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#93 You Ask, We Answer - 7

The end of the month...time to pay your rent, bitches! And also, time for another monthly installation of our ever-popular YOU ASK WE ANSWER! This month we are dealing with an MOB that doesn’t want to sign contracts, BIG ol’ Jewish weddings, and wedding hashtags. You kids these days, always up to something!This week we have Claire reading listener questions AND...We got a voicemail question!!QUESTIONS / BIG TAKEAWAYS1 Email “My Mom Won’t Pull the Trigger!”Ask: What to do when the mother-of-the-bride (and main bankroller of the wedding) is suspicious of vendor contracts, deposit policies and hiring vendors ‘too early’? This bride-to-be also asked about when it’s appropriate to hire vendors...is a year out too early?Answer: You gotta educate her! All legit, professional vendors should have contracts. Your mom should read and understand these contracts and ask lots of questions before signing anything. But she should not throw down the gauntlet for vendors in a way that is off-putting.9-12 months is a sweet spot for hiring most vendors. Earlier than that is probably too early.Also - insurance! Get wedding insurance now and you'll be covered in the event that one of your vendors ghosts you and flees with your deposit! (Unlikely, but anything is possible). Check out our episode on this very topic!2 Voicemail Question “I’m feeling good about my big ol wedding! But why do people keep looking at me like a crazy person when I tell them I’m inviting over 400 people?”Ask: Our wedding is probably going to end up being about 350 guests. Our raw invite list is actually sitting right now at about 430, but with RSVPs will end up around 350...I would love to hear if either of you had worked with an event quite this big because whenever I say those numbers to people, they sort of stare at me like a deer in the headlights, and I wonder if I’ve messed something up and gotten myself in a little too deepAnswer: First off, you have not gotten yourself in too deep. My biggest piece of advice is to keep in mind and be ok with the fact that you will NOT be able to spend time with each an every guest on a personal level on the wedding day. Make sure that you and your fiance make some sort of a toast and speech sincerely thanking each and every person for being a part of your lives. Make it fun, have great music and lots of room for dancing.It’s BIG, but it’s not impossibly big!3 Email “We need a great hashtag!”Ask: We need help with a wedding hashtag. I’ve seen a few sites that give you generic options but we want something clever and punny and we’re drawing a blank. Do you have any recommendations on services that create cool wedding hashtags? I’d be willing to pay a fee.Answer: Michelle and I are dinosaurs, remember, so hashtags are not our specialty. ;)I don't know any businesses that help with this specifically. What about if we ask our listeners? That would be so fun! You could get some good options that way! I think the best thing is to pose the question to your people - your friends and wedding party may come up with some great ideas for you.Links we referencedZolaWedding Insurance and Why You Need ItPhoto Sharing WedPicsThe 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

#92 What Straight Couples Can Learn From Gay Weddings

It’s PRIDE month and we’re so stoked to talk more about gay weddings in this episode!Big TakeawaysFirst things first - Congratulations Michelle! She’s an Auntie! Baby Viviana Michelle was born just one day before we recorded this episode. Mama and baby are doing fine and Michelle is thrilled to be an aunt and Godmother.Some Pride history / factsLesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. The Stonewall riots were a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events.The SCOTUS ruling: Obergefell v. Hodges, June 26, 2015 - a landmark civil rights case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples. The ruling requires all fifty states to perform and recognize the marriages of same-sex couples on the same terms and conditions as the marriages of opposite-sex couples, with all the accompanying rights and responsibilitiesHere’s some exciting CEREMONY stuff we are seeing as more gay couples plan their weddings...ways to express themselves and their relationship with their loved ones:Aisles - Gay couples are scrapping the traditional walk down the aisle, for a lot of reasons! So, as wedding planners, it’s a super fun challenge to get creative with the processional. How you design the entire ceremony space depends on if you want an aisle, or two, or a ceremony in the round...do you walk in together? Do you meet in the middle? Are you given away by a loved one? Tons to think about!A Ceremony Toast - one thing gay couples are doing during the ceremony that is considered a ‘new tradition’ is a toast during the ceremony. Champagne can be passed as guests arrive for the ceremony, or (Christy’s personal favorite) you can have the caterer tray pass champagne down the aisle in the middle of the ceremony. A toast - by the officiant - or a guest (like a reader) is proposed and everyone says cheers. It’s a way to acknowledge the chosen friends and family that support the couple. It’s something you don’t see a lot of during straight weddings and it’s a hit, trust us!The pronunciation! Pronouns are important - for trans couples, the moment the officiant ends the ceremony with a pronunciation of marriage and an introductionLinks we referenced:Great Article on the history of PRIDE: https://www.bustle.com/articles/166925-the-origins-of-pride-month-what-you-should-know-about-its-historyGay Wedding Planning EXPERT: https://gayweddinginstitute.comPlanning Tool via Wedding Wire: http://gayweddings.comPhotographer Steph Grant: http://www.stephgrantphotography.com/blog/Photographer Tony Valadez: http://tonyvaladez.comPhotographer Cindy and Sharon: http://www.samesexweddingphotographers.comOur episode with Bernadette Smith (gay wedding expert): http://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/gay-weddings-with-bernadette-smithThe 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

#91 Print Materials & Miss Design Berry

First of all - chiropractors should not fully grab your butt cheeks when they are working on you. We want to make that clear.Now - paper products! If you’re planning a wedding, you will have to deal with some of this, most likely. It’s one thing that pretty much every couple has to do, one way or another. We’re talking about the necessities, the ‘extras’, and the ways that paper products can elevate the design of your wedding with personal, custom touches across the board. In the second half of this episode, Michelle interviews Kristin Berry Mastoras - Miss Design Berry (link below) all about her business - custom art and printing for weddings and so much more. (Hit up her instagram...it’s full of awesome stuff!)Big TakeawaysUtilitarian: Invitation Suite, RSVP card, rehearsal dinner invitation, thank you notes. The standard stuff.‘Extras’: Full signage - you can go crazy with signage! Place cards, Escort cards, ‘guestbook’ poster, programs, menus, favor printing, labels, and any print materials for your welcome bags.Paper products can be used to add your own ‘flair’ to the wedding. They can be fun! You don’t have to do it all, you don’t have to coordinate it all. But we think it adds character to the wedding for sure.Big Question: Online Paper (links below) or Custom Design Paper (this is a business that does design and printing. It’s custom and someone is working with you from start to finish to get it right? Or the ‘in between’ - Brick and Mortar chain like Paper Source, Papyrus, or Hallmark. With these stores, you go in and talk with a consultant, look at templates and examples and you can hold the paper in your hand before you pick.The most popular wedding favor for Miss Design Berry: custom coozies. Second place goes to edible favors and she designs a lot of favor tags or stickers to help dress those favors up. Clients have even had her custom artwork (a painting of the bride and groom) printed onto the snacks themselves. Cookies with your face on them! What’s not to love?Popular signage right now? The ‘unplugged’ wedding sign. The best verbiage for this is polite...talk about your desire to have guests be in the moment with you during the ceremony - to be present.These kinds of custom print materials are GREAT for all kinds of gifts. So special and thoughtfulLinks we referencedMintedVistaprintExpressioneryShutterflyCeci New York https://www.cecinewyork.comSmitten on Paper https://smittenonpaper.com/collections/wedding-customMiss Design Berry https://missdesignberry.comMiss Design Berry instagram https://www.instagram.com/missdesignberry/Listener shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/VictoriaStewardSigns?ref=shop_suggMichelle’s friends shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/SHRHDesigns?ref=search_shop_redirectThe 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

#90 Wedding Adventures with The Hearnes

Michelle interviews adventure wedding photographers Abbi and Callen Hearnes. They live in their van full time and they shoot everywhere - most often at Yosemite and Moab. Their photos are OFF THE HOOK. And yes, we still think that saying is relevant.Big TakeawaysThe Hearnes found out fast that as soon as they committed full time to their photography and hit the road (literally), they were on a fast track to success. The go above and beyond - again, literally - to make these photos happy. Their clients love the adventure, the Hearnes love the adventure, and the photos are filled with life and joy and smiles...all against a ridiculous backdrops of high elevation, extreme rock formations, and huge sky. The photos are high drama, but so grounded. Absolutely breathtaking!Here’s the blurb on their website:We are a husband and wife destination wedding photography team with an emphasis on epic landscapes and grand adventure. Our photography style is romantic, timeless, and true. We strive to capture your wedding day in an authentic way, creating photos filled with emotion and beauty. We are outdoor enthusiasts inspired by windy mountain tops, rocky deserts, towering forests, and striking coastlines. We believe there is no such thing as bad weather if you have the right attitude. Our couples prefer a peaceful, relaxed wedding day with an emphasis on their love for each other and for the outdoors.We are nomadic wedding photographers living on the road full time, which allows us to serve the west coast, southwestern desert, rocky mountains, and the pacific northwest. We have simplified packages that include travel fees for weddings in Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming. We are no strangers to long drives. You might see us in Yosemite National Park one weekend for a sunrise wedding, followed by a canyoneering elopement in Moab, Utah a few days later. We have updated passports and are willing to travel anywhere in the world.A lot weddings that the Hearnes shoot are elopements. Some have a few guests...but most are just the couple and an officiant. They hike up to the spot (hike included in the photography package!), get married, and hike back down. Amazing photos to commemorate the occasion!Tips:Research your national park permit requirementsDon’t check your dressKnow what it takes to be a ‘legal’ marriage - every state is differentMake sure the shirt/jacket coordinates with the dress (if applicable)Callen and Abbi are full time explorers. There aren’t two other people who know Yosemite like they do - so the location knowledge is what makes their photography packages so invaluable. We are in awe.Links we referencedOur episode with Stephanie Lam - former bride and current podcast host and producer: http://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/a-wedding-day-storyThe Hearnes instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehearnes/The Hearnes website: https://thehearnes.com/more-infoThe Moab retreat company mentioned: https://www.wildsolretreats.cQuotesThe 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

#89 You Ask, We Answer - 6

YAWA time! You ask, we answer. We’re talking about the importance of a month-of planner, the difference between a day-of coordinator and a venue manager, and what to do when one partner’s family is complicated and small, and the other partner’s family is wonderful and big. Guest list creation brings out emotions sometimes, and we’ve heard from many couples about how stressful it can be. Let us help you!Big TakeawaysA few random things we learned: Christy can’t handle having fake nails. Christy and Michelle agree that pubic hair sucks. And all our listeners need to become PATRONS ON OUR PATREON PAGE!In summary:1 Email “Future Mother-in-Law Wants to be the Planner”Ask: How does an American bride get her French mother-in-law to see the light when it comes to hiring a wedding planner for her wedding in France?Answer: Try to sell it as a peace-of-mind thing. And that while you appreciate his mom's help and advice, you want to be able to bond with her without wedding planning defining your entire relationship. Your partner needs to agree with you and then help you by pitching it to his mom - as an opportunity to relax and enjoy the weeks leading up to the wedding. Especially since you have family traveling in and with all the planning from abroad.2 Email “Venue Coordinator seems good. Do we still need our own day-of planner?”Ask: This dear bride has a nice venue picked out and they seem like a wedding-machine. The venue provides all rentals and handles all catering and provides a planner throughout the planning process as well as an on-site coordinator day-of. Does this bride still need a wedding planner?Answer: In short - maybe. Typically with a wedding-machine-venue like this, the day-of coordinator that they provide will suffice, if you are having a fairly simple wedding in terms of logistics. Keep in mind, though, that the coordinator works FOR THE VENUE, not you.3 Email “Family Situation = SAD”Ask: How do I best support my fiance in guest list planning when his family situation makes him upset and sad?Answer: Totally agree that the guests at your wedding should be the most important people in your life as well as those you think will stick longer than the wedding date. Have you had a chance to listen to our "Episode #5 The Guest List"? Link below.2 questions you two need to consider when culling the familial invites in order to keep your sanity:1) Will this particular person upset him on his wedding day? Make trouble of any kind? If so, then I would strongly advise not inviting him/her2) Would not inviting this person cause your fiance to feel strong regret after the wedding day is over? If so, then I would lean on inviting him/her.Links we referencedwww.zola.com/bigweddinghttp://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/the-guest-listThe 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

#87 The Royal Wedding BONUS EPISODE!!!

We've recorded a BONUS episode this week because Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle just got married! If you haven’t been living under a rock, this is something you’ve heard a little about! The wedding was on Saturday, May 19, 2018, and we are sharing our thoughts.Big TakeawaysWe are not the experts on this topic, necessarily. We know that it’s a big deal, we know the wedding industry is all ‘atwitter’ about it, and we know the whole world has an opinion about that wedding gown (we loved it). We’ve got some opinions of our own though, so we hope you enjoy listening to our bonus episode all about the #royalwedding!Michelle is going to start using ‘pageboy’ in all her ceremony layouts. Gather up that gaggle of kiddos and celebrate duchess-style when you walk down the aisle!Christy is fairly certain that the flyaway hair and modest tailoring of the dress were intentional. Everything about that wedding was.Gospel choir singing ‘Stand By Me’ - YES PLEASE!**If you want to receive an email newsletter - TBWPP’s first official membership newsletter - email us at thebigweddingplanningpodcast@gmail.com with ‘Newsletter’ as the subject and we’ll send you the masterpiece. This is a one time offer - the newsletter is a benefit of becoming a patron via www.patreon.com/thebigweddingplanningpodcast. Let us know!Links we referencedOur illustrious sponsors:www.christymatthewsevents.comwww.allureconsulting.comA few of the sites we got royal info from:https://news.sky.com/story/royal-wedding-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-set-to-marry-as-guests-arrive-11378255https://www.vox.com/2018/5/19/17372352/stand-by-me-royal-wedding-meghan-markle-prince-harryhttps://www.royal.uk/royal-wedding-2018The 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

#86 Feminism & Weddings - Questioning Traditions

We are STOKED to have feminist artist, author and former Bride, Katrina Majkut on the podcast. She wrote the book ‘The Adventures and Discoveries of a Feminist Bride’ and it is awesome. Eye opening! Christy devoured it and Michelle has some ‘aha moments’ during the podcast recording. This episode is not to be missed - you’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you might even change some things up for your own wedding after listening to this episode. Enjoy!Big Takeaways‘The Adventures and Discoveries of a Feminist Bride’ invites readers to join author Katrina Majkut on a personal and powerful prenuptial journey. With fearless curiosity and fun feminism, the book asks such questions as: Why do brides need their parents’ permission to marry? Why don’t men wear engagement rings? And why do women change their surname? Katrina’s book examines proposals, engagement rings, wedding cake, garter tossing and so much more - plus, she shares her own journey, and the decisions she made for her own wedding, which we found so accessible and fun to read.What do I need to do to make this a feminist wedding and/ or an appropriately ‘mine’ LGBTQ wedding?
Make sure that your fiancé is on board. Equality and respect can only happen if everyone is working toward the same goals.
Don’t accept tradition at face value. Learn about what your buying into and investing in. Doing so will add more meaning to the process and event. It will even empower you and your fiancé because you’ll make tweaks so your wedding will represent you not some industry-pushed ideal and generic, obsolete value. These traditions all have back stories and some of them are not awesome! Decide what’s right for you and your partner. Make the wedding mean something to YOU!
Be mindful of resorting to traditional gender roles. Ask yourself why am I defaulting to doing things this way? Even if the impact is not obvious, will this negatively impact someone I love or myself? How can I do them differently? And what’s the benefit to me and the people I love.
Being part of a team is awesome, but not if it comes at the expense of your individuality. Your unique self is what helped to make the team special in the first place, that’s who made your partner fall in love with you. There’s a ‘we’ in wedding, but there’s also an ‘I’ too.
Accept that it is not “the brides big day.” You may be throwing a party in you and your fiancé’s honor, but you’re also a host to friends and family. Be as generous and respectful to them as you would yourself. I hope this mindset lends itself to being an intersectional feminist, where how you throw a party takes into consideration the diverse values and lifestyles of your nearest and dearest because there are a lot of traditional wedding traditions that don’t, such as the bouquet toss and the “no ring, no bring” guest policy.
Top 3 Most Sexist Traditions:
Bridal Shower (Chapter 5, page 58)
Engagement Ring (Chapter 1, page 9)
Name Change (Chapter 14 & 15) & Wedding Titles (Chapter 7, page 82 &14)
Same-Sex weddings are changing the game and we are into it! Couples are creating new traditions, picking and choosing what they want to honor and how...for many gay couples, it feels like they are making up their own rules. This can be daunting and liberating...for planners, it’s super fun! With the way gay couples are turning tradition on it’s side here and there, all couples are able to make moves towards more equitable wedding planning and wedding days. Tweak things so that they are more meaningful to YOU and your partner. Your guests will love anything you do with an authentic voice...and that is a great start to a great celebration.Get 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/thebigweddingplanningpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#85 Live At The Pony Bridal Hair Event

This week, it’s all about HAIR and we went to the professionals for this one. Have you thought about your wedding day hairstyle? Listen in as Michelle attends a Higher Education Event for Hair Stylists called “First Looks and The Business of Bridal” put on by Pony Education and featuring Master Stylists and Educators Corinna Hernandez and Dre Donoghue.Big TakeawaysInvest in a good hair stylist for your wedding day.Book your stylist at least a year in advance and have a trial.**Thank you to the following stylists **for sharing their stories, tips and tricks of the trade with usGia Tummillo www.hairbygiatummillo.comMarissa Lauren https://www.instagram.com/yourmomdoeshair/?hl=enElise Cole-Da Cruz, Owner & Stylist of Bird & Bull Salon, Sacramento, CA https://www.instagram.com/birdandbullsalon/?hl=enRebecca Kingsley, Stylist at Bird and Bull Salon https://www.instagram.com/peccaboo/?hl=enShelly Cross, Stylist at Barrow Salon, San Francisco, CA http://www.barrowsalon.com/Featured Stylists Interview:Corinna Hernandez, Pony Education http://www.ponyeducation.com/Dre Donoghue, http://www.dredonoghue.com/Links we referencedSong Finch: https://www.songfinch.com - Our awesome sponsorhttp://www.ponyeducation.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

