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#262 Art of the Dinner Party

The dinner party is back! Our guest, Nathalie Cadet-James throws the most amazing dinner parties and you are going to love hearing Nathalie & Christy talk about the most effective ways to give your guests all the "feels" at your next dinner party.Nathalie Cadet-James is a Former Attorney turned planner and started Luxe Fete, an event planning and design studio, in 2009. Nathalie is an International Event Planner and Designer who has been featured in Harper’s BAZAAR, BRIDES Magazine and Martha Stewart to name a few. She was named one of the Top Planners on the Martha Stewart Top Planners list.As a producer of large weddings, the pandemic and lockdown really helped Nathalie open the door to create dinner parties in a box, allowing for celebrations around the world, and right in your own living room.Big Takeaways
The old white china dinner party is gone. In fact, so much of dinner parties have become a lost art form.
Conversations can be difficult. Conversation starters, included in the Luxe Fete boxes, are a great element of a successful party.
Elements of a great dinner party:
Conversation Starters: a way to put down phones and start more purposeful dialogue
Music: it’s a great equalizer and mood setter
A great looking table: the centerpiece of the whole event
Good food and drink: think of your favorite restaurant, you can get takeout! Grab some great wine and desserts too. You can also hire a private chef, or cook yourself.
A plan: it’s okay if it’s not all set out and ready to eat when the guests arrive, as long as you know what’s going on, you’re going to have a great time
Links We Referencedinstagram.com/luxefete/ instagram.com/luxefetesocial/ Nathalie's Dinner Party Music PlaylistsNY Times ArticleThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
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#261 You Ask, We Answer - 44

On the last Wednesday of every month, Christy & Michelle answer listener questions live on the show - YAWA!Email Question #1We have friends who are a couple that we are close to, but we don’t see as often that we want to include in our wedding day. They are already invited to all of the pre wedding events. We are in their wedding.I wanted to see if you had any suggestions of ways to include them in a way that honors our friendship without them feeling super left out or like we are just assigning them a job?Email Question #2:I am in 3 weddings this years, so I've been trying to be the most knowledgeable I can be to help out my friends. One of the brides has a venue that does not allow arehearsal at the venue, and I know how important rehearsals are. Do you have any ideas on how we can have a rehearsal not at the venue? And how I can convince the bride she does in fact need a rehearsal since the Officiant is an "Unofficial Officiant"? Thanks and keep up the great work!Voicemail Question #3:I am getting married in September of 2022 my fiancé and I are super excited. We're getting married at this really cool Blank Slate industrial venue in Cleveland, Ohio. We really wanted to tie in some of our cultural backgrounds, because that's really important to us at this venue. My family is super Polish and we're going to have a Polka Band coming cuz that's something that we do at all of my family parties. And for Sam’s side, he's super Italian. So one of the things we wanted to do is different family-style Gnocchi, passed around the table for dinner. And that's kind of where my question comes in.I was curious if you guys have seen family-style work well and how they really designed the table for that. We don’t want to light a bunch of candles or have decor that could get knocked over or crushed if we had all of these bowls on top of it and whatnot.Voicemail Question #4:I am a Music lover. I'm a musician. I feel like I'm really good at making playlists and creating an Ambience with music. But of course, I can't be my own DJ, right? So my work around is that I am making a playlist I've been working on it, far before I even got engaged and I'm going to have a friend who works in radio emcee the night and play my playlist so I still have the emcee but you know, I get to play all the songs that I’ve curated.Email Question #5:My fiancé and I got engaged on July 4th, 2020, and have the bulk of the planning for our March 26, 2022 wedding complete (yay!). We're really starting to focus on guest and family experiences,Do you have any ideas of how we can honor my mother-in-law and/or father-in-law in a more subtle way that will still show them and our guests how much we love and appreciate them just the way they are? We did ask my future MIL if we could hold our rings in a beautiful small wooden box that her father made, and she really liked that idea. We would love any suggestions or thoughts you may have!Plan your wedding using The Big Wedding Planning Master Class. A self-paced digital course created with love for you by Christy & Michelle.The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...
Hosted and produced by Christy Matthews and Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba.
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics.
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $5 per month, you get bonus episodes, special newsletters and Zoom Cocktail Hours with Christy & Michelle!
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#260 How a Fan of Our Show Planned Her Own Wedding

Karlie & Josh got engaged a month before the United States shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.Despite the challenges and uncertainty, they were married in May of 2021.Karlie is an avid listener of The Big Wedding Planning Podcast AND a user of The Big Wedding Planning Master Class.With our help (yeah, we love hearing that!), Karlie was able to plan a wedding that most of her family and friends had never experienced before.Big TakeawaysKarlie & Josh were on a strict budget, and could not afford a wedding planner. However, they were able to pay to consult with a wedding planner multiples times. Having that resource of someone who can help suss out details and ease stresses is a big game changer, even if they can’t be included in the whole processKarlie & Josh also purchased The Big Wedding Planning Master Class to guide them in their planning and really iron out the details.Assigning people to tasks at specific times, and having the whole day lined up before it starts allowed them to enjoy the day without sweating over each detail when they should be celebrating.Before the ceremony, they opted to exchange gifts and read their vows to each other. These things helped ease the stress and nervousness. They read the more generic vows during the public ceremony, but kept the self-written, more intimate vows private between the two of them when they saw each other the morning of the wedding day.Remember even the most thoughtful beings are still human, be gentle and forgiving with your partner. They will mess up sometimes.The day was a success, but the best day in their opinion was the day after the wedding. Being done with the stress of it all was the biggest relief and it was the day they started off as a married couple.The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#259 The Realities of Travel Mid-Pandemic

Irina Vishnevskaya, from Alle Travel, joins us again to talk about traveling (especially with honeymoons) mid-pandemic. She shares tips on traveling abroad, how to find out restrictions in other locations, and more. While traveling is different right now, it doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It’s all about adjusting expectations, and having grace for those on the ground.Big TakeawaysWhile the pandemic has shifted and things are starting to open back up, there are still travel restrictions in most countries. Before planning the big getaway, think about whether or not it is worth it. There are places that have been consistently easier to access if you are vaccinated, like Iceland, Hawaii, etc.The CDC and State Department websites have a detailed breakdown of every country and their current status with Covid as well as travel restrictions. Keep in mind that the state department is approaching it from a safety standpoint. As an example, while New Zealand is safe in terms of Covid cases, they are not allowing tourism, so you will have to do more research.Remember, even with traveling with less restrictions, every body is still reeling from shut downs. Some stores might be closed, or hotels under staffed, or restaurant hours cut. Just be mindful.As far as vaccine passports go, it is unlikely that there will ever be a globally accepted passport, but be mindful of how to show you have been vaccinated. Keep your card with you at all times, take a picture, laminate, etc.As of now, if travelling abroad, in order to return to the U.S., you will have to give proof of a negative Covid test.Hawaii is a very popular destination right now, but it comes with its own issues. Lack of rental cars, limited hotels, etc. Book your car before your flight!Europe, Costa Rica, and Mexico are other great options.Flight times are changing pretty consistently. You are buying a flight for the day, but the time is likely to change. Do not try to plan a tight schedule. Things will change and shift. TSA is also delayed and airports are packed. Give yourself plenty of time for travel.Dream big, but accept the mental load of what that means! Check money back options, in case you have to cancel or change dates. Get comfortable with the small print. Traveler’s insurance does not cover COVID restrictions. If a flight is cancelled, they have to give you a credit.Links We Referencedalletravel.coAlle TravelAlle on InstagramCDC Travel RecommendationsUS Dept of State Travel Advisories UK Government Travel Advisories Australian Government Dept. of HealthThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#258 South Asian Wedding Wardrobes with Nazranaa

Our guests are Shia and Shashank Gupta, the sister and brother team behind Nazranaa, the biggest Indian bridal boutique in the country. They design and offer South Asian Wedding Wardrobes, and are sharing all you need to know. From figuring out what to wear during all the wedding festivities to navigating expectations of parentsShia & Shashank are the leading South Asian designers in the US and they help couples look Instagram ready on their wedding day. To them, they are not just outfits but memories. The owners of Nazranaa, the biggest Indian bridal boutique in the country, are also the hosts and Executive producers of the hit reality web series, Nazranaa Diaries, which has over 14 million views. Their work has been featured in Forbes, Yahoo, South Asian Bride Magazine, Brown Girl Magazine - to name a few.Big TakeawaysMore South Asian weddings are considered marriages of two families, and not two individuals, so there tends to be much more family involvement in every step of the wedding planning process.South Asian couplese often to see each other in their wedding wardrobes far before the wedding day itself.There is a lot factors like matching colors and fits that come into play. The magic, though, is still just as potent during the ceremony.Shivangi and Shashank’s customers often leave their dresses with them for alterations and such before the big day. So there is an added element of joy and surprise when they go back to pick them up.You don't have to go completely traditional nor "off the rack". There is so much customization that can be done.Links We ReferencedNazranaa Diaries Web Series on YouTubenazranaanj.comNazranaa on InstagramNazranaa on FacebookNazranaa on PinterestThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#257 You Ask, We Answer - 43

