Wedding Industry Mama - Navigating the Unique Scenarios of Motherhood in Our Industry

Episode 13 - The Truth About Balance: What Two Global Wedding Icons Actually Sacrifice as Parents with Rime Arodaky and Greg Finck

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/fan_mail/new] What does it really look like to build a global career and a family at the same time? In this episode, I sit down with internationally renowned photographer Greg Finck [chatgpt://generic-entity?number=0] and bridal designer Rime Arodaky [chatgpt://generic-entity?number=1] for an honest, unfiltered conversation about marriage, parenthood, and running high-demand businesses in the wedding industry. From last-minute international travel to missed weekends, childcare logistics, and the pressure to “do it all,” they share what actually happens behind the scenes—and why balance might be the wrong goal entirely. We talk about: * Why they don’t believe in “having it all” * The trade-offs no one talks about * How they structure family time in a chaotic schedule * Letting go of control (and the guilt that comes with it) * What truly matters when raising kids in a high-performance life If you’ve ever wondered how to build a career and a family without losing yourself in the process… this episode will change the way you think about both. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/support] Please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to Wedding Industry Mama for honest conversations about motherhood, marketing, and building a sustainable business in the wedding world. Today's Sponsor: Green Aisle - A Platform for Modern Sustainable Weddings - Join the movement at https://green-aisle.com Wedding Industry Mama Coloring Book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/meredith-kerr/wedding-industry-mama-a-coloring-book/paperback/product-9597z66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Digital Version: https://payhip.com/b/bfFmX Free email template on telling your brides you're pregnant: http://eepurl.com/jhJCTg

Episode 12 - Delegation, Boundaries, and Building a Team Before Baby with Keri Ketterer Walter

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/fan_mail/new] Before Keri Ketterer Walter welcomed her first baby, we sat down to talk about what it looks like to prepare for motherhood while running two thriving luxury wedding planning businesses. Keri was actually my own wedding planner back in 2018, so this conversation felt especially full circle. In this episode, she shares the story behind the evolution of Always Yours Events and KKW & Co., how she carved out a specialty in private estate and tented weddings, and what it has looked like to thoughtfully prepare her team, clients, and business for this next chapter. We talk about delegation, boundaries, daycare plans, maternity leave in a seasonal industry, and the emotional reality of watching others grow while your own priorities begin to shift. Keri also shares why she believes mothers in the wedding industry often become more focused, more efficient, and even more powerful in business. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a business that can support both your ambition and your family, this conversation is such a good one. In this episode, we cover: * The difference between Always Yours Events and KKW & Co. * How Keri built a name in the ultra-luxury private estate wedding space * How she told clients she was pregnant * Why delegation became her keyword before motherhood * The motherhood “divide” in the wedding industry * Why moms may actually become more efficient and focused in business * What she hopes the industry looks like for women and mothers moving forward Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/support] Please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to Wedding Industry Mama for honest conversations about motherhood, marketing, and building a sustainable business in the wedding world. Today's Sponsor: Green Aisle - A Platform for Modern Sustainable Weddings - Join the movement at https://green-aisle.com Wedding Industry Mama Coloring Book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/meredith-kerr/wedding-industry-mama-a-coloring-book/paperback/product-9597z66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Digital Version: https://payhip.com/b/bfFmX Free email template on telling your brides you're pregnant: http://eepurl.com/jhJCTg

Episode 11 - She Burned Down Her Instagram at 4AM All Because of Her Kids | Sacia Matthews

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/fan_mail/new] What happens when you’re at the height of your career… and motherhood shifts everything? In this raw and honest conversation, destination wedding photographer Sacia Matthews shares what it really looked like to sit in a parking lot before a wedding and realize something had to change. After having twin boys, Sacia found herself questioning: – Who am I creating for? – Why am I missing weekends at home? – And is this still aligned? At 4AM one night, she archived her entire Instagram and stepped away from client work for months. No safety net. No guaranteed bookings. Just clarity. Inside this episode, we talk about: • The emotional reality of leaving babies for weddings • Why “luxury” isn’t about money — it’s about alignment • How she intentionally built relationships to elevate her client base • The gut instinct motherhood gives you in business • Missing milestones (and learning to live with it) • Scaling back to 3 weddings a year • And building a second career in digital marketing This episode is for the mom who: – Feels the shift happening – Is questioning her current season – Or wonders if she’s allowed to change her mind Follow Sacia at @saciamatthews and continue the conversation with us inside the Wedding Industry Mama community. If you loved this episode, screenshot it, share it to your stories, and tag us so we can thank you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/support] Please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to Wedding Industry Mama for honest conversations about motherhood, marketing, and building a sustainable business in the wedding world. Today's Sponsor: Green Aisle - A Platform for Modern Sustainable Weddings - Join the movement at https://green-aisle.com Wedding Industry Mama Coloring Book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/meredith-kerr/wedding-industry-mama-a-coloring-book/paperback/product-9597z66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Digital Version: https://payhip.com/b/bfFmX Free email template on telling your brides you're pregnant: http://eepurl.com/jhJCTg

Episode 10 - Grit, Grace, and the Power of “No” with Laura Ritchie (Grit & Grace)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/fan_mail/new] What happens when you stop saying yes to everything and start protecting the life you actually want? In this episode, Meredith sits down with Laura Ritchie, founder of Grit & Grace (luxury wedding and event planning outside Washington, DC), for an honest conversation about motherhood, ambition, grief, and the boundaries that make long term success possible. Laura shares the deeply personal origin behind the name Grit & Grace, how she built her business while navigating the loss of her mom during pregnancy, and why she eventually shifted from producing 60 weddings a year to just three high touch events. We talk about the reality of travel sports life, choosing dates that protect your family, and how being upfront about motherhood actually strengthens client relationships at the luxury level. If you’ve ever felt pulled between being a present mom and a driven creative, this one will hit home. In this episode, we cover: * The story behind the name Grit & Grace and the diary entry that changed everything * Building a business in the hardest season of life * The hidden cost of “yes” and why boundaries are a business strategy * How Laura structures her calendar around her kids, not the industry * Why luxury clients value a whole human, not a perfect persona * The vendors and companies raising the bar for working moms in weddings Follow Laura + learn more: Instagram: @gritandgraceinc If you loved this episode, screenshot it, share it to your stories, and tag us so we can thank you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/support] Please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to Wedding Industry Mama for honest conversations about motherhood, marketing, and building a sustainable business in the wedding world. Today's Sponsor: Green Aisle - A Platform for Modern Sustainable Weddings - Join the movement at https://green-aisle.com Wedding Industry Mama Coloring Book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/meredith-kerr/wedding-industry-mama-a-coloring-book/paperback/product-9597z66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Digital Version: https://payhip.com/b/bfFmX Free email template on telling your brides you're pregnant: http://eepurl.com/jhJCTg

Episode 9 - Knowing When it's Time to Pivot Out of Weddings | Abby Grace Photography

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/fan_mail/new] What happens when the wedding business you’ve built no longer fits the life you want? In this episode of Wedding Industry Mama, I sit down with photographer and educator Abby Springman to talk about her powerful journey from luxury wedding photography to brand photography — all while navigating adoption, a surprise pregnancy, and motherhood to three little boys. Abby shares openly about: * Knowing when it’s time to pivot out of the wedding industry * Why motherhood reshaped her business priorities * The mindset shifts from B2C (weddings) to B2B (brands) * How to tell if you’re burned out… or if it’s simply time to move on * The importance of lifestyle-first business planning If you’ve ever wondered how to build a business that fits the life you actually want — or questioned whether it’s time to leave weddings behind — this conversation will inspire and encourage you. 🎧 Tune in now for insight, honesty, and wisdom from one of the most respected voices in the photography world, Abby Grace. 🔗 Follow @abbygracephoto on Instagram, visit www.abbygracephotography.com and listen to The Artisan CEO Podcast here: https://abbygracephotography.com/podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/7LoMvV4aKueSJGt6Ktlstz?si=1ed8d9c0254c411e&nd=1&dlsi=18f57de5409a46dd] Subscribe to Wedding Industry Mama for honest conversations about motherhood, marketing, and building a sustainable business in the wedding world. Today's Sponsor: Green Aisle - A Platform for Modern Sustainable Weddings - Join the movement at https://green-aisle.com Wedding Industry Mama Coloring Book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/meredith-kerr/wedding-industry-mama-a-coloring-book/paperback/product-9597z66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Digital Version: https://payhip.com/b/bfFmX Free email template on telling your brides you're pregnant: http://eepurl.com/jhJCTg Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2409964/support] Please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to Wedding Industry Mama for honest conversations about motherhood, marketing, and building a sustainable business in the wedding world. Today's Sponsor: Green Aisle - A Platform for Modern Sustainable Weddings - Join the movement at https://green-aisle.com Wedding Industry Mama Coloring Book: https://www.lulu.com/shop/meredith-kerr/wedding-industry-mama-a-coloring-book/paperback/product-9597z66.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Digital Version: https://payhip.com/b/bfFmX Free email template on telling your brides you're pregnant: http://eepurl.com/jhJCTg