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This fall, so many of our couples have been asking the same question: how do we honor the people we love who can’t be with us on our wedding day? In this episode, I share the beautiful ways we’re seeing families do just that, from a memory wall paired with escort cards written on grandma’s plates, to heirlooms carried quietly down the aisle, to a grandmother’s recipe served at a family-style feast. I also talk about why recording the ceremony matters so much for loved ones who can’t travel, and why food and beverage teams should be asking about grandpa’s favorite nightcap instead of just “what’s your signature cocktail?” Honoring someone doesn’t have to stop at a line in the ceremony program. It can flow through the entire experience. If you’re planning a wedding and want to bring a loved one’s memory into your celebration, or you’re a wedding pro looking for fresh, meaningful ideas to offer your couples, this episode is for you! This is a Media Socialites production.

AI keeps coming up in every conversation, so today I’m diving in. I’m sharing how I use it in my business to help couples visualize their ideas, where I think it falls short (hello, wedding budgets), and why every wedding is a one-of-a-kind piece of art no chatbot can price for you. Plus, I’m giving you a sneak peek at a budget tool we’re building with AI, powered by real numbers from real weddings we’ve planned. If you’ve ever asked AI what your wedding should cost and wondered if you could trust the answer this episode is for you. This is a Media Socialites production.

This week we're answering the etiquette questions we at JLE get asked on repeat: - Child-free weddings - The plus-one dilemma - Who should give a speech (and where) - Who pays - How to handle divorced parents or tricky family dynamics The common thread: have the hard conversations early, bring everyone into the room together, and write everything down before decisions pile up. Practical, real-talk advice for anyone deep in the wedding planning trenches. Drop any additional questions you have for the next one! This is a Media Socialites Production.

Fall is in full swing, which means two things: we're deep in wedding season at JLE and our couples everywhere are deciding where they'll say "I do" next year. In this episode, I'm walking you through how my team researches destinations and sharing what years of planning around the globe have taught me about working with vendors in different cultures. If you're considering a destination wedding and aren't sure where in the world you should get married, this episode is for you! This is a Media Socialites production.

Corporate events might be the most whispered-about side of the wedding industry. So many of us do them, but hardly anyone talks about them openly. In this quick "snack" episode, why I see corporate work as an incubator for creativity, a space where I can test new ideas before bringing them to someone's once-in-a-lifetime day. I also get into how different brands handle the mix, from keeping it quietly in-house to building a separate brand within the brand, and why I think it's time we break the stigma around talking about it. Plus, I've got some exciting news coming soon from Julian Leaver Events. Stay tuned! This is a Media Socialites Production.

*This one is for our couples* On this episode, I dig into how my process has evolved to meet clients where they are, recognizing that every couple communicates, processes decisions, and handles the overwhelming flood of wedding inspiration (hello, Pinterest and Instagram algorithms) in totally different ways. I talk through breaking big design decisions into bite-sized, bimonthly touchpoints, the challenge of nailing down each client's preferred communication style, and why flexibility, not a rigid one-size-fits-all system, has become the real differentiator in my business. I also float the idea of building a "communication style" quiz for future clients and share a fun story about a client falling in love with a bold, unexpected design element I'd almost left on the cutting room floor. This is a Media Socialites Production.

In this episode, we dig into the delicate art of communication with wedding vendors, the fine line between friendship and professional partnership. We break down the difference between vendors you're "married" to (trusted, tested, go-to partners) versus ones you're still "dating" (newer relationships still being built), and why direct conversation, even the hard kind, is the key to keeping both working. Plus, why picking up the phone (or sending a voice memo) beats a text or email every time when things don't go as planned. This is a Media Socialites Production.

