Today we're breaking down one of the most complicated and often emotionally charged - parts of wedding planning: crafting your wedding guest list. From where to start, to how to handle tricky family dynamics, this episode offers a clear, practical approach to navigating the process with confidence.

Bonus: I'm answering many of your real guest list questions along the way!

Tune in for a step-by-step guide that covers:

• How to get started with your wedding guest list

• Smart strategies (and benefits) of using an A-List / B-List invitation system

• How to handle plus-one expectations and non-invited guests

• Effective ways to thoughtfully trim your guest list

• Navigating family requests - and demands - with clarity and boundaries

• And more!

A detailed blog post to accompany today's episode can be found here.

A special thank you today's show sponsor:

Start your wedding website with Minted and enjoy free designs by independent artists, all of your wedding details in one place, and exclusive listener perks:
weddingplanningpodcast.co/minted

Choosing your wedding venue is the single most important decision you'll make during the planning process - and yes, that can feel like a lot of pressure.

Your venue isn't just the backdrop for your wedding day. It also sets the vibe, drives your budget, impacts your guest experience, and influences nearly every other decision you'll make from here on out. That's why this is not a decision to rush.

In today's episode of The Wedding Planning Podcast, we're breaking down exactly how to choose the right wedding venue with clarity and confidence - before you sign a contract or close doors you didn't even realize were there.

You'll learn:

• Why your wedding venue impacts every other planning decision

• How to define your wedding vision before you start touring spaces

• Smart ways to set yourself up for a successful venue search

• The most important questions to ask every potential venue

• The key differences between traditional and all-inclusive venues

• How to research and find the best wedding venues near you

We'll also talk through budget considerations, guest experience, logistics, décor implications, and how to trust your instincts when you walk into the one.

Blog post with pdf Venue Shopping Checklists

If you're newly engaged - or feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start - this episode will help you slow down, get clear, and make a venue decision that truly aligns with your vision, priorities, and budget.

A special thank you to this week's show sponsors:

• Start your wedding website with Minted and enjoy free designs by independent artists, all of your wedding details in one place, and exclusive listener perks:
weddingplanningpodcast.co/minted

Setting a realistic wedding budget that actually works for you is one of the most important decisions you'll make after getting engaged, and it's one that sets the tone for every planning choice that follows.

If you're newly engaged and feeling overwhelmed by numbers, opinions, or online "averages" that don't feel realistic … or if you're already planning and realizing your budget needs a reset - you're in exactly the right place.

In today's episode, I'm walking you through a clear, step-by-step process for creating a wedding budget that reflects your priorities ... not the wedding industry's expectations.

We'll talk about how to define what matters most, allocate your money with intention, and build a financial plan that supports your vision - without all of the overwhelm and second-guessing.

Will wedding planning be completely free of financial stress? Probably not. But with the right framework in place, it can feel organized, intentional, and manageable - so that you're not always making decisions from a place of panic or pressure.

By the end of this episode, you'll have the clarity and confidence to move forward with a budget that truly works for you.

• Want to save time, money, and your sanity while planning your wedding?

Subscribe to Wedding Planning Podcast Premium on Apple Podcasts for early, ad-free access to all weekly episodes—plus a bonus series that teaches you how to use ChatGPT as your free wedding planning assistant.

Save hours, avoid overwhelm, and make confident decisions faster.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts and start planning with clarity.

• Thank you to today's show sponsor, Minted:

Just engaged and wondering where to start? One of the easiest first steps is your wedding website.

With Minted, you can build a free wedding website designed by independent artists - so it looks elevated without the custom-design price tag.

Everything lives in one place: your story, wedding details, RSVPs, and registry links - simple, clean, and stress-free.

Click here to get started today and unlock exclusive listener perks on save-the-dates, invitations, and more.

• Click Here to read the complete blog post and follow along with today's episode.