Dressing Up with Sarah Kolis

A custom wedding dress, a surprise reception couch, Costco sheet cake (in addition to a small Bella E Dolce cake!), and enough family opinions to fill an entire seating chart—Angela and Kevin are sharing the full story behind their wedding day one year later! In this episode, Sarah sits down with her sister Angela and brother-in-law Kevin for a funny, nostalgic conversation about their June 2025 w...

This week on The Dressing Up Podcast, Sarah sits down with wedding planner Caitlin Bailey of Bunny & June Events and wedding photographer Mikayla Scheibe for a conversation all about the magic of a strong vendor team. From behind-the-scenes wedding day teamwork to building real friendships in the wedding industry, these two share exactly why chemistry between your vendors matters more than cou...

We’re back with another Real Brides episode! Alexis and Shannon share the real stories behind their wedding days—from meaningful family moments to letting go of perfection and truly enjoying the experience. With two completely different wedding styles, this episode gives a refreshing look at what actually matters when the big day arrives. Alexis shares her July 2025 waterfront wedding at the Roost...

This episode is for every mother stepping into one of life’s most emotional (and sometimes overwhelming) roles—watching your child get married! Whether you’re the mother of the bride, the mother of the groom, or just a mom curious about what this season of life looks like, Sarah is sharing a real, honest, and incredibly helpful behind-the-scenes guide to navigating weddings with confidence, style,...

What happens when a bridal designer plans her niece’s baby shower? You get a celebration so detailed, so personalized, and so over-the-top—it has guests wondering if they accidentally walked into a wedding. In this solo episode, Sarah shares a heartfelt and joy-filled recap of hosting her youngest sister Melissa’s baby shower—an unforgettable, detail-packed celebration that perfectly blended famil...

Planning your wedding wardrobe is about so much more than just the dress, it's about how you feel throughout every moment of your special day. In this solo episode, Sarah shares her recent experience styling Katie and Nik's gorgeous Shinola Hotel wedding, plus insider tips on the latest bridal trends, custom embroidery options, and the magic of vintage redesigns! Whether you're a bride-to-be, a mo...

When the entire bridal party got food poisoning the night before the wedding, someone had to step it up! That key leader was Megan Kennedy—and that chaotic day launched her entire wedding planning career! In this episode, Sarah sits down with Megan Kennedy, founder of Kennedy Planning Co, for an honest conversation about what really happens behind the scenes in the wedding industry. Megan shares t...

When Betty Smith saw Sarah's Target bedsheet dress go viral on Instagram, she knew it had to be her wedding dress. Just one tiny problem: she'd never sewn a single stitch in her life… In this episode, Sarah shares one of her all-time favorite podcast conversations with Betty Smith, a UK bride who discovered Sarah's viral Target bedsheet dress on Instagram and knew instantly it was THE dress. There...

We're back with another Real Brides episode Sarah sits down with Nicole Humbert, Julia Schalk, and Bianca Hessenbruch to hear all about their dream weddings, emotional moments, and the details that made their big days unforgettable! From Greek dancing and champagne sabering mishaps to custom Disney gowns and greenhouse venues, these three women bring completely different perspectives on what makes...

Planning your dream wedding can feel overwhelming—but what if you had an insider's perspective on how to make it all come together beautifully?  In this episode, Sarah sits down with Jennie Wiegand, owner of Beautiful Day Planning, one of metro Detroit's premier wedding planning companies. With over 17 years in the industry and a team of seven coordinators handling 60-70+ weddings annually, Jennie...

We’re back with a special edition of the Real Bride Series. Instead of sitting down with three brides, we paused the series to feature one bride and her mother for a meaningful, full-circle conversation about weddings, family, and the power of thoughtful design! You’ll hear from Sue Cronizer (Mother of the Bride) and Emily Barto (the Bride) as we walk through every layer of their wedding journey—f...

Ever wondered what really goes on in a bridal studio? All your burning questions, answered. In this episode, Sarah Kolis answers the real-life, just-for-fun FAQs she hears every single day inside the bridal studio. From the story behind the space itself to her sewing journey, business beginnings, favorite details, and heartfelt moments with brides, this episode is a behind-the-scenes tour you won’...

We’re back for another episode of the Real Bride Series: catching up with past-season brides and hearing how their wedding days actually unfolded, plus the lessons they’re taking with them now that it’s all said and done! In this episode, we sit down with Kimmy Youngman, Jenna Magbitang, and Julia Offner for three mini-interviews full of the fun details, the behind-the-scenes realities, and must-h...

Three real brides. Three totally different weddings. One episode packed with the honest takeaways brides actually need—what mattered, what surprised them, and what they’d stop stressing about if they could do it again. We’re kicking off the Real Bride Series for winter by catching up with three brides from the past season and hearing how their wedding days truly unfolded—plus the lessons they’re t...

Founder of Beautini and Beia, Brittany Lo, joins the podcast to share how she built a luxury bridal beauty brand based in NYC, the biggest shifts in wedding trends, and what it’s like to plan her own wedding after a decade behind the scenes! We discuss how bridal beauty has evolved over the past decade, tips for the skincare timeline every bride should know, the reality of wedding costs, and how t...

Maximalism is having a moment! I am joined by Kelsey McDonagh from Magnolia Laine Detroit, part of the White Magnolia Collection to unpack what she saw at Chicago Bridal Market and what Midwest brides are loving right now.  We get into sizing strapless ballgowns so they stay put, the veil (or no-veil) debate, why detachable-everything is tricky in alterations, how Magnolia Laine curates a calm, pr...

I’m joined by Jeannene from Jeannene Lillie Events, a Metro Detroit wedding planner known for her calm, thoughtful, and storytelling-driven approach to planning events! Jeannene shares how she made the leap from designing multicultural spaces at the University of Michigan to launching her own wedding planning company in 2020, and what it’s been like to build a business around creating elevated and...

What happens when you take floral design to the next level? Kevin Miller, president of Stem Event Design in Metro Detroit, has built a business turning weddings, showers, birthdays, and corporate events into fully immersive works of art! From hanging lamps and French country fringe to refined garden parties and themed dinners, Kevin shares how he creates atmosphere from floor to ceiling, and why y...

My sister, Angela, just got married recently, and I thought it would be the perfect time to show you everything about how to preserve your wedding dress! Preserving your gown essentially means cleaning and boxing up your gown nicely after the wedding! In this episode, I walk you through the full process of using a wedding dress preservation kit—what it is, how it works, and why it matters. If you'...

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of creating my sister Angela’s custom couture wedding gown—from our initial mock dress in December to the final fittings and bridal photo shoot in May! You'll hear about the design decisions, unexpected fabric challenges, and emotional breakthroughs that brought her dream dress to life. Plus, I share details about bridesmaid dresses, our New York fabri...

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Griselda Mucollari (Ella), Metro Detroit’s go-to wedding and event content creator. With a background in international advertising and a passion for storytelling, Ella captures the candid, emotional, and joy-filled moments to fill the gaps that traditional vendors often miss. We talk about her unique path from corporate America to content creation, how she built a...

In this episode, I'm joined by Gray Ellender of Go With Gray Travel, a luxury travel advisor and honeymoon specialist who helps couples plan seamless, stress-free trips! Gray shares her unique journey from healthcare to launching her own travel brand and breaks down what it's really like to work with a travel advisor—hint: it's not as expensive as you might think! In this episode: The surprising p...

Creating a custom couture wedding gown is more than just designing a dress—it’s about crafting a once-in-a-lifetime experience! In this episode, Sarah Kolis takes you behind the scenes of my bridal design process, sharing everything from the initial consultation to the final fitting. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to create a truly one-of-a-kind wedding dress, this episode is for you! I als...

In this episode, I’m joined by Alicia McKay, co-owner and venue coordinator of The Oakley, a premier event venue in Holly, Michigan! Alicia shares how she unexpectedly fell into wedding planning after her own wedding and how that journey evolved into running a full-scale family-owned venue on a 40-acre property! We talk about: How Alicia transitioned from graphic designer to venue owner The transf...

You asked - we answered! In this episode, I sit down with my youngest sister, Melissa, for a fun and lighthearted conversation about her wedding journey, life updates, and all things fashion. We answer listener-submitted questions covering everything from how she met her husband Cam to the special moments on her wedding day, including her first dance song, favorite wedding details, and what it was...