Behind the Aisle

There's something about seeing another human spotlit in some capacity that looks like you, thinks like you, talks like you, and overall just seems similar to you. Engaged couples are no different when they scroll through Instagram's Explore page, swipe up on their For You Page, and pin on their wedding Pinterest boards. They are looking for wedding aesthetics, budgets, and people, that they can relate to in order for them to build their own wedding dreams. However it seems that the mainstream does not want to highlight everyone; the publications and the feeds tend to have a pattern of aesthetics, budget, etc. It's a big ick and one that we talk about in this episode because regardless of how much they spent, where they are getting married, and what their overall wedding is, every wedding is shareable. ------- Instagram: @‌behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

As wedding vendors, we all feel the pressure and, for some of us, the want to be relatable and authentic to our couples. However that seeking relatability and perception of being authentic can quickly turn into over sharing. Where’s the line? What’s too much? Is there such thing as too little? We’re diving deep into where the boundary should and shouldn’t be. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

They’re the people you look up to when you first break into the industry. You buy their courses, attend conferences when they’re keynote speakers, and register for the retreats they host. You like all their posts, comment and DM them. You join their facebook groups and ask for advice. Overtime, you find yourself idolizing them; wanting to become just like them; take all the business advice from them. But when do you take it too far? What’s the boundary? We’re talking about idolizing the “untouchables”; The celebrity like people who were once in your shoes. ------- Instagram: @‌behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories in our DMs!

What's that saying? It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. We feel like that can be used in all sorts of scenarios in life. Building and working in your wedding business is no different. Only the sad part is busy has become this badge of honor for us wedding vendors. But when does it become unhealthy? or when should be putting your nose to the grinder? We're talking hustle culture, friends. The good, bad, and mythbusting feeling of needing to hustle your heart out. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Though not a real medical diagnosis, it is something alllll of us have gone through and many of STILL do: imposter syndrome. It's hard to make a name for yourself and to build something from the top. Throw in the mental load and fear of not being good enough with a side of comparing yourself to others and you've got yourself overthinking whether you were cut out for what you started in the first place. We dive deep into our feels in this one and want you to know you are not alone in this! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

They're well intentioned and super fun, right? Yeah, only when models actually show up, the florals are what they were supposed to be, and the venue is unlocked when you arrive. In all reality, styled shoots are a great way to add to your portfolio or get that creative idea out of your brain and into reality. But what seems to be missing amongst us vendors is the etiquette that comes along with it. We're chatting on today's episode alll about it and we want YOU to share your input too! Head to our Instagram and let us know you're Styled Shoot Snafu and Taboos! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You've battled the elements, wrangled wedding party members, sent the bride down the aisle, snuck an hors d'oeuvre, and wiped a tear witnessing the first dance. You throw yourself into a chiavari chair in a closet of the venue, sigh a big whole sign of exhaustion, eyes widen as you see in the distance a server with a tray of white plates. She approaches, you hold your breath as she brings the plate to the table annnnnnnd there it is. Another sigh leaves your tired body as you glance at the six inch turkey club sandwich on stale white bread with a side of off brand potato chips. Bon Appetit! ------- We've all been there and probably have more catering woe stories to share. Tune in with us as gripe and praise our catering friends. Got a wacko catering story? Submit it for WTF Wednesdays! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Filmed and recorded during our hiatus and before we moved into our new home, we chatted about the roadblocks and issues we run into due to our industry being unregulated. From randos becoming business owners and calling themselves "professionals", how to educate couples to vet others properly, lack of sanitation, to should we be background checking these fools?! Weigh in on the comments on Instagram! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

We're baacckkkkk! Did you miss us? Cause we missed you! Season Two of Behind the Aisle is officially here and we're pumped to bring you guys more conversations about the ick within the wedding industry and your favorite: What the Fuck Wednesdays! What better way to kick off the new season with some stories you wrote in! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Put your expertise where your follower count is?! Yeah... we don't think so either. On this episode we are chatting all things about the dreaded follower count - what it used to mean back in the day vs. what it means now. Sara even spills the tea on herself about her personal experience with giving money to the highest bidder. Do the numbers really equate to what we all think it does? ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Y'all wanna know what is oversaturated and low-key annoying? Our industry’s education sector. Now, there are some good ones out there, but it seems that the low ROI inducing, heart string pulling, non-tangible ones get all the glory. We’re talking education and conferences within the industry. The good, the bad, the ugly ones. We share lessons from our own experiences as well as give some tips on what to look out for when looking for the next conference, masterclass, mastermind, etc. you may be interested in! ------- THE VENDOR LIST - A Speed Networking Event for the Northern Virginia Wedding Industry The Vendor List is a unique wedding industry networking event that combines professional networking with a fun and engaging speed dating concept. Designed for wedding vendors, planners, and professionals, this event aims to foster meaningful connections, collaborations, and partnerships within the industry. Purchase tickets: https://sarandipityphotographyllc.hbportal.co/public/654ea0ee97214e0024233973 February 17 2024 | 12pm-3pm | Morais Vineyard & Winery | $50 ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday Episode?! Submit your story via our website! Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

It's happened to all of us. You make plans, they cancel. You sign up for a masterclass, it gets canceled. You secure models for your styled shoot, they no show. Your RSVP for an event, canceled. Ugh, the frustration is real, valid, and annoying. There seems to be a lack of accountability and professionalism in various avenues of our industry. Why is it?! We're talking the lack of it, how to not add to it, and how to avoid it in this episode! ------- THE VENDOR LIST - A Speed Networking Event for the Northern Virginia Wedding Industry The Vendor List is a unique wedding industry networking event that combines professional networking with a fun and engaging speed dating concept. Designed for wedding vendors, planners, and professionals, this event aims to foster meaningful connections, collaborations, and partnerships within the industry. Purchase tickets: https://sarandipityphotographyllc.hbportal.co/public/654ea0ee97214e0024233973  February 17 2024 | 12pm-3pm | Morais Vineyard & Winery | $50 ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

At the beginning of a new year, we find ourselves expressing our likes and dislikes of various trends, ideas, and conceptions we find appreaing amongst our couples weddings. We are breaking down our own personal ins and outs in all the sassy nature y'all know and love! ------- THE VENDOR LIST - A Speed Networking Event for the Northern Virginia Wedding Industry The Vendor List is a unique wedding industry networking event that combines professional networking with a fun and engaging speed dating concept. Designed for wedding vendors, planners, and professionals, this event aims to foster meaningful connections, collaborations, and partnerships within the industry. Purchase tickets: https://sarandipityphotographyllc.hbportal.co/public/654ea0ee97214e0024233973 February 17 2024 | 12pm-3pm | Morais Vineyard & Winery | $50 ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday Episode?! Submit your story via our website! ------- THE VENDOR LIST - A Speed Networking Event for the Northern Virginia Wedding Industry The Vendor List is a unique wedding industry networking event that combines professional networking with a fun and engaging speed dating concept. Designed for wedding vendors, planners, and professionals, this event aims to foster meaningful connections, collaborations, and partnerships within the industry. Purchase tickets: https://sarandipityphotographyllc.hbportal.co/public/654ea0ee97214e0024233973 February 17 2024 | 12pm-3pm | Morais Vineyard & Winery | $50 ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Shaking hands, kissing babies, making friends. Isn't that what the off season is for?! Just kidding... but not really. Being an entrepreneur is lonely. Anyone who has started their own business quickly finds this out. In this episode we talk about the importance of relationship, how to build relationships, and how to maintain those relationships. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Happy Thanksgiving! ------- Too little or too much? Is there such a thing when it comes to being transparent with your business? In this episode, we're talking about the various levels of transparency when owning a wedding related business; what you should and not should not be sharing, the standards of pricing, and some of the messed up shit we've already seen. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

A not so new concept in the wedding world. Used to get the creative juices flowing, content for a newbie's portfolio, or for some, a way to make some money - Styled Shoots are a hot topic in our industry. But we all have felt the implications of them when it comes to deviated purposes, wrongful expectations from our clients, and so much. This episode opens the conversation of what Styled Shoots have done to our industry. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday Episode?! Submit your story via our website! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Website: ⁠www.behindtheaislepodcast.com⁠ Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ------- It's part of our culture, our society, our world. Hierarchies are a natural norm human beings are aware of. Our industry is no different. There's an unspoken hierarchy amongst us wedding vendors. Some of it blatantly understandable, yet there is some mystery to it, too. During this episode, we try to break it down and define it. What do you think? Is there such thing as an unspoken hierarchy within the industry? ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

One of the most discussed topics and advocacies we are hearing about in this day and age - Boundaries; setting them, enforcing them, being mindful of them, etc. From work/life balance talks, to mental health wellness awareness, and so much in between, within our industry boundaries are just as important as the next. In this episode we talk about the importance of boundaries, how to set them, how to enforce them, and how to be mindful of others' boundaries. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday Episode?! Submit your story via our website! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

The vows are exchanged, the cake is eaten, the music has faded and now all couples are left with are the memories. Wedding vendors have such a huge impact on the wedding day including the memories their couples will take with them after everything has been said and done. In this t w o hour episode we welcome Taylor Kohls of Whole Heart Studios who joins us in sharing her thoughts and opinions about vendor behavior on wedding day and how they can impact the wedding day memories couples will take them after the sparklers are burnt out. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

We all want to see our name in lights, but at what cost?! In this episode, we talk about the pros and cons of having weddings published in print and online. From out of pocket behaviors, mindset shifts, pretentious attitudes, to seeking validation, getting published may be a goal for many but we ask the question, at what lengths will people go? ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday Episode?! Submit your story via our website! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

The word "Luxury" ends up being relative when it comes to our industry. Some see this market as the end all be all; the definition of success. Some see it as unattainable. In some areas it's a clique that seems exclusive; not fond of welcoming newbies on the scene. Others may call themselves a "luxury" vendor and have a completely different perspective. All in all, we feel that it is an us vs. them when in reality it should be all of cheering one another on. In this episode, Sara and Katie express their thoughts and feelings on this topic; sharing one another's experience and what they feel is happening within their local Northern Virginia market. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

In this episode, Sara and Katie talk about the recent whistleblower article having been released regarding the unethical and overall icky business practices The Knot has been doing to its paying customers: wedding vendors. Tune in to hear their take on the incident and overall dissatisfaction with the impact The Knot and Wedding Wire have on couples and wedding vendors alike. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday Episode?! Submit your story via our website! ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

There are red flag clients and absolute dream clients. Your ideal client should be in the middle. We can’t always work with our absolute dream client. Though we should have a goal to achieve, it is something we should not force. We can’t only accept dream clients - we’d never have work. ------- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com Submit your anonymous WTF Wednesday stories on the website!

Our first WTF Wednesday is here! You submitted the tea and now we're spillin' it! We're talkin' your grievances and putting our two cents in. Got a case of FOMO?! Want to be featured in our next WTF Wednesday episode? Submit your story via our website! --- Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com

Meet Sara and Katie - two wedding professionals in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia wedding and event industry working together to chat all about their local market: the good, the bad, and the unfortunate ugly. Over the course of decades, there has been an influx of behaviors, narratives, agendas, and everything in between that have communicated wrongful expectations to those getting married. Sara and Katie's goal with this podcast is to call out the "ick" and encourage their fellow wedding industry colleagues to remember why this industry even started in the first place. Remember, that at the end of the day we all have one job. _____ Instagram: @behindtheaislepodcast Email: [email protected] Website: www.behindtheaislepodcast.com