Not our normal title, right? This season I said yes to five industry showcases instead of my usual one or two, and I'm calling it "the year of mistakes" on purpose. In this episode I talk about why testing my new team on high stakes, low budget passion projects has turned into the best kind of design bootcamp, and I tell you the story of WIPA weekend. A tent, 110 degree Texas heat, a missing lead technician, and a gut instinct that told me to keep one of my team members off the conference floor and on site instead. I talk about what it felt like to run two companies at once, lead a team I don't normally manage, and learn a whole new skill from scratch in the middle of a live event. And I get into what all of it means for how I'm building trust, with my team, my vendors, and myself, heading into a very full fall. This is a Media Socialites Production.

Friends we couldn't jump from two heavy mind episodes to talking about the latest in 2027 wedding trends, so consider this your bridge episode. We've been pulling back the curtain and today, it all comes to a head. This episode is different. It's raw, it's messy, and it's the one I've been building up to for a year. I talk about what it feels like to let go of a story I've held onto my entire life the shame, the fear, the anticipation of finally saying it out loud in front of hundreds of people instead of behind closed doors in therapy. We get into the difference between what looks effortless and what actually is the years of therapy, sobriety, and hard work that happen off-camera so everything else can look easy. I talk about alcoholism, about the thinking patterns that never fully go away, and about the moment last week that reminded me why I still call myself an alcoholic. And I talk about the other piece the one that has nothing to do with anything I did and why staying silent about it only gives it more power. If this helps even one person feel less alone in it that's the whole reason we're here. This is a Media Socialites production.

*Content note* this conversation touches on abuse, trauma, and suicidal ideation. The last secret I never told. I spent most of my life trying to make sense of my own story. This is a conversation overheard and I'm finally ready to share it. This week, I said out loud for the first time what I'd never made public: growing up with abuse, years spent trying to "pray away" being gay, a move to Israel, six months of conversion therapy. All of it. Most importantly, how I found my way back to myself. Thank you for being here. You are not alone. If you or someone you know needs support, the Suicide Prevention Hotline is there to help and if alcohol is part of the picture, AA is a great resource as well. This is a Media Socialites Production.

Every year around my sobriety anniversary, the feelings show up right on schedule and this year hit harder than ever. We're talking about what happens when you numb feelings for years and then have to learn how to actually sit with them: the self-loathing, the grief for roads not taken, the gratitude that comes anyway. This is a conversation about therapy, sponsorship, ten years of sobriety alongside ten years of building a business, and the truth that just like you can't plan your way out of wedding-day emotions, you can't plan your way out of your own feelings. You just have to feel them. This is a Media Socialites Production.

Etiquette used to feel like a rulebook. Now it feels more like a conversation, and that's exactly what this episode is. On today's episode, we talk through how the "rules" of weddings are quietly being rewritten, including: How (and when) things get shared on social mediaWhether you need to give a gift when attending a destination weddingWhether dress codes via Pinterest boards are a thing nowWhether digital RSVPs are okayAI-written vows Shockingly, I get a little opinionated in places. Some of it might surprise you, some of it might be exactly what you needed to hear. This is a Media Socialites Production.

In this milestone episode, we reflect on 10 remarkable years of building Julian Leaver Events. We talk about how a journey that began as a destination wedding business grew into a company that's produced over 550 events to date. This anniversary also marks 10 years of my own sobriety, and the two milestones are deeply intertwined. I share what it feels like to evolve, growth with my team, mistakes and hard-won lessons.... one day at a time. This is a Media Socialites Production.

This week, I'm opening up all the unsexy tabs in my brain - the work you never see on Instagram. On this episode, we cover: - Force majeure clauses - Rain plans A through E - Venue quirks + noise restrictions - I share our technology for guest experience optimization .... and more This is a Media Socialites Production.

We are BACK from my first true vacation in 10 years and of course it's right in time to provide you with ample commentary on our Royal Wedding - the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Today's episode is like a two-part episode - my comments pre-wedding and an episode recorded right after we saw the first sprinkling of details from the guests. This episode goes all over, but the real question is this. What did you think of it? Share with me in the comments below. This is a Media Socialites Production.