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#233 Two Brides & 10,000 Guests

Chaya and Morgan join today to talk about how the ‘biggest, queerest wedding of the year’ surprised even the two brides.Theirs was a 2020, wedding that happened during the Pandemic which as you can guess turned into something totally different than what was planned. Like way different! Like 10,0000 people watching the live stream on Facebook, kind of different! Despite initially thinking they wanted a small, intimate backyard wedding, they were still struck by the effects of COVID, requiring them to rethink the whole day.Chaya and Morgan live streamed their wedding to over 10k people. Using the internet’s wide resources of queer, BIPOC, they were able to pull off a beautiful day.The New York Times wrote an article about their wedding and describe's Chaya's career as follows: "Ms. Milchtein, 25, has an eclectic career as a style influencer, writer and automotive educator. Her website and blog is called Mechanic Shop Femme, where she also writes about plus-size fashion.”Chaya also teaches online classes for car maintenance, how to buy - best way to insure - how to not get scammed. She's an automotive educator, writer and speaker - with an empowerment platform.Big Takeaways
If you are doing a live stream (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, etc) of any kind, make sure you get the rights to use the music, or they will cut off your feed!
Make sure there is proper wifi in the exact location you are. Test it as far in advance as you can!
You can choose which parts of your wedding are important to you! Wear what you want to wear, do what brings you joy.
Links We Referencedmechanicshopfemme.com Chaya on InstagramThe New York Times ArticleNatural Nerd DesignsAlmaThe 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

#232 Health & Wellness: Making Yourself A Priority

Alright, listen up people! If you are not taking care of yourself, you are NOT going to successfully be able to take care of anything or anyone else in your life. Michelle has known Coach Brien Shamp for a few years now and believes wholeheartedly in his message and mission. We are thrilled to bring this episode to you NOW especially when current events are draining the life out of so many of us. Listen in, learn, implement, and thank us later. ;)Coach Brien Shamp began personal fitness training back in 1991 at the age of 18. He now develops weekly programs for over 1,000 clients and students of all ages (up to 105 years old) and abilities. Brien has been the Strength & Conditioning Specialist for several colleges in the Bay area: College of San Mateo (CSM), University of Notre Dame, Santa Clara University and Menlo College. For six years Brien was an Adapted Physical Education Instructor at Foothill College, where he taught elderly and mentally disabled students to enhance their overall functional capacity through exercise in various settings.Brien is recognized as a Master Trainer by IDEA, and has written hundreds of articles on various health & fitness related topicsBig TakeawaysStress reduction is everything. Exercise alone does not have anything to do with losing weight.The 7 Daily Primal Needs
Consciously breathe - Slow, deep, rhythmic core breathing
Hydrate - Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day - minimum
Sleep - quality and quantity. 7-9 hours per night (sleep will help balance your hormones!)
Eat - Hight quality foods. Plan & Prepare. Chew. Know your body.
Love - Connect with those that fill you up. Server others. Live from the heart, not the mind.
Growth - Constant and never-ending improvement and personal development. Get a coach to help you!
Movement - 30 minutes per day, mimiimum! When you work out, you ask more of your physiology. Be aware of your posture too.
With your in-home/virtual workouts, create a nice environment for yourself. Find joy in your workout space! Brien also encourages his trainees to use a heart rate monitor.Links We ReferencedBrienshamp.comBrien is offering discounts to our listenters! Be sure to mention you heard about him on The Big Wedding Planning Podcast when inquiring.$50 off the 21 day program = $300 (normally $350)$30 a week discount off of the 12 week program = $69 a week (normally $99 a week)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

#231 Black Gay Weddings - Media, Representation, Love

Lawrence and Michael, founders of BlackGayWeddings.com, are pillars in the wedding community when it comes to showcasing previously unseen examples of love and marriage. They join us today to share their own wedding, tips for your big day, and all about Black Gay Weddings.As CEO of Broughton Media Group LLC, Lawrence has over 35 years of graphic design, web design and video production experience. A Howard University Graduate and has a Masters in Human Resources, a Masters in Public Administration and a Masters in Digital Journalism. His creative vision is the driving force behind all BGW initiatives.Michael McCulley Broughton is co-founder of Black Gay Weddings and Broughton Media Group LLC. Michael is a highly sought after florist, an event planner and a nationally licensed Mortician and Funeral Director. He also leads the Social Media Team at BGW.Big TakeawaysThe wedding industry is still behind on representing a broad audience. People like Michael and Lawrence are eager to show that they exist! All types of people get married, and yet only a small section of the world is ever represented.Be the change you want to see in the world.When it comes to understanding different couples and weddings than your own, ask questions.Links We Referencedblackgayweddings.com Black Gay Weddings on InstagramBlack Gay Weddings on YouTubeSusan's Travel Services (Mention TBWPP when inquiring!)BlueNile.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 months
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#230 You Ask, We Answer - 37

On the last Wednesday of every month, we answer wedding planning questions from our listeners. This month, the theme is FAMILY DRAMA. OH and 1 of our listeners wrote in with a Wedding Day retrospective too. These are always chock full of information that EVERYONE can benefit from. We have so much fun and we love our listeners for reaching out.Question #1 came in the form of a voicemail: (note: You can always call and leave us a message at 415-723-1625)The wedding was originally slated for March 2021 with a guest list of about 170. They have since rescheduled to 2022, with an earlier elopement. Her fiancé misunderstood, believing that family was coming to the elopement. And now since they are including family, she is unsure how to avoid drama with family that does attend. She is not inviting her father, nor grandma, and doesn’t want them to find out.Question #2:I need advice on quite the dilemma...We booked everything big before we got engaged (venue, florist, rentals, photographer, videographer, etc.) and told no one because we were waiting to be engaged first. In the meantime, his younger sister (she’s 25, he’s 39) was supposed to get married summer 2020 but ended up rescheduling a few times, eventually settling on November 2021 with hopes of an earlier date opening up. I warned my fiancé (bf at the time) that he should warn his family in some way in case the date that opened up for her would conflict with our date. He didn’t. Men! And lo and behold we got an email a couple months ago telling us her new date was August 23 in San Diego - ours is August 19 in Oregon. ...We don’t want to move our wedding date but I also feel it’s important for his family to attend. At the same time, I’m so mad they won’t try to make it work that I really don’t want them there. Thanks to Covid, rescheduling and keeping our vendors is nearly impossible and our date was our 2 year anniversary so I’d be kind of sad to not get married that day. I don’t know what to do. With kids in the picture we aren’t willing to push the wedding out further.Do you have any advice? I’m lost on the right thing to do for us and his family.Question #3:I'm sure you guys have gotten so many questions about pushing weddings back due to the pandemic, but I'm torn on pushing our wedding up a year. I would love your input on this!Question #4:This is my dilemma. In the 5 years since I have graduated college, I have diligently been saving for my future home. If my fiancé and I were to buy now, we'd be able to put about 10% down. I know that if I asked my parents to gift us the wedding funds to buy a house, they would be more than happy to give us the cash. This influx of cash would no doubt bring us to 20% on a home which obviously would lessen our monthly mortgage and we could avoid mortgage insurance.I think I am hoping to hear that I should go all out on the wedding because it's our one big day. But I can't help feeling guilty about making the choice that feels financially irresponsible. Help??Links We Referencedzola.com/bigwedding Promo Code: SAVE50 for 50% off save the dates!alpinerings.com Promo Code: BIGWEDDING15The 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

#229 Brooklyn Photographer - A Fresh Perspective

Megan Breukelman, a Brooklyn Wedding Photographer, has had a hell of a year! Like so many of you, her clients have had to change their plans. Listen in as Megan tells Michelle and Christy her lessons learned and how couples can work with their photographer now as they reschedule and change their wedding plans. Megan works together with her husband Kenneth in their photography business capturing natural moments and comforting couples.Big TakeawaysOne of the many wonderful things about photographers in this time is that they can travel far easier than many other vendors. So if your wedding moved from NYC in June to Boston in June 2022, it might be possible to keep that photographer and just pay a fee for them to travel.A lot of work for a photographer is after the wedding, editing, creating an album, making a quality package to deliver, etc.Elopement vs. Engagement shoots: there is a lot of different preparation during these shoots. They are not a one-for-one swap. For instance, if it rains on your Engagement shoot day, you just move it to another day. You can’t change the day of your Elopement so easily. Elopements always have two shooters, no matter what.Micro-weddings and Elopements take a lot of work for photographers in the preparations, shooting and editing and overall physical labor of it all.If you are preparing to postpone your wedding, your photographer should be one of the first vendors that you speak to. The most important thing to remember when dealing with your photographer, and any vendor for that matter, is that they're on your team.When it comes to rescheduling and postponing, you may have to be more flexible than you thought. It’s important to consider your vendors availability!Links We Referencedmeganbreukelman.commeganandkenneth.comThe Photo Op Podcastbluenile.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

#228 A 2020 Wedding With Hue I Do

Ashleigh and Toniah, hosts of the Hue I Do podcast, join us today on a special crossover episode about completely re-planning a wedding in COVID times, representation in podcasting, and more.Big TakeawaysAshleigh worked with a videographer who was able to pivot and help them host a streaming wedding. Many vendors have found ways to make your day beautiful even if it wasn’t what you thought it would look like.Having a few vendors to help on the day of is super important. Ashleigh had a photographer, videographer, and planner in house, which was a huge relief especially as they were streaming the ceremony.Toniah, acting as Maid of Honor, coordinated a unique bachelorette event for all the friends. Each step required a lot of creative thinking, but they did make an extra special day that will be unforgettable.Links We ReferencedThe Hue I Do WebsiteBlue NileThe 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

#227 The Bar: Everything You Need to Know

Ron Porter is the wine and spirits director for Andy’s Local Market which is compromised of three stores in Marin County. He is a certified sommelier and has been in the retail wine and food business for 45 years. For 10 years, he has had his own business in San Francisco which featured wine and food gift basket delivery.Big TakeawaysEstimates are done purely by averages when it comes to pricing a bar. Some people drink more some drink less. And when coming up with that number, that is taken into consideration. For Ron, that averages to about a half a bottle of wine, or 5 oz of spirits, or 1 bottle of beer per person.Have a variety of wine options for different palates. For red wine, keep it at medium bodied. Go with bottles of beer at weddings. Kegs are delicious but they often lead to a lot of waste. Instead of sparkling wine or champagne, Ron recommends Cava! It’s light, lower cost, and quite delicious.Vodka is king in the wedding bar. Main spirits are vodka, and gin. Brandy is starting to come back.Plan in advance! If you are getting your own alcohol, remember you will need to put it on ice at least 4 hrs before. Get the alcohol days early, and go from there. Don’t try last minute.Link We Referencedandyslocalmarket.comline39wines.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

#226 Woman Getting Married: A Special Crossover Episode

Lindsay and Cory Jones, Woman Getting Married co-hosts, and real-life married couple, join us today to share about their wedding, their podcast, their website, and their hot tips for wedding venues and planning within your budget.Big TakeawaysWithin the Woman Getting Married website, you can view venue reviews listed by location. They are also adding search filters for price range, and more.The venue plays a huge role in your wedding, and can really influence your design choices. Lindsay really believes in the importance of chairs at weddings. The right chair can really make the room come together.Links We Referencedwomangettingmarried.com womangettingmarried.com/wedding-alcohol-calculator-open-bar dawnranch.comalpinerings.com promocode: BIGWEDDING15The 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

#225 You Ask, We Answer - 36

On the last Wednesday of every month, we answer wedding planning questions from our listeners. These are always chock full of information that EVERYONE can benefit from. We have so much fun and we love our listeners for reaching out.Instagram Question #1:I have a really good relationship with my fiancé’s mom and I’ve done some wedding dress shopping with her which all went very well. But lately she’s started slipping up and saying specific things about the type of dress I want in front of my fiancé, and today she blurted out the cut of dress. Luckily he didn’t know what it meant, but all it takes is one google search and I’m really upset that it may no longer be a surprise. I really want to keep her involved but now I’m wondering if I should cut her off from dress shopping and stop telling her anything about it?Email Question #2: Rehearsal Dinner DragOriginally, the rehearsal dinner was going to be about 60 - essentially the group that could be our new entire guest list. What should we do about the new rehearsal dinner group? I am not sure I like the idea of seeing everyone on Friday..makes Saturday less hyped, but at the same time, most of these people would be traveling for our wedding...but we also see a lot of them on the reg (in non covid times of course). I want both days to feel special and like the idea of Friday being more intimate than Friday but maybe that's just old fashioned and me trying to keep some excitement and suspense for Saturday.FB Community Question #3:I am getting ready to do my wedding party proposals and am having a hard time finding something for my brother to do. My brother is 18 and has several disabilities including Tourettes. Being in high stress (weddings) situations triggers his movements and because of this, he is a pretty shy person. I want him to be apart of my wedding and have a special role but don't want to trigger him or make him feel anxious or stressed about it. Any suggestions on what he can do?Email Question #4:My fiancé and I got engaged this summer and are thinking of getting married in 2022 (provided that the situation with COVID improves). We found the perfect venue in a small town just outside our city - it fits our price range, has delicious food and is STUNNING. We were about to book it when a friend of the family, who lives in this town and works in the wedding industry, warned us that the owner of the venue has a bad drug problem and is addicted to cocaine! I can't un-know this information and it does make this venue (which is not cheap) feel riskier. Help me navigate this peculiar situation and the risks involved.Email Question #5:I would love any tips and guidance on how to navigate this crazy time and to remain hopeful when things just seem so terrible. I know that there are so many people dealing with much bigger problems than not knowing what their wedding will be like, but that doesn't change the disappointment and anxiety my partner and I feel about potentially having to postpone again or change the entire vision of what we wanted for our big day.Links We Referenced:alpinerings.com Use Code: BIGWEDDING15zola.com/bigwedding Use code: SAVE50The 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

#224 UK Planner Spills The Tea

Liz Taylor, CEO of the Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), has been at the forefront of the UK luxury wedding industry for over 30 years. Creating weddings and events that push back the boundaries of design, technology and theatrical presentation.Liz’s weddings are frequently featured in the pages of celebrity media such as OK! And Hello magazines, and she has been a media contributor to luxury wedding publications, theBBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and to the ITV flagship daytime programme, This Morning.Big Takeaways
Family dynamics can be a large challenge when it comes to planning your wedding.
Your planner often plays the role of therapist.
When it comes to dealing with divorced parents, there is nothing wrong with a table of two for the couple, and a semi-circle of tables for friends. And then have a table for the mother, and one for the father to avoid unnecessary drama. Plan it out, talk it out. Find the best set up for your situation.
You will be spending a lot of time with your planner. It is so important to click with your planner and vice versa. Having a positive and beautiful connection will be so helpful in the long run.
Embrace your wishes! There are no rules. Make it a day worth looking back on and smiling.
Links We ReferencedThe Taylor Lynn CorporationLiz Taylor ConsultingCactus CollectiveFlower MoxieThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention!
Easy to get in touch with. Email us at hello@thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode