Real wedding vendors share their tips and tricks for surviving and thriving in this one of a kind industry. Hosted by The... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------I've heard you loud and clear - you're overwhelmed by all the wedding pro educators... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------It's time to talk about content strategy, which I know can feel super overwhelming. You... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------If you’ve been in the wedding industry for really any length of time, you’ve probably... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------It's Terrica. It's wedding industry hot takes part 2. No need to say more.Part 1Terrica's... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------It's Terrica. It's wedding industry hot takes. No need to say more.---Today's episode is brought... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------Today we bring back Jason Gillikin, my partner of 13 years and fellow entrepreneur. Life... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------How can we guide our potential clients to take that next step? Maybe they see... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------One of the most challenging questions I get asked in my coaching conversations is, “When... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------If I was on stage at Wedding MBA in front of hundreds of your peers,... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------Today we're celebrating five years of the podcast (!), so it's time for a fun... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------The Planner's Vault doors are open! Come join us!----Recently I was a guest on The... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------When analyzing your own website, you want to ask yourself: Does it pass the caveman test... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------On episode 211, we interviewed couples to find out what they REALLY are looking for... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------I say this with love...--------Episodes Referenced:168: How to get on a wedding venue's preferred list,... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------Today we’re talking about Engage, the luxury wedding business summit that happens twice a year... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------What happens when couples inquire (we get the inquiries!), but we’re not booking as many... more
Wedding Biz Bonanza, June 5th-9th, 2023------A couple weeks ago, we went to The Merrimon Wynne Winter Wedding Showcase. The Merrimon... 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 - Entrepreneur Money Stories, hosted by Kickstart Accounting CEO Danielle Hayden.... 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 my least favorite topics in the world to talk about is money. Don’t get me wrong, I love... 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
Rebecca Rose Events founder, owner, and creative director Becca Atchison comes on the show to talk about how and why her pricing... more