65: Ten Wedding Planning Mistakes to Avoid (and What to Do Instead) with Elizabeth Owens

Planning a wedding is one of the most meaningful (and expensive) decisions a couple will make. Yet many families approach wedding planning without the guidance they need to avoid unnecessary stress, wasted money, and regret. In this episode, Keith and Doug interview wedding planner Elizabeth Owens to break down 10 essential wedding planning do’s and don’ts every couple should consider before the big day.

Drawing from real-world experience with couples, Elizabeth discusses what actually matters versus what simply adds cost without adding value. From guest lists and vendors to timing, food choices, and flow of the day, this conversation helps couples make confident, informed decisions that align with both their values and their finances.

You’ll learn why:

→ Smaller, intentional guest lists often lead to better experiences
→ The right vendors, especially DJs and coordinators, can make or break the day
→ Trends like first looks, private last dances, and late-night snacks are growing in popularity
→ Overspending on décor rarely delivers lasting impact
→ Preparation leads directly to peace on your wedding day

Whether you’re newly engaged or helping a child plan their wedding, this episode offers practical wedding planning advice designed for families who care about long-term financial health, not just one event.

If you want guidance that goes beyond the wedding day and supports your broader financial life, we’d love to help.

🔗 Work with us at https://www.gimbalfinancial.com
🔗 Work with Elizabeth at https://www.savethedaysisters.com

What is Up Your Average?

Up Your Average is the “no nonsense” podcast made for interesting people who think differently. Learn to navigate your life with unconventional wisdom by tuning in to Keith Tyner and Doug Shrieve every week.

Elizabeth: 00:00

Just get married. You don't have to be engaged for a year. Just get married quickly. Whenever you find the venue, I feel like you don't change your mind as much. Everything can be done in that amount of time.

Elizabeth: 00:11

And I feel like sometimes we make it a bigger it is a big deal to get married, but I feel like we sometimes add more hoops than we need to.

Caleb: 00:19

Welcome to the Up Your Average podcast, where Keith and Doug give no nonsense advice to level up your life. So buckle up and listen closely to Up Your Average.

Doug: 00:39

Doug, good morning. Good morning. You know, Keith, this is our sixty fifth Up Your Average podcast. Thanks to Gabe Green for making me aware of that today. How about that?

Keith: 00:52

The 2026 will be my sixty fifth year on the planet. So that's there's a

Doug: 00:58

lot of good 60 Yeah,

Elizabeth: 00:59

going on

Doug: 01:00

love it. Love it. Hey, we've got our good friend Elizabeth Owens here today. And I say our good friend because I've known Elizabeth since what? I think LJ was

Elizabeth: 01:13

Before maybe, kindergarten.

Doug: 01:16

Five years old.

Elizabeth: 01:17

Yeah. Pretty crazy. Pretty crazy.

Doug: 01:19

And Elizabeth is an entrepreneur. And I love people who are creating stuff and changing the world, making it a better place. And Elizabeth is a wedding coordinator, wedding planner. What are you people called?

Elizabeth: 01:35

Do both, but coordinator.

Keith: 01:36

Tell me the difference between a wedding coordinator and a wedding planner.

Elizabeth: 01:40

The wedding planner is more like a part of the whole process from the beginning. Like, I'll call your vendors. I'll book everything.

Keith: 01:47

So I say, Connie, will you marry me, and then we turn it over to you?

Doug: 01:52

Yes. Okay.

Elizabeth: 01:53

But I feel like a lot of brides and grooms, especially brides these days, like to be in charge of everything. And then the coordinator aspect is I just take it. I'm their hands and feet that day.

Keith: 02:05

So that when we get to the venue the day of, then

Elizabeth: 02:07

Then you don't have to worry about anything. Yep. And we meet a couple times along the way just so I can get to know the couple and but then kind of capture their vision of what they're going for, and then we take it over the day of.

Keith: 02:18

Now I've heard horror stories where wedding coordinators don't show up or things And like

Elizabeth: 02:23

that's how our business started. Okay. It starts to happen. Yeah.

Keith: 02:28

Yeah. I can't even imagine. Like, as the father of the bride, these things don't faze me, but I watched the other side like the wife and

Doug: 02:35

Right.

Keith: 02:35

Yeah. And the daughters, they go crazy.

Doug: 02:37

Yes. Tell us about that, Elizabeth, how your business got started.

Elizabeth: 02:41

Yes. So my sister and I, our business is Save the Day Sisters. Our business started when we had a we were planning our brother's and sister in law's wedding. And she went to lunch with a friend randomly from preschool, and her wedding coordinator, wedding planner canceled on her the week of her wedding. So we heard about this on a Thursday.

Elizabeth: 03:04

Their wedding was a Saturday. The venue, White Willow, that

Doug: 03:07

they were getting married at requires you to have

Elizabeth: 03:08

a coordinator. So we stepped in. We met with them Friday. We showed up on Saturday and did it. And everyone at the venue was saying, you guys should do this professionally.

Elizabeth: 03:18

The family was saying, you're literally saving the day. Kept saying saving the day. And that's where our name came from of Save the Day Sisters. So

Doug: 03:25

I love it. Yes. That is so cool. And so, peppered Elizabeth with like paragraphs upon paragraphs of questions. And thankfully, she said, Let's not do that.

Doug: 03:37

Let's do my top 10 list instead. And so, we've got Elizabeth's top 10 here.

Elizabeth: 03:45

Top 10 things I've You

Doug: 03:47

want to start at ten and work down?

Elizabeth: 03:49

We can. Yeah.

Doug: 03:51

I mean, I think that's a good way to And number 10, never feel bad about ending early. Yes.

Elizabeth: 03:58

Sarah helped me come up with that one.

Doug: 04:00

Okay.

Elizabeth: 04:01

It's your day. It's a long day. I always tell people it's such an exciting day. The venue, especially that we work at, you can get at nine in the morning, and then you have to end. Music has to stop at 11PM.

Elizabeth: 04:13

So it can be a long day, and it's an emotional day. It's a lot of emotion for everyone involved. Yeah. And so I feel like a lot of times our brides and grooms are tired early, but just wanna hold out because they paid until eleven. Okay.

Elizabeth: 04:28

But your vendors appreciate going home a little bit early as well. But they I feel like if you wanna end early, nobody you don't have to wait until eleven.

Doug: 04:38

Yeah. So most couples, you have one extrovert, one introvert.

Elizabeth: 04:41

Usually. Yes.

Doug: 04:42

So so the introvert might wanna land the plane. Okay. That's good.

Elizabeth: 04:46

And lots of people see just, like, just the bride and the bridesmaids where it's like, just read the room. Yeah. No matter even at your wedding and if people are leaving.

Keith: 04:55

Who are the last people there anyway?

Elizabeth: 04:57

Usually, the bridal party.

Doug: 05:00

Okay. But

Elizabeth: 05:01

I mean, the cleanup and everything, and that's part of what we do. We clean up everything. So we are technically the last people there. But family wise, I feel like it's usually a couple of the bridal party that are

Keith: 05:13

So who would who would would say because it would seem like the bride and groom would be kinda disconnected from what's really going on. Who would say, let's bring this ship home?

Elizabeth: 05:24

Usually, and that's if you have a coordinator or your DJ.

Keith: 05:27

Okay.

Elizabeth: 05:28

We have those moments of, like, let's just make touchpoint. Like, if you're planning on doing your send off at 10:45, if the especially if you wanna send off and you want that moment, we have check-in points of we're reading the room for you. Oh, okay. Checking in. Yeah.

Doug: 05:43

To make

Elizabeth: 05:44

sure. A

Doug: 05:44

good DJ. What's the line?

Elizabeth: 05:46

A good DJ. I don't know what they're like.

Doug: 05:48

Yeah. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here Yeah. Or something like Alright. Number nine, Elizabeth. Invite who you want.

Elizabeth: 05:55

Yes.

Doug: 05:56

Why is that important?

Elizabeth: 05:57

Invite who you want. Because I feel like a lot of times couples, especially that's when the family has opinions as well of who they want invited. But if you can keep your numbers smaller, it's gonna be less expensive. And I just invite I feel like a lot of times people put pressure on themselves. Like, we have to have kids there.

Elizabeth: 06:14

Kids definitely. And I love kids. I was a teacher elementary for ten years. But kids definitely change the atmosphere of a wedding on all parts for the venue, for the guests, and everything. So just keep it smaller and invite who you want.

Elizabeth: 06:29

Like, don't feel that pressure of like, well, aunt Susie that I see every other Christmas. If you guys don't want aunt Susie there, don't have aunt Susie.

Doug: 06:37

And the streams have four kids, so don't invite the four kids.

Elizabeth: 06:41

Yes. No.

Keith: 06:43

One of the things I've noticed with the three that we've done so far for our family is nobody ever asked my opinion as the dads. They've never asked me who I

Doug: 06:54

want to invite. So, like, the sound funny because if some of

Keith: 06:59

my friends don't get invited, I'm like, so how about your luck? I don't know. They didn't ask for my opinion. Yeah. They took

Elizabeth: 07:03

the list of somebody. Yeah.

Doug: 07:05

Yeah. I'm like, I Yeah. Had no idea who was invited.

Elizabeth: 07:08

That trend is kind of that's more of, like, an old school, like, oh, well, we need to invite these people for my family. But I feel like people are kind of getting away with that, but I would just encourage people to lean into that.

Doug: 07:20

Yeah. And I was reading a financial adviser magazine, and it said 70% of folks getting married today pay for their own weddings. And so, it would make sense that if you can cut down some of the And Keith reminded us that that's what he did, is they paid for their own weddings. So, it's pretty cool.

Keith: 07:38

Well, one of the things I was thinking about this, Elizabeth, is one of the, I think, the changing dynamics of weddings is the fact of the merging and the elimination of church buildings. So you have mega churches that have absorbed all the local church buildings. And so there were you know, when I got married, there were all kinds of Indians. You could just go in a church building and have a wedding, and they're just not even there anymore.

Doug: 08:05

Yeah. I didn't think about that, but that's true. Alright, Elizabeth. Number eight. First looks.

Doug: 08:12

What's this?

Elizabeth: 08:13

Okay. A first look. A lot of times, couples go back and forth about having a first look or not. First look meaning, am I gonna see you before the aisle? Okay.

Elizabeth: 08:22

More traditional to not see the bride or groom, like, until walking down the aisle. Mhmm. But if you do a first look and are open to that, teach their own. But if you're open to it, it definitely helps the flow of the day. You get more pictures.

Elizabeth: 08:36

And talking to a bunch of photographers, they agree that you get more of a genuine reaction as opposed to, like, the groom being like, well, I need to cry or, like, feeling forced to have a certain reaction when you see each other for the first time. So, I feel like if you do a first look, you can do it earlier in the day. You can have that moment. A lot of couples will do their vows just privately and kind of have that time together. And then I feel like it takes the nerves of, like, the anxiousness of seeing each other.

Doug: 09:04

I never thought of it like that. Like, there's probably some really good first look photographs out there, like a deer in the head. Yes.

Elizabeth: 09:13

Yeah, but that's a good one. I mean, I didn't do a first look. So you don't have to. But

Keith: 09:18

They they do a a dad's first look too.

Elizabeth: 09:20

They do. Yeah. That's a special moment. Yeah.

Doug: 09:22

Yeah. That's kinda my favorite. Yeah.

Elizabeth: 09:25

We've done the dad first split with people sometimes do it with their grandparents, brothers, which is fun. But we've and we've also there's a new fun thing that people are doing that's having, like, tricking the groom of saying you're doing a first look, and then one of the groomsmen will come up in a dress and

Doug: 09:41

I've seen those. Yeah.

Elizabeth: 09:43

That I don't love as much, but speech. Which

Doug: 09:50

we'll have to get into speeches. Yes. You like, you do wanna do that now?

Elizabeth: 09:54

That one is a good one to do right now. Speeches. I love speeches because I feel like you get to know the couple a lot during that time for the most part. But some people really focus on inside jokes, and that is not the time. It's not the time.

