Unbridely - Modern Wedding Planning

There’s a good chance you’ve never planned a wedding before and that you’ll only have one shot at it - with no do-overs. Wedding regret is a real thing that can steal joy from the planning, have you feeling anxious on the day and can haunt you afterwards too.  But there are solutions to most dilemmas, circumstances and situations if you’re willing to listen and learn.  In this special episode of t...

I don’t think it’s too dramatic to say that your wedding day timeline holds the key to much of the success of your wedding day.  But unfortunately, some engaged couples, don’t invest enough time and thought early enough in their planning, to build out a timeline that truly works for them, their guests, their vendors and their personal tastes and values. In part two of this two-part episode series,...

I don’t think it’s too dramatic to say that your wedding day timeline holds the key to much of the success of your wedding day.  But unfortunately, some engaged couples, don’t invest enough time and thought early enough in their planning, to build out a timeline that truly works for them, their guests, their vendors and their personal tastes and values. If you get nothing else from this podcast ep...

Dads sometimes get invited to a first look with their daughter, the bride.  Dad gets to walk her down the aisle. Dad gets to say “I do” in the giving away section of the ceremony.  Dad gets to do a father/daughter dance. Dad gets to give a speech at the reception. And Mum gets to..  traditionally, not a whole lot.  Which may suit your mum just fine.   But, if those customs and the idea that only t...

Welcome to the terrifying and spine-chilling 2023 Halloween Wedding Horror stories.  This is a compilation of some of my podcast guest’s accounts of when shit went wrong and what happened after.  Unbridely’s motto and core mission is: weddings are a team sport and these are some great examples of exactly how that plays out on a wedding day.  1)        'Tipi Terror Tale' from Hannah Rose...

While large weddings are often a blast because of the vibe that lots of people gathered together can bring and the go-go-go, smaller weddings have advantages that you might not appreciate at first glance.  Some of the most intimate, and moving experiences I've had at weddings are those with just a handful of highly invested family and friends.  Sometimes it’s the smaller micro weddings and th...

This episode comes with a language warning, Hillary is, like me, a fan of swearing and spreading it around like seasoning in her conversation. We clicked pretty much instantly.  And she’s got some brilliant ideas to share with you about the re-wearing, repurposing and repeating of your outfits, both for the wedding, before and after. The Hilandel owner and designer creates wedding attire with a fo...

Most civil ceremonies in Australia start with what’s known as the processional; when certain people enter the ceremony space, typically down an aisle that is formed between the assembled guests, in a specific order to mark the beginning of a wedding ceremony. Really, there are no limits and a question that I’m hearing more and more in my role as a marriage celebrant over the last few years in part...

Imagine your wedding planning is like the unfolding and riveting story of an adventure novel and your wedding is the last chapter where everything comes together. It’s when the drama gets resolved, the narrative comes full circle and the heroes (that’s you and your fiancé) have their time to shine. But what if the final chapter of your story was not as satisfying as you’d hoped? Maybe the closing...

If doctors are the worst patients, have you ever wondered how a wedding planner goes with planning their own wedding? Hannah has been working in weddings for 15 years, but next year, she's actually getting married herself! So I wanted to know if her experience makes wedding planning different for her. What are the easy bits, what are the perks and what is still a head fuck?  And why is she pl...

I would hazard a guess that there's a 90%, an extremely high chance, that you are listening to and working with advice and recommendations about your wedding with information from people who don't have a clue. With 15 years and over 900 wedding ceremonies experience myself, a background as a wedding and events manager, extensive hospitality work, and a degree in performance jazz, I can a...

9 years ago I was so embarrassed about my budget, style, appearance and size, that I didn’t even set foot into a bridal store at all. And if my recent DMs with listeners, and my couples are anything to go by, nothing has really changed either.  The search for your wedding attire still really comes down to confidence and your knowledge of how, where and when, rather than what the market or online o...

Have you ever been invited to a special event, like a big birthday party, and immediately calculated the number of days, weeks or months until that event because you’re trying to work out how much weight you might be able to lose, or put on, before then? Increasingly newly engaged people are being targeted for Wed shred programs and bridal boot camps and it’s not unusual to be asked by well-meanin...

Have you ever wondered what’s the point of even having a wedding or why you want to get married in the first place? In my conversations with people, they are really starting to question, why do we want to do this and what does it even mean? This was definitely the case for Alex and Mikaela, who chose an urban winery and wine bar venue for their unique take on their wedding celebration. In this epi...

Have you had this nightmare yet? That none of your guests: aren't going to enjoy themselves,  that you aren’t going to be great hosts, or  that your wedding is going to be boring? It’s a sentiment that I can really relate to, but I’ve got to say, looking back now, those worries were perhaps some of the biggest wastes of my time in my entire planning experience. Spoiler alert, they’re dumb, un...

I’m the bad hair client who has been known to cut their own fringe, use box dyes and supermarket shampoo as well! And then I feel the guilts the next time I need to go back - like a naughty kid who is about to be told off. So when I saw the lovely Neve from NFM Hair posting on her socials about hair tips for brides and one of them was as crucial and helpful as finishing your hair and makeup with a...

There are so many potential pitfalls for engaged couples and their guests around wedding gifts.   Did you know that kitchen knives, mirrors umbrellas, and anything secondhand or re-gifted could not only be considered a little strange, but also bad luck for the couple getting married?  Then there are the conflicting values between different cultures. In the United States asking for money as a weddi...

Wedding bouquets and floral design at weddings in general have evolved a lot over the years.  Today, flowers are not only used as decorative elements in weddings but can also evoke memories, tell a story, pay tribute to those who’ve passed away and even signal to your guests where they can find you (*cough* at the bar). In fact, Graham of Tweed Twigs encourages his couples to recount the specifics...

Can I confess something?  I know I lean towards the introversion side of the scale because 8/10 when I plan any kind of outing with a group of people, even if I love them and I'm excited to see them, I always need to have an escape plan for when it becomes too much.  It feels like an overload of talking, thinking, and general noise, and I crave some quiet to gather my thoughts again and recha...

Imagine staying in a private and luxurious architecturally designed off-grid eco-suite for two located in the heart of the incredible Fleurieu Peninsula region. Truly an incredible experience for your birthday celebrations, right? But what if you upped the stakes (pun intended) and decided to elope while you were there? How do you start planning for something like that and what sort of timeframe d...

We’re in the thick of a cost of living crisis. So if you’re feeling a bit uneasy, worried or are really under pressure with your wedding plans right now, I’d like to try to map out a way that you can make some informed decisions and take back control of your special day.  In this episode I’ll share:  my basic understanding of how inflation is affecting everything, including your wedding, and the 5...

Nina from Wedded Kiss is an extraordinary wedding hairstylist, makeup artist and human who not only possesses unparalleled expertise and experience but also a unique philosophy that truly sets her apart. With her infectious energy and inclusive mindset, Nina creates a safe space where everyone that sits in her chair can feel truly seen and celebrated. And her mission is to lift the notoriously low...

It can feel like a mental fog, you might be unable to make decisions, you’re avoiding a certain conversation, or just feel stuck and don’t know what to do next.  Your to-do list is a mile long and you’ve got the worst feeling in the pit of your stomach that you won't get it all done in time.  It’s wedding planning overwhelm.  And your new friend and wedding planner, Yvette, is here to crush i...

Wedding content creators have been popping up around the world over the last 6 months or so, supplying newlyweds with ready-to-post Reels, TikToks, photos and videos of their wedding day, often within 24 hours.  They can be used to make an announcement to your family and friends after you elope, as a fun way to revisit your day, to share with loved ones who can’t make it or even as a video guest b...

Picture this, the breathtaking vista of a remote and luxurious destination, romantic and meaningful forever moments when life just seems to go in slow motion and a day that revolves exclusively around the both of you, your love story and your desires. And the best part? You'll get to do all of this while saving time, your hard-earned money and your sanity! Whether you are a globe-trotting, ad...