The Wedding Chaplain Podcast

How do two people who once imagined a future together gradually become strangers? In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge's broken engagement to Belle offers a familiar picture of relationship drift. Over time, his priorities shift, his pursuit of financial security takes hold, and the woman he loves is displaced. Their final conversation brings years of growing distance into focu...

In this episode of The Wedding Chaplain Podcast, David talks with Nancy Perpall, author of The Malnourished Marriage. Drawing from her experience as a critical care nurse and more than thirty years as a family lawyer, Nancy offers a unique perspective on how relationships become depleted and how couples can strengthen them. Nancy identifies five emotional nutrients every marriage needs: communicat...

In this episode of The Wedding Chaplain Podcast, David talks with Jodie Howard about building a lasting marriage through seasons a couple could never fully predict. Jodie and her husband, Reggie, have been married since 1992. Together, they raised four children while navigating the demands of Reggie's 28-year career in the United States Navy. Their family's journey also includes parenting their da...

Engagement is a joyful season, but it can also become one of the most stressful seasons a couple will face together. Between wedding decisions, family expectations, budget conversations, guest lists, schedules, and the pressure of preparing for a life-changing commitment, many couples discover that stress can affect the way they communicate, make decisions, and stay connected. In this episode of T...

In this episode of The Wedding Chaplain Podcast, David Anderson talks with Dr. Laura Sicola about one of the most important foundations of a healthy marriage: communication. Dr. Sicola is a leadership communication and influence coach, author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice, host of the podcast Speaking to Influence: Communication Secrets of the C-Suite, and a TEDx speake...

In Part Two of David Anderson's conversation with Dr. Freda, the focus shifts from finding love to sustaining it. David shares practical wisdom from years of marriage ministry and explains why healthy relationships require intentional communication, ongoing dating, shared purpose, and emotional honesty.   The conversation explores second marriages, healing after divorce, relationship expectations,...

In this episode of The Wedding Chaplain Podcast, David Anderson joins Dr. Freda for a deep and honest conversation about dating, marriage, divorce, and emotional maturity. Together, they explore why so many people rush into relationships before  truly understanding  themselves and how culture, family history, and unresolved wounds shape the way we love.   David shares his own personal story of mar...

Our guest today is Kyle Colavitti. Kyle started out as an actress/writer/director, but once she had kids, she wanted to be home with them and to use her own words and experiences to help people.   She and her husband have been married for 22 years, and they have two teenage boys. She likes to say she is a world-class hopeful romantic and to talk to couples about marriage being a marathon… not a sp...

Every great movie follows a familiar arc: a beginning that draws us in, tension that tests the characters, and a purpose that gives the story meaning. Marriage works the same way.   In this three-part series, David invites engaged and married couples to step back and view their relationships as love stories still being written. Drawing from a recent marriage retreat, these conversations explore th...

Every great movie follows a familiar arc: a beginning that draws us in, tension that tests the characters, and a purpose that gives the story meaning. Marriage works the same way.   In this three-part series, David invites engaged and married couples to step back and view their relationships as love stories still being written. Drawing from a recent marriage retreat, these conversations explore th...

Every great movie follows a familiar arc: a beginning that draws us in, tension that tests the characters, and a purpose that gives the story meaning. Marriage works the same way.   In this three-part series, David invites engaged and married couples to step back and view their relationships as love stories still being written. Drawing from a recent marriage retreat, these conversations explore th...

Today's episode is a little different. Instead of me doing the interviewing, I am the one being interviewed. This conversation comes from an episode of another podcast hosted by Daniel Krikorian, the founder of BRemembered.io, and I am grateful he allowed me to share the interview with you here. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the difference between simply officiating an event and...

Jay & Laura Laffoon are "marriage edu-tainers" – a mix of education and entertainment. They have been happily married for over 35 years, and their mission is to help busy couples stay happily married for life. In our discussion, Jay and Laura briefly introduce themselves and their work. They tell us the difference between a marriage coach and a marriage counselor. I have them tell me about their a...

We are talking about DJs for your Wedding and Reception. What is the best advice for couples getting ready for their wedding and their reception? How should couples approach their conversations with the DJ? What makes good song choices or playlists? We talk about first dances, father-daughter dances, mother-son dances, anniversary dances, cutting-the-cake songs, and slow songs vs. fast songs. And...

Judith Kaluzny Show Notes A Divorce lawyer may be a strange guest for the Wedding Chaplain Podcast. However, my guest today has some valuable insights. She knows how the divorce "industry" works. And yes, it is a business. The legal system thrives when a couple goes through a lengthy divorce. Judith helps people avoid that. But she also wants people to know the legal ramifications of divorce. Divo...

Shields of Strength Show Notes For as long as I have hosted the Wedding Chaplain podcast, we have not had an episode dedicated solely to love. As someone who works with couples and gets them ready for their wedding, I probably should have made this our first episode. Today's guest is Kenny Vaughan. Kenny is the Founder of Shields of Strength, a Christian jewelry line that began in 1997 after a lon...

This Episode is a recording of a message delivered at First Baptist Church of Massillon on Sunday, May 4 th , 2025. Notes No guest today. In addition to my work at WeddingChaplain.com, I am also a local church pastor. In May 2025, our church went through a series called "No Ordinary Family." For the first part of the series, I discussed my passion for wedding ministry and my book, Before God and T...

Generation Tux Show Notes Today's guest is Jessica Garrabrant.   She is a Showroom Manager for Generation Tux in Columbus, Ohio.   Generation Tux is the leading online rental company for Tuxedos and Suits. Jessica will discuss her role in the company and how the tuxedo rental process has evolved over the years. She will share how Generation Tux strives to make the process easy. We will discuss ren...

Today's guest is Kayla Satava.   Kayla is a dance instructor at the family-owned Prestige Ballroom Dancing Studio in Northeast Ohio. While she teaches all kinds of dance classes and programs, today we are talking about engaged couples getting ready for their first dance. When the DJ announces at your wedding, "The bride and groom will begin their lives together with their first dance," what will y...

  Today's episode is super simple but very important. I take a few minutes to talk about vows and personal statements. This is the main place in the ceremony where the couple speaks, so you need to put a lot of thought into it. To read the blog article that goes along with today's episode and to download our collection of vows, click here:  https://www.weddingchaplain.com/media/blog/post/vows-and-...

Today, our guest is Tim Young, who is one of our officiants at WeddingChaplain.com. In addition to being an excellent wedding minister, he is a financial coach at Financial Peace University. Money is one of the top stressors in marriage, but it does not have to be. Financial coaching helps couples get on the same page about money, set shared goals, and create a plan that leads to financial peace i...

Today's guest is Ken Blackman.   Ken is a relationship coach, speaker, educator, and author of the upcoming book Powerful Woman, Confident Man: The New Art of Loving Passionately and Building a Resilient, Fulfilling Relationship. Ken's calling is to guide couples through intimate human connection. Using truth, transparency, and compassion, He shows committed couples how to co-create a relationship...

I was a guest on another podcast called People on Dating, hosted by Will Morales. Will started his podcast because of the stories he had heard and the experiences he had while dating. He says he is no expert. Instead, he talks with experts on relationships and everyday people. However, the main idea of his show is to discuss the ups and downs of courtship. Whether you are 18 or 80, you have a stor...

 We are back! We took a brief hiatus and turned it into a year off. I took on a new ministry position and spent much of 2024 working on my second and third books, so the podcast took a backseat, unfortunately. However, we are excited to get things back on track. Today's episode is just a catch-up and reset, preparing us for new episodes every week. For more on David Anderson or WeddingChaplain.com...

No guest today. In addition to my work at WeddingChaplain.com, I am also a local church pastor. On October 1st, we had a launch day that included my Sunday morning message being centered around the release of my new book, Before God and These Witnesses: How to Start a Marriage Ministry to Save Your Church, Reach Your Community, and Change the Culture While You Are at It. I share stories from my tw...