On the last Wednesday of every month, Christy & Michelle answer listener questions live on the show - YAWA! This month we're answering questions about Catering Compromises, Sibling Issues, Airbnb Weddings, Listener Comments on Our Recent Episode with Linsday, and more!Question #1: Compromising on catering and dealing with a sibling issueThe first detail is the caterer. Fiancé really wants to go with a PA Dutch-style caterer, but I prefer a farm-to-table vendor that we found. Both are on our venue's preferred vendor list, so that isn't helpful in making a decision. I understand that PA Dutch food is really good and a family staple for him, but I'm thinking about our guests and various food sensitivities, and feel that farm-to-table would be more accessible for our families. Any input would be appreciated.Question #2: Can we rent an Airbnb for our Wedding?My fiancé and I are on a tighter budget for our wedding and since his mom knows many vendors in our area that could provide us a tent, chairs and tables, etc., we’re looking to maybe do a backyard wedding. The only problem with that is that we aren’t all that close with anyone we know that have big enough backyards for even just the reception. I remember hearing about renting an Airbnb with a big, beautiful backyard for a wedding - is this even doable?Question #3: My fiance is in a wheelhairFiancé is in a wheelchair, and the bride wonders if she should be sitting or standing during the ceremony.Question #4: Religious mom wants religion in our ceremon and we do notMy mother is very religious and wants [religion] to be a huge part of our ceremony. However, my fiancé is not religious and doesn't really want it to be a religious ceremony. My parents are paying for most of [the wedding], and I want to make her happy, so we are going to include a few elements including some readings. The biggest issue is the Officiant. We really want to have one of our friends officiate, as we want it to really be personal to us, but my mom wants it to be a pastor. It's causing a riff between us to where I get nervous to even talk about the ceremony with her because I don't want to have the same conversation over again (I don't do well with confrontation and want everyone to be happy). How can we make her understand that it's important to us to have someone we know and love marry us instead of someone that we don't know (we live in Seattle and the wedding will be in Illinois)?Links We ReferencedMichelle Walker Photography - California basedPeerspace.comThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#256 Wedding Planning with Queerlyweds

Kirsten and Margie talk to Christy all about their experience wedding planning as a Queer couple during the Pandemic. They share replanning their wedding multiple times, marriage equality, and more. Things get edgy on this one, so buckle up and enjoy!Kirstin is a creative living and desperately trying to thrive in Los Angeles, the land of creatives. She is a passionate dog mom, plant connoisseur, blossoming baker, and newlywed to her wonderful wife, Margie, who she has with her today too! Margie works in the talent agency space, is an intersectional feminist, a foodie at heart, and an aspiring forest hag.Kirstin, the creator of the Queerlyweds blog, states the goal of Queerlyweds is to be a wedding planning guide for Queer people where they can feel safe, seen, and secure. Everything she writes is based on real-life experiences and she always include personal anecdotes in her writing.Big Takeaways
Kirstin and Margie wrote their vows together and read them one line at time, switching back and forth. They found it so magical, and mesmerizing.
They ultimately decided to get married in October 2020, before the election, because of fears around the potential of losing marriage equality, and therefore certain rights that come in medical emergencies, etc. They made the decision to be sure they were protected.
The use of “bride” so widely can create a bit of an emotional labor overload. There is a lot of extra work to be done to increase representation.
Something to look for on vendor websites and social media grids that show representation/queer friendliness is language. Word choice, descriptions, explanations, etc. Ex: how heavily gendered is their content? Is their idea of weddings open-ended?
Because of the smaller wedding, and needing to be particular about who was attending, they eliminated plus-ones, unless they were friends of the couple. They also organized a small cocktail party for those who weren’t invited, but in the end felt that it was unnecessary.
Some Potential Vendor Red Flags:
Use of the word "Jesus" can sometimes be a veiled way of saying the vendor does not do queer weddings
Terms like "Boss Babe" and "Boss Bitch" plays into hustle culture in a weird way, and can really come off as aggressively feminine
Links We ReferencedQueerlyweds on InstgramKirsten on Instagramhellokirstin.com/queerlywedsThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#255 Dual-Faith Ceremonies with Guest Rabbi Block

