Advertise on podcast: Weddings 101

Decided that an intimate wedding with 30 guests or less is right for you? Now comes the question of how to actually plan it. Even with a smaller guest list, you still have decisions to make about your budget, venue, vendors, ceremony, reception, and wedding day timeline. Knowing where to start can make the process feel much more manageable. In this episode, I walk you through the practical steps to plan a small wedding, from establishing your budget and finalizing your guest list to choosing a venue, booking the vendors you need, and organizing your wedding day. I also share what to consider when planning your ceremony and reception, creating a realistic timeline, and deciding who will handle setup, cleanup, and coordination. A smaller wedding gives you more freedom to build a day around your priorities, but it doesn't mean you have to follow a traditional wedding checklist or do everything yourself. I'll help you approach each decision intentionally, avoid unnecessary expenses, and create a meaningful wedding experience without making the planning process more complicated than it needs to be. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Staring at your wedding venue’s floor plan and wondering where everything is supposed to go? Planning your wedding reception layout involves more than fitting tables into a room. You also need to think about the dance floor, DJ, bar, buffet, and all the little details that affect how comfortably your guests can move around. In this episode, I walk through how to plan a wedding reception floor plan that works for your guest count, venue, catering style, and priorities. I explain how to position guest tables, the dance floor, entertainment, food, and drinks while accounting for traffic flow, sightlines, venue restrictions, and the space your vendors need. I also share common layout mistakes to avoid, including overcrowding the room and designing your setup around how it looks in a photograph rather than how it functions. If you're planning a wedding without a professional planner or simply aren't sure where to start, I'll help you break the process into manageable steps. You'll learn what to prioritize, which questions to ask your venue and vendors, and how to create a reception space where guests can comfortably eat, socialize, and dance without unnecessary bottlenecks or last-minute surprises. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Creating your wedding photography shot list can quickly turn into a Pinterest rabbit hole of must-have photos, family combinations, and ideas you’re afraid you’ll regret missing. In this episode, I break down what a wedding photography shot list is actually for and how to focus on the people, relationships, details, and moments that matter most to you instead of trying to recreate every photo you’ve seen online. I walk through how to organize family photos, communicate family dynamics and special requests to your photographer, balance planned portraits with candid moments, and prepare the details you want photographed. I also talk about why your photography shot list needs to work with your wedding timeline and how overloading your schedule can leave less room for the natural moments you’ll actually want to remember. The goal isn’t to capture everything imaginable. It’s to give your photographer a clear understanding of your priorities while leaving enough room for them to document your wedding naturally. By approaching your shot list this way, you can spend less of your wedding day worrying about whether every photo is happening and more time actually experiencing it. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Planning a wedding with two venues can add another layer of logistics, especially when your ceremony is at a church and your reception is held at a separate reception venue. In this episode, I sit down with Marlee Euman to talk about how she planned her Baton Rouge wedding, with her Catholic Church ceremony followed by a reception at an all-inclusive reception venue. We talk about everything from choosing a date and setting a budget to selecting vendors, creating a timeline, and deciding which details were actually worth including. Marlee shares how she approached an all-inclusive reception venue, navigated unexpected costs, handled day-of coordination, and planned transportation between her church and reception. We also talk about her guest list, wedding attire, DIY details, photography and entertainment, and the tools and vendors that helped her stay organized. Along the way, Marlee explains what it was like planning a Catholic wedding and incorporating personal touches like a wedding painter and a unique guest book. Throughout our conversation, Marlee comes back to one of the biggest lessons from her wedding: you do not have to do everything you see online. I hope this conversation helps you step back from the endless wedding ideas, figure out what actually fits your personality and priorities, and plan a wedding that feels like yours. Photo by: @tayloredwardsphoto Vendors: Wedding Painter: @nicolecottencallac Ceremony: St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge, LA Photographer: @tayloredwardsphoto Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Thinking about having an intimate wedding with 30 guests or less? A smaller guest list can give you more flexibility, but it also comes with its own set of decisions. In this episode, I take a high-level look at what couples should consider before and while planning a small wedding, from why you want a smaller celebration and how to approach your guest list to finding a venue that actually fits your group and understanding vendor minimums. I also talk about which wedding expenses may actually decrease with a smaller guest count, which ones may not change much, and how to decide which traditional wedding elements you genuinely want to keep. We’ll look at the guest experience, avoiding the temptation to overbuild a small wedding, and the questions worth asking vendors before you book. This episode is a place to start if you’re considering an intimate wedding and want to think through the big decisions before getting into the details. The goal isn’t to make a 30-person wedding look like a 150-person wedding. It’s to help you think intentionally about the kind of wedding you actually want to create and make decisions that support that experience. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Planning a beautiful wedding on a smaller budget can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like every venue, vendor, and detail comes with another expense. In this episode, I break down practical budget wedding ideas that can help you create a wedding that feels intentional, meaningful, and beautiful without trying to recreate a high-budget wedding on a smaller budget. I walk through some of the biggest areas where your choices can make a difference, including guest count, traditional and nontraditional wedding venues, drop catering, buffet-style food, simple decor and lighting, and affordable wedding dress options. I also talk about the trade-offs that often come with a smaller budget and how to decide what is actually worth prioritizing for your wedding. If you’re trying to figure out how to make your wedding budget work without feeling like you’re simply cutting things out, this episode will help you approach the planning process with more clarity. Instead of spending on smaller details before your biggest decisions are settled, you’ll have a clearer order for making those choices and building a wedding that fits your budget well. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

DIY wedding projects can be a great way to save money and add personal touches, but how do you know when DIY is actually worth it? In this episode, I discuss how to avoid DIY wedding burnout and decide which projects make sense to handle yourself, which are better left to a professional, and when simplifying may be the better choice altogether. I’ll walk through the three questions you should ask before taking on a DIY project, the wedding tasks that tend to be lower-risk, and the areas couples should think carefully about, including florals, photography, entertainment, setup, and day-of logistics. I’ll also talk about how social media can create unrealistic expectations around how personalized your wedding needs to be and why your guests are unlikely to remember whether every detail was handmade. If your DIY wedding plans are starting to feel like another full-time job, I’ll show you how to create a realistic DIY timeline, think about the true cost of doing things yourself, and decide what is actually worth your time and energy. The goal isn’t to eliminate DIY. It’s to create a wedding that feels meaningful and manageable without sacrificing your peace of mind. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Wedding dress shopping can be exciting, but it can also get overwhelming quickly when you start seeing gowns that are far outside your budget. In this episode, I walk through how to set a realistic wedding dress budget, account for costs beyond the gown itself, and communicate your price range before you even start shopping. I also cover affordable wedding dress shopping options, including traditional bridal salons, David’s Bridal, Azazie, sample sales, secondhand dresses, and online retailers. We’ll talk about what actually affects the price of a dress, why fit and silhouette can matter more than expensive details, and how bringing too many opinions into the process can make finding your dress even harder. If you’re worried that shopping on a budget means settling or that you’ll regret your decision later, I’ll help you approach dress shopping more intentionally. You’ll have a clearer idea of what to budget for, where to look, what questions to ask before purchasing, and how to feel confident when you find a dress that feels right for you. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

If you’re three or four months out from your wedding and feeling like your to-do list is suddenly out of control, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m helping you step back from the overwhelm and figure out what actually needs your attention right now, without feeling like you have to tackle every wedding detail at once. I walk through the biggest things to check at this stage of wedding planning, including your core vendors, wedding-day timeline, day-of responsibilities, communication with your bridal party and other wedding participants, outstanding decisions, guest logistics, and the smaller details that can easily take over your planning. I also talk about how your wedding website can help cut down on repetitive guest questions and why you don’t need to take on every DIY or Pinterest-inspired detail. If you’re worried that you’re behind or forgetting something, this episode will help you separate the things that truly need your attention from the things that can wait. You don’t need to have your entire wedding figured out today. You just need to know what matters most and focus on the next thing. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Who is actually responsible for setting up your wedding, cleaning everything up, and handling questions on the wedding day? These details are easy to overlook, especially when couples assume the venue, planner, or someone else is taking care of them. In this episode, I break down who typically handles wedding setup, cleanup, and day-of coordination, including what your venue, coordinator, florist, rental company, family, or friends may be responsible for. I also talk about the setup and cleanup challenges that come with DIY wedding decor and why it's important to have one clear point person for wedding day logistics. The goal is to help you think through these responsibilities before the wedding day so you can avoid last-minute confusion, delegate tasks clearly, and spend less of your wedding day managing logistics and more of it actually enjoying the celebration. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Planning a wedding from another state comes with unique challenges, but Bailey's Minnesota wedding proves it can also be an incredible experience. In this episode, I sit down with Bailey to discuss what it was like planning her hometown wedding while living in North Carolina. From saying "I do" at Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery to celebrating with family and friends at her reception at The Capitol Room in St. Peter, Minnesota, to her vibrant pink and orange color palette and surprise lightsaber battle with her dad during their father-daughter dance, Bailey shares the thoughtful details that made her wedding uniquely her. Bailey also shares how she selected her venues, managed a 175-guest wedding, worked with a wedding planner, navigated unexpected costs, and embraced a go-with-the-flow mindset when things didn't go exactly as planned. From rainy weather to timeline adjustments and the unexpected moments that naturally come with a wedding day, she reflects on how staying flexible and focusing on what truly mattered helped make the day memorable for all the right reasons. Whether you're planning a hometown wedding from afar or simply looking for real-world advice from a bride who's been through it, this episode is full of practical tips, honest insights, and encouragement to help you plan with confidence. Photo by: @malwitzphotography Vendors: Ceremony Venue: @chankaska.wines Reception Venue: @thecapitolroom Planner: liveyourdashevents.com Videography: @syd.mmeyer & @lead.shots Storytelling + Edit: @syd.mmeyer Photography: @malwitzphotography Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Your wedding venue will likely be one of the biggest expenses in your wedding budget, but choosing a traditional wedding venue isn't your only option. In this episode, I cover non-traditional wedding venues that can help couples save thousands of dollars while still creating a beautiful and meaningful celebration. I discuss some of the most popular budget-friendly venue alternatives, including public parks, backyard weddings, community centers, vacation rentals, and private properties. You'll learn why these venues are often more affordable, what questions you should ask before booking, and how to determine whether the savings are worth the additional planning and logistics. I also cover the hidden costs many couples overlook, including rentals, permits, insurance, restroom access, transportation, and alcohol policies. A lower venue rental fee doesn't always mean a lower overall wedding budget, and understanding the full picture can help you avoid unexpected expenses later. Whether you're planning a budget wedding or simply looking for creative venue ideas, this episode will help you compare your options with confidence so you can choose the venue that best fits your budget, priorities, and wedding vision. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Planning your wedding isn't just about booking vendors. It's also about making sure everyone has the right information at the right time. Without a communication plan, it's easy to feel buried in emails, timelines, questions, and last-minute logistics, leaving you to feel like the project manager for your own wedding. In this episode, I walk through how to create a wedding vendor communication plan that keeps everyone informed while reducing your own stress. We cover who should be the main point of contact, what information each vendor actually needs, when to send important updates, and how to avoid common communication mistakes that can create unnecessary confusion. I also share how to organize a master wedding information document, explain which vendors should be communicating with one another, and offer practical tips for managing the busy final weeks before your wedding without feeling overwhelmed. Whether you're planning everything yourself or working with a coordinator, you'll leave this episode with a simple system to help your wedding day run more smoothly. If vendor emails are starting to pile up or you're wondering how to keep everyone on the same page, this episode will help you feel more organized, more confident, and less stressed throughout the planning process. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Creating a wedding seating chart sounds simple, until you're trying to balance family dynamics, friend groups, plus-ones, venue layouts, and last-minute RSVP changes. For many couples, table assignments become one of the most unexpectedly stressful parts of wedding planning. In this episode, I share practical strategies for creating a wedding seating chart that helps guests feel comfortable while keeping the process organized and manageable. You'll learn when to start planning your seating arrangements, whether assigned tables or open seating make the most sense for your wedding, and how to group guests together in a way that encourages natural conversation. I also discuss how to navigate sensitive situations involving divorced parents, family tensions, friend group drama, and other common seating chart challenges. The goal isn't perfection. It's creating a thoughtful guest experience that allows your reception to run smoothly. You'll also hear practical tips for organizing your seating chart digitally, planning for meal selections and vendor seating, leaving room for last-minute changes, and choosing a seating chart display that's both functional and easy for guests to navigate. Whether you're planning an intimate celebration or a large reception, this episode will help you approach seating charts with more confidence, less stress, and a clear plan for keeping your guests comfortable and included. Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L

Can you really plan a beautiful wedding and celebration for under $5,000? Megan did. In this episode of Weddings 101, I sit down with Megan, a bride who planned an intimate wedding at Chapel Dulcinea in Austin, Texas, followed by a separate after-party celebration with family and friends, all for less than $5,000. With just two months to plan before starting medical school, Megan and her husband focused on what mattered most: getting married surrounded by the people they love. Instead of a traditional wedding and reception, they hosted a family-only ceremony in the Texas Hill Country and celebrated with a larger Airbnb after-party a few days later. Megan shares how she found creative ways to save money without sacrificing the experience, from DIY florals and affordable wedding attire to working with talented friends and newer wedding professionals. We also talk about planning a micro wedding, keeping guest counts manageable, finding vendors on a budget, and creating a wedding day that felt meaningful, relaxed, and completely true to who they are as a couple. If you're planning a wedding in Austin, considering a micro wedding, or looking for ways to create a beautiful celebration without spending tens of thousands of dollars, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world inspiration. Photo by: @sarahphipps_photo Vendors: Ceremony Venue: @chapeldulcinea Ceremony Music: @angelicstrings Wedding Photography: @sarahphipps_photo Wedding Dress: @ladypipa Flowers & Wedding Supplies: @samsclub Episode music license code: YV8EDCMLZCSTJU5L