In this episode of The Wedding Podcast, I had the delightful opportunity to interview Ms Gingham, content curator for all the specailty titles on the website. This content makes up the bulk of the massive site and includes wedding advice, tips, how to’s, DIY and real life wedding and honeymoon stories from the bride and groom.

While interviewing Ms Gingham I had this picture in my head of a quaint and trendy inner city office space with young, superbly dressed women, sporting their Jimmy Choo’s, Manolo’s and high street fashion all talking weddings while tapping away at their Apple laptops. I wonder if you have the same vision when listening?

Ms Gingham from Polka Dot Bride is the star for this weeks episode of the podcast.

During the interview we discuss topics that include:

• The best ways to utilize the Polka Dot Bride website for your wedding planning.
• How weddings are selected for feature articles.
• How you can have your wedding featured on the website.
• Current wedding trends and changes.
• What would Ms Gingham do differently if she were to marry today?
• The Polka Dot alias’s and why they exist.
• Why guys should submit posts to get published.
• Can you book an advertiser from Polka Dot Bride with confidence?
• Searching the website with ease.
• Is the vintage theme here to stay?
• How to ‘connect’ with Polka Dot Bride and Ms Gingham.
• Pinterest and how you should be using it for your wedding planning.

I loved Ms Gingams referral to her very own ‘Big Fat Greek Wedding’ and the following discussion on how and why couples are often led to have a wedding that they may never envisaged at the start.

If you enjoy the interview, it’d be great if you let Ms Gingham know via her email or via one of the facebook pages she lovingly looks after. I’ll add the contact details and links below.

The BAD Fair Trading Press Release

Also covered in this episode is a recent Department of Fair Trading media release in which they offer the advice to not mention the

‘W’ word when booking services and ordering products for your wedding. They also offer the advice that you should search out the very best prices and don’t be afraid to negotiate when booking or purchasing for your wedding.

Coloured wedding shoes can be a great way to add some pizzaz!

In the very same article, they write about the high number of wedding related complaints coming to the department; 487 for 2012 in fact. Listed in the article are the top 10 services that make up the complaints.

The top ten wedding complaints in 2012, by products and services were:

Retail – Clothing, footwear, accessories, jewellery
Photography and video
Travel and tourism
Catering services
Hairdressing and beauty
Entertainment (including bookings)
Motels, hotels and resorts
Discount vouchers and coupons
Laundry and dry cleaning
Motor vehicle transport equipment rental and hire

Needless to say, I was not happy to read this article and actually find it offensive. Listen in to find why. I’ve no doubt you’ll agree.

Wedding Shoes for Colour and Pizzaz

Following the news on the press release, it’s something a little lighter – wedding shoes. Coloured, printed or fancy bridal shoes are a great way to add a little sparkle and pizzaz to your day. A little mention of Google Plus and the communities inside that lead me to a couple of nice little blog posts of weding shoe trends for 2013 and worth a look.

Links to websites discussed in this episode:

Impact Images blog article – 3 Choices You Can Only Have 2

Department of Fair Trading Media Release: Make marital ends meet: get a good wedding deal

Ms Gingham of Polka Dot Bride can be emailed at: msgingham@polkadotbride.com

Polka Dot Bride the website: www.polkadotbride.com

Polka Dot Bride on Facebook: www.facebook.com/polkadotbride

Polka Dot Bride Sub Blog (Categories) Facebook Pages – the ones Ms Gingham looks after

Groom: www.facebook.com/polkadotgroom

Wisdom: www.facebook.com/polkadotwisdom

Made (DIY): www.facebook.com/polkadotmade

Weddings: www.facebook.com/polkadotweddings

Honeymoons: www.facebook.com/polkadothoneymoons

Polka Dot Bride on Pinterest: pinterest.com/polkadotbride/

Polka Dot Bride on Twitter: twitter.com/polkadotbride

Do you have any feedback

Feedback or comments are always welcome and I love receiving questions for the podcast – I’d love to hear from you. You can email me, andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au or leave a comment below.

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast, can you do one thing for me – share it on Facebook and let other girls know about the show and that you’re listening. Thanks!

Hope you enjoy the episode.

Speak soon

Andrew

Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
• Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

Transcript:

In local news, I had an interesting email come through to me from another mate. This one is from New South Wales Fair Trading. This email is a press release from them and the heading is, “Make Marital Ends Meet. Get a Good Wedding Deal.” This was published on the 3^rd of February 2013. I’ll add links to this actual article in the show notes. As usual, the show notes are at www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/12 for this episode. Anyway, back to this article from Fair Trading. In summary, it’s saying that there’s been a lot of complaints – 487 – in regards to wedding-related products and services in 2012. And the first part of the article talked about weddings being super expensive, and if you can get away when you’re booking your service of not mentioning the ‘W’ word, then you’re much more likely to get a better deal on things like flowers, accommodation, dining, and higher cost. They say all of those things can increase as soon as you say that they’re for a wedding. The interesting part for me is that it lists the top 10 wedding complaints by product and services. Number one was retail, which is clothing, footwear, accessories and jewelry. Number two was photography and video. And it goes on to travel and tourism, catering services, hairdressing, and it goes on from there for the top 10.

Below that, it actually goes on to say that all of these complaints were made after you should be asking for a better deal. And it just doesn’t make sense to me. I understand that you have to get the best price you can possibly get, but by looking for the cheapest supplier or trying to really grind down the prices as much as you can to get everything you can under the vendor, then chances are, you aren’t going to get the same quality that you would get if you paid a little bit more. I know from running my photography business, usually the couples that give you the most drama at the beginning when they are asking for every little thing and trying to scream you down for every little dollar, they become the biggest nightmares afterwards. Lucky for me, I’ve never had an issue with Fair Trading or any complaints like that. I’d hope to go down that road, but I really think that if you want quality, then sometimes you have to pay for quality. I actually put a blog post on the Impact blog about that exact topic. I think if you want to have top quality and low prices, then you have to sacrifice the time of the coverage – speaking from a photographer’s point of view. So you can’t have the best photographer for the whole wedding, with maximum coverage, and expect to pay a low price. But you could have that same great photographer for a little bit less coverage and you’re going to get a lower price. So I think you have to weigh up your options – what’s important to you. And it’s not just for photography, it’s for every service that gets involved with your wedding. You have to decide what your values are and what’s important to you. Obviously, you have to work that into your budget, too. I just find it very contradictory to see an article from Fair Trading saying that you’ve got to ask for the best deal possible and get the best out of your vendor, and then find there’s been more complaints than ever into 2012 with wedding supplies. It seems obvious that there’s going to be complaints when people are asking you for so much for so little. And just this morning, I had to say no to a wedding. It sounded like it was going to be a fantastic wedding up in the Hunter Valley. It was one of the most expensive reception venues up in the Valley.  And this particular guy who was doing the negotiating with me, he wanted me to drop an extra $200 but he also wanted more coverage and he wanted me to do quite a bit with the digital files. He was a graphic designer so he was going to design his own album. So he’s quite picky with exactly what he wanted. And I gave him a price that it was off their pricelist and I thought was totally fair and reasonable. And he came back saying that, “Look, I’ve got a better price off another photographer. I don’t like their photography as much, but if you can match them then I’ll go with you because we really want to have you.” And I just laughed again. I said, “Here’s another potential customer. They love my work. They really want me to do their photography, but they don’t want to pay!” So the option is you either have to pay for the quality that you want, or you have to go with someone that may not be as good. And I just find it funny. So I had to send him back an email. He was great about us. “Look, I just don’t think I’m the photographer for you. Good luck. I hope you have a great wedding and I’m sure you’re going to get great photos with the locations that you picked and you’re going to have a magical day.” He was good. He said, “Thanks for being so honest and upfront. I appreciate that.” And we went on to have another email exchanged about Japan and skiing. I was really sad to not get the wedding, but I wasn’t prepared to drop my prices below what I think was a totally fair price in the first place. Anyway, that’s my little gripe for today. Not so much of a gripe, but I guess it just upsets me when I read things about the wedding industry. And you see things on the current affair, and Today Tonight and those sort of programs. I’m sure half of those things are set up, but they’re just ridiculous. You’re not going to get a good quality vendor for your wedding that’s going to do a crappy job – sorry, I’m probably saying that the wrong way around. If you’re paying a tiny amount of money for something for your wedding, you can’t expect to have the quality of one of the better vendors. Because it just doesn’t work that way. That’s why the more expensive ones are usually the better ones. You can have a read of my blog post; I’ll put links to that in the show notes.

I had a comment from a bride that was married not too long ago. And she disagrees with me because she was very lucky. She was in a situation where she booked an up and coming photographer. I know this guy was a great photographer. He’s got a great reputation now and she got him just as he was rising up through the ranks at a super great price. And his prices now reflect the quality that he puts out. And they’ve doubled or tripled since she booked him for her wedding. You can get lucky with certain vendors, but usually you get what you pay for.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: I don’t know if any of you are involved or had a look at Google+, but I’ve had a bit of a player around there enjoying the [unclear] of the communities there. I actually saw an article there about Ten Bridal Wedding Shoe Trends for 2013 – from someone that I met in that community. And that’s a really cool article. It’s got some great little photos there of different shoe styles and colors and different trends that she thinks are going to be coming out for 2013. So I’ll place a link to that in the show notes. I think speaking from a photographer’s point of view, adding a little bit of color with your shoes is a great idea, particularly for the bride, and it just adds a little bit of flare, a little bit of difference to your shots. I’ve got a couple of weddings that I photographed last year where the brides were in big, white dresses and the shoes were just a subtle thing, but as soon as they were dancing, or we were getting a few photos, they had bright red shoes on. And they really stood out and they looked fantastic. There’s a couple of samples like that in this blog post. At the bottom, there’s also a link to another post about shoes that this girl linked to. And that too, there’s some great little different styles of shoes and colors and options there. Some really nice, pretty ones in there. So I’ll put a link to both of those. Another great place to get some ideas and inspiration, which comes up with my interview with Ms. Gingham, is on Pinterest. So if you’re not on Pinterest yet, make sure you get over there and have a look; it’s a great place to get started for your wedding, and we’ll talk a little bit more about Pinterest in the interview with Polka Dot Bride.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: I’m really excited to bring this interview to you today.  This is one interview that I had in the back of my mind right from the very beginning, when I planned to do the podcast. And I thought I’d had to get a few under my belt before I even approach Polka Dot Bride, because they’ve got such a reputation. They’re such a big and fantastic website or blog on weddings – the biggest in Australia, in fact. And I wanted to make sure that I have things together before I approach them for an interview. I’m so happy when Ms. Gingham got back to me with a big yes. And I was lucky enough to catch up with her today and have a chat about all things Polka Dot Bride.

Okay. I’d like to welcome Helena from Polka Dot Bride on to The Wedding Podcast. Helena actually goes by the name Ms. Gingham on the website or the blog. And it’s great to have you here today! Hi, Helena!

Helena: Hi Andrew! Great to be here.

Andrew: That’s great! Now, Ms. Gingham, isn’t it? On the website?

Helena: Ms. Gingham, yes.

Andrew: So what’s the reason for the aliases on the website?

Helena: The aliases started with Ms. Polka Dot, obviously, who now still remains anonymous. And it’s a fun thing that we’ve introduced with every team member that’s joined on, we’ve all got a fabric pattern that we have as our alias. The only one that still remains anonymous is Ms. Polka Dot, and will remain anonymous, but the rest of us have it more for a fun thing.

Andrew: That’s cool.

Helena: Yes, it’s cool. We use it to just identify each one of us. And I like to think it’s a bit of our personality coming through too in our aliases. So yes, it is pretty cool.

Andrew: Yes. If people want to actually check out a photo or a drawing of you, they can actually jump over to the About Us page, isn’t it, on the website?

Helena: Yes. And you’ll see us popping up here and there with our little photos. Little sketches we’ve got.

Andrew: Cool. So before we get into your job or your role with the blog, or the website, can you just tell us a little bit about your background – how you got into Polka Dot Bride. And a little bit about how you got into the whole industry, if you like?

Helena: Yes, sure. My background is in beauty therapy, of all things. So I have nor a formal background in blogging or websites. However, I got into this through a friend from my kids school, who has worked with Ms. Polka Dot before. And she referred me through to this position. And it just grew from there and I loved it from the start. So I had a little bit of experience with my beauty therapy background; I ran a business, so I did all of the marketing in the business and brought the newsletters and all that stuff too. So that helped me understand a little bit of the social media and where we were going with it. And yes, I just grabbed it and ran with it. So it was good.

Andrew: Awesome. And that was nearly two years ago, is that right?

Helena: Yes.

Andrew: Awesome. So what’s your actual role with the blog?

Helena: My actual role is content manager. And what that means is that I take care of the articles and the content, if you like, that comes through for all the sub-blogs – not for the homepage, Polka Dot Bride, which is what people land on when they first log on to the site, but all the other little sub-blogs that you can see up the top the tabs. So there’s Polka Dot Groom, Polka Dot