Combining faiths and religious traditions into a ceremony can be both beautiful and confusing. Our guest, Rabbi Block is the master of dual and even multi-faith ceremonies. And of course, being that he is a Rabbi, we are getting some great insight into Jewish ceremonies as well.Rabbi Kenneth Block began his rabbinical career in 1974 as the Rabbi of the Jewish Center in Havre de Grace, Maryland. In 1978, Rabbi Block was honored with the Boston College Alumni Association Award of Excellence for Religion. Rabbi Block retired after 40 years as an addiction Chaplain for the Veterans Administration Maryland Health Care Systems and as the Chaplain for the Bel Air, Maryland Volunteer Fire Company. Aside from the innumerable weddings and other religious and secular ceremonies Rabbi Block has performed in association with specific organizations, he has written and performed well over 500 ceremonies outside of those affiliations.Rabbi Block describes Jewish ceremonies, as well as weddings that are combined with other clergy and belief systems.Big Takeaways
There is a difference between being religious and being observant. Rabbi Block highlights how religion is about having relationships with others, so that makes marriage religious, inherently.
Rabbi Block officiates many many weddings, and he is not only available to a certain crowd, or congregation. In fact, his credo is, “No couple should be denied the right to be joined together.”
Fun history bit: Bridesmaids and groomsmen were originally included as a line of defense when two rival families came together.
If the officiant is your dad and is also walking you down the aisle, logistically you should absolutely have a planner to help with this. There is a lot of thought that goes into this process and no one wants to be worried about this on their wedding day! If you must do it on your own, get all the right resources ahead of time (planning courses, etc.) so you aren’t scrambling on the day of.
Links We Referencedrabbionthego.comRabbi Block on YouTubeWashington Post ArticleThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#254 Not quite engaged, but jumping right in!

Some people start planning before they are officially engaged. It really does happen a lot more than you might think. Our guest this week is Lindsey Leardi. Lindsey has been a listener of the podcast for several months. She is not engaged yet, but she knows it's coming. She has started planning her wedding and we wanted to know more. Oh, and we have decided that Lindsey is our honorary little sister...we adore her!Big Takeaways
Set up a separate email that is just for your wedding! This is a great way to organize communications and saves time trying to hunt down emails later on.
When it comes to wedding parties, they are much less common than before. When they do happen, they tend to be very small, or mixed genders. When you have a wedding party, and a lot of friends, it can create a lot of drama or frustration. That is not to say it’s bad to have one, but when you have a lot of close friends, it can create a big challenge when choosing.
Another consideration is that being a bridesmaid, especially, is costly. According to a WeddingWire article from 2017, the average cost was $1200 per person. That price has only gone up since then.
The pressures of the big fancy wedding are still here post-covid times. Especially with social media. It’s important to remember that you can do what you want and what works for you. Comparing people with very different resources and experiences is a fruitless effort.
*Links We Referenced *weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/actual-cost-of-being-a-bridesmaidThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#253 Summer Reading 2021

Georgia Clark joins us to talk about her new rom-com novel, It Had To Be You, set in the world of wedding planning in NYC. She also shares tips and fun stories of her own wedding planning experience.Big TakeawaysDuring her research for the book and her own wedding, Georgia dug into where traditions come from. For instance, she found out that the idea that an engagement ring needs to cost 3x your monthly salary comes from a jewelry company’s marketing campaign.Georgia, an Australian, married an American woman, and found that there were a lot of feelings that came up with such a big decision. It meant leaving her home life behind, having a wedding thousands of miles away from her family and dear friends, etc.There was a lot of emphasis on making a loving and connected experience for their wedding, especially since so many people were traveling in for the celebrations.They had a phone-free wedding! Their personal friend, author and speaker, Esther Perel talked and led a conversation to help get real connectivity between guests.Links We Referencedgeorgiaclark.com generationwomen.us estherperel.com bookshop.org indiebound.org bhldn.comThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook.
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode
On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices