Weddings For Real

Our guest today is an absolute legend in the wedding industry, the one and only Lynn Easton. Her resume alone will blow you away- she’s the owner of Easton Events where she produces 8 ultra-luxury events per year, plus she co-owns several properties including Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards in Charlottesville VA and Zero George Street boutique hotel in Charleston SC.   Lynn has some hot takes on what wedding pros need to do - not just to make it, but to be the best in your market while avoiding burnout.    Lynn's 25 years of industry secrets in one course --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open. Weddings for Real on Social Media: Instagram: @weddingsforreal Facebook: @weddingsforreal twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

It's time to talk about content strategy, which I know can feel super overwhelming. You feel the pressure to create content and show up basically everywhere…. instagram, TikTok, Facebook, podcasts, blog posts, newsletters, and other places we're not even aware of. How do you do all of that? And then, what about all the AI resources like Chat GPT that can be helpful but a little scary - how do we leverage those to maximize the impact of our content? Let's find out from today's guest, Davey Jones (Davey and Krista, Till Agency, Brands That Book Podcast).   Episodes Referenced Megan on the Brands That Book Podcast --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open. Weddings for Real on Social Media: Instagram: @weddingsforreal Facebook: @weddingsforreal twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault,

If you’ve been in the wedding industry for really any length of time, you’ve probably had a nightmare client or two who sucked the life out of you and left you questioning whether or not you want to be in this crazy industry. I get it, I too have been there and have the t-shirt, the gray hairs, the extra wrinkles and the negative review to show for it.  In our industry, we have a ton of pressure to deliver an exceptional experience for each and every client and we sometimes find ourselves working with clients that have unrealistic expectations when it comes to budget, communication, work output, and more.     But if you’re coming across those soul-sucking clients too often, it might be time to ask yourself, “Is it them? Or is it me?”  Maybe it’s time to make some changes in your business to avoid those calamities.   Now if it’s truly them, the next questions become, “How do I know when it’s time to fire “THAT” client?  And how would I do it?"  The Planner's Vault's Gina Johnston and I have done it before - tu

It's Terrica. It's wedding industry hot takes part 2. No need to say more. Part 1 Terrica's $9/mo Wedding Pro Workshop --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open. Weddings for Real on Social Media: Instagram: @weddingsforreal Facebook: @weddingsforreal twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

It's Terrica. It's wedding industry hot takes. No need to say more. --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open. Weddings for Real on Social Media: Instagram: @weddingsforreal Facebook: @weddingsforreal twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

Today we bring back Jason Gillikin, my partner of 13 years and fellow entrepreneur. Life gets pretty hectic when you're growing businesses, raising kids, and trying to stay connected to each other. So what are some speed bumps we've faced and lessons learned along the way? Episodes Mentioned: 82 and 83 with couples' therapist Christian Charette Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open. Weddings for Real on Social Media: Instagram: @weddingsforreal Facebook: @weddingsforreal twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

How can we guide our potential clients to take that next step?  Maybe they see our instagram post or TikTok or our website, or maybe even an ad on TheKnot. And when they do, how can we take them from seeing copy we’ve put out there, and then jump to the next level?     Today's guest, Lucy Bedewi, has some copy writing tips for us. My Write Hand Woman | Find Your Brand Voice Quiz   This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so i

One of the most challenging questions I get asked  in my coaching conversations is, “When do I know when it’s time to add to my team?”     If you’re hiring a team member, how do you know what position do you hire for? And is it even possible to hire someone to sell for you? And even when you have all the information and you’re ready to make a move, how do you find the right person?   It’s not an easy decision to make but let’s help you figure out your next steps in todays episode with Sales Uprising's Kelly Ann Peck. Sales Uprising | Instagram This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Ex

If I was on stage at Wedding MBA in front of hundreds of your peers, and I chose your website to display on the big screen, how would you feel?  Would you be proud?  Would you feel like your website images, design, and copy fits your brand?  Or would you feel at least a little dread and shame because you know it’s time for a brand refresh?   Branding isn’t easy, but as you evolve as a business owner, so too does your brand. So today, we’re talking about a four step strategy for having a brand that books. Carry Love Designs | Take the Quiz This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experien

Today we're celebrating five years of the podcast (!), so it's time for a fun and reflective episode on five truthbombs every business owner needs to hear. Episodes Mentioned: 120: The 4 People You Need in Your Circle of Trust 202: Navigating Education Overwhelm for Wedding Pros This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul. The doors are current

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new.  Today we feature Neillie Butler, owner and executive planner of Mariee Ami, an event production company that brings multi-day celebrations to life, no matter the destination, scale, or complexity. For previous Unravelings: 156 157 with Adrianna McDermott 161 with Aleya Harris 177 with Sara Margulis 184 with Andrea Eppollito 188 with Ashlyn Carter 191 with Kristen Mullins aka "The Pie Lady" 193 with Rachel DeAlto 197 with Sandra Cassios 208 with Brian Green This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have buil

The Planner's Vault doors are open! Come join us! ---- Recently I was a guest on The Women’s Social Club Podcast, a women supporting women community and membership with 15 locations including New York City, Chicago, and Washington DC.  Some of you have heard my journey before, but one thing I noticed when listening to this episode is that I have the tendency to keep myself small, and I consider this one of my biggest challenges I’ll continue to tackle day by day - but it’s those voices of support in my life that push me to reach my potential.    Now I have the opportunity and privilege to be the support system and cheerleader for so many in our community - and I don’t take that for granted. I believe that there are far too many amazing entrepreneurs out there who show up, serve so many, make a difference, and yet they continue to play it small. I hope this interview inspires you to stop getting in your own way. Great success is waiting on the other side.   --- "I used to call my business my baby - it was my

When analyzing your own website, you want to ask yourself: Does it pass the caveman test where the user knows in 5 seconds what you do, how it will make their life better, and how they can take the next step?  Are the images attractive, interesting, and a reflection of my brand?  When the prospect reads the copy, does it give them all the feels? Or is it essentially the same content that they've read from every other vendor? That copy part is a huge challenge, and today we're learning from Can Do Content's Nadine Nethery on how to create stand-out copy without being too braggy. -------- Resources Mentioned: Over-the-Shoulder Tutorial: https://candocontent.com/audience The Audience Success Formula: https://candocontent.com/audience-success-formula -------- This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to

On episode 211, we interviewed couples to find out what they REALLY are looking for in the vendor vetting process. And one common theme we heard is that couples are looking for reviews - in The Knot, on Google, on Wedding Wire, in social media, everywhere. So reviews need to be a major initiative for all wedding pros.  But how do we get our clients to write reviews? Let's find out from our guest today - Desiree Dent, wedding planner at Dejanae Events in Chicago. -------- Episodes Referenced: 62: How to Respond to Negative Online Reviews 211: Live Interviews: Inside the (Buying) Mind of Engaged Couples This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the

I say this with love... -------- Episodes Referenced: 168: How to get on a wedding venue's preferred list, with Shannon Tarrant 175: 9 tips for being a better wedding pro during busy season (Megan Gillikin solo) This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul. The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be t

Today we’re talking about Engage, the luxury wedding business summit that happens twice a year in breathtaking locations around the globe.  I’ve been a couple times, and they are definitely an experience like no other.  The swag and gifting experience by itself are stellar and the over-the-top wow factor of each meal, each breakout, and each painstaking design detail are unmatched.     I’ve always wondered how it all comes together. How do you put on event that wows people who put on ultra-luxury events for a living? Let's find out from Tara Fay, Dublin-based wedding planner who has led the vision for two recent Engage Summits.   This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I

What happens when couples inquire (we get the inquiries!), but we’re not booking as many weddings as we want?  Or what if couples are only wanting to book our smallest packages?    Today we're talking to Ideaction Consulting's Sam Jacobson, who gives us 4 reasons our inquiries are NOT converting into clients. Free Workshop with Megan and Sam: Why Couples Don’t Book Full Planning (And what to do about it!) Episodes Referenced: 133: Selling Styles for Wedding Pros, with Ideaction’s Sam Jacobson 73: Relator, Analyzer, Boss, and Dreamer: How to Sell To and Work With the 4 Types of Wedding Clients, with Ideaction's Sam Jacobson 115: Tips for Improving Your Wedding Consultations, with Sam Jacobson 211: Live Interviews: Inside the (Buying) Mind of Engaged Couples Sam's Podcast, Own Your Business This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are g

A couple weeks ago, we went to The Merrimon Wynne Winter Wedding Showcase. The Merrimon Wynne is a historic home in downtown Raleigh that’s been converted into a gorgeous wedding venue. Inside the house and in the carriage house outside, engaged couples were walking around looking for the right wedding vendors for their big day.  And if they looked like they might be willing to answer some questions about their wedding vendor search, we asked them to come on the show. We asked them questions like:  Where are you finding your vendors? What's a turnoff when looking for vendors? How important is social media when researching a vendor? Do you read reviews and how much do they matter  Does TikTok matter? What’s been a surprise in the wedding planning process? Do you need to see pricing on the website? (This one was super interesting) And, anything you want wedding vendors to know? So let's tune in to find out what couples really want! Episodes referenced: 168. How to get on a wedding venue's preferred list, wi

As much as we all love the events industry, one major challenge is that we’re service based. We need to physically be doing something to make money. Planning the wedding, DJ’ing the bat mitzvah, taking the headshots. And when every event is over, we need to keep moving on to the next one. In the service industry, there’s no real way to make money while you sleep. Or is there? Today's guest is Kawania Wooten, owner of Howerton + Wooten Events and founder of The Enlightened Creative.   This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault (TikTok @plannersvault maybe?), my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission

TikTok is a platform I have not invested my time in outside creating my profile because it’s yet another app that I feel like I have to check, and to be honest, TikTok just feels like one more thing I have to do.   But I keep hearing about how great it is - from other educators that I love and respect, from wedding pros, and from my hair person… obviously - and not just for funny videos or going down weird rabbit holes. There are recipes, packing hacks, how to videos galore, and so much more - so they tell me.   But more importantly, because there are many people like me who are a little intimidated by TikTok, right now it’s an untapped market for ads. So let's find out all about TikTok ads from Mark Chapman, President of the I Do Society. This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault (TikTok @plannersvault maybe?), my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics