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#113 Celestial Self-Care With wedwell

We have guests on the show today!Lilia is the co-founder of wedwell. She created this platform to help challenge the wedding industry to bring more self care and wellness practices to this important time in someone's life.Ashley is a tarot reader on wedwell's platform. Ashley blends tarot and her innate intuitive abilities to serve those who feel misunderstood with a little everyday magic.Um, we love them.Big TakeawaysWe hear a lot of listener questions about ways to celebrate wedding planning stuff in unique and fun ways. We’re talking about weekend retreats, showers, bachelorette’s, engagement parties...how to change them up? Here are some ideas! Make wellness a fun treat for you and yours. Hire a tarot card reader for your girl’s weekend. Schedule some yoga classes for all your wedding tribe. Make sure you and your partner make time for relationship wellness...Wedwell can help with mind, body, and heart connections. FYI - We would love to have a psychic reading at a cocktail party! Invite us!Lilia created Wedwell so that other people in the midst of wedding planning would have a sort of one-stop shop for wellness practitioners, one place to go and find help navigating the big decisions and the toll that stress will take during planning. All of the services are offered remotely - so all you need is a phone or computer.Wedwell is a site that caters to women, and all the practitioners on the site are women. Their demographic is women that care about wellness, but still want to have fun. Bringing these things...yoga, meditation, aura readings, tarot readings, health advising, meal planning (based on the position of the moon!), conscious vow-writing, body image coaching...it’s comprehensive!Working with some comprehensive wellness experts can help guide wedding planning by highlighting some of your strengths and weaknesses, so you can move forward more confidently, and more centered. And help you tap into mindfulness on your wedding day so you can be present and soak it all in! Working with someone ahead of time might help strengthen those tools.Links we referencedhttps://www.bewedwell.comhttps://www.instagram.com/wed.well/https://www.facebook.com/bewedwellhttps://www.instagram.com/magicalmind.tarot/http://www.magicalmind.co/book-a-tarot-session/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

#112 Consignment Gowns With Our Story Bridal

What happens to your expensive, designer wedding dress after your wedding? Where can you buy a gorgeous ‘pre-owned’ dress in great shape, for a great price and STILL have a fabulous shopping experience? We’re talking to the owners of Our Story Bridal - a NYC-based wedding dress consignment shop and they’ve got answers!Big TakeawaysOur Story Bridal is New York's only luxury consignment wedding boutique with pre-owned and sample dresses at up to 60% off with a curated assortment by designers like Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Inbal Dror, Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera. Better yet, our dresses are in immaculate condition and not only in runway or sample sizes.It’s not easy to sell your wedding dress. Craigslist is unreliable and a hassle all the way around. Brides want to feel pampered when they are trying on dresses and looking to buy one. Dresses are often altered to specific measurements so they don’t really fit anyone else. Both Jacquelyn and Ana faced this dilema after their own weddings and in trying to find a solution - they ended up setting up a pop-up shop, and quickly found out that there is quite a market for resale bridal. Demand - meet Supply.Jacquelyn and Ana met one other, and their future husbands, while students at Wharton Business School. Post-wedding, both owned designer gowns (Vera Wang and Mark Zunino, respectively) they knew other brides would love. Bridal consignment shops and reputable online platforms were scarce and impersonal, so they gathered once-worn and sample designer gowns, set up New York pop-up shops and the response was astonishing.Our Story Bridal has an online presence and all their inventory is on the website, updated constantly. They also have a brick-and-mortar shop where brides can come in and have the experience they want to have, by appointment only. This was a key component to the success of Our Story Bridal. And they don’t just have dresses that have already been worn - they also have samples directly from other boutiques and designers.Thinking of selling your dress? You can potentially make money from the sale (a lot easier and safer than trying to sell it on craigslist). Go to the website (link below, of course) and fill out the short survey form to sign up and OSB will walk you through the rest of the process. Once you send them your dress, you can expect updates asap. Most dresses that are going to sell, sell fast. And most sell!Links we referencedhttps://www.ourstorybridal.comhttp://modernloveevent.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

#111 You Ask, We Answer - 11

Monthly installment - YAWA! We’re doing 5 listener questions this time! Should a wedding planner include a timeline in her contract? How soon is too soon to send out Save-the-Dates?? We got you.Big TakeawaysWe LOVE getting listener emails with questions! And if you want our attention for a full two hours of one-on-one consulting, hit us up and we can schedule a video chat meeting. 2 hours, $200. Easy peasy! So valuable and fun.Email #1 - “No timeline?”Ask: Should mention of a timeline should be mentioned in my contract with my wedding planner. We haven't signed with her yet but we definitely want to work with her, but I was sure if this is something that should be in writing or is just assumed. She says in her contract she coordinates everything, including day-of, but there wasn't an explicit mention of a timeline.Email #2 - “Our planner just dumped us!”Ask: After receiving a polite email saying that the planner will know longer be working for them and the full deposit will be refunded, this bride was left feeling very anxious and confused! “In your world of wedding planning, is this a common or regular thing to do? Should I reach back out to them and try to figure out what's going on? Could we have been too demanding in asking for regular updates? Should we just cut bait and look for new planners??”Email #3 “Save The Dates”Ask: My name is Grace and I'm from Newcastle, Australia - I'm OBSESSED with your podcast! I found it about a month ago and I've already binged most of the episodes - love love love! How soon is too soon to send save the dates?!Email #4 “Equal Opportunity Photography”Ask: We had our engagement shoot a month and some ago and the photos turned out beautifully except for one snafu. I feel like they focused a lot on me. I felt they were centred a lot on him staring adoringly at me with me staring in the camera. I am a huge feminist so I'm not sure if I'm being oversensitive. My FS is not as concerned as I am but he does see to what I am referring. How do I broach this subject? I don't want to tell her which poses to do or disrespect her professional expertise but it is important to me. Any suggestions?Email #5 “Do we really NEED a wedding planner?”Ask: We're both really really type A. He said, "Why should we hire a wedding planner if we're going to double-check all of the vendors she recommends and also research our own vendors?" Also, his father negotiates contracts for a living, so there's no way any contract we would receive wouldn't be gone through with a fine-tooth comb by the three of us. So actually, what do we need a wedding planner for? I'm still feeling like we need one, but I can't actually think of tangible reasons for needing one outside month-of coordination. I'm worried we're too ignorant to even know what to look for! Maybe we should plan it ourselves, hire someone for a few hours of consulting, and then hire a month-of coordinator?Links we referencedhttp://modernloveevent.comhttps://www.zola.com/bigweddingwww.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcastThe 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

#110 Christy & Michelle Reunited

You guys! A miracle has occurred. Christy and Michelle were able to see each other! In person! For hours! Drinks were drunk! Laughs were had! And most importantly, photos were taken. Because if a reunion for the ages takes place and photos aren’t taken, did it really happen? No!
Christy had her last wedding of 2018 this past weekend, in the Bay Area. Michelle happened to be available the day before the wedding. Against all odds, we were able to throw together a professional shoot and tool around town taking fun pics together. It was a blast! So we recorded along the way, in a kitchen, in a car and made sure to get fun boomerangs in a bar. We did it for you, dear listeners!
Big Takeaways
Photo shoots are fun! At least, they should be. We suggest having a shot of tequila before you begin! We talked a lot about how this shoot was kinda like an engagement shoot. And we have an idea - BFF Shoots. They should be a thing. You hire a photographer, pay a professional hair and makeup artist, coordinate your outfits, map out your route and go frolic around and take silly, gorgeous pics for a couple of hours! It’s well worth it - the experience and the product. In our case, this was such a big reunion - we’ve been talking to each other at least once a week for over two years now. We text all the time. We make plans. We schedule and reschedule. But we never got to actually hang out! And this was a great way to jump back in.
Our “Rules” for a photo shoot: big hair, big lashes. Cocktails to loosen up. Pretend to be super models or ugly ducklings post makeover in a movie montage. Fake it til you make it! Change outfits at least three times. Say YES when your partner suggests doing something funny or silly or brave. Laugh. Gaze at each other. Recite ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ to each other if the photographer wants you to look like you are having a nice candid conversation but you don’t know what to say. Did I mention hire a professional stylist? We did and she was the BEST investment ever. It’s fun to be pampered.
If you are doing an engagement shoot - consider it a trial run and a practice for the wedding day. Take the opportunity to get to know the photographer. We’ve said it on the ‘cast a million times, you need to LIKE your photographer. As in, you should want to hang out with him or her. The engagement shoot is a chance to get on the same wave length, the same vibe and to loosen up around them as they take your pic and direct you a little. There were times when Stian made us laugh and I know those are some of the best pictures of the bunch.
Digital guestbook - so cool! At this wedding Christy did, the guests were pretty tech-savvy as a whole and the guestbook was awesome. Having a planner helps because Christy was able to charge the ipad and test the guestbook app before the wedding day. Link below. (Also, if you’re using an ipad for this, make sure you tape the unlock code to it just in case!)
Links we referenced
Our stylist: www.beautybyerika.com
Our photographer: www.neonstian.com
http://www.videobooth.mobi
Quotes
Get In Touch
EMAIL: thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com
FACEBOOK: @TBWPpodcast
INSTAGRAM: @thebigweddingplanningpodcast
BE SURE TO USE THE HASHTAG: #planthatwedding
TWITTER: @TBWPpodcast
PHONE: (415) 723-1625 Leave us a message and you might hear your voice on the show!
PATREON: www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#109 - City Weddings With Tionna Van Gundy of Wedicity

Tionna Van Gundy is a Chicago-based wedding and event planner. The owner of Wedicity, Wedding & Event Detailing she has been in the events and hospitality industry for over 12 years. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, where she became a certified wedding professional in 2004 - Tionna moved to Chicago in 2010 and worked her way through the event industry! With an array of event experience in venue operations, destination management, food/beverage service and hotel operations, Tionna has expanded into the destination wedding market but still has a big heart for all things urban style weddings! And that’s what we are talking to her about - CITY WEDDINGS. Logistics, city pride, and how to create lasting urban memories. Enjoy!Big TakeawaysWe are here for Twitter complaints! First thing up in this episode, we answer a tweeter’s question about how the heck he’s supposed to afford a videographer. Should you just have some friends hold phones up during toasts and worry about ‘editing’ them all together later? No! Do your research - see if you can find a videographer that is really new to the business and negotiate! See if your photographer or DJ if they have recommendations - you’re more likely to get a deal if the vendor knows they were personally referred.In a busy, famously photographed city like Chicago, there are a list of ‘musts’ when it comes to your wedding party photos. (Hello, Bean!) Tionna tells us that on a popular May Saturday, it’s not uncommon to see 7 groups of bridesmaids all waiting patiently to take photos at the same landmark hotspot. What?!Chicago weddings right now are all about old-meets-new. There are several awesome old, historic, luxe hotels that host weddings every weekend, and now there are warehouse and art spaces popping up, upcycled and ready to party. Wedding parties can take photos all over the city before retreating to their chosen venue, getting the most of the urban architecture, style and bustling city energy.How are guests getting to and from weddings? Uber and Lyft. Valet (meh), shuttles. Walking from the designated hotel. But Chicago wedding planners are always trying to avoid a parking/traffic clusterfuck - city weddings all have this in common.Tax in the City. Tionna tells us that you’ll be spending about 30% of your wedding budget on taxes alone. Yikes! That’s a lot more expensive than other places!The weather is a big factor for Chicago weddings. Tionna tells us about how people can get blown across the street and it’s miserable and cold in winter, but that the city transforms and comes alive in the other 7 months of the year. The most popular time for weddings is September, as summer softens into Fall. Make sure you check the convention calendar before you start making big wedding plans!Links we referencedhttps://twitter.com/TBWPpodcasthttps://wed-icity.comhttps://www.instagram.com/wedicity_chi/https://wed-icity.com/blog/f/unforgettable-chicago-wedding-welcome-bagsThe 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

#108 - Wedding Planner Debrief

We are at the tail end of our busiest season, and we need to talk about it! We haven’t had time to just shoot the shit lately on the podcast, so that’s what we’re doing on this one. Except with some jotted down notes and a basic outline in mind. Because we love you and we want you to know what’s in our brains! Tips, tricks, pet peeves and a good ‘ol debriefing between your favorite wedding planner BFFs. Enjoy!Big TakeawaysLil tip: If you are doing a card box or bird cage or basket or whatever to hold cards and gifts from guests, put a card in there before the day begins. If you have a guestbook that isn’t totally obviously a guestbook - then have some of your ‘maids sign it first, and then open it to that page. Sometimes guests don’t want to be the first to do something at a wedding. An ‘example’ is a nice indicator that it’s ok and expected!Pet peeve: Signage. We’ve been wedding planners for a long time. We have seen a whole lot of unnecessary signage in our day. Ease up on the signage! If there’s a tower of cupcakes on a table, you don’t have to put a cute frame or chalkboard telling everyone there is a tower of cupcakes there! We can all see it! They look delicious!Lesson Learned: If you have a sweets table out for display before the cake is cut, people may (will) help themselves. Which is fine! Unless you don’t want that. Remember - we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: People at weddings love cake. So if you have cake balls or cupcakes out...they may grab them before dinner starts. Also - if you are doing cake for dessert - order enough for every guest! Don’t doubt us on this one, we’ve seen it get ugly when there isn’t enough cake to go around.If it’s a BYOB bar (you, the client are bringing the booze, not your guests) - better safe than sorry! Over-order so you don’t run out. And make sure your caterer has ordered enough corresponding glassware for the booze you’re bringing. Remember - people drink more than usual at a wedding.We talk a lot about catering and staffing on this one - examples of what NOT to do. Bottom line - the caterer and the wedding planner work very closely. Both parties need to be on board. Hire carefully! And don’t skimp on staffing. Oh! And always go with a double-sided buffet if you can!Quick tip! If a dancefloor is being put outside, make sure you have someone to sweep it off before the wedding starts.This is a big one: if you have a plan for an outside event - no matter what, you need a plan B in case the weather is horrible. No one can control the weather! Having a plan B is crucial. But that’s not the end of it. You need to NOT HATE your plan B. If plan B at the venue sucks, try to find another venue!Don’t forget about our Patreon! It’s the very best way for you to tell us you love us. :)Links we referencedwww.modernloveevent.com/bigweddingThe 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

#107 Brooklyn Wedding Designer Michelle Edgemont

Michelle Edgemont is an event designer. And a florist. But not a planner. She can do florals for your wedding, and she can design your wedding, but she won’t design your wedding with another florist. Confused? Don’t be! Not every wedding planning process involves a designer. But for those that may...we hope this episode helps you decide how best to curate your wedding vision with the help of a professional designer.Big TakeawaysMichelle Edgemont owns the event design and floral design studio MichelleEdgemont Design based in Brooklyn, NY. Named a 35 under 35 Rising Star in the floral industry by Floral Review magazine, Michelle has also been seen in the NYTimes, on HGTV, and the pages of all relevant wedding magazines. Her work is sought after for it's unconventional aesthetic by creative couples in the NYC area.An event designer is different than an event planner or coordinator. Michelle is the professional creating, defining and executing your wedding VISION - the aesthetic details that take your wedding from ‘typical’ to totally, 100% you - in the flowers, lighting, paper, signage, floor plan, linens, table settings, favors, place cards...you get the idea. She is the one helping you figure out exactly how you want your wedding to look, she puts the plans in motion, and she is there on the day of - working in tandem with your wedding planner, perhaps, to bring it all to life.Budget-wise...you have to have a pretty big overall budget to hire Michelle, or any designer, for that matter. It’s two fold - Michelle is a vendor and charges for her services and also she creates the wedding design by hiring other vendors, all at a high price point, on average. So if you have a modest or ‘normal’ wedding budget, you won’t be looking at the high-end elements of design at your wedding that a couple would who is hiring Michelle Edgemont would. Think basic linens provided by the caterer VS custom linens and matching altar backdrop created by artisans in Brooklyn.Who hires Michelle Edgemont? In her words, New Yorkers. (Upper class, cool, design-savvy New Yorkers.)It all starts with a venue meeting and there, Michelle talks to the couple about what they have in mind, colors they like, the floor plan and flow that the venue best lends itself to. Michelle goes from floor to ceiling, and from Save the Date to favor tags. Anything that a guest is going to look at is part of the event design umbrella. Start to finish.What’s IN - greenery (even in the personal bouquets!), mixed metallics, shiny objects (mylar, disco balls, sparkles).Links we referencedhttps://michelleedgemont.comhttps://www.instagram.com/medgemontdesign/https://mailchi.mp/michelleedgemont.com/mmhkghsuzphttps://www.marthastewart.com/1522855/woodland-baby-shower-michelle-edgemonthttps://www.marthastewartweddings.com/642786/tips-making-most-wedding-floral-budgethttps://m.fun365.orientaltrading.com/contributor/michelle-edgemontThe 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

#106 You Ask, We Answer - 10

Monthly installment - YAWA! This week we’re talking more about families...this time, it’s the overbearing, well-intentioned parents that get the attention. And more info about non-traditional receptions, helpful signage and honoring deceased loved ones at your wedding. It’s a big spectrum this time!Big TakeawaysThe biggest takeaway of all is that we are here to help YOU! Send us your questions and concerns and we’ll try our very best to get back to you personally and promptly and we may even read your email on an upcoming YAWA. Listeners helping listeners, helping us help you. See? It all goes in a big circle.1 Email - “How do I make sure guests are prepared for my unique wedding reception?”Ask: Because it is a rather unusual wedding, I am worried that guests are not going to enjoy being kept on a tight schedule. The wedding will start earlier and end by 8pm, in order to set the venue to welcome the public and begin the post-reception show.My question is this--how to I present this unusual wedding to my guests? I don't want them to be alarmed by the idea and at the same time I want them to be totally prepared for what to expect on the wedding day.2 Email - “MOB is in the wedding industry and wants us to do this HER WAY”Ask: Because her family are, essentially, "Wedding People" coming from the bridal dress industry, her mother has a LOT of opinions about what we should and should not do. I'm not opposed to opinions, I want to hear from people since she and I are doing the planning ourselves. However, we are the only people in our families that live in Minneapolis, where we met and are planning to get married. Her mother is trying to choose caterers, bridesmaid dresses, etc. everyone she can think of despite what my fiance and I have discussed and agreed upon. Do you have any advice on how to navigate a nit-picking future mother-in-law, and any advice how I can convince her that I have serious opinions on this wedding as well?Email #3 “How do we honor loved ones that passed away?”Ask: I lost my father about 5 years ago to a heart attack. My fiance also just lost his mother december 2017 to breast cancer. We were wondering what can we do to honor them that day... we are obviously not going to do parent dances. I did some pintresting (word?) and i just see a remembrance table with a candle or a reserved place setting at a table....are there any other things that we can do?Links we referencedhttp://modernloveevent.comhttps://www.zola.com/bigweddingwww.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcasthttp://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/the-happiest-sad-dayThe 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

#105 Venue Visits - How To With Lynsie Blau

Lynsie Blau joins Christy on this episode to break down VENUE basics for us. Site visits, vibes, and contracts...all important! Picking your wedding venue is one of the biggest and arguably most important decisions you will make during wedding planning. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls!Lynsie is the owner, manager and everything-person for BRIK Venue in Fort Worth, Tx. Brik is a stand alone industrial beauty - 2 stories, original hardwood, exposed brick and pretty white painted walls, a graffiti courtyard and a gorgeous studio to get ready in. It is a premier venue for North Texas - for all these reasons and more. Namely - Lynsie herself. Now, let’s talk money, dolls!(Forgive Christy - she sounds a little sick on this one!)Big TakeawaysPriorities for Lynsie when she bought Brik and began the transformation into a wedding venue:1- two seperate indoor spaces that don’t require a ‘flip’ - it has 2 full floors so you can do ceremony on one floor and the reception on the other floor.2 - Location - close to downtown3 - Capacity - bigger than 200 guests (Brik is 300 max)4 - Open, versatile and flexibleSite visit advice:Know your date, or at least the month you want your weddingIs there a budget limit you have worked out for the venue?How many hours do you want the venue?For pricing - make sure you ask if the numbers they give you are the FINAL quotes, or if there are hidden feesLook at the bathrooms at the venue!See if you have to work with a set vendor list, or if it’s a ‘preferred vendor’ list. Ask questions about how open their policy isDoes the venue have insurance requirements? Required valet or security? Is the set up and strike time included in the rental time?Do you get an extra hour for the rehearsal? What about for engagement photos before the wedding?The ‘getting ready’ room is very important! Look for room, the light, the mirrors…Look down at the floors and look up at the ceilings...remember to include full perspective in your vision when you are thinking about how you would ‘transform’ a room.Look into the transportation, parking and proximity to hotels/civilization when you are looking at venues. The fact that Brik is 5 minutes from downtown FW is a HUGE draw for couples - and it’s a big reason why Lynsie took the plunge and bought the place. She doesn’t worry about guests driving drunk, cause everyone can Uber!Links we referencedwww.brikvenue.comhttps://www.instagram.com/brikvenue/http://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/fall-in-love-with-your-wedding-photographerGet In TouchEMAIL: thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.comFACEBOOK: @TBWPpodcastINSTAGRAM: @thebigweddingplanningpodcastBE SURE TO USE THE HASHTAG: #planthatweddingTWITTER: @TBWPpodcastPHONE: (415) 723-1625 Leave us a message and you might hear your voice on the show!PATREON: www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcastSpecial Guest: Lynsie Blau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#104 Prenups, Matrimony Law and Divorce. Oh My! - Alyssa Rower

Alyssa Rower is a divorce attorney and practices matrimonial law in NYC. She’s fierce, she’s forthcoming and she is teaching us about the legal and financial elements of marriage that we aren’t total know-it-alls about! How refreshing. Alyssa has been featured and written articles for HuffPost, Brides.com, Forbes and The Chicago Tribune - to name a few. We’re stoked to have her on the podcast!Big TakeawaysA prenuptial agreement is a document you deal with before you get married. It protects you in the event of one partner’s death, or in the event of divorce. It’s not just for rich people! Alyssa tells us how a regular old business owner or entrepreneur might also consider a pre-nup - and what reasons may be enough to spend the money for one!This is all state by state - it doesn’t matter what state you were married in, it depends on what state you reside in during the years during your marriage, or leading up to your divorce. This matters! Especially when it comes to inheritances, and - just a couple years ago - because of marriage equality laws differing from state to state. So it’s in everyone’s best interest to research the laws of your state before legally binding yourself to another person! A prenuptial agreement is an agreement that crosses state lines. So - it may make proceedings feel ‘safer’ or smarter for both parties.Alimony, spousal support and child support laws also vary greatly from state to state...if you don’t have a prenup, you have to consider these terms with every major life decision you make together as a couple: having children, owning property, changing jobs, relocating, sickness or leaving the workplace entirely. Also, thinking about your estate and who/how you want to leave it in the event that you die can come into play when drafting documents pre-marriage agreements. This matters specifically for people that get married and both bring children into the family.Deal with this stuff early on and get it done well before you are sending out your wedding invitations. It’s far less stressful to get it done early, if you are going to do it. And make sure you are both involved in the creation and formation of the document! This mutual understanding about the finances of your relationship is important whether you get a prenup or not. Both partners should have a good understanding of what is going on - in marriage and in divorce.Links we referencedhttps://www.rowerllc.comhttps://www.rowerllc.com/lectures-publications-1/https://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2018/01/28/those-who-are-most-in-need-of-a-prenup-may-surprise-you/https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-strengthen-your-marriage-with-a-prenup-2018-5?r=UK&IR=Thttps://soundcloud.com/user-866073407/what-happens-to-your-businessThe Big Wedding Planning Podcast is...Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez.
Edited by Veronica Gruba
Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics
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