Wedding Planning Podcast | Your Online Wedding Planner | Free Advice From Engagement To Wedding Day From Kara Lamerato Of Kvw

Get ready for a jam-packed Wedding Q&A show, full of your planning questions & concerns!  Here's a sampling of what's on the menu this week: How much alcohol to buy? >>> click here for one of my favorite hosting tools ever (and tune in to my full answer for lots more helpful tips on the topic!) What can we expect for the price of flowers? Who pays for the bridal shower, & should I offer to help? >>> click here for blog post "Practical Bridal Shower Gift Ideas" Fiance doesn't want any wedding party at all, but I do.  How to proceed? Rehearsal dinner options are way too expensive.  Advice on making it more affordable? Should we hire a babysitter for our reception? Do we have to seat wedding party members with their dates? SUBMIT YOUR WEDDING QUESTIONS HERE. YES, it's totally annonymous, YES I really want to hear from you, and no - I won't use your name or voice on the show! Thanks for being here, and we'll meet again next week! Cheers, Kara PS - An EXTRA special thank you for supporting today's sh

Join thousands of INTENTIONAL + JOYFUL engaged couples who know that the wedding celebration of their dreams is possible ... even if right now, planning an entire wedding feels a *little bit* overwhelming! Be sure to hit FOLLOW wherever you listen, and each Wednesday you'll enjoy a FREE, down-to-earth + straight-to-the-point wedding planning "meeting" where we explore everything from: Hidden TIME + MONEY + STRESS savers, Decoding the complex process of researching + hiring your team of IDEAL VENDORS, Identifying + incorporating your top VALUES into your celebration, Muting the noise + remaining laser-focused on a SMART PLANNING STRATEGY,  ENHANCING YOUR RELATIONSHIP with your partner, your family + your loved ones, Monthly "Ask Anything" opportunities with your host, Kara And so much MORE! I have an open door and love to hear your wedding questions, stories, thoughts & suggestions for upcoming episodes!  You can be in touch anytime by visiting weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact And speaking of our webs

Waaaayyyy too many engaged couples fail to plan for these ten sneaky little expenses that appear in the final months before the wedding! Today we’re going to cover TEN unexpected budget busters, so that you're not caught off-guard - stuck making impulsive last minute decisions out of stress or lack of information.   Be sure to stick around until the end of the show for a quick "BLACK FRIDAY / CYBER WEEK" segment on how to save big on all things wedding on Etsy!  To view my favorites, visit: weddingplanningpodcast.co/etsy Thank you for supporting this week's valued show sponsors: My husband John is already loving the look & feel of his skin after just a couple of weeks of using "The Regimen" from men's skincare line, Caldera Lab.  Use code "WEDDING" for 20% off! Visit Generation Tux, where you can build your suit & tuxedo looks from home, get free color swatches, a free Home Try-On, AND manage your entire wedding party online. Get professional help planning your dream honeymoon when you email susan@sus

Submit your wedding questions & stories on our website!  www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact In today's episode, I have an inbox full of your wedding planning questions, including: Are wedding fairs worth the time? How to pick a DJ?  No idea where to start! My dress is very heavy, with a dramatic long train.  Should I consider a separate reception dress for dancing? >>> My fave sites for reception party dresses >>> Shein & Lulus What are your thoughts on a NYE wedding?  We love the symbolism of beginning our lives together at the start of a new year, but the logistics of actually planning for NYE seems hard.  Struggling with creating a core wedding vision and building out from there.  I feel like we have so many ideas, but none of them are cohesive or go together.  Our wedding is set for Fall 2025.  Is there an easy place to start that I am simply missing? What’s a quick list of things to prioritize when shopping for venues? What are “hidden fees” to look out for with any venue or vendors? How do

The cost of food & drinks can be a huge source of frustration when planning your wedding.  I can’t tell you how many messages I get from couples who are utterly horrified by the per person fee for dinner & drinks - and rightfully so!  Today we’re going to explore setting up your own appetizer spread, and I think you’ll be blown away by the savings ... yes,  up to 85% off the cost of a traditional wedding caterer. Tune in for my detailed roadmap to appetizer / happy hour menu planning, shopping, and setting it all up. We'll review how much to buy, where to shop, and what you can expect the total price tag to be for TWO different sample menu options. We even cover the details that are often overlooked, so that your plan is airtight and nothing is missed. Even if you are using a more traditional caterer for the main meal, doing your own appetizer spread is a wonderful way to customize the offering, UP the quality, AND save a ton of money.  What's not to love? Not allowed to bring outside food into your v

Engagement photos are an incredible opportunity to capture you & your fiancé in your happiest moments, and to share those images across your save the dates, your wedding website, holiday cards, and as decorations throughout your wedding celebration. The thing is, choosing the perfect outfits, getting hair & make up just right so that you look incredible but still natural, and posing effortlessly can be much easier said than done! Choosing what you’re going to wear and struggling through a last minute hair and makeup session an hour before you meet your photographer is not a great idea, to say the least.   Neither is waiting until you show up to find out that your fiancé has the worst stage fright, and looks like Chandler from "Friends" (season 7, episode 5, The One with The Engagement Picture) because they suddenly can’t smile.   Today on the WPP I have a handful of tricks and tips to make sure your engagement photo shoot is smooth, seamless, and yields those perfect shots that you’ve been dreaming of

Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we're exploring your top wedding questions, including: Ideal number of wedding party members / pro’s & con’s of larger vs. smaller group? What are your thoughts on doing a first look vs. waiting for the more traditional moment when I walk down the aisle? Inviting kids to the wedding - does it have to be “all or nothing?”  Babysitting options? OK to assign seats for the ceremony?  Divorced parents on my side and want to keep them separated. Do you have a good resource for a full wedding planning countdown / timeline?  Best resource for planning our honeymoon? Easy & convenient tuxedo / suit rentals? Including family & friends who want to help, but I don’t really know what to ask them to do.  What are some easy items to delegate? Etiquette involved w/ planning at the same time as my close friend?  Things are already overlapping and I’m feeling really frustrated Please consider our valued show partners when selecting services for your special day! My husband J

Today we break down everything you need to know about speeches & toasts at your wedding reception.  We'll cover: Who gives a speech / toast at the reception? Should we give direction about topic, tone, & length? When should the speeches take place?  In what order? I’m worried about inappropriate content - what should we do? How many speeches is too many? What if someone has paralyzing stage fright & is terrified to speak? And stick around until the end for a quick convo on first dances!    A special thank you to today's show sponsors: Get in touch with Shutter & Sound Films at shutterandsound.com, and let your wedding day be a cinematic masterpiece you'll revisit time and again.  It's not just videography - it's cinematic artistry Would you LOVE to take advantage of expert honeymoon planning services for your all-inclusive, cruise, or exotic honeymoon AND get $50 off when you book?  Simply email susan@susanstravelservices.com to get started!

Today you’re going to meet the lucky couple who was chosen to star in “Say Yes to the Venue", a multi-part video series that highlights their process of choosing the perfect wedding venue in Southwest Louisiana.  The premiere season features Lake Charles couple, Eloise and Grant, who visit 5 breathtaking venues, and they’re here this week to share their wedding venue shopping insights with you! Your wedding venue is a huge decision that’s going to set the scene for pretty much every other wedding element and decision that you’ll make over the course of your engagement.   Eloise & Grant are a lovely couple, and they have some pretty incredible insights to share with you - not only about their venue shopping process, but also their top advice on cutting the overwhelm factor as you plan, managing relationships with your family & friends, creative ways for finding the best vendors, and lots more wedding planning gems.   So, which venue did they choose??? CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SERIES PS - Thank you f

  On the fence about hiring a WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER?  You’re certainly not alone. In my experience, videography is probably the number one item that engaged couples are undecided about.  It’s no doubt a big investment, and a huge topic to unpack - so today I have an expert special guest to help us do just that. Today we're joined by Ken Foster, who is a lead shooter for Shutter and Sound.   Shutter and Sound is a very small group of filmmakers dedicated to turning your big day into a work of art.  They help you relive the tremble in your partner's voice, the joyous applause, or that unexpected dance move during the reception. It's all there, woven into a high-end film that's uniquely yours. Tune in to the full show for an Ultimate Guide to Wedding Videography, and learn why 98% of married couples recommend having a video of your wedding day: We're on the fence - how to decide if we should hire a videographer How I hired a videographer for my own wedding (at the 11th hour!) Benefits of videography vs. still ph

Today’s convo is a wedding planning strategy GEM!  We’re going to cover every single last little thing that should be included within your wedding venue contract.  If you’ve already booked a venue and signed a contract, I’d suggest pulling out your actual document & sticking around for today's convo to be sure that all the key items are addressed. Your wedding venue is literally the centerpiece of your dream wedding celebration.  It’s also likely the most expensive decision you’ll make throughout the course of your engagement, so we need to be extra cautious in getting the details cemented just right.   A special THANK YOU for supporting today's show sponsors: Visit Generation Tux, where you can build your suit & tuxedo looks from home, get free color swatches, a free Home Try-On, AND manage your entire wedding party online. Get professional help planning your dream honeymoon when you email susan@susanstravelservices.com . Don't forget to mention the Wedding Planning Podcast for $50 off your booking!

Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, you'll find an overview of universal questions and research tips that are designed to help you hire your dream team of WEDDING VENDORS.  You’ll come away from today’s show ready to find the best product / service, at the best price, and from the vendor who you most naturally vibe with.   Whether it’s an officiant, a wedding planner, or a photographer, I created these checkpoints to save you precious time & energy, and to empower you to uncover the HIGHEST QUALITY service for the BEST VALUE. You'll learn priceless wedding industry insights so that you have a deep understanding of the wedding vendor landscape and the things that go into package pricing, seasonal discounts, advertising expenses, and so much more. A special THANK YOU to today's show sponsors for making this wedding planning strategy meeting possible! FREE Wedding Websites designed by independent artists?  Yes please!  Tap here to get started building your wedding website today & take advantage of exc

Today a 2023 bride shares how she leaned into her genuine desire for good vibes, connection, and kindness when hiring her day of coordinator and photographer.  It’s a gem of a conversation that uncovers some surprising and unexpected ways to approach finding your dream team of wedding vendors! This week and next, we’re going to focus on the enormous job of hiring your dream team of wedding vendors.  Now of course this is an exciting milestone in the wedding planning process, but it can also be incredibly overwhelming and intimidating.   What roles are really necessary for us to hire?  Where should we start in doing research and gathering referrals?  What questions should we even be asking? I’ve got an entire strategy call lined up for you on next week’s episode, full of the exact questions to ask, research tips to guide your search, and a whole list of checkpoints to ensure you’re getting the highest quality service for the absolute best value.  Today as a warm up, I’m sharing a conversation with a bride name

Our goal this week on the Wedding Planning Podcast?  To save YOU $3,650 on your final wedding bill! We could literally talk for hours about all the pretty things you see on Pinterest & Instagram that do not HAVE to be a part of your wedding celebration. In the interest of time, I’ve chosen EIGHT wedding elements that I would suggest skipping - or scaling waaaaaaaaay back on.  I think you'll be shocked at how easy it is for us to save over $3,000 over the course of a 20 minute conversation! If your goal is a simple, beautiful, and affordable wedding - then the sky is the limit on the millions of wedding details you can leave out.    In my digital wedding planning package, couples are encouraged to make a detailed list of their priorities way early on in the engagement.  They can then use that rock-solid road map over & over again, to check in throughout their engagement and be sure that priorities & values are being honored with every single decision. Want to come behind the scenes for more in-dept

This week is Part Two of a special 2-part series, where we’re highlighting some clever ways to not only save money, but also to increase the QUALITY + VALUE on everything from decor, rental items, invitations, food & drinks, and even your venue.   So many couples equate a higher price tag with a higher-quality end product or service, and that’s simply not always true.  Worse, that mentality can add up to spending tens of thousands of dollars more than necessary to host a memorable and meaningful wedding celebration.  The million dollar question is how can we develop an instinct for when it makes sense to invest more money for a higher quality experience, and when taking a less expensive route will be just fine - and we'll explore the answer in these two episodes! Lucky for all of us, there are opportunities to simultaneously maximize quality AND value literally everywhere, and I’ve chosen these wedding planning elements to share with you as examples of how to think differently about the amount of money th

