Wedded

Do you have a plan for your first dance? Do you have a song picked out? This week we talk with Alex Zsoldos of First Dance Charlotte all about dancing at weddings. Specifically we talk about first dances, first dance songs, and how you can prepare to do an awesome first dance. Alex also talks with us a little bit about what dance lessons look like during a pandemic and what it's like to be a dance instructor over Zoom.

This week we talked with Leila Breton of Curvy Custom Bride about wedding dresses. Leila makes dresses for brides, as long as they can come into her shop, so she can build their dress on them. Leila also talks to us about reading body language and paying attention to non-verbal communication so that you can better serve your clients. We also break away from wedding dresses for a bit to talk about steampunk Disney princess cosplay and Doctor Who.

This week we talk with Leslie White about post pandemic bridal makeup. Our state, Indiana, is just starting to try to reopen for business. Leslie talks with us about the precautions she's taking to make sure that her clients stay safe and to make sure that her team stays safe as well. She also talks with us about how illness has impacted her business in past. Moving forward in the wedding industry, there are going to be a lot of changes to the way vendors are able to interact with clients.

How do you make the move from living alone to living with your loved one? How do you get over all the weird stuff they do? How do you fight? How do you show each other that you love each other? We attempt to answer all of these questions in this episode, because quarantine has got us thinking about this a lot more.

We wanted to take a moment to talk about COVID-19 (perhaps better known as Coronavirus) and how it might affect your wedding planning. Though mostly relevant to people with weddings over the next month or two (and hopefully only that long), there's a lot of stuff that we're talking about with regard to health and safety that's applicable every flu season. People are always getting sick and we all need to wash our hands and cover our mouths when we cough. So come along on this journey with us as we discuss the things you might need to think about if you're possibly moving your wedding date, canceling your wedding, going forward with some modifications, or going forward as is. It's a complicated time, but above all else, just remember, "Don't Panic."

This week we're talking about what expenses you can expect to incur when paying for a vendor to travel to your location. We just flew to California to shoot a wedding, so we thought it was a good time to talk about this since it was fresh on our minds. But before we get into that, Steve asks Jenn if 5:30 AM is too early for a wedding ceremony with guests. The spoons come out as we obviously dovetail into a fight about whether or not cereal is a good idea at a wedding. Okay, that probably wasn't obvious... We're not really even certain how we got there. But we did.

This week we're answering random questions about wedding planning. First up, is it okay to switch wedding photographers if you find one or two you like more? Next, how do you deal with intense in-laws who put their foot down about petty things in facebook messenger? Finally, is it okay to skip your sibling's wedding if they snubbed your daughter while making their flower girl pick?

Episode art is just one of our favorite photos of a happy couple, completely unrelated to anything we talk about in the episode. We just thought some visual happiness would help out as we answer some more dramatic questions. Those two were so much fun to photograph.

Have you ever been a part of a group photo only to realize there's someone in the photo you really wish wasn't there? This week, we're talking all about how you can avoid those sorts of awkward situations in your family photos and group shots at your wedding. There's always that one photo that you didn't really want, but maybe one of your family members wanted... and it's hard to know what to say and what to do on the day so that you don't offend anyone. Don't worry. We're here to help, and more importantly, hopefully your photographer and planner/coordinator will be there to help on the wedding day.

This week Steve and Jenn talk with Tanya Pushkine of The Vow Whisperer. We talk about why vows are so important and the ideal length for vows. We also talk about presentation and how to hold your self while speaking. If you're struggling to think of what vows you want to make to your significant other on the wedding day, there are some pointers in here to help you get started.

This week we delve into something a bit personal. Last year, Jenn found out she has an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's Disease. We knew something was wrong for a while, but we didn't know what was wrong or what to do about it. So this week we're talking about what it's like to find out you have an autoimmune disease and what it's like supporting someone when they find that out.

This week we're talking all about cake. Why? Because Steve claims he's seeing a new trend when it comes to cutting the cake. Aside from this supposed new trend, we're all just talking about everything you want to know about your cake on the day. When to cut it. How to cut it (which is the number one thing couples ask photographers on their wedding day). When it will be delivered. Our favorite types of icing. Our least favorite types of icing. Whether or not holding the cake hostage will keep your guests at the wedding longer. Also, the proliferation of donut walls across the world and how they're cutting into cake's big day.

This week we're joined by Lori Solomon and Megan Painter of Boldly Chic Events. We talk with Lori and Megan about planning a timeless wedding, linens, installations, florals, and so much more. We also talk a lot about ways to make your wedding have a bigger impact in this episode and where to put your money to get the most impact if your budget is limited. Lori and Megan also share stories about tornados and rain on wedding days. They also talk with us a little bit about late snacks, like sliders and Chicago style beanie weanies, as well as making Taco Bell runs late at night to feed to all the guests!

This week we talked with Andi Sherman of Something Blue Stylists! We talked a lot about the importance of hiring a professional makeup artist. There are just so many things we didn't think about, like the level of professionalism, the cleanliness of their brushes and products, and their ability to tackle any problem that arises. Andi also talks to us about her favorite hair styles and the different types of brushes she uses. And, as the title suggests, she shares a horrifying story about what she did when her van with her entire makeup kit was stolen a few days before a wedding.

Jenn and Steve's audio is a little rough in this one. There was a recording snafu. We thought the things Andi had to say were so good though that it would be worse not to post this episode than it would be to post it with some not so great audio.

This week we had Josh Withers of the Rebel's Guide to Getting Married on the podcast! Josh isn't just another podcaster, he's also a marriage celebrant in Australia. Josh is the owner of Married by Josh (his wedding celebrant company) and the co-owner of The Elopement Collective with his wife. Josh also runs the Celebrant Institute which helps educate other celebrants. In this episode, Josh came on the podcast to talk about what it means to be a wedding celebrant and how to turn your wedding ceremony into a celebration of you! When you get married, you're deciding who you and your significant other are as a couple and presenting that to the world. So Josh wants to help you put your best foot forward. He also wants to help you start your marriage out right! We also talk with Josh about elopements and what it means to be a professional in the wedding industry!

This week we answer questions about bridesmaids and bridal parties. From what gifts to get them to how you can pick the right people for the job. We're also talking about the right way to tell a bride that you don't want to be a part of her bridal party. And we talk a little bit about how a bride should handle that information. It's not always time to end a friendship.

This week we answer an anonymous listener question. This listener friended their vendors on facebook, and then found out their florist was making fun of their wedding. We talk about whether or not you should work with vendors that complain online and how to avoid unpleasant people. It's important to remember though, that everyone gets frustrated and complains, so unfortunately you'll never find a vendor that's never complained a day in their life. You can find people that are nice and who will keep their complaints private though, and also people who just aren't known to complain.

On this episode we discuss what you should do if one of your guests tells you they're going to be wearing white to your wedding. We talk about how you can respond to that guest politely, and impolitely. We also talk about whether or not it's okay to make a guest or family member leave the wedding if they show up in white.

Also of note in this discussion, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Family Matters/Steve Urkel, Boy Meets World, and Wine Country.

This week on Wedded we're talking about de-stressing. As you head out toward your wedding, or just out toward the rest of your life in general, it's important to take time to relax and rejuvenate your spirit. Steve does this by trying new beers with Jenn. So, in this episode, he walks you through the steps you take when tasting beers.

What are the top 10 biggest regrets you'll have after your wedding? We can't see into your personal future so we don't really know... But what we can do is dissect an article that claims to know what people who are married regret the most about their wedding. Join us on this fun ride into crazy town as we tear apart this article and then dish on some of our biggest regrets.

In this episode, Jenn and I talk a lot about sex. Coming straight off of a few weeks of talking together on other podcasts, where we made a lot of jokes about sex, we thought it would be a good idea to have a conversation about our first time having sex. Specifically, about the baggage we both brought into the relationship as a result of waiting till marriage to have sex and about how sex isn't always great for both people involved.

We also talk a lot about Steve's sleep paralysis. It's not fun. It's scary and spooky and terrible.

This is the thrilling follow up to last week's episode where we delved too deep into the minds of guests. Who knows what we awoke in the darkness? Your guests know. They know it well. This week we moved away from the ceremony and onto the reception, the real party. Because, you know, there's no point in throwing a party if your guests aren't going to have a good time. So come get railed with us and afterward we'll all meet up in the closet.

This week we're delving deep into the minds of guests. Your guests. Well, after we get done discussing which meal service is the best out of Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and Every Plate. Then it's on to letting you know, what upsets guests. There's no point in throwing a party if your guests aren't going to have a good time. So we help you navigate through some of the sticky situations in part one of this two part episode.

In this episode we dive deep into the madness that is picking your wedding party. Some people might tell you that there are a lot of rules to follow when picking the bridal party. We are not those people. There's only one rule as far as we're concerned, that is that there are no rules. So technically, zero rules.

We're answering our first ever listener question. If you don't get along with your stepson and he only ever hits you up when he wants money, do you have to go to his out of state wedding? He's been with his fiance for several years and they have kids, some together, some from past relationships... So, do you have to go? Also, he never sent you a formal invite, just verbally asked if you'd want to go...

We're walking through this question step by step to find out how committed this stepmom is to being the cool grandma. Sweeties for all.

It's wedding season in the northern hemisphere. You're probably invited to a few weddings this spring, summer, and fall, and you don't want to be a crappy guest. We're addressing some of the biggest wedding faux pas in this episode and giving advice on how you can avoid making those same mistakes. 

If your ring doesn’t live up to expectations, what should you do? Should you ever mention the size of someone’s diamond in their ring? What is okay to say to other engaged people?

Maybe the most important question, do you even need an engagement ring to get married?

This week is all about guest lists. Who can you cut? Who should you cut? How do you rank your friends? Is it even human to think about this?

What are the latest and hippest trends? What trends never seem to go away? What trends would it be nice to see disappear into the abyss of time? We answer all of these questions for the 2019 wedding season!

This episode is all about ghosting.

Jenn and Steve are joined by Jillian Zilch of Frame Worthy Events in Columbus, IN. They talk about how Jillian became a wedding planner. What went wrong at her own wedding. Why a wedding planner would hire a wedding planner. They also discuss some of Jillian’s craziest stories from wedding planning.

Jenn and Steve talk about the pros and cons of wedding planners and coordinators in this wedding. They also share some stories of times they've witnessed planners and coordinators saving the day.

This episode is all about vacations and honeymoons.

In this episode Jenn and Steve talk about how to find and choose your vendors for your wedding!

In the pilot episode of Wedded, hosts Jennifer and Steven Van Elk briefly introduce themselves and then talk about what you should do when you first get engaged.