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Here's a fun one today!.I gathered three local wedding DJs and we all "drafted" our perfect wedding reception playlists. This is a fun experiment and I really hope you enjoy it!.Follow along on the Google Doc!https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15KxGBzugRCA_b02tKYRW9BQeGVbik5IBbeiiMPg5w6s/edit?usp=sharing.Thanks to Alan Chitlik of Puget Sound DJ, Greg Lowder of Affairs to Remember DJ Entertainment and David Schwartz of Orion Entertainment for going through this exercise with me!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.djseattle.comwww.orion-ent.com

"Why can't I get the RAW photos?" - It's a question every photographer has gotten at least once and most clients have thought about asking at least once. But why shouldn't photographers give their clients the RAW photos, and why don't clients NEED them in the first place?.I invited Dan Manning of Dan Manning Photography, Jean-Marcus Strole of Jean-Marcus Strole Photography and Jennifer Tai of Jennifer Tai Photo Artistry onto the podcast to give their thoughts on the matter and to share their expertise..www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.danmanningphotography.comwww.jean-marcus.comwww.weddingsbyjenn.com

This episode of the Best Made Weddings® podcast is all about tents!.With the ever-changing weather in the Pacific Northwest, as well as all of the outdoor seating regulations that couples are facing when planning their upcoming weddings, having a suitable covered outdoor area is something that many are considering and researching..A special thanks to Mallory Bailey of CORT Party Rental and Scott Alexander of Alexander Party Rentals for joining me to talk all about tents and the options that you have for your day!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.cortpartyrental.comwww.alexanderpartyrentals.com.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

Today we continue our "I Just Got Engaged, Now What?" series with wedding officiants!.What should you look for in your wedding officiant? How much of your ceremony do you need to have decided before you reach out?? How can you balance having a "spiritual" yet "trendy" wedding ceremony in 2021??? We tackle all these questions and many more!.A big thanks to Chanelle Carlin, Elaine Way and Rev. Ray Van Winkle for joining me to share their thoughts, expertise and time!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.chanellecarlin.comwww.seattleweddingofficiants.comwww.seattlesbestofficiants.com.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

Sometimes it can be difficult being in the "business of weddings" while going through your own personal or professional struggles. Rebecca Grant of New Creations Wedding Design & Coordination and Twin Willow Gardens joins me to talk through her own past of dealing with a divorce, and how she worked through that and came out better on the other side..www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.newcreationsweddings.comwww.twinwillowgardens.com.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

Today we're continuing our series of hiring specific vendors for your weddings with DJs! How should you go about selecting your DJ for your wedding day? What information should you have before inquiring? What questions should you be sure to ask and how should you make sure your potential DJ has all of the equipment they need? We tackle all of this and more!.I want to thank Alan Chitlik (Puget Sound DJ), Greg Lowder (Affairs to Remember DJ Entertainment) and Mari Odette Kanotz (A Amore' Events & Entertainment) for joining me to share their knowledge and expertise!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.djseattle.comwww.seattledj.com

It's time for everybody's favorite topic - contracts and rescheduling!!!.Cindy Savage of Aisle Less Traveled joins me to discuss refunds and rescheduling fees as it relates to the current "new normal" that we are all living in when it comes to wedding planning. We discuss both sides of the situation - why you might want to refund or reschedule and also why your wedding vendor might be refusing to give you a refund - it's a FUN discussion for sure!!!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.aislelesstraveled.comwww.bestmadevideos.com.Link to Cindy's blog - https://www.aislelesstraveled.com/coronavirus-wedding-postponed-canceled-vendors-fees-refunds/

In all honesty, there probably won't be large group dancing at weddings in Washington State through the end of 2021. What does that mean to your wedding? Is it worth getting married if you can't dance at your wedding reception? I had a very frank conversation with three of the smartest DJ's I know about what this means for weddings being planned through the rest of the year..Thank you so much to Alan Chitlik (Puget Sound DJ), Greg Lowder (Affairs to Remember DJ Entertainment) and Shawn Whittemore (Event Team Entertainment) for coming on the podcast to share their thoughts and expertise..www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.djseattle.comwww.eventteament.com