This week starts a special 2-part series, where we’re going to highlight some clever ways to save money on everything from decor, rental items, invitations, food & drinks, and even your venue.   So many couples equate a higher price tag with a higher-quality end product or service, and that’s simply not always true.  Worse, that mentality can add up to spending tens of thousands of dollars more than necessary to host a memorable and meaningful wedding celebration.  The $10,000 dollar question is how can we develop an instinct for when it makes sense to invest more money for a higher quality experience, and when taking a less expensive route will be just fine - and that’s what we’re going to highlight in these two episodes. Two of my ultimate priorities as a wedding professional are increasing QUALITY AND VALUE.  Lucky for all of us, there are opportunities to simultaneously maximize quality AND value literally everywhere, and I’ve chosen these wedding planning elements to share with you as examples of how

Today we’re going to run through a 10-item wedding to-do list for when you reach the final 4-6 week countdown before your wedding day.  While some of the items in today’s show are pretty standard, others are much less obvious - and sadly are not commonly discussed.  Overlooking just one of these important action-items can tip the scales towards a stressful, frantic celebration - and I don't want that for you! For a complete recap of today's show, visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/countdown A special thank you to this week's show sponsors: Visit Generation Tux, where you can build your suit & tuxedo looks from home, get free color swatches, a free Home Try-On, AND manage your entire wedding party online. Get professional help planning your dream honeymoon when you email susan@susanstravelservices.com . Don't forget to mention the Wedding Planning Podcast for $50 off your honeymoon OR $200 off your destination wedding! FREE Wedding Websites designed by independent artists?  Yes please!  Get started build

“I’m struggling with imaging how all of my wedding reception decorations will look together - flowers, signs, decorations, tables, etc.  Any tips for making sure all my little decisions fit together in the end?” If you’re like most of us, you're not a full service wedding or event designer (and hiring one isn't in the budget!). So how can we trust that the dozens of small wedding decor decisions we make along the way will ultimately work together as a whole?   Today we’re going to explore 4 ways that you can use professional design skills to create the cohesive, show-stopper look that you’re going for on your wedding day.  These design tips are suitable for all budgets, and no - you don’t need an advanced art or design degree to pull them off!  Tune in for easy tips on choosing your table linens, centerpiece flowers, favors, cocktail napkins, confetti, wedding party outfits, table settings, and so much more. Links mentioned in today's show: We're also going to review 3 affordable reception decor ideas pulled

Wedding expenses adding up, and today we’re going to explore FIVE wedding "side hustles".  Tune in and learn how to earn some extra cash to cover those mounting wedding costs ... and keep your credit cards in your wallet! A couple weeks back on Instagram stories, I asked if you would be willing to take on a side hustle to earn more money to invest in your wedding, and an overwhelming 83% of you said YES.  As someone who has done the "side hustle" multiple times in my entrepreneurial journey, this topic is very near & dear to my heart.  Today's show is inspired by my own experiences, and also by my friend Nick Loper, creator of the Side Hustle Nation blog and podcast. Nick has 5 side hustle “business models” to share, and I’m going to elaborate on each one, and offer a few more ideas that I love.  For a full blog post & recap of today's show, AND a special video message from Nick, visit www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/hustle. Today's show is brought to you by these valued partners ... Browse gorgeous pap

Have you ever been to a small wedding reception with magical ambiance and thought, "wow, this is great but it would be so much more meaningful if there were 300 additional people here?"  I’m guessing the answer is NO.  So why do feel so much pressure to host a huge wedding, invite everyone we know, spend all the money on all the things, and stress ourselves out every step along the way? Small, intimate weddings have been on the Wedding Planning Podcast "trend report" for 4 years in a row, and for good reason!  I’ve always been a huge fan of a simple, scaled back celebration ... and in today’s climate, that’s never been more appropriate. Tune in to today's brand new episode for a complete "micro wedding" blueprint, designed to make planning a breeze.  We'll cover everything you need to know to make your small celebration extra special.  From your tiny guest list, to invitations, splurge vs. save items, planning a larger reception to follow, and your TOP micro wedding questions - we'll cover it all in this en