159 - Can You Have a Wedding for $10,000? A Realistic Budget Breakdown

Most first vendor calls go the same way: “Are you available?” and “How much is it?” In this episode, I’m sharing the questions that actually help you decide who to book, including the ones most couples don’t think to ask until something goes wrong. In this episode: How to prepare for vendor calls (and why you only need to talk to your top three) Five questions to ask every single vendor The make or break questions for your venue, caterer, photographer, DJ, and planner Good signs and red flags to listen for

Wedding planner, wedding coordinator, day of coordinator, venue coordinator. Do you need one? All of them? None of them? This week I saw a bride on Reddit ask someone to explain it to her like she's five, and over 20 people answered. A lot of them were wedding pros, and almost every answer was different. So if you're confused, it's not you. Even our industry can't agree on this one. In this episode, I'm refreshing one of my classic topics. I walk through each type of planning help, what it really includes, when to book, and how to figure out which one fits your wedding. I also share the story of a couple who booked their venue first and ended up losing their band budget because of it, and why I always recommend booking your planner before anything else. In this episode: The Reddit post that started it all: "Explain this to me like I'm five" Two different problems: "we're going to miss something" vs. "we don't want to be in charge of the day" What a wedding planner actually does (sorry, J.Lo) The two big hesitations: cost and giving up control Why the titles are so confusing, and why I still call it day of coordination My number one tip: don't shop by title Full service planning, and why you still get to do the fun parts Why you should book your planner before your venue (and the band budget story) Day of coordination: what really happens before the wedding day When to book a day of coordinator Partial planning, and what I'd tell the bride from that Reddit post Venue coordinator vs. independent planner Planning it yourself, with a roadmap Four questions to ask yourselves before you hire anyone The "explain it like I'm five" recap

Every fall the wedding trend lists start rolling out, and every fall I watch couples start to feel like their wedding is out of date before they've booked a single vendor. So this year I'm doing things a little differently. In this episode, I'm walking you through eight wedding trends for 2027 and 2028, what the data from The Knot, Pinterest, and Zola actually says, and most importantly, how each one can work for a real wedding on a real budget. Because some trends are worth the splurge, some are an easy, inexpensive add, and some are going to make you say "why did we do that?" when you look back at your photos. In this episode: Trend 1: Something Old Is the New Something New (and why a family audit beats a vintage shopping spree) Trend 2: Your colors don't have to match anymore Trend 3: The room is the decor Trend 4: Think Italian summer, not a theme party Trend 5: Flowers with focus (hello, hydrangeas) Trend 6: Guest experience starts with the basics Trend 7: Photos that feel real and cinematic Trend 8: Your wedding, your rules Plus my one bonus prediction about how couples are getting planning help

Amazon Prime Days are October 6th and 7th, and yes, there are absolutely things worth buying for your wedding while they’re on sale. But a sale doesn’t automatically make something a good deal. In this episode, I’m breaking down my BUY / WAIT / SKIP strategy for Amazon Prime Day wedding shopping, including the wedding purchases that make sense to grab early, the things I’d hold off on, and the “deals” that can actually end up costing you more. We’re talking wedding party gifts, getting-ready items, décor, beauty products, bulk wedding-day supplies, weather-related purchases, TikTok “essentials,” return windows, and how to tell whether that Prime Day price is actually worth jumping on. Because the goal isn’t to find as many wedding deals as possible. The goal is to spend less on the wedding you’re already planning. I put the entire list in a companion guide so you don’t have to take notes while you listen, and I’ll be updating it during Prime Day with wedding deals I find that I think are actually worth checking out: PlanningCollective.com/PrimeDay And if this episode helped make wedding planning feel a little easier, subscribe to the Wedding Planning Collective Podcast and leave a quick rating or review. It helps other couples find the show — and helps me keep bringing you free wedding planning advice every week.

You’ve spent months planning your wedding, but what happens when the actual wedding doesn’t look exactly like the one you’ve been imagining? In this episode of the Wedding Planning Collective Podcast, I’m talking about wedding day expectations and the difference between planning intentionally for the things that matter to you and expecting every moment to happen exactly according to plan. Because I absolutely want you to care about the details. Make the timeline. Have the rain plan. Tell your officiant to move before the first kiss. But preparation gives you the best chance of getting what you want—it doesn’t guarantee an outcome. We’re talking about: • The difference between a wedding day preference and an expectation you’ve turned into a requirement • What you should reasonably expect from the vendors you’ve hired • How TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest can create an invisible checklist for your wedding day • How to decide whether a wedding day problem actually needs your attention • Why your wedding priorities still matter once the wedding day arrives • Giving yourself permission to change the plan, even when nothing has gone wrong The big takeaway: Plan for the wedding you want, but leave some room for the wedding you actually have. Because at some point, you have to stop planning the wedding and start experiencing it. FREE WEDDING PLANNING HAPPY HOUR Join me September 23 at 6 p.m. ET for “What Are You Forgetting? 10 Wedding Details You Probably Haven’t Thought About Yet.” I’ll walk you through 10 easy-to-miss wedding details I see couples overlook all the time, followed by live wedding planning Q&A. Can’t make it live? There will be a replay! Save your free spot: planningcollective.com/happyhour If this episode helped you, make sure to follow the Wedding Planning Collective Podcast and leave a quick rating or review. It helps other couples find the podcast—and helps me keep bringing you free wedding planning advice every week.