Wedding Planning Collective Podcast

Is a DIY wedding really cheaper? Sometimes, but the hidden costs of DIY can catch you off guard. After 20+ years and 500+ weddings, I'm talking through the cautionary tale of a DIY wedding teardown that went very wrong, plus the DIY wedding projects that are absolutely worth it and the ones I always tells couples to leave to the pros. You’ll learn my three simple rules for deciding what to DIY, ho...

Can you really have a wedding for $10,000? Sure...but not by simply shrinking an average wedding. In this episode, I walk you through how to build a $10K wedding budget around what matters most to you: setting your priorities, breaking down your Big Picture Number, and why so many wedding costs don’t change with your guest count. Plus, I compare two couples with the same $10,000 and completely dif...

Most first vendor calls go the same way: “Are you available?” and “How much is it?” In this episode, I’m sharing the questions that actually help you decide who to book, including the ones most couples don’t think to ask until something goes wrong. In this episode: How to prepare for vendor calls (and why you only need to talk to your top three) Five questions to ask every single vendor The make o...

Wedding planner, wedding coordinator, day of coordinator, venue coordinator. Do you need one? All of them? None of them? This week I saw a bride on Reddit ask someone to explain it to her like she's five, and over 20 people answered. A lot of them were wedding pros, and almost every answer was different. So if you're confused, it's not you. Even our industry can't agree on this one. In this episod...

Every fall the wedding trend lists start rolling out, and every fall I watch couples start to feel like their wedding is out of date before they've booked a single vendor. So this year I'm doing things a little differently. In this episode, I'm walking you through eight wedding trends for 2027 and 2028, what the data from The Knot, Pinterest, and Zola actually says, and most importantly, how each...

Amazon Prime Days are October 6th and 7th, and yes, there are absolutely things worth buying for your wedding while they’re on sale. But a sale doesn’t automatically make something a good deal. In this episode, I’m breaking down my BUY / WAIT / SKIP strategy for Amazon Prime Day wedding shopping, including the wedding purchases that make sense to grab early, the things I’d hold off on, and the “de...

You’ve spent months planning your wedding, but what happens when the actual wedding doesn’t look exactly like the one you’ve been imagining? In this episode of the Wedding Planning Collective Podcast, I’m talking about wedding day expectations and the difference between planning intentionally for the things that matter to you and expecting every moment to happen exactly according to plan. Because...

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, at some point you’re probably going to start obsessively checking the weather app. But here’s the thing: luck CANNOT be your weather plan. The goal isn’t to figure out how to make sure it doesn’t rain. It’s to know exactly what you’re going to do if it does. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to create a wedding weather plan before you’re staring at a for...

If you finally find an hour to work on your wedding this week, how do you make sure you actually get something DONE? Because there’s a big difference between spending an hour thinking about your wedding and spending an hour actually moving it forward. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly how I’d spend one focused hour on wedding planning. From figuring out what actually deserves your attenti...

Your wedding day timeline doesn't need to be scheduled down to the minute—but it does need to be realistic. After planning hundreds of weddings, I've noticed the same timeline mistakes come up again and again. Most of them aren't major disasters on their own, but together they create a day that feels rushed, stressful, and harder to enjoy. In this episode, I'm sharing the seven biggest wedding day...

What if the easiest way to reduce wedding planning stress wasn't another checklist, but one conversation? Actually...seven conversations. After planning hundreds of weddings, I've noticed something: the couples who seem the most confident and organized aren't necessarily doing more. They simply take the time to have a few important conversations before they start making hundreds of wedding decisio...

If wedding planning suddenly feels more stressful than exciting, you're not alone, and it doesn't mean you're falling behind. In this episode, I'm talking about the point where wedding planning shifts from booking exciting vendors to juggling hundreds of small decisions. It's a stage almost every couple reaches, and it's one of the biggest reasons wedding planning starts to feel overwhelming. I'll...

AI Wedding Planning: The Good, The Bad, and The Weird (Sandwiches?!) In this episode, I'm breaking down how to actually use AI for wedding planning, without falling into the traps that trip up so many couples. You'll learn: The 2 things you need to figure out before you ask AI anything (skip this and you'll get generic, useless answers) Where AI genuinely shines — writing vows, vendor emails, brai...

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 pr...

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...

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 plannin...

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, co...

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. H...

Planning your wedding with ChatGPT? Before you start asking AI for budget breakdowns and timelines, this episode is a must-listen. I’m diving into the smart ways to use AI tools like ChatGPT during wedding planning — and what can go horribly wrong if you don’t give it the right context. You’ll learn how to use AI to: Write your vows, speeches, and emails Find inspiration that fits your budget and...

Hey friends, Kate here. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to take advantage of Black Friday deals to save money on your wedding without falling into the trap of buying things you don’t actually need. Whether you’re newly engaged or halfway through planning, Black Friday can be an amazing time to save on wedding items, décor, gifts, and even honeymoon essentials. The key is knowing what’s wort...

Hey friends, Kate here. In this episode, we’re taking a look ahead at the biggest 2026 and 2027 wedding trends that are actually worth paying attention to. I’m sharing ten of the most exciting shifts happening across the wedding world, including serpentine table layouts, bold color palettes, sculptural florals, interactive guest experiences, and statement bridal looks. But this isn’t just a list o...

If you’ve ever asked, “How much should we spend on flowers?” or “What’s the average cost for a DJ?” — you might be planning your wedding backwards. In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the biggest (and most common) mistakes couples make when planning their wedding — starting with other people’s numbers instead of their own. I’ll walk you through how to set your budget the right way, what to d...

Ever signed up for The Knot or Zola thinking their checklist would make wedding planning easier… only to feel more confused? Been there. In this episode, I’m breaking down why those one-size-fits-all planning tools can actually make things harder — and how to avoid the overwhelm. I’ll walk you through how to approach your wedding planning in stages, why the order you do things matters so much, and...

Amazon Prime Day is back, and as we gear up for the sales, I wanted to revisit this past episode about the items you can/should be looking for during the sales. In this episode, I’ll walk you through what to shop for, what to skip, and how to make the most of the deals without blowing your budget. Keep in mind that many other stores like Target are jumping in with their "Circle Week" deals. The li...

Planning a wedding can feel like a full-time job — and keeping your budget under control? Even harder. In this episode of the Wedding Planning Collective Podcast, we’re doing a quick budget reality check to make sure your spending is aligned before engagement season ramps up. Here’s what we’ll cover: Why most wedding budgets go off track (and how to spot it early) The 5-step process to review your...