podcast

The wedding market can feel tough, friends, so today I’m talking about how we keep moving forward when business changes. I’m sharing my perspective on event volume, referrals, and why staying connected to past clients and vendor partners matters. We’ll also talk about building a pipeline beyond social media, keeping your message consistent, and delivering what you promise. I reflect on the post-COVID boom, competition, and the work it takes to reach people in a changing market. There isn’t one easy answer, but I hope this gives you a place to start.

There are so many meaningful ways to bring the people you love into your wedding day, friends. In this episode, I’m sharing ideas for honoring loved ones who have passed and including those who can’t attend. We’ll talk about heirlooms, memory walls, family recipes, signature drinks, and small details that carry a story without needing a big announcement. I’ll also share why recording a ceremony can be such a gift for family members watching from afar. These gestures can be as personal and quiet as you want them to be.

AI is changing the way we work, friends, and today I’m sharing how I’m using it in wedding planning—and where I think we still need to be careful. From creating a quick visual mock-up for a client to checking information about venues and costs, the tool can help, but it doesn’t replace expertise or verification. I’m also giving you a peek at a budget tool we’re developing using real event data, so couples can begin exploring categories and costs. The technology is evolving quickly, and I’m excited to see where it takes us.

Child-free weddings, plus-ones, speeches, who pays—friends, these questions can get complicated fast. In this episode, I’m sharing how I approach the etiquette conversations that come up again and again in wedding planning. We’ll talk about making thoughtful guest-list decisions, choosing where speeches belong, getting clear about financial contributions, and navigating tricky family dynamics with care. My biggest advice is to have the hard conversations early and put the details on paper. There isn’t one perfect answer for every family, but bringing the right people together can make the way forward much clearer.

Where in the world should you get married? Friends, that question is about much more than a beautiful venue. In this episode, I’m sharing how we research destinations and what planning across countries and U.S. regions has taught me about communication, expectations, and trust. We’re talking about working with local partners, understanding different approaches to the planning process, and finding a place that fits the way you and your family like to make decisions. The goal is a gorgeous wedding, of course, but I also want you to enjoy the journey getting there.

Corporate events are the four-letter word nobody in weddings seems to want to talk about, so let’s talk about it! In this little snack of an episode, I’m sharing why corporate work has always felt like a natural extension of what we do at Julian Leaver Events. We’ll get into the storytelling that connects corporate and social events, why I see corporate projects as a creative incubator, and how different brands make room for both. There’s also a little tease about some fun news we have coming. Friends, it’s time to stop hiding this part of our work.