Elizabeth: 10:09

I feel like it's fun because that's what your relationship is with them, but you only have a couple minutes to read the room and people definitely disengage if they don't know what's happening. Yeah. So

Keith: 10:21

What do you think about having written speeches versus somebody just going off the cuff?

Elizabeth: 10:25

Definitely write your speech. Definitely. Unless you're, I mean, if that, but I feel like for timing purposes, for yourself emotionally, just have a plan. But I have a planner. I mean, that's what I do.

Keith: 10:40

My own observation is where alcohol leaves us speeches.

Doug: 10:43

Everybody's everybody's going like, please kill that person. This is wrapping up. Goodness. For sure. Okay.

Doug: 10:52

So, first looks, I learned something new there. And then and it's this kinda ties into it. Number seven.

Elizabeth: 10:59

Yeah. Private last chance. It's a new trend.

Doug: 11:01

What is that?

Elizabeth: 11:02

I will tell you. So it's when especially if you wanna send off. And a lot of times, like, the sparkler send off, we don't do them at White Willow, just the liability of the actual barn burning. But we do, like, that send off where everyone that's still there at the last wedding, like, gets into two lines and the bride and groom walk through. But as we're getting people out for that, a new trend is the bride and groom have a private last dance with just the two of them

Doug: 11:27

That's good.

Elizabeth: 11:28

In the venue at the end of the night. Did you do a put on a song? Everybody walks out of the venue, but it's just the two of them in there to kind of wrap up the night and have that moment. And I

Doug: 11:37

feel like don't do a first dance?

Elizabeth: 11:38

They still do a first dance. Okay. In front of everyone. But the last dance is kind of just like at the end of the night, you guys can talk about the day and end up.

Doug: 11:48

Yeah. One last look.

Elizabeth: 11:49

One last time. Yeah.

Doug: 11:50

That's that's pretty close.

Elizabeth: 11:51

It's really neat. Yeah. It's I feel like it definitely because I feel like a lot of times at weddings, you're not even with the bride and groom necessarily because you're talking to other people. I know at my wedding at least that we were separate and talking to different people, and it would have been nice to have that, like, this is the end of our day because we put a lot of work and time and effort Yeah. To just soak up that last moment together.

Keith: 12:14

We did one of those sparkler things at one of my kids' weddings. And as a dad I was holding the sparkler like this, like as far from me as possible

Doug: 12:24

because I've had a bougie suit on.

Keith: 12:26

And I'm like, I don't want a burnt suit.

Elizabeth: 12:29

Yeah. It's pretty sketchy.

Doug: 12:32

There are sparklers all around me.

Keith: 12:33

I'm just like, get away from me.

Elizabeth: 12:35

Yeah. And people with alcohol and fire.

Keith: 12:37

It's never

Elizabeth: 12:37

a good idea. Yeah.

Doug: 12:39

We're we're starting to get into my favorite portion of this time with Elizabeth at number six.

Elizabeth: 12:45

Yeah.

Doug: 12:46

Tell me about late night snacks or where it's at.

Elizabeth: 12:49

Yes. I feel like people get so excited about late night snack. So you have your and a late night snack can be anything. But, like, you have your main course after everything starts. But then around nine, I mean, we've had people bring Chick fil A, breadsticks, nacho bar.

Elizabeth: 13:08

There was one time the whole head table was tacos.

Doug: 13:11

Like Taco Bell.

Elizabeth: 13:12

Taco Bell. Like, yes.

Doug: 13:14

I love that. I would I wish I was at that.

Elizabeth: 13:17

You know? People go crazy. But, I mean, I feel like that's guest's favorite part of the wedding is that and that's what I'm like, and that leads into the next one. If people just want good food at a wedding. So don't worry about the four course meal.

Elizabeth: 13:31

Paper plates are fine. Like, they make such good plastic that looks real, and that's not great for the environment, but it's gonna get thrown away. People just want good food. So city barbecue, we've had brides have pizza in a way. Like, just people want good food.

Elizabeth: 13:47

Okay.

Doug: 13:48

And I would imagine that's where a lot of the cost is in a wedding. Yes.

Elizabeth: 13:52

For sure.

Doug: 13:53

And so you don't have to spend a lot

Elizabeth: 13:54

going here. No. Because people just want good food.

Doug: 13:57

Oh, that's awesome. I know that those are always takeaways, like, for me. Hey. You know, that chicken was really dry. Exactly.

Doug: 14:03

Or you know that city barbecue nailed it. Know, I think you guys had city barbecue at one, right?

Keith: 14:10

We did. Well, was awesome. Yeah, when Connie and I were in your stage of life, where we had all the little kids, we would RSVP'd yes to the wedding, no to the reception because we never had dates. So, we knew back in that day we were going to get camouflaged chicken and seated at the table in somebody we didn't know.

Elizabeth: 14:34

Exactly. And

Doug: 14:35

so we always skipped the reception so we could have a date and go have a real dinner.

Keith: 14:40

Yeah. So having good food and not being as formal Yeah. Seemed like it would make a lot of sense.

Elizabeth: 14:45

It does. It really does. And people just want good food.

Doug: 14:48

It's so funny, Keith, because, like, I love the reception. No. I don't mind. I just don't like camouflage chicken. I love the meeting strangers part.

Doug: 14:58

You have two introverts, Mary. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah. So, so late night snacks, that's that was a new one for me.

Doug: 15:06

A lot of this is new. Yeah. But the late night snacks, that's pretty clever. Yep. And the food the food makes sense with especially every male who's out there.

Doug: 15:16

Number four.

Elizabeth: 15:17

Yeah. The the for number four, I put the night does come to an end. Myself, my sister, and I do this together. And every time so at nine in the morning is when the couple gets there. We start unloading everything.

Elizabeth: 15:28

We set up all the tables. And every time, we're like, it's so sad. This is all getting put away in a couple hours.

Doug: 15:35

Right.

Elizabeth: 15:35

Which is true. I mean, yes, make it as elaborate as you want. But at the end of the night, it's all going back in the box. So just that's something I would redo my own wedding of, like, it doesn't people don't care about the six tea lights on the table. Like, you could have a couple.

Elizabeth: 15:53

But everything is getting packed up anyway. So just keep that in mind of like, don't break the bank trying to fill the table because people honestly, and it's sad, not everyone notices everything on the table. A lot of people, the majority of people aren't noticing what's on the table. And then even for our for what we do, we start suddenly cleaning up as the night goes on. And people really literally have those people will be handing this stuff because they don't want it on the table anyway because they want more room and can see people.

Elizabeth: 16:24

And Oh,

Doug: 16:25

yeah. Yeah. They gotta move the flower thing.

Elizabeth: 16:27

Move flower thing. Something. Yeah. So, like, less. And and I know a lot of people say less is more, but I would definitely lean into that with table to

Doug: 16:37

And so on the cleanup, like, how late have you stayed at a wedding venue?

Elizabeth: 16:41

Oh, we've

Doug: 16:42

gotten at three?

Elizabeth: 16:43

Not yet. Maybe maybe 02:30. I feel like 02:30 has been our latest time getting home.

Keith: 16:50

Now do venues don't don't they charge fees if you stay too late? Like, don't they have to

Doug: 16:55

stay at the

Elizabeth: 16:55

time And you have to be that's what it's what why will it especially requires you to have a coordinator because then we are cleaned up. Like, we have your vehicle loaded usually by eleven when it's time to go home.

Keith: 17:07

Yeah.

Elizabeth: 17:08

Yeah. But they do a lot of venues will charge extra if you're there later.

Doug: 17:12

Yeah. K. Yeah. And then number three, I I really like this one. Choose wisely.

Doug: 17:19

And you and you've had you've had a few things on here.

Elizabeth: 17:21

I did. I said choose wisely. I said your spouse.

Doug: 17:24

I mean, that's the real one.

Elizabeth: 17:26

Fun. That's the real one. Your venue and your vendors.

Doug: 17:30

This is coming from a woman with some experience, which is what I really like. So choose wisely yourself.

Elizabeth: 17:36

Wisely. It's just interesting. I feel like true colors come out in a wedding. And sometimes those two colors can be hidden, but I feel like they're definitely highlighted in a wedding scenario. Yeah.

Elizabeth: 17:49

But I feel like a lot of times, and I know I struggled with this too, people just wanna get married. Like, that's what you do. You get married. But it's definitely worth waiting for the right person. Someone that's yeah.

Elizabeth: 18:02

There's I've just seen a lot of things where especially younger grooms or younger brides that are have an idea in their head and don't always I don't know. But sometimes I just pray for them. Pray for them after the Wednesday.

Keith: 18:15

Good reason to

Doug: 18:16

hire a coordinator right there. They're they're while they're cleaning, they're praying for you.

Keith: 18:20

I think that one of the things that Gimbal would jump in with that Elizabeth is the idea that man, we want more and more marriages in America today. We want happy marriages and and we're in such a decline in that in our culture that whatever whatever we can do to cheer people

Doug: 18:42

on, and I don't

Keith: 18:42

know how you do that. Like, that seems like having a challenge right now for people to even make that matter.

Elizabeth: 18:47

Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I for sure agree.

Doug: 18:49

And I

Elizabeth: 18:49

feel like it's just obviously with Christian values that I have, but I feel like some people don't go into a marriage necessarily with those values, which teach their own. But I feel like it's a lot easier to think. It's just if it doesn't work out, just piece of paper. So

Keith: 19:07

Which seems absurd if you're gonna put that much in a

Doug: 19:09

piece of Well, I know that's start

Keith: 19:11

from saying that you wouldn't think longer than

Doug: 19:13

the wedding. Right? Yeah. Yeah. It's crazy.

Elizabeth: 19:15

Yeah. But

Doug: 19:16

So beyond the spouse, you you mentioned choosing your venue, your vendors.

Elizabeth: 19:22

Yes. So your venue is important just because you want to what you are getting with the venue.

Doug: 19:29

Whether that's your backyard.

Elizabeth: 19:30

Whether it's your backyard, whether it's a barn, whether it whatever the rich child, whatever you're picking, make sure it's accommodating for what you're wanting and then that you're getting your money's worth. So think through all the things that are important to you. But the vendors, and I'm not even trying to, but I would say over coordinator, a good DJ is the most important

Keith: 19:51

thing. Number one.

Elizabeth: 19:52

That's number one. That would be number one.

Doug: 19:54

That that is a good word.

Elizabeth: 19:55

For the actual events. And even my husband DJ Summit, I was talking to him about this, and he was like, don't think a photographer? Obviously, photographer, videographer, if you want to do that for the memory purse purpose. Yeah. But for the actual event, I would say like,

Doug: 20:13

Because they're quarterbacking the whole thing. Yeah. I mean, they're they're

Elizabeth: 20:15

they're what they're if you think about it, they're hosting your event. So if they're awkward, your event's gonna feel awkward. If you if they don't know what's happening, people aren't gonna know what's happening. But if they know if they're on top of it and that's why I get DJ and a coordinator are great because the coordinator can be the hands and feet, and then the DJ are the ones actually making it happen. What have you guessed that?

Doug: 20:39

I mean, it makes sense now.

Keith: 20:41

That's been my experience with our Yeah. Chat is because you can like, as the father of the bride, if I need to shift something myself, if I need to step in, I'll just go talk to

Elizabeth: 20:50

Talk to a DJ.

Keith: 20:51

Yeah. Yeah. You know, one of the other selections, now I don't want to toot my own horn with this, Elizabeth, but is the officiant. It's like and it goes back to the same process, I think, that you've had consolidation of church buildings. The younger generation, my observation, don't really go to a church building on Sunday.

Keith: 21:10

Yes.

Doug: 21:11

And so, don't have anybody to do the Yeah.

Keith: 21:13

And so, I've ended up in that, which has been a really funny thing. And so, even me observing it independent of what you're talking about is the venues that they've chosen have been really interesting. I did one this year at the state or 2025 at the state capital.

Elizabeth: 21:28

Okay.

Keith: 21:29

Yeah. And I was kind of the DJ,

Doug: 21:33

the the coordinator of the whole thing. Yep. One room in the state capital is trying to figure out what are we doing here looking for the bride and the groom and then waving at him and saying like, with the bass drum. Yeah. Cymbals on his Yeah.