#84 Sexy Engagement Sessions with Ashley Paige

You know those gorgeous, magazine-cover-worthy, sexy, cinematic engagement photos you see online - the ones with the beautiful couple frolicking in the ocean as the sun sets behind them casting a golden glow over their gorgeous, entangled bodies? Yeah....That's what we're talking about on this one. We’re talking to the California photographer that has mastered the art of the sexy, beach-y engagement photo. She has tons of advice about engagement sessions, hiring the right photographer, and dressing for success.Big TakeawaysChristy reads the news every morning before she gets out of bed. Michelle doesn’t. She drinks water and meditates. Do you!Big Photography Companies - Ashley got her start in George St Weddings, she was contract photographer for them back when she first started shooting weddings. Ashley got paid an hourly fee, and the clients met her on the wedding day, no consultation beforehand. We on TBWPP strongly advise our clients to meet with their photographers ahead of time. We encourage you to hire a professional that you really feel comfortable with, since the photographer-client relationship is very important. Especially on your wedding day!Golden Hour - the last hour before the sun sets. It’s glow-y and warm and photographers LOVE it. In Orange County, on the beach, this is the perfect time to shoot an engagement session. Ashley’s instagram (link below) is full of these photos, they are sexy and soft and quintessentially California. Ashley says her main goal is to show the connection between two people and that it all starts with communication between everyone. When everyone is comfortable, Ashley can have some fun with them - and that’s when the sexiness shows up!Photographers and planners work hand in hand. If you don’t hire a planner, your photographer ends up having to coordinate the flow day-of. And while she’s doing stuff to facilitate transitions, or position cake cutting, or wrangle family members for formal photos, she isn’t actually shooting! So, you, as the couple, might miss out on some great shots when you look at your album later...because your photographer didn’t capture everything she should have! A planner allows a photographer to do her job - well!A photographer’s job is 10% shooting and 90% editing and running a business! Consider that when you are looking at pricing - finding one to hire. Ask them if they edit their own photos or outsource that job, if it matters to you.Places Ashley’s brides shop: Lulus, Free People, Asos, and Flynn Skye. Links below!Links we referencedSong Finch: https://www.songfinch.com - Our awesome sponsorhttps://www.ashleypaigephoto.comhttps://www.instagram.com/ashleypaigephoto/https://www.lulus.comhttp://www.revolve.comhttps://www.freepeople.comhttp://www.asos.com/women/dresseshttps://flynnskye.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!
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#83 You Ask, We Answer - 5

It’s time for another #YAWA! This week, we are tackling 3 listener emails (and they’re all multi-question emails) regarding wedding day timelines, photographer’s plan B’s, ‘friends’ you don’t want to invite anymore, how to schedule formal photos for a morning wedding ceremony, bridal shower hostess drama, ceremony-to-reception-commutes, and confetti exits! So many things to discuss. Let’s go!Big TakeawaysIn summary:1 Email “Plethora of Small Questions”Ask: How long does it take to light 70 votive candles? How long does it take to do 20 tables visits during dinner? Where can I find a comprehensive wedding day checklist online? And more...Answer: It takes 2 people less than 10 minutes to light 70 candles. Get the long lighters with the curve in them if you want to be very quick. Also - check with your caterer, sometimes they can do this for you, no biggie. Table visits take a long ass time. Check out the Martha Stewart Weddings link for a comprehensive checklist!2 Email “Bridal Shower Invite Dilema”Ask: Long story short, is it appropriate to invite someone to the bridal shower - in this case because they are close with the hostess of the shower - when they are NOT going to be invited to the actual wedding?Answer: It’s not ideal, but it’s your wedding and the circumstances can get a little messy...stick to your guns and don’t invite someone to your wedding that you don’t want to invite! If it’s a distant relative that you never see, they’ll get over it. And in the meantime, you won’t be hanging out with them anyway!3 Email “Long Commute”Ask: What to do in terms of formal photos when the wedding starts in the morning, the reception is a brunch reception and the drive from the ceremony to the reception takes 40 minutes?Answer: Utilize the time in the limo driving from one location to the other! Make sure you are organized and communicative with your photographer - draft a detailed shot-list for the post-ceremony formal photos, have a matriarch of the family help you out during this time by wrangling people that need to be in photos...we have LOTS of advice for this one, because it’s about the day-of timeline. And that is our wheelhouse, babes!Links we referencedwww.zola.com/bigweddinghttps://www.marthastewartweddings.com/600838/wedding-day-checklist?slide=832789The 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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