The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

It's Tot Takes Time. I'll be talking about some common business advice that I think is garbage, my best advice... more

I’m getting lots of DMs and questions about building relationships and superfans and thought that sharing an episode I was... more

Hey friends! Today's episode is a short roundup of a few things I want to share with you, including my... more

After 12 years as a wedding planner, I can say this with deep conviction.  The number one way I built... more

Over the years, I've had countless conversations with wedding pros about the constant challenge of nailing down their business messaging... more

Are you struggling to balance too many commitments with a never ending to-do list? (Raising my hand with you)Maybe you're... more

It's time for some more hot takes, this time with the Tech Savvy Creative, and all about the latest tech... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

Recently one of small-group coaching students said to me, "Megan, when I think about you and other educators, it's like... more

I’ve heard this question from a lot of you out there listening and engaging with us on social media, and... more

Have I ever told you about the required public speaking class I put off until my last semester of undergrad?... more

You're in a high-stress industry, your weekends are gold, and nobody's got time for filler content or fluff. That's why... more

The Messy Middle - it's one of those business owner struggles that we all go through. And over the years,... more

Have you ever wondered what makes a truly unforgettable experience stand out from the usual client interactions that often end... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

Over the last five years, I've spent countless episodes diving into the behind the scenes of working in the wedding... more

Today's episode focuses on our life partners. That’s right, we went there, with psychologist and couples therapist Dr. Tracy Dalgleigh,... more

In the last episode, I spoke with Carissa Kruse, and we shared our stories of being recently diagnosed with ADHD,... more

Earlier last year, my life changed when I was officially diagnosed with ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I always felt... more

Today we're navigating a topic that can cause quite a few of us to squirm: our relationship with money. But... more

Today and for all of July, we’re going to do something a little different here. Instead of Weddings for Real,... more

Three of my favorite episodes - and our most popular - are the ones where we had a chance to... more

We are all juggling a lot of things and wearing quite a few hats in our day-to-day lives. If you... more

Our guest today is an absolute legend in the wedding industry, the one and only Lynn Easton. Her resume alone... more

I've heard you loud and clear - you're overwhelmed by all the wedding pro educators out there, and you're not... more

It's time to talk about content strategy, which I know can feel super overwhelming. You feel the pressure to create... more

If you’ve been in the wedding industry for really any length of time, you’ve probably had a nightmare client or... more

It's Terrica. It's wedding industry hot takes part 2. No need to say more.Part 1Terrica's $9/mo Wedding Pro Workshop---Today's episode... more

It's Terrica. It's wedding industry hot takes. No need to say more.---Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's... more

Today we bring back Jason Gillikin, my partner of 13 years and fellow entrepreneur. Life gets pretty hectic when you're... more

How can we guide our potential clients to take that next step?  Maybe they see our Instagram post or TikTok... more

One of the most challenging questions I get asked in my coaching conversations is, “When do I know when it’s... more

If I was on stage at Wedding MBA in front of hundreds of your peers, and I chose your website... more

Today we're celebrating five years of the podcast (!), so it's time for a fun and reflective episode on five... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

The Planner's Vault doors are open! Come join us!----Recently I was a guest on The Women’s Social Club Podcast, a... more

When analyzing your own website, you want to ask yourself: Does it pass the caveman test where the user knows in... more

On episode 211, we interviewed couples to find out what they REALLY are looking for in the vendor vetting process.... more

I say this with love...--------Episodes Referenced:168: How to get on a wedding venue's preferred list, with Shannon Tarrant175: 9 tips... more

Today we’re talking about Engage, the luxury wedding business summit that happens twice a year in breathtaking locations around the... more

What happens when couples inquire (we get the inquiries!), but we’re not booking as many weddings as we want?  Or... more

A couple weeks ago, we went to The Merrimon Wynne Winter Wedding Showcase. The Merrimon Wynne is a historic home... more

As much as we all love the events industry, one major challenge is that we’re service based. We need to... more

TikTok is a platform I have not invested my time in outside creating my profile because it’s yet another app... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

Many of you are running your own business, and that’s something you should be extremely proud of. It takes a... more

Megan and Jason Gillikin talk about their wins for 2022, their failures, word-of-the-year, and goals for 2023. Tune in... more

Today we're sharing an episode that Megan guested on - Wedding Industry Insider, hosted by Eddie Babbage, CEO of Timeline... more

As we get further in our careers and lives, we all encounter a space where transformation is necessary to find... more

I've heard you loud and clear - you're overwhelmed by all the wedding pro educators out there, and you're not... more

Let me ask you a couple tough questions - What is your innate brand advantage over your competition? Are... more

Last week, we were at Wedding MBA in Las Vegas, and it was memorable to say the least - and... more

Starting a small business is not for the faint of heart. There’s fear that you’re not the right person to... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

Ever since I got into podcasts (and believe it or not, it actually took me a while), I’ve been focused... more

One of the reasons we started the Weddings For Real podcast and then formed The Planner’s Vault is because we... more

A couple weeks ago, I asked you the listeners for any questions you've been wanting to ask, and I received... more

As we gain experience and raise our prices, we start to get into the luxury market. It’s something many of... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

If you’re looking to grow your business, a hard realization is that you can only go so far if you... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

You probably use Canva almost every day, but if you're just using it to create social media graphics, you're barely... more

According to the WeddingWire Newlywed Report, the most common sentiments couples feel when planning their wedding right now are stress,... more

When you feel your phone buzzing, and you look down to see your client's name, what do you think? ... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

Do you have money mindset blocks that are preventing your business from growing and preventing you from leading your best... more

What makes an amazing wedding experience for our clients and their guests? Is it the design elements that make... more

Hi (First Name), Welcome to the (insert podcast here) Podcast! Are you wondering how to personalize some of your automated... more

In some exciting news, after 12 years of running A Southern Soiree Wedding and Event Planning, Megan has passed the... more

Let’s think about the couples who fill out an inquiry form. They’re interested in the specifics of your services and... more

What are some ways to effectively work with an intern (and not just give them busy work)? Megan and... more

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back,... more

Emma and Molly Gillikin have taken over the podcast to wish all the moms (especially Megan) Happy Mother's Day!

When you’re running a business, it can feel pretty overwhelming - like you need to do all the things... more

Let's face it, this is one of the busiest seasons of your career. It feels like you don't have... more

Let’s talk about your brand. Does it reflect who you are as a person and as a company - and... more

It’s been 4 years since Weddings for Real came to be. Over the last 4 years we’ve evolved and grown... more

In this solo episode, Megan Gillikin answers 5 questions from the Weddings for Real Facebook Group, including how to hire... more

On last week’s episode, Ashley Ebert gave us the inside scoop on WHY we need to build a team, even... more

When you think about building a team around you, what comes to mind? Is it that your company will be... more

As a wedding planner, I’ve found that our jobs are 30% logistics, 30% vision and decor, and about 40% therapy.... more

One of the most frequent questions we get in The Planners Vault is, How can I get on the preferred... more

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel... more

Lisa Lyons has been in the wedding industry for 19 years, but she has been drawn to etiquette her entire... more

It's time to get serious about your business goals for this year and how you plan to achieve them. I'm... more

Back in 2019, photographer Jillian Knight asked me to coffee to talk about an idea she had for her business... more

Megan is joined by her husband Jason Gillikin to discuss their word of the 2021, successes and failures (both personal... more

I'm not good enough. Everything I have is from luck, and when people find out, they'll know I'm a fraud.... more

Welcome to The Unraveling, where we share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds you back, and the... more

Do you ever find yourself working your butt off, just go go go, working weddings, fixing problems, moving the business... more

This episode is a special behind-the-scenes look at WeddingMBA from its first in person live event since 2019.  Megan spoke... more

When a couple is considering which vendors to go with, they look at a lot of different factors. Weddings you’ve... more

Think back to the last 5 weddings you worked. How did they find you?  Did you enjoy working with them?... more

Welcome to The Unraveling, where we share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds you back, and the... more

Once a month moving forward, we're bringing you a new series - The Unraveling.  These episodes shine a light on... more

One of the biggest challenges I hear every single week is that there’s not enough time to build content. Or... more

When I need something for my house or for my business, I order it on my phone and get it... more

Join Megan for an inside look at her one-on-one coaching session with Alisha Freeman, The Productionista. Alisha is a member... more

Join Megan for an inside look at her one-on-one coaching session with Carrie Gillard from Blue Poppy Events.  Carrie is... more

In this solo episode, Megan Gillikin answers 5 questions from the Weddings for Real Facebook Group, including how to hire... more

In this solo episode, Megan Gillikin gives her 5 tips on how to set boundaries, ease anxiety, and build trust... more

As a wedding pro, you are the expert in your field. Your clients hire you for your expertise. But you’re... more

When a couple finds your website or your social media presence, do they know right away why you’re unique?  Do... more

In this solo episode, Megan Gillikin gives 3 actionable sales tips for incoming inquiries that you can try right now. ... more

As wedding pros, we’re dealing with a lot of stressful situations, and we need to be at our best when... more

The release of this episode marks the 11-year anniversary of Megan running her wedding planning business, A Southern Soiree. She's... more

When you think about marketing your business with Facebook, most of us look at what kind of content we should... more

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, before we can experience love, we need to feel safe and secure.  But with... more

On this solo episode, Megan Gillikin dives into all things workcations - what it is, who you should go with,... more

You probably started your business because you had a special passion or a superpower. Maybe you were amazing at logistics... more

If you’re in the wedding industry, there's a high probability that you're a people pleaser. But as much as we... more

Do you ever find yourself working your butt off, just go go go, working weddings, fixing problems, moving the business... more

We've all seen it happen - ego and pride get in the way of the best wedding experience. And it's... more

Do you feel like you’re on the way to achieving your goals and making the money you deserve?  Or...is there... more

Enneagram. For a better understanding of people we work with, people we're in relationships with, and most importantly, a better... more

What are some of the challenges you're running into when marketing your business? For many of the wedding pros... more

We have been podcasting for over 3 years now! Crazy but true, we dropped our first 5 episodes on April... more

Take a moment to reflect on your business - are you working a job that pays your bills? Or are... more

We all have different sales styles - what works for one wedding pro might be different than what works best... more

You all know the reasons why to focus on Pinterest - it’s great to generate traffic to your website, it’s... more

Over the past year, with the wedding industry in shambles, Don Mamone has come up with a new outlook on... more

Today we're sharing a few minutes of a new podcast, Hustle + Gather, with my friends Courtney Hopper and Dana... more

Sarah Miller and Nichole Holmes are the hosts of Netflix's new show, Marriage or Mortgage, where couples have to choose... more

We all want to know - how can I have better rankings on Google so more couples come visit my... more

Have you ever woken up to find your website gone?  Every other site on the web works except for yours,... more

Kinsey Roberts (She Creates Business Podcast) and I first heard about community over competition from Natalie Franke of the Rising... more

Wedding venue coordinators are likely to be your number one source for referral business.  So why aren't they referring you... more

As an industry in 2020, we had some pretty major legal issues. With events being delayed, we all had to... more

Any wedding planner - including your competition - can put together an amazing event if they have enough budget to... more

Hey there, I’m Megan Gillikin, and this podcast is for fellow wedding pros that know what it really takes to... more

2020 was a year like none other, but there were many silver linings and hidden blessings throughout the chaos.  Today,... more

You know that competitor in your market you just can't stand? The one that you're always up against, and you... more

What are your daily habits?  Do you wake up early? Do you read? Do you journal? Unless you pressed the... more

Do you have a circle of trust?  A proverbial board of advisors?  I do and it’s made up of a... more

Do you suffer from squirrel brain?  Symptoms include not being able to get $h!t done because your mind is wandering... more

Today we're talking to Braden Drake, who describes himself as "your gay best friend, but also an attorney who's going... more

Join me on this solo episode where I give you 8 quick and easy (yet important and impactful) tips to... more

Today we’re talking all about inclusive language - what to say and what not to say in what has historically... more

Today we’re talking to Sam Jacobson from Ideaction Consulting about the sales process, how to empathize with your clients right... more

Join me on this solo episode where I give you 7 tips for balancing it all - life, business, family,... more

Today we're sharing an episode previously published on the She Creates Business Podcast with Kinsey Roberts. From SCB: I'm honored to welcome... more

It’s August 2020, five months removed from our two-week pause that we were supposed to have in March.  That’s about... more

Have your wedding planning goals gone up in flames in 2020? Come join me Wednesday, Aug 5th at 8:30 pm... more

Megan and Jason Gillikin celebrate the 10-year anniversary of A Southern Soiree, and Megan shares her top ten lessons learned... more

This pandemic has caused delays, cancellations, stress, tears, more delays, unanswerable questions, confusion...it really sucks to be in the wedding... more

In 2012, Julie Bunkley had run Invision Events in Birmingham Alabama for 7 years, and the business was doing...fine. But... more

How can you network and build vendor relationships when there are no weddings and no networking events?  Megan gives her... more

Aaron Shook has been in the hospitality industry for 30+ years in restaurants, catering, and now in wedding planning at... more

It's time to talk about racism in the United States, (the lack of) diversity and inclusion in the wedding industry,... more

Julie Painter (aka Dallas Girl Friday) is a virtual assistant who specializes in the wedding industry, and today she gives... more

Have you ever felt the pressure of keeping up with what looks "elegant" or "luxurious" on Instagram? Why? Why do... more

Today we’re talking all about how to get your clients, your vendors, and your team on board with the digital... more

So be honest. Is email marketing something you do for your business? Are you bringing future clients into your sales... more

Welcome to the Weddings for Real 100th Episode Extravaganza! On this special episode, you'll hear who won the awards for: Toughest... more

Some of the most lavish and exciting weddings to work are the ones where culture plays a big part in... more

What a crazy, chaotic, noisy, tearful, and stressful week. In a world that's completely upside down because of COVID-19, what... more

With the Coronavirus causing chaos throughout the world, it has taken its toll on the wedding industry as well. Gatherings... more

Do you ever meet a new friend, it's a solid connection, and then one day, BAM, she ghosts you? It... more

On February 27, 2020, Megan launched The Planner's Vault, a membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow,... more

How many of you are REALLY going after corporate events?  You probably can work a corporate event just fine, and... more

Lindsay Lucas is THE wedding venue consultant.  She's a former wedding planner who now helps venue owners (and those aspiring... more

We interviewed engaged couples at The Merrimon-Wynne House Bridal Showcase, so that you could have an understanding of what couples... more

Do you work with your wife or husband? Well, working together for so many hours – and possibly living together... more

If you’re a solopreneur or you run a small team, and you’re thinking about growing, but you haven’t quite figured... more

How was 2019 for you?  What were your wins and losses?  Did you hit your goals?  What are your plans... more

Today's guest is Margaux Fraise from Harmony Creative Studio in Los Angeles. Margaux has been planning weddings and events for... more

Aneesa Glines can best be described as a force of nature with a huge smile and even bigger laugh, whose... more

Cindy Novotny has been called "The Radical Mentor" for good reason. She is a no-nonsense, call-it-like-it-is, whether-you-want-to-hear-it-or-not speaker and hospitality... more

If you're anything like Megan, 2019 has been all about personal and professional growth - how to be a better... more

If you’re a member of the Rising Tide Society Facebook Group, you might have seen a post (since deleted) a... more

Jose Rolon is the lead wedding planner at Jose Rolon Events in New York City.  Jose is a single father of... more

Among other incredible accolades, Francie Dorman and Britt Cole of 42 North Weddings in New England have been named one... more

Megan and Jason went onto the couples' therapy couch and got some amazing advice from their own therapist, Christian Charette... more

Megan and Jason went onto the couples' therapy couch and got some amazing advice from their own therapist, Christian Charette... more

Alisha Chadee is the co-owner of Events by Whim Event Planning in Toronto Ontario, and she comes on the show... more

Amanda Writesman is screaming from the rooftop that - if you're a wedding vendor - you need to get your... more

Artem Lomaz is DJ Times' Entertainer of the Year two years in a row, in 2018 and 2019!  Today he... more

Engagement season is right around the corner, and you don't want a website that repels your ideal client right? On... more

Valerie Gernhauser runs two wedding planning companies - Sapphire Events and Ruby and Pearl Events - in the same market (New... more

Wedding photographer Rachel May talks to Megan about motherhood, and they come up with the definitive guide to how to... more

Kevin Dennis has been in the wedding industry for 30 years (!!) as the owner of Fantasy Sound Event Services near San... more

Imposter Syndrome: a psychological pattern in which an individual doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed... more

Sam Jacobson, founder of Ideaction Consulting, has found that there are 4 types of buyers in the wedding market -... more

When Cavin Elizabeth moved to the San Diego market, she was wondering if making educational videos and sharing them on... more

At the Engage Luxury Wedding Summit in June, therapist and entrepreneurial coach Andy Maurer gave the most impactful and self-reflective... more

Styled Shoots.  You get your friendors together and create a completely unique pretend wedding that you don't have to plan... more

Weekend Wine Down Time! Megan and Jason talk about the live show coming up in August, where to spend a... more

In a wedding market already filled with planners, photographers, videographers, DJs, florists....every wedding vendor you can possibly imagine, how can... more

Michelle Loretta from Sage Wedding Pros is a wedding business consultant with a mind for numbers and a passion for... more

Kinsey Roberts is the owner Vista View Events on Open Heart Ranch in Colorado, but you probably know her best... more

The latest Engage! Summit was last week in the Bahamas, and Megan was there for the full luxury wedding and... more

Generation Z is the next generation of consumers and (wedding) clients.  Christie Osborne from Mountainside Media is an expert on... more

Some believe the creative path is a winding road from zero to (one-day) reaching your full creative potential.  But for... more

Brittny Drye started Love Inc Magazine in October 2013 as the first equality-minded wedding publication. And although the wedding industry... more

If you've been in business long enough, you've probably had a negative online review (or several). Whether the review was... more

Lindsay Longacre from LVL Events (Southern California) and LVL Academy comes on the show today to talk all about pricing for... more

On this Mother's Day Weekend Wine Down, we have interviews with Megan, Megan's mom, and oldest daughter Emma. Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! Today we give a real, honest, vulnerable, and hilarious look at the balancing act of being a... more

Meghan Ely, Wedding PR and Marketing Expert at OFD Consulting comes on to share the best ways to promote your... more

Life is stressful. Owning a business is stressful. Clients are stressful. Parenting is stressful. Relationships are stressful. As a creative... more

Jacob Boehm, owner and head chef of Snap Pea Creative Dining, doesn't run a typical catering company. He caters a... more

International Wedding Planner Eva Clark from Eva Clark Events has planned over 400 events. Some of those clients have been... more

Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us over the past year plus! And we're so excited to... more

Rachel Sheerin is a keynote speaker and trainer focused on helping hospitality professionals sell more and be happy! Featured in... more

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about making sure your website is found instead of your competitors' websites, when people... more

Candice Coppola - wedding planner at Jubilee Events, business mentor, podcaster at Power in Purpose, author of The White Dress... more

Madeleine Kojakian, better known as Maddy K, is a wedding planner and serial entrepreneur.  She has had many successes (and... more

Veronica Armstrong, head of marketing at Mayflower Venues, is all about that startup life.  She was the 4th employee and... more

Are you in the side hustle mode of your business?  Are you trying to figure out when to take it... more

Wilmington NC wedding planners Sally Lindroos and Courtney Stone from Kickstand Events come on the show today to talk all... more

Ivy Robinson is the wedding planner for celebrities like Dale Earnhardt Jr and Emily Maynard, has been on wedding reality... more

Finding the right employee in any business is challenging, but it's a unique challenge in the wedding industry because it's... more

The Barn of Chapel Hill on Wild Flora Farm is one of the hottest new venues in the Triangle area... more

Megan and Jason Gillikin are back for a Weekend Wine Down, where we reflect on the chaos that was 2018... more

Megan Gillikin was the guest on the Holdermess Podcast with Kim and Penn Holderness, on their episode, "Our Wedding was... more

It's the Day in the Life Podcast on the Weddings for Real feed!  If you don't know Day in the... more

Megan Gillikin, host of the podcast, has been a wedding planner in the Raleigh NC market since 2010. Over the... more

Deanna and Grant of Harrison Wedding Films in Washington DC came on the show to talk lessons they've learned in... more

Did you know that 40% of engagements occur between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day?!?!  Wedding Vendors, is your business ready for... more

Jaine Kershner, owner of Brklyn View Photography, has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Style Me Pretty, and... more

Laura Wasser, Celebrity Divorce Attorney, comes on the show to talk prenuptial agreements. What can and cannot be included in... more

We walked around with a microphone at the Forest Hall at Chatham Mills Open House on Sunday, talking to wedding... more

Weekend Wine Down 8! Megan and Jason follow up on this week's episode on Next-Level Instagram with Tyler J McCall,... more

Tyler J McCall is a social media strategist and coach...actually that's selling him way short...Tyler is THE Instagram Guru, and... more

Megan and Jason just came back from the Rocky Horror Show at Booth Theatre in Cary NC, and it was... more

The Overlook Barn on Beech Mountain (North Carolina) is an absolutely stunning wedding venue both inside and out, with views for... more

Kim and Penn Holderness are known for their viral videos on YouTube where they sing and dance, sometimes in their... more

Megan and Jason give advice to their 20-year-old selves, Megan on kissing frogs and Jason on traveling more. Coming up on... more

Day-Of Wedding Coordination, sometimes called month-of wedding coordination, can actually be more difficult than full-service planning - or at least... more

In this weekend wine down, Megan just got back from a wedding, so she talked about that - why she... more

The Angus Barn Way, their commitment to unparalleled service, is legendary in the local hospitality industry. The owner of the... more

In this weekend wine down, we talk about the new intro where Megan mentions a dead cat as a groomsman.... more

Thanks for listening! On this Weekend Wine Down, Megan and Jason talked about 2 seminars coming up on October 22nd,... more

Rebecca Rose Events founder, owner, and creative director Becca Atchison comes on the show to talk about how and why... more

Megan and Jason talk about what a weird week that was because of the Hurricane, and the new seminar Brunch... more

Makeup Artist and all-around hilarious and amazing person Michelle Clark came on the show today, not so much to talk... more

Happy Weekend!  It was a big week here, and Megan and Jason talked about it.  We had our "Instagram, Millennials,... more

I brought my mom on, and you'll hear all about our arguments from my wedding, which included cake, videography, photography,... more