STEP PLANNING FRAMEWORK that's incredibly easy to follow, and works with any budget, any timeline, and any hosting format.  I'll show you exactly how to: Design your master schedule, Budget for various events & pre-parties, Find the best venue to fit your vision, Uncover creative options & workarounds for food & drinks,  Get and stay organized, and make an airtight communication plan, And you'll even have access to sample wedding weekend schedules & menus so that you can get inspired by what other couples have done. I can’t wait to see you there!  Cheers, Kara

Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we're exploring your top wedding questions, including: Ideal number of wedding party members / pro’s & con’s of larger vs. smaller group? What are your thoughts on doing a first look vs. waiting for the more traditional moment when I walk down the aisle? Inviting kids to the wedding - does it have to be “all or nothing?”  Babysitting options? OK to assign seats for the ceremony?  Divorced parents on my side and want to keep them separated. Including family & friends who want to help, but I don’t really know what to ask them to do.  What are some easy items to delegate? Etiquette involved w/ planning at the same time as my close friend?  Things are already overlapping and I’m feeling really frustrated What's the actual cost difference between hosting a wedding on a weekday vs. a weekend?   Submit your wedding planning questions anytime by visiting weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact Talk soon! Kara

They say hindsight is 20/20, and today on the Wedding Planning Podcast I'm sharing the top money spending regrets that married couples have. It's really easy to get swept up in dozens of "must-have's" during your engagement - but after today's episode, you'll think twice about these wedding expenses. Questions or topics you'd like to hear more on?  Please be in touch!  weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact Talk soon, Kara

My inbox is full of your wedding planning questions, including: Are wedding fairs worth the time? How to pick a DJ?  No idea where to start! My dress is very heavy, with a dramatic long train.  Should I consider a separate reception dress for dancing? >>> My fave site for reception party dresses >>> Lulus.com What are your thoughts on a NYE wedding?  We love the symbolism of beginning our lives together at the start of a new year, but the logistics of actually planning for NYE seems hard.  Struggling with creating a core wedding vision and building out from there.  I feel like we have so many ideas, but none of them are cohesive or go together.  Is there an easy place to start that I am simply missing? What’s a quick list of things to prioritize when shopping for venues? What are “hidden fees” to look out for with any venue or vendors? How do I specify number of people invited to the wedding when addressing the invitation envelope? >>> Be in touch anytime with your wedding questions by visiting weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact Talk soon! Kara

Creating a simple, info-packed WEDDING WEBSITE is the easiest, most hassle free way to easily share information with your wedding guests.  Join me today for a detailed wedding planning workshop on exactly how to create an amazing wedding website - zero technical skills required!  To get started, choose your wedding website design from an incredible community of independent artists & designers when you visit Minted Weddings. FREE Minted wedding websites include all the tools you need to get started, and you’ll even receive a $50 credit towards your wedding stationery when you visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/website. In today's show, we're covering what to include on your website, what not to include, and lots of priceless details on how to leverage this incredible tool to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER over the coming months.   I also have a really fun & interactive extension of your website that will make connecting with your guests a breeze between now & wedding day. Even if you’ve already got a wedding website up & running, I hope you’ll stick around for today’s conversation - I have lots of important website elements to share that many couples miss, and I want you to be able to leverage your wedding website to your FULL ADVANTAGE over the next few months ... making your life easier, and of course, your guests’ lives easier as well! A quick outline of what we're going to cover in today's meeting: Home Page Events Travel & Accommodations FAQ Page Your Story Wedding Party RSVP Details Links to your registry & don't miss my BONUS TIP for keeping in close contact with your wedding guests throughout the coming months via a private Facebook Group!  Here's a link that explains exactly how to set one up.