Keith: 21:46

Yeah. Because because they young people don't have someone who need to do that. Yeah.

Elizabeth: 21:50

So how does that how does that work out then? For the the officiant?

Doug: 21:55

Yeah. I guess that's more of the maybe a a planner or you're probably not too involved in that.

Elizabeth: 22:00

Well, I feel like sometimes people will be like, we don't have anyone to marry us. Do you have a recommendation? So, like, the venue, the owner, he could do it. He usually, the venue has someone that they would that they could recommend. I mean, my husband, I make him do a lot, but he can do it.

Elizabeth: 22:17

So I feel like just knowing, just having connections. But a lot of people, I feel like more and so are using, like, parents or uncles or friends that are close to them. But it's definitely getting away from that traditional church like a pastor needs to marry. And don't get me wrong, we still have those pastors that come in and want it to be exactly like it is in a church. And that's also has its own challenges as well.

Doug: 22:44

And so on the tradition side, this this one hits home to me, and I I think this is just great. Number two.

Elizabeth: 22:52

Yes. The day of the week, it does not matter. And going into before I started doing weddings, would have said, well, Saturday is the only day you can get married. But leaning into that more, I have found even doing Friday weddings. And when we

Doug: 23:06

first started doing what I'm like, why would you do a Friday wedding?

Elizabeth: 23:08

People have to get off work. And but after doing them, I feel like guests truly appreciate them better because it's something to do after work. They can come after work. They will stay later because it's fun. They've already worked all day.

Elizabeth: 23:24

I feel like Saturday weddings, people more lean to or you're taking up like, people's time is valuable, and I don't have a lot of free weekends, and I don't know. Like, I feel like it more common. And that's what we've talked about too. I'm like, I would hate for someone to be like,

Doug: 23:36

oh, I have to go to this wedding.

Elizabeth: 23:38

But a lot of times, I feel like that's people's posture on Saturday weddings because it's if the ceremony starts at 03:30, I had to get ready, so you're taking up more time. And then Sunday weddings are great too, and but people will leave earlier because they're trying to get to work on Monday. But a lot of venues are even leaning into Wednesday, Thursday, like, week during the week weddings. Yeah.

Doug: 24:00

I love the sound of a Friday wedding. That that just sounds like fun to me.

Elizabeth: 24:04

Yeah. It is. And if you're wanting more of that party feel, I feel like Friday and Saturday are more of the go to. And then Sunday is more of a traditional, like Okay. What we would have had on Aetna after a church service.

Elizabeth: 24:18

And so with these traditions changing, what's

Doug: 24:22

the dress code at a wedding then?

Elizabeth: 24:23

You would be surprised. I feel like it

Doug: 24:26

I didn't ask you that one.

Elizabeth: 24:27

But I feel like a lot of times, I've more so we think, wow. You would wear that. I don't think the dress code is getting farther from a traditional dress code. Unless I feel like some of our brides are putting on the invitation, like black tie, black tie. Like, if it's there was one wedding we did, and she wanted everyone to wear black.

Elizabeth: 24:50

So everyone showed up in black. But I feel like the more traditional, like, we've seen people in jeans. We see people, yeah, in all sorts of things. So I feel like that typical wedding attire is not as common.

Doug: 25:05

I don't think I don't think

Keith: 25:06

people get dressed up or anything

Elizabeth: 25:08

They really don't. Yeah.

Keith: 25:09

Much. Yeah.

Elizabeth: 25:09

Yeah. I would agree with you.

Keith: 25:11

Yeah. I I love the the idea of when you have it. Connie and I are of different opinions. A wedding to me is like, oh, I gotta go. Connie

Elizabeth: 25:21

loves it. Yes.

Keith: 25:23

The idea that, like, as an efficient Mhmm. Like, the idea that I I think they used to pay the efficient $200. I don't know what they pay them now. Yeah. But if I'm the efficient in a wedding on a Saturday, I'm like, oh,

Doug: 25:40

I gotta go to

Keith: 25:40

the rehearsal dinner on Friday.

Doug: 25:42

Yes. It's the holy Yeah.

Keith: 25:43

And I'm like, I don't know what to be there to begin with. No. I mean, I'll help you guys, but but, like, I'm like, it takes a lot of love to give up that whole weekend like that. Yeah.

Elizabeth: 25:51

I agree. And that's another thing is White Willow. We the venue that I'm mainly at, they don't re they don't have rehearsal time because there usually is a wedding before like, the day before. And so a lot of times, we will just do a day of rehearsal, which I feel like as a bride would have stressed me out. But as a coordinator, people listen more.

Elizabeth: 26:11

Like, it's just easier, and people are already there. And a lot of people are getting away from doing the full on rehearsal. Like, they'll still sometimes do a dinner the night before, but that's also a way to save costs of you don't have to do I feel like people don't have in their minds of, well, we have to do this. We have to do this. And you really don't have to.

Doug: 26:28

Shift it to the fourth meal instead. Exactly.

Elizabeth: 26:31

Use that money towards a good DJ.

Doug: 26:34

So not the number one thing.

Elizabeth: 26:37

Yes. Number one thing is preparation means peace. I feel like the most peaceful audience I've been to are the ones where the couple is planned and listened to advice from those that you're hiring to help you plan. But then just truly being hands off that day and just going with the flow.

Doug: 26:59

Yeah. You know what's amazing about Elizabeth? Like, she didn't even know that our podcasts are normally thirty minutes. And she just nailed it on the timing. Was just looking at I was like, I got a bunch more questions.

Doug: 27:11

Hey. But you just nailed it. But here but here's the here's here's the final question, Elizabeth, is what advice would you give for a couple who got engaged over New Year's?

Elizabeth: 27:23

Yes. And I feel like thinking about that, I would say just get married. You don't have to be engaged for a year. Just get married quickly. Whenever you find the venue, I feel like you don't change your mind as much.

Elizabeth: 27:35

Everything can be done in that amount of time. And I feel like sometimes we make it a bigger it is a big deal to get married, but I feel like we sometimes add more hoops than we need to.

Doug: 27:45

And you were engaged

Elizabeth: 27:46

I was only married. Five months. Okay.

Doug: 27:48

Yeah. Yes.

Keith: 27:49

So it

Doug: 27:49

can it can happen.

Elizabeth: 27:50

It can happen. You were engaged for three.

Doug: 27:51

We were engaged for three. So so I think in a lot of things

Keith: 27:57

in life, there's just me thinking, I don't know anything about what you do, that people get themselves boxed in a little box. Yes. So, to find the venue, they're going to go look at wedding venues. We had one couple married in Gimble's former office space.

Elizabeth: 28:14

Okay.

Keith: 28:15

I went to one in the Capitol Building this year. I assume there's 100 parks.

Doug: 28:20

Oh, yeah.

Keith: 28:21

Around here. So, the venues don't have to be everything that people put their small brains into. Right? You could probably find a venue for this weekend if you need it.

Elizabeth: 28:29

If you needed to. Yeah. And a lot of times those Friday and Saturday weddings don't fill up as fast because people are in a box of we have it has to be a Saturday. It has to be the perfect date. But I'm like, you're gonna get a cost break if you do a Friday or Sunday.

Elizabeth: 28:44

And a lot of venues need those days filled up too. So there might be a deal that you can get, but it doesn't have to be in a venue. Yeah. You can in the backyard.

Doug: 28:54

Yeah. Dave the Day sisters doesn't advertise. You're all word-of-mouth. All word of And so and so how do people get ahold of you, Elizabeth?

Elizabeth: 29:02

That's a great question. We have an Instagram. It's not real up to date because we're not great at social media. But we do have our website. So Save the Day Sisters and our email is on there.

Elizabeth: 29:12

So,

Doug: 29:12

yeah. Alright. Well, cheers to all the engaged couples out there. Call Elizabeth, call Sarah. Yep.

Doug: 29:20

And they'll save the day.

Elizabeth: 29:21

We will.

Keith: 29:22

And may 2026 be more engagements than we've seen in the decade. May it's just been a great year for young couples and young love.

Elizabeth: 29:30

Yes. Cheers. Cheers. Thanks, Elizabeth. Yeah.