One of the first and most important wedding vendors people hire for their weddings is their photographer, but where do you even start? We can all agree that doing generic posts on online groups might yield mixed results, so where should you go and what questions should you ask?.A special thanks to Aspen Jeannè (Aspen Jeannè Photography), Chelsea Abril (Chelsea Abril Photography), and Jamie Buckley (Jamie Buckley Photography) for joining me to help answer the question - "I just got engaged, now what?" when it comes to finding a photographer..www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.aspenjeanne.comwww.chelseaabril.comwww.jamiebuckleyphotography.com

With "micro weddings" and intimate elopements on the rise, the need for breathtaking floral arrangements either for your ceremony or for your bouquet/boutonnière is more important than ever before. With a smaller guest count, you might even have more money in your budget to make that happen..I want to thank Gina Thresher (From The Ground Up Floral) and Rebecca Raymond (Rebecca Raymond Floral) for joining me to discuss new 2021 floral trends you can use to elevate your wedding ceremony/celebration and how to make the most of your budget when it comes to hiring a florist..www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.fromthegroundupfloral.comwww.rebeccaraymondfloral.com

How are you feeling about getting married in 2021? This is a follow-up discussion to our last episode where we sat down with wedding vendors to get their thoughts, feelings, and potential optimism for a 2021 wedding season. This time, we talk to COUPLES to get their thoughts!.Whether you are recently engaged or have been planning your wedding for some time now, this is a great check-in to see how other couples are feeling and navigating through these unprecedented waters. Thanks again to Claire, Mike, Holly, Joe, Jocelyn, Dan, Mercedes and Bradon for joining me!!.Link to the vendor discussion episode - https://youtu.be/HLgbQWN-_7U.Link to the Article - https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/vaccine-news-fuels-return-lavish-weddings-couples-hope-say-i-n1243385.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

Last week NBC News ran an article talking about the potential for a more "normal" 2021 wedding season with the impending rollout of the vaccine. This spurred much discussion in the wedding vendor groups, some with optimistic thoughts while others remaining pessimistic. We gathered a great group to share their thoughts and to hopefully add to the discussion of what the 2021 wedding season with look like with a vaccine on the horizon..Many thanks to Alan Chitlik (Puget Sound DJ), Holly Shanelle (a bride and realtor), Loren Callahan (Alante Photography), Rebecca Grant (New Creations Weddings and Twin Willow Gardens), and Shawn Whittemore (Event Team Entertainment) for taking the time to join me for this discussion..Link to the Article - https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/vaccine-news-fuels-return-lavish-weddings-couples-hope-say-i-n1243385.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.hollyshanelle.johnlscott.comwww.alantephotography.comwww.newcreationsweddings.comwww.twinwillowgardens.comwww.eventteament.com.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

Today on the Best Made Weddings® podcast, it's a takeover!! Alan Chitlik (Puget Sound DJ) interviews Lori Losee (Elegant Affairs) and Reid Johnson (Best Made Videos®) about everyone's favorite topic, BLOGGING!!!.They talk about Do's and Don'ts, tips for getting the most out of your blogs and what to do if you just don't have the ENERGY to blog anymore...wah! wah! Thanks again Alan for stepping in as host and I will graciously take back my podcast next week....www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.elegantaffairswa.comwww.bestmadevideos.com

Weddings toasts are an integral part of any wedding celebration. They are a chance for those closest to you to share a funny story about how you met and why you two are perfect for each other...BUT they can also drag on, take too long and draw attention away from an otherwise cheerful celebration..I gathered three of the smartest people I know, Alan Chitlik (Puget Sound DJ), Greg Lowder (Affairs to Remember DJ Entertainment) and Irene Jones (IJ Photo) to talk through some wedding toast DO's, and maybe more importantly some wedding toast DON'Ts....www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.djseattle.comwww.ijphoto.net.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

With all the constant changes in rules and regulations in the event industry (especially those that just went in place today) it's always good to have a clear and consistent safety policy as it pertains to your upcoming wedding day. Making sure everyone is on the same page including your friends, family and wedding vendors will ensure you have the most successful wedding possible..Elisabeth Kramer is a wedding planner out of Portland, and joined me to talk all things pertaining to the current challenges in having weddings to go through some things you should be talking about and thinking about if you're still planning on getting married in 2020 and most likely 2021..*This episode was recorded on 11-9-2020.Link to her policy - www.elisabethkramer.com/unwed/covid-19-wedding-policy-templateAltared event link - www.altaredpdx.comCindy Savage's article about not giving/asking for refunds - www.aislelesstraveled.com/covid-weddings-contracts-rescheduling .www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.elisabethkramer.com

In part 1 of a likely multi-part series, we set out to create the "perfect" wedding timeline. When should you schedule your ceremony (depending on what time of year/day of the week you get married)? How long do people actually dance for at a wedding reception? Should I do a first look and WHY should you almost always do a first look? We tackle all of these questions and many, MANY more!!!.I want to thank Alan Chitlik (Puget Sound DJ), Irene Jones (IJ Photo) and Rebecca Grant (New Creations Wedding Design and Coordination) for sharing their time and expertise on the podcast!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.ijphoto.netwww.newcreationsweddings.com

Although the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to work and live, there is definitely a "wedding season" that exists somewhere between May and October. With all of the postponements and reschedulings that have been happening in 2020, there is a very real possibility that you might have to choose a new off-season or off-peak date to hold your wedding, and that date might fall outside of the traditional summer weddings months..I want to thank Callie Holcomb (a wedding planner with Holcomb Weddings & Events), Kellie Blair (a wedding venue manager with Historic 1625 Tacoma Place), and Rebecca Phillips (a wedding photographer with Rebecca Jane Photography) for joining me to give some tips and tricks that you should keep in mind if you are planning a wedding celebration outside of the traditional summer wedding season..www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.holcombweddings.comwww.historic1625tacomaplace.comwww.rebeccajanephotography.net.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!

The year 2020 has caused tremendous amounts of stress, anger and disappointment for EVERYONE, including those planning a wedding. But how do we handle that sadness? How do we plan for a wedding when we don't know what the future will hold?.These are all challenging questions and I don't know if we answered ANY of them, but I would like to thank Alan Chitlik of Puget Sound DJ, Annemarie Juhlian a wedding officiant, and Jenny GG of Jenny GG photography for joining me to talk through some of these questions!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.marriedbyannemarie.comwww.jennygg.com

Sometimes when you feel like you have all the time in the world to do something, it feels like you have no time at all; and being stuck at home makes it hard to stay motivated on doing the proper self-improvement on your business that you should be doing. As we wind down this "2020 wedding season" you might be wondering what are some things you can do to improve your business heading into 2021 and beyond..I want to thank Kelsey Knutson, a wedding vendor in her own right as well as a business coach, for stopping by to give us 5 key ideas to work on (as well as bonus content) to make the most of our time at home during the upcoming potentially "slower" months! Even if you don't own your own business, I think there's some valuable content here for everyone!!.www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.kelseymarieknutson.com

A common (and difficult) decision many couples have had to make over the last few months is to get married now, and then postpone their wedding reception to 2021 or beyond. But what does that "delayed" wedding reception look like for the couple AND for the guests? How can you recapture the emotions you felt on your wedding day with a reception that's over a year away??.I want to thank Alan Chitlik of Puget Sound DJ, Chanelle Carlin a wedding officiant, and Sara Haverstraw of It's Your Day Events for sitting down with me to brainstorm some ideas that couples can begin thinking about NOW, for when it comes time to truly celebrate their wedding day LATER. We're going to make the best of things and "save the 2021 wedding!".www.bestmadevideos.com/podcasts.www.pugetsounddj.comwww.chanellecarlin.comwww.itsyourdayevents.com.Please be sure to review and subscribe to the podcast! We have some quick and easy links set up at www.bestmadevideos.com/subscribe.Thanks for all of your love and support as we begin on this fun new adventure!!!.If you have a topic for an upcoming episode you would like us to discuss, please head over to www.bestmadevideos.com/survey to get started!