Wedding Planning Collective Podcast

147 - The Hidden Wedding Costs That Blow Up Your Budget

If your wedding budget feels like it keeps growing every time you look at it, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m breaking down 15 hidden wedding costs that most couples forget to plan for — and that can quietly add thousands to your total. The truth? Most couples don’t overspend because they’re irresponsible. They overspend because they’re missing categories. Today we’re walking through the predictable expenses that show up every single year so you can build a wedding budget that actually works. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE: • Why catering minimums do NOT equal your final total • How taxes and service fees can add 20 to 30 percent • The vendor and wedding party costs couples forget • Why “gown budget” doesn’t mean what you think it means • Setup, teardown, and rental fees Pinterest doesn’t show • The small wedding expenses that quietly add up • How to build a wedding budget that doesn’t keep shifting WANT HELP BUILDING YOUR WEDDING BUDGET THE RIGHT WAY? Inside the Planning Collective Membership, I walk you step by step through building a realistic wedding budget — including a customizable tracker that already accounts for hidden wedding costs so you’re not constantly adjusting your numbers. You don’t have to guess your way through this. Learn more here: https://www.planningcollective.com/membership [https://www.planningcollective.com/membership]

146 - Wedding Planning Reset: Your December Checklist for 2026–2027 Weddings

Planning a 2026 or 2027 wedding? This episode is your End-of-Year Wedding Planning Checklist, the tasks every couple should complete before January. I cover: • How to update your budget + priorities • Why now is the time to book your core vendors • What to re-check in your venue contract • The best way to reset your planning systems for 2026 • Practical to-dos couples forget at the end of the year • What 2027 couples should definitely be doing right now Grab the free What Am I Forgetting? Checklist [https://planningcollective.myflodesk.com/dontforget], and learn more about the Planning Collective Membership [https://PlanningCollectiveMembership] for more support, templates, and planning tools.

145 - 15-Minute Wedding Tasks for the Holidays

In this mini holiday week episode, I’m sharing ten wedding planning tasks you can knock out in fifteen minutes or less. These are tiny, low-pressure wins you can tackle between holiday plans, leftovers, or naps — nothing intense, nothing overwhelming, just simple ways to keep things moving. I’ll give you quick ideas for checking in with vendors, making small design choices, tidying up your planning tools, and knocking out little details that make a big difference later. Pick any three and officially call it a holiday win. And for more help with Planning your wedding, check out planningcollective.com/membership [https://planningcollective.com/membership]

144 - How to Handle Unwanted Wedding Opinions During the Holidays

Holiday gatherings are basically the Super Bowl of unsolicited wedding advice. In this episode, I’m breaking down why family members get extra opinionated during the holidays, the most common types of “wedding commentators” you’ll run into, and exact scripts you can use to shut down the noise politely — without starting drama. You’ll learn: * Why the holidays amplify wedding opinions (nostalgia, cocktails, and 1989 wedding flashbacks) * The 4 types of opinion-givers and how to respond to each * Plug-and-play wedding scripts for budget comments, guest list challenges, vendor “recommendations,” and pushed traditions * How to set boundaries without defending or explaining your wedding choices * What to say when you don’t want to talk about the wedding at all If you’re heading into Thanksgiving or Christmas and bracing yourself for “You know what you should do…,” this episode will give you confidence, clarity, and ready-to-go responses. For more support navigating wedding planning without the overwhelm, join me inside the Planning Collective Membership for templates, step-by-step guidance, and weekly Q&A sessions: planningcollective.com/membership [https://planningcollective.com/membership] And if this episode helped, I’d love it if you rated, reviewed, and subscribed — it helps more couples find the planning help they need!

143 - Wedding Planning Q&A: 8 Real Questions Brides Are Asking in 2025

Today on the Wedding Planning Collective Podcast, I’m answering eight real wedding planning questions submitted by listeners — and we’re covering everything from invitations to aisle etiquette to whether the garter toss is officially dead. If you’re feeling unsure about what’s “normal,” what’s outdated, or what’s actually recommended by a wedding planner… this episode is going to clear a lot up. Here are the exact questions I’m answering in this episode: 1. Is it too early to send wedding invitations 4.5 months before the wedding? 2. For a seating chart, should you list each guest individually or group couples together? 3. How do you approach your venue about adding a late-night snack? 4. How do you prevent guests from leaning into the aisle with their phones during the ceremony? 5. Is it normal to try on wedding dresses without buying one that day? 6. My fiancé wants a garter toss, but I’m not into it. What do couples do now? 7. If you send save-the-dates, do you have to send a formal invitation later? 8. When hiring a day-of coordinator, what’s the most important thing to look for? Resources Mentioned: Wedding Planning Collective Membership planningcollective.com/membership [https://planningcollective.com/membership] Free Guides & Checklists Including the “What Am I Forgetting?” checklist and more: planningcollective.com/freeguides [https://planningcollective.com/freeguides]