Looking for easy & affordable alternatives to hiring a professional florist ($$$$$) to decorate your wedding reception, table centerpieces, and bouquets?

You're in the right place! In today's show, we're going to discuss a creative variety of affordable wedding table decoration ideas.

We're also going to review some actionable tips for doing your own wedding day flower bouquets & boutonnieres.

It'll take a little extra work on your part, and you may need to simplify things a bit ... but if you're looking for a spot to save a ton of money, creating table centerpieces & bouquets on your own is a great place to start!

Enjoy my top tips for incorporating flowers into your table decor, and we also cover beautiful centerpiece ideas that incorporate creative materials OTHER than flowers.

We wrap up with some specific examples of complete table set up's that you can do for less than $10 per table.

Wedding Flowers & Alternatives Pinterest Board is here

Wedding Planning Podcast DIY Pinterest Board is here

Full blog post for today's show:

www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/centerpiece

Enjoy early access to ad-free episodes each week when you subscribe to WEDDING PLANNING PODCAST PREMIUM in Apple Podcasts.

Meet special guest Emma, who's here to share the highlights, unique elements, and planning challenges from their beautiful wedding celebration at Hilton Lake Las Vegas.

In this special episode, you'll hear lots more from Emma on:

• The pros of having NO wedding party
• Celebrating over a 3-day weekend in their hometown
• The endless benefits of a very chill wedding day / intentionally left lots of open time & space to relax
• Their "First Look" - and favorite part of the day!
• "Last Dance" w/ just the two of us after the room has been cleared
• Mini after-party at hotel lobby bar,
• Keeping it early & chill - wrapped everything up by 9:30 pm
• The challenges of setting a wedding budget and knowing where the starting point is
• Trying on 50+ dresses before finding "The One"
• And so much more!

For a complete written recap and to see their absolutely gorgeous wedding photos, here's a complete article that features Emma and Drew's incredible wedding celebration.

And to wrap up this week, I would LOVE to hear from you! Whether it's about a planning challenge or question you're facing, a post-wedding day recap that you'd like to share, or simply requests for upcoming show topics, you can send in a voicemail to the show by visiting weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact

In your message, please be sure to leave your name and email address so we can reach you for follow up. I would love to share more stories like Emma's, but I need your participation, so please make it a priority to be in touch!

Access a curated collection of second-hand designer gowns & expert stylists at a fraction of the designer price tag -

Loved Twice Bridal was created to take the guesswork out of shopping online for a second hand, designer wedding dress. You'll have access to an experienced team of stylists who are available to answer all of your questions, so that you can buy a once-worn designer dress with confidence.

Unlike peer-to-peer marketplaces, Loved Twice Bridal gives you access to a curated collection of designer gowns that have all been thoroughly evaluated and pre-screened for quality, with clear and reliable disclosures on measurements and alterations. This is a really unique opportunity to wear a designer gown at a fraction of the price tag, and today I've invited founder Sarah Gabbour to share the Loved Twice Bridal experience with you!

In this week's episode of the Wedding Planning Podcast, you'll gain:

• Online wedding dress shopping tips, including details on how the "Try At Home" feature works,
• Advice for wedding dress sizing (it's very different than what you're used to!)
• Tips for consignment selling your second-hand designer wedding dress after your wedding,
• Wedding dress budgeting advice,
• Important information about altering a second-hand wedding dress,
• Biggest mistakes and missed opportunities when shopping for your wedding dress,
• And so much more!

To shop Loved Twice Bridal gowns and learn more about consignment options, visit www.lovedtwicebridal.com/weddingplanningpodcast

And as a reminder for my Los Angeles / Southern California brides, Loved Twice Bridal does have a showroom in Beverly Hills. You can book an appointment for dress shopping OR for designer dress consignment by visiting their "Book an Appointment" page at the website linked above.

A top-notch Wedding Planner / Day-Of-Coordinator is essential for any smooth and seamless wedding celebration.

Today on the Wedding Planning Podcast, we're reviewing 10 KEY POINTS to discuss with your planner so that you're both on the same page and ready to tackle any planning, logistic, or execution challenges that may arise.

A sampling of these key discussion points:

• Who are your assistants or other team members, what is their role in the planning phase, and also at the actual wedding celebration? Having a crystal clear set of expectations for who will be answering your questions and exactly who will be your point-person is critical!
• Can you share firsthand reviews & testimonials from past couples you've worked with?
• Does your past experience / areas of expertise fit naturally within our overall wedding vision, venue, and our top priorities?
• What can we expect in terms of ongoing communication, both frequency and style?
• Tune in for so much more, and visit the blog post for today's show for a full written recap.

PS - A special THANK YOU to this week's show sponsors, who made this free weekly episode possible:

• FREE Wedding Websites designed by independent artists? Yes please! Get started building your wedding website today with www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/minted and take advantage of exclusive listener perks on save the dates, invitations & more.
• Shop Etsy for one-of-a-kind wedding day details, personalized just for you >>> www.weddingplanningpodcast.co/etsy

We all know that having a detailed WEDDING DAY TIMELINE is critical to keeping the day organized, and flowing stress-free.

The problem is that lots of us get incredibly overwhelmed by the process because, well, it's really damn overwhelming!

Today I'm going to highlight some of the top mistakes I see couples make as they're building out their wedding day timeline, so that you can sidestep these major pitfalls and rest easy knowing that you've covered all the bases.

Questions or topic requests for upcoming shows? Be in touch anytime >>> weddingplanningpodcast.co/contact

Today's convo is a wedding planning strategy GEM! We're going to cover every single last little thing that should be included within your wedding venue contract.

If you've already booked a venue and signed a contract, I'd suggest pulling out your actual document & sticking around for today's convo to be sure that all the key items are addressed.

Your wedding venue is literally the centerpiece of your dream wedding celebration. It's also likely the most expensive decision you'll make throughout the course of your engagement, so we need to be extra cautious in getting the details cemented just right.

Enjoy early access to ad-free episodes each week when you subscribe to WEDDING PLANNING PODCAST PREMIUM in Apple Podcasts.

Lucky for us, there are literally endless creative ways to treat your guests to a unique food & drink experience on your wedding day.

In today's wedding planning workshop, we're going to explore exactly how to:

• Conceptualize & research what to serve,
• Smart money-saving tips that many couples miss,
• And even some "do it yourself" options if you're looking to get hands on - literally!

Just a few of my favorite offbeat, wedding day food options:

• Made-to-order brick oven pizzas,
• A taco truck with variety of meats, toppings and fixings,
• Pre-made bento boxes,
• Gourmet picnic bags,
• A really unique local food truck,
• Fondue style where guests simmer meats in oil and dip bread and veggies in melted cheeses.
• Extensive charcuterie board table with meats, gourmet cheeses, olives, local honey, olive oil tastings, and for dinner your favorite pasta and salad served family-style.

Bon apetit!

Kara

Samantha & Sean got married at a state park in New York, but this was no ordinary celebration ... Their stunning wedding weekend featured no cell service, just 6 electrical outlets, and a hot air balloon send off for the new bride and groom!

Samantha is joining us this week to share the good, the challenges, the things she would do differently, and the things she wouldn't change for the world.

To view her beautiful wedding photos and a full recap of today's show, visit weddingplanningpodcast.co/samantha.

And if you've ever dreamed about quitting your day job to pursue something you're truly passionate about, Samantha can relate 100%! Be sure to check out her wedding floral business venture, @golden.hour.flowers on Instagram