You’ve done months (maybe even YEARS) of wedding planning & preparation, and the big day is finally almost here! Last stop?  Rehearsal dinner. This week we’re reviewing everything you need to know for planning & hosting this extra special night with your family & friends. We cover everything from the ceremony rehearsal itself to practical tips for hosting your loved ones afterwards. DETAILED BLOG POST HERE --> www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/rehearsal Naturally, I have a ton of creative alternatives to taking 50 of your closest friends & family out to eat at a nice restaurant ($$$).  Beyond just saving money, we’ll also cover: When to start planning (hint - it might be earlier than you think!) Personality-packed options for location and food selection Tips for keeping the night on pace and organized And meaningful touches that will be remembered beyond the wedding day. This topic is so dear to me - I remember our rehearsal dinner as one of the most special nights of my life.  We grilled chicken, steak & veggies with our friends & family on the property where we got married, had all the fave drinks flowing, and a curated list of our favorite songs turned way up.  We laughed, talked & celebrated long past sunset, and it was an absolutely magical night.  I wish all the same for you! xo, Kara PS:  From your engagement ring to your wedding day, you can protect your most cherished memories with BriteCo.  Visit brite.co/wedpod for a fast, free quote today and unlock peace of mind knowing that you're covered!

Affordable & beautiful Save the Date announcements and wedding invitations - how hard can that be?? Well, if you’ve spent 3 hours on a Saturday getting lost down the rabbit hole of 9 different wedding invitation websites, then you know that finding a practical solution that fits your style and your budget is much easier said than done.   Today I’m sharing a complete guide to wedding stationery, from Save the Dates to invitations.  We'll even review all of those mysterious extras like fancy paper type, additional enclosures, wax seals, envelope liners, and more.  And if you’re on a budget and looking to keep your invites as minimal and affordable as possible, I’ve got some exclusive listener savings to share totaling over $300!  See below for links & resources. LINKS + SPECIAL OFFERS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S SHOW: 25% off Save the Date announcements >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/minted 830+ Wedding Invitations w/ matching website, Save the Dates, QR code & extras >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/invite $50 stationery credit to use towards your save the dates and / or invitations when you create a wedding website >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/website Redeem your FREE Wedding Invitation Sample Kit here

Setting a realistic wedding budget that works for you is one of the first steps you’ll take after getting engaged - and ideally before making any big wedding decisions.  So if you’re newly engaged (or maybe just need a wedding budget reset!), you’re in the right place.  To streamline the process, today's show is a step-by-step guide on exactly how to create a realistic wedding budget that gives you plenty of space for all the things that you value the most. Let’s face it, a wedding planning experience without ANY financial stress is unlikely.   Investing thousands of dollars in anything naturally comes along with doubts and anxiety.  But I’m here to break things down into manageable pieces, so that you can have a stress-free financial plan in the months ahead! Complete blog post for today's show >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/wedding-budget

This week, I have an inbox full of your wedding flower questions to share!  I also put together a list of the top wedding flower mistakes that I see couples make, to further help guide you to "DIY wedding flower SUCCESS". Today we're reviewing: How much should 5 relatively simple bouquets cost?  I’m being quoted over $1200, which feels so ridiculous. Visiting a flower farm to pick stems w/ my bridal party - how early should we pick & arrange them so that they are still fresh? How much time should we allocate to making the bouquets & centerpieces in the day or two before the wedding?   Downsides to ordering flowers online?  Considering Costco but the prices seem too good to be true We definitely want to do flower bouquets for me & bridesmaid and a simple flower on the guys’ jacket, but do you have any ideas for creative centerpieces that are more affordable than flowers? From your engagement ring to your wedding day, you can protect your most cherished memories with BriteCo.  Visit brite.co/wedpod for a fast, free quote today and unlock peace of mind knowing that you're covered! Additional resources mentioned in today's episode: Wedding Flowers by Season Wholesale Flowers from COSTCO Wholesale Flowers from FIFTY FLOWERS  

The little dollar bill emoji with flapping wings is a great one-tap summary of planning a wedding.  Budgeting for expected expenses is hard enough, let alone all of the little unexpected stuff that sneaks in along the way!                                                         Today we’re going to shine a light on 16 annoying + unexpected expenses that couples don’t plan for, so that you can adjust your budget early on and not be taken by surprise in the coming months.   Full blog post for today's show can be found here. Thank you for sharing the show with someone who is helping you plan! Wedding questions, stories to share, or requests for a future episode?  I always have an open door and would love to hear from you >>> weddingplanningpodcast.com   Cheers to you! Kara