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#173 Let’s talk about rentals

Today, Christy is joined by Heather Rouffe, Director of Sales and Partner of Atlas Event Rental, a full-service event rental company serving the Southern Florida market for over 30 years. Atlas has locations in Miami, Palm Beach, and Martin County. It was also recently named one of the top 30 rental companies in the United States by Special Events Magazine. Heather is a big believer that rentals can be for everyone, and can make your wedding look like how you imagine it, without having to break the bank or do all the research and treasure hunting all on your own.*Big Takeaways *Heather works with the couple themselves, their parents, and whoever is planning/paying for the wedding. A lot of companies have gotten away from that formula, but holding on to it has created continual customer satisfaction and steady business for many years.A huge part of the equation in the rental business is matching the client with the right sales person so that they really have a great experience. The magic is in the connection, and understanding what and how the couple wants things.Heather’s rental company and similar ones want you to enjoy every element of the wedding day. They can help you pick the right pieces down to the napkins, the placeholders, etc. The showroom helps you see things in real life so you don’t have to try to imagine from your computer.With showrooms experiences, bring what you can that will help you design. Going to use white flowers at your wedding? Bring some from the grocery store. Pretty sure you’re using your mom’s candle holders? Bring them along to make sure it all matches!Ask as many questions as you can up front! It’s helpful to know what you need to budget for as early on as possible. No one likes being surprised by ugly linens a week before the big day. Work with a rental company that has the mentality that they are there to help, and there to answer the hard questions!When it comes to working with a catering company that subcontracts a rental company, the extra cost of the rentals themselves is often very worth it! In this scenario, the caterer is taking so much of the responsibility off of the couple. They are signing the contracts, scheduling the drop off, consulting on the menu, and more. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask questions, and get what you are wanting, but any extra cost is helping relieve so much extra work on the day of and the days before. The mark up is minimal and they have a perfect formula for everything that is needed.*Extra Hot Tips: *Velvet linens are gorgeous in person, but don’t necessarily translate in all to photographs!It’s okay to go extra special on the head table that will photographed the most. You don’t have to put all the money into every piece, find your key areas and build from there.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

#172 Telling Love Stories With Men’s Vows

We had a blast chatting it up with Eduardo and Jason of Men's Vows. An online magazine dedicated to sharing advice and inspiration for gay weddings AND the first wedding directory exclusively for grooms!Eduardo Braniff is founder and Editor-in-Chief of Men’s Vows.Jason Mitchell Kahn is the owner and creative director of his own namesake wedding planning company Jason Mitchell Kahn & Co., and the “In-House Expert” for Men’s Vows Magazine.Big TakeawaysFor gay men, and lesbian women, it has only been about five years since the marriage equality law has been passed. It’s relatively new. Finding a wedding planner who understands your wants and desires is so important. Jason and Eduardo are fighting hard to make it accessible, and easy for every couple to have their dream wedding. Men's Vows allows for representation of all types of people, not just the picture perfect, model-esque couples.Most men are not targeted in the wedding industry, and neither are lesbian women. For Jason, he sees the importance that marriage could have for the non-traditional scenarios. It’s important to find your flavor and taste and make the day for you. Just because the known thing is most common doesn’t mean you have to do it! There is no steadfast way to wed. It's important to take a look at every element of the wedding, and see if you are doing something because you feel like you have to, or because you want to. Aside from signing the paperwork, it's your day to play with and make your relationship shine.Pinterest is a beautiful place to get inspiration, but it’s also important to acknowledge that it’s not always representing the typical budget or set-up for a wedding. You don’t have to have an insane budget to have a special and meaningful day.When it comes to putting together who to invite, there are beautiful, kind ways of letting the people you love know you love them, but that they aren’t invited to the wedding. Jason talks about receiving a letter from a couple who are dear friends that explain how much they are excited to have him in their life, and can’t wait to share about the wedding. It is a nice way to make people not feel forgotten or unwanted, but makes it clear that there just isn’t room without having to be so blunt.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

#171 You Ask, We Answer - 25

It's that time of the month where we answer YOUR questions...cause we love you!ASK 1: How do you determine who to give a plus one? With plus ones for each single person, we are at about 360 guests - my parents are covering the wedding and don't seem to have a problem with allotting plus ones across the board. HOWEVER, I don't know how I feel about having a bunch of strangers at the wedding. For some of my friends traveling long distances, friends who won't know people at the wedding, and friends who have significant others, I am more than happy to give plus ones. But is it rude not to give them to some people?ASK 2: WHERE ON EARTH do you draw the line on the guest list?! I am getting into dangerous territory now. I feel like I am starting to consider people to invite solely because I don't want their feelings to be hurt. I am to the point where every time I consider one person, I think, "well, then that means I need to invite this person!”I've obviously already accepted that this wedding is going to be massive, but I want the guest list to be meaningful and to really just include the most important people in my life. My fiancé brought up a good point as we were working on the list - he said "it's almost like we're trying to decide whether or not we want to talk to these people again". I don't want to just invite random folks for the sake of their feelings. What is a good rule of thumb once you get down to the outskirts of your circle?ASK 3: Last but not least, is it completely taboo/rude to wait until after save the dates to invite certain people? I'm in graduate school and I have made some new friends who are not quite in "wedding invite" territory, but I could see myself wishing they were there by the time the wedding rolls around. Is there a tactful way to handle this situation?ASK 4: I have a dream. And that dream is... “when you get the save the date and know you can’t come please tell us k thanks.” Is there precedent for this? Total guest list: 315 A List: 256Very real number of people on the A List that won’t come (family/parent’s friends) and know they won’t come months in advance: probably 30I would like to put those 30 B List people on our A List! AND would prefer not to wait until two weeks before the wedding when it’s tackyyyyy to invite them.The text line I have in mind for the STD, in tiny print on the back:“Know in advance that you won’t be able to join us? We will miss you! Please kindly send your regrets, as this will help tremendously in our planning!”Links We Mentionedhttps://UnboringOfficiant.com/BigWeddinghttps://www.hitchswitch.com promo code: BIGWEDDINGhttps://hellonoemie.com/bigwedding for 50$ off your first purchase with promo code BIGWEDDINGhttps://zola.com/bigwedding for your free wedding website and 30% off invites and paper ordershttps://www.facebook.com/groups/TBWPP/?source_id=1020006734764802 The Big Wedding Planning Podcast CommunityThe 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

#170 Our 3 year anniversary!

We’re celebrating three years of The Big Wedding Planning Podcast this month. WHAT?! Three years of every Wednesday episodes. Three years of conversations, interviews, advice. We’ve answered your questions, we’ve interviewed over a 100 guests, and we’ve learned and shared so much! Wedding Planning is the business we are both in, and the podcast is a true labor of love. In the process of producing the podcast, we have bonded, our friendship has evolved, our outlook has evolved, and we haveBig TakeawaysSpecial thank you to former guests and colleagues of ours: Aleisha from Bridechilla, Matt Gourley (Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast) and Amanda Gourley (The Big Ones podcast), Claire from White Ink Photography, and Trish from Beatbox Portraits - they all called in to wish us a Happy Podiversary and we loved hearing from them! Ah, memories. We know some awesome people, yall. And this podcast has opened doors for us to know more awesome people, to know YOU, to hear your stories and your experiences and it allows us to feel connected in a way that we never imagined. Thank you for that!We reviewed some of our very favorite episodes - what a fun trip down memory lane! One that we both loved - was Ep #150 - “Will you marry us?” - all about how to get the best out of your friend or family member that has agreed to be your officiant. We loved recording it with our guest, Mark Allan Groleau of Unboring Officiant, and we got a ton of great feedback from listeners after the wedding. We’re still collaborating with him, btw - so check out www.unboringofficiant.com/bigwedding and you’ll see what we’re talking about!Among others we mention, we also loved recording the “Cocktails with the Aerobar” - which we did in Nashville. Listen to this one if you want to hear what super-hung-over Michelle sounds like!We’ve come a long way, baby! This episode is a celebration of how far we’ve come and why we’re excited about the future. Together. As co-hosts of The Big Wedding Planning Podcast. Thank you for coming along for the ride! Thank you for trusting us. Thank you for telling your friends and co-workers about us. And thank you for letting us be a part of your wedding planning experience. We are honored and humbled and really excited about the next year!Also - we indulge a little in this ep and take some time to tell each other what we love about each other. And honestly, it’s something that friends should do more often! It’s generous and cathartic and healthy. So - go find a dear friend and tell them why you love them so much!(And oh hey! You can use the ‘search’ feature on our website to look for the topics that you are interested in. It’s helpful!)Links we referencedhttps://www.thebridechilla.comhttps://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-big-ones-earios-H5ZkFjCegWd/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_O'Brien_Needs_a_Friendhttps://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/cocktails-with-the-aero-barThe 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

#169 The advantages of a big DJ Company

Glenn Roush is the founder of LeForce Entertainment - a DJ company he and his wife Jennifer started out of their garage in Dallas, Texas. Over the past 9 years, Glen has grown his company to over 30 DJs and nearly 75 employees. Glenn and Jennifer have two young boys, two french bulldogs, and a passion for traveling. Glenn joins us today to talk about wedding entertainment, tips for the big day, and more.Big Takeaways
Something fun and new is having all of the toasts during cocktail reception, so everyone can eat and socialize and get straight to dancing afterward.
Don’t be afraid of the first look. Even if you are initially against it, it allows you to go to the reception must faster. It also gives you a moment to love on your significant other in a more intimate setting. That time to really love on your partner is so special, and we promise you’ll still be blown away during the ceremony.
The longer your pictures take, the more the guests have to wait. No one wants to push everything backward, people start getting antsy, and you may have to spend more money to keep vendors longer, and extend venue times.
Pick your entertainment, and focus on that first. You can always add lighting and photo booths later.
Make sure you like your DJ! If they understand you and what you like, it will be that much more special. Do a little research so you know you are picking the most suited performer.
Using a big company, like LeForce, gives you a few advantages like insurance, up-to-date equipment, peace of mind in case something goes wrong., and often, it is actually cheaper than using an independent person.
Links we referencedhttp://unboringofficiant.comhttps://leforceentertainment.com/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

#168 Two Religions. One Ceremony

Rupal and Brian met on Tinder, had their first date at the Movies in the Park, and clicked right away. After three years, they decided to tie the knot in a beautiful, fusion wedding. Rupal was born in India, Brian in Baltimore, and they both live in St Louis now. They share their experience having a fusion wedding, Indian/Hindu and American/Christian (Lutheran).Big Takeaways
Did you consult your parents?
What two cultures/religions are you mashing up?
What were the factors that went into that decision, rather than having the 2-day wedding that you were accustomed to seeing or reading about?
What were the elements from a Hindu wedding that you were considering?
For the Christian-Lutheran side?
Links we referencedhttps://tinder.com/?lang=enThe 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

#167 You Ask, We Answer - 24

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 and interacting with us. Listen and learn, peeps!Do YOU have a wedding planning question? Call and leave us a voicemail at 415-723-1625 -or- email us thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.comQuestion #1 - Toast Time!Question #2 - The Vegan PercentageQuestion #3 - Thoughtful HiringQuestion #4 (From the FB Group) - Dessert Ticket ConundrumThe 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

#166 Paloma & Cameron’s Wedding Day

In this episode, we visit the wedding of Paloma and Cameron. They were married in April 2019 in San Francisco, marking the first wedding of the season for Michelle. Paloma was a listener of the show, and decided to reach out and as a result hired Michelle as her month-of coordinator. Michelle shares about how the day looked, how things were put together, and the beauty of Paloma and Cam’s love and union.Big TakeawaysSome churches have their own on-site coordinators. Even so, some allow you to still bring your planner. At Swedenborgian, their coordinator runs rehearsals.The hour or two before a ceremony can be really intense emotionally. It’s really nice to have your most important and supportive people around you in that time. Having someone nearby with a positive energy and influence can make all the difference.Links we Referencedhttps://sfswedenborgian.orghttps://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.orghttps://www.thelightandglass.comWedding Professionals that worked at Paloma & Cam's weddinghttps://www.pourgirlbartending.com/https://timelesscoffee.com/http://www.potliquorsf.com/http://www.envyfloraldesign.com/http://www.dreamcatcherartistry.com/https://www.pluralmusic.com/https://www.thelightandglass.com/http://knowaudio.com/Black Tie Transportationhttps://sfswedenborgian.orghttps://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.orgThe 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

#165 The Stress Factor

That's right. We're talking about the "S" word! It comes with the territory of wedding planning, there's no denying it. Wedding planning get's stressful. Let's confront it head-on!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

#164 Finding the ”perfect” planner for you

For the past 12 years, Meredith Commender, CSEP (certified special events professional), has been the Owner, Lead Event Coordinator & Designer at Significant Events of Texas - an event coordination firm based in Dallas producing an average of 50 events each year including weddings, social events, corporate events, and charitable events. She is a regular speaker for various Event Industry organizations in North America as well as at Event Industry Conferences. Meredith joins Christy to speak about how to pick the perfect planner for your wedding.Big TakeawaysThe average wedding in Dallas right now is around $45k-$75k. When you are in the average budget range, it opens you up to the largest segment of the market. By working with a variety of budgets, your planner will be able to work with all kinds of vendors, and not be limited, which is important for diverse clientele and making your big day unique.Though capturing beautiful, happy moments is valuable, you can’t communicate how smoothly a wedding went with just pictures. That’s why it’s great to have testimonials with each event.Both Christy and Meredith share photos on instagram and social media throughout the wedding. If nothing else, it gives the couple something to look back on and celebrate immediately that evening.Factors to consider when a wedding planner chooses a client and vice versa:
Availability
Budget (planners tend to be 10-20% of it)
Responsiveness
Do you get along? Personality clicking is important.
Be realistic about your family dynamics
Know what you want out of it
Know yourself, know the situation before you bring a planner in. Interview the planner, be upfront if your family might be a difficult situations! No one wants to be surprised or feel bad. Just make sure the fit is right.Your planner should help you make your dreams come true, but you also must be able to understand limitations. Overall, compromise and understanding are super important on both sides. No planner should make you feel like the things that are important to you are weird, or bad, or crazy.Links we referencedwww.significanteventsoftexas.cominstagram.com/significanteventsoftexasThe 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