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We're fresh off the Jack and Jill party. No, not one of those co-ed showers. A whole different shebang with baked ziti, raffle prizes, and (in our case) a dance party that ends with rhythmic gymnastics. We also talk other upcoming pre-wedding shenanigans including showers and bachelor/ette parties. Nigel, of course, makes several guest appearances.

After a long (and what we thought might have been permanent but turns out to only have been temporary) hiatus, we're back! So much to catch up on, including the plot of Equilibrium, Luke's tuxedo preferences, and Megan's DIY project successes. Don't miss it.

Megan and Luke did some in-person shopping for their online registry and picked out knives like it was picking out a wand in Harry Potter. No joke. Also, Megan made 11 pounds of quince paste (it's quince season!) in preparation for their wedding cheese dessert course. Yes, it's over 9 months in advance but that much sugar will preserve anything.

We're agenda-less today and just talking about whatever. Topics wander from an awesome wedding Megan and Luke recently attended, weird craft projects, a small detour where Megan raps all of Hamilton, Taylor Swift's 1989 tour, Westworld, and the privatization of sex. Guys, we were all over the place. I hope you join us on this journey.

Megan and Luke are self-DJing their wedding. Is this a good idea? Probably not... Do they know anything about speakers, electronics, sound boards and the like? No, they do not. Luke schools Megan on what they need to know regarding all aspects of self-DJing and discourages listeners from following in their footsteps... Also, please rate and review the podcast on iTunes! First person to do so will get a shiny gold star and a shout out on the next one we record!

Fivethirtyeight.com is well revered for their statistical analysis of political races, sports, and burrito brackets. But can they tell you whether not giving everyone a plus one is considered okay? What about how much you should expect to spend on a gift for your sister's wedding? Who should be expected to pay for your wedding? Honestly, we can't say that these articles provided much insight on any of the above.. but they sure did try!   Discussed in the podcast: scoutmob.com thesweethome.com groupcarpool.com "Ultimate Guide to How Much to Spend on Wedding Gifts": http://goo.gl/hzL20x "The Ultimate Guide to Weddings: Who Should Pay? And What About Plus Ones?": http://goo.gl/dOa4h8 "The Signal and the Noise" by Nate Silver http://goo.gl/fnxznY

A whole smorgasbord of stuff to discuss today. Megan and Luke get fresh when talking about an unbelievable post on the r/weddingplanning and the importance of communication. Luke gives us an update on his personal growth as he dealt with a scheduling snafu for the wedding tasting. And we finish up with a critique of Catalyst Magazine  - a "wedding space distruptor" to the bridal magazine industry. Discussed in the podcast: www.catalystwedco.com

How does one ask for gifts while being specific yet not gift grabby but comprehensive but not tacky? Registries are freakin' landmines people. What's okay to register for? How do you tell people about your registry? Is it okay to ask for cash? How much is too much for a gift?  So many questions and probably not enough answers. 

This extra special episode was recorded back in June while Megan and Luke were on vacation with Megan's family. Joining them today is Megan's sister, Kate, who is a graphic designer who is handling all of their design work for the wedding... She gives us the skinny on what it's like to design for friends and family (hint: hard), how to communicate your vision, and what's important to remember when you're working with a professional...  If you're interested in Kate's work, check out her website: Katelynmsullivan.com

Luke is cranky and Megan is having none of it. They mainly discuss changing last names, but also several in-session farts (farts have been edited to protect the innocent).

Megan and Luke, part of the #YOLO generation, take the Marriage Project at UVA to task with their study and findings on pre-marital indicators of marital quality. Is there really a link between your relationships before your spouse, the way you make choices together, and the size of your wedding and how happy you are in your marriage?? Findings are mixed. Listen to find out.  Discussed in the podcast: www.before-i-do.org

How does the WIC weasel its way into our brains anyway? Well, if you're like Megan and Luke, the easiest way is probably reality TV. Today we discuss Say Yes to the Dress, Four Weddings, and The Bachelor/ette.

Megan and Luke get fired up talking about some recently published articles about weddings and marriage. Also, premarital boot camp should be a thing. Discussed in the podcast: "Happy Bride: How I dumped the wedding industry" http://bit.ly/1PBjNNQ "Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person" http://nyti.ms/1NWktSK "Before 'I Do' - What Do Premarital Experiences Have to Do with Marital Quality Among Today's Young Adults?" http://before-i-do.org/

Luke and Megan have some strong feelings about DIY projects for your wedding and the rabbit hole of sadness and self-hatred Pinterest can bring out in you. Moral of the story: Don't make your wedding a museum. 

Venues are usually the biggest expense... and the biggest pain in the a**. Figuring out where and finding the resources to help you determine the actual cost and what is actually included makes Megan and Luke just want to give up. But there is light at the end of the tunnel! You will find a place and then you will move on to more fun parts! We promise! Discussed in the podcast: http://www.womangettingmarried.com/http://www.wedding-spot.com/

How do you find a good photographer? How are springtime allergies affecting Luke and Megan? What kind of pictures are "editorial" and do I want them? Should I get engagement photos? What do I do if I fall in love with photos from a particular photographer but she is out of my price range? We will answer these questions. And more.  Discussed in the episode:  Weddingwire.com Theknot.com greenweddingshoes.com apracticalwedding.com somethingturquoise.com A Practical Wedding Planner: http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Wedding-Planner-Step-Step/dp/0738218421

Megan and Luke invite Dan and Jana to join on today's episode. Dan and Jana are also engaged and also getting married in over 18 months! They dish about sending out invitations to their b-list, using math to quell anxiety, finding backup wedding photographers, Engagement Photos As Performance, and Jana's wedding dress. Discussed in the episode: Bad Engagement Photos: badengagementphotos.tumblr.com/ Megan tried on her mother's 80's wedding dress: https://goo.gl/Yxh9Cm

The hardest and first thing you gotta do when planning a wedding is talking about money. With each other, with your families... it's hard all around. What is worth spending money on? How much does everything cost? Do I need ALL THE THINGS? So many questions. Hopefully Megan and Luke have some answers for you. Discussed in the episode: The perfect wedding: http://greenweddingshoes.com/tuscan-inspired-wedding-at-sunstone-winery-heather-cheyne/

Megan and Luke spread the gospel of Jack and Jill parties!! What is a Jack and Jill party, you ask? Why, only the most brilliant and fun way to celebrate with your community and help pay for your wedding!! They also discuss different types of showers and bachelor/ bachelorette parties and try to figure out what engagement parties are all about... Like the show? Please leave us a rating/review in iTunes or your preferred podcast app!

It's a two-parter, friends! Part 1 goes into the nitty gritty of choosing the people in your wedding party/ bridal party/ squad/ team. Who to pick? How many? Do they have to be even numbers? Megan and Luke also delve into wedding party fashion. Stick around for next week's part two where they discuss the pre-wedding events that your squad might be involved in. PS. Thanks for sticking with us while we get our sound issues worked out! We're bringing you some episodes in the near future that should sound a lot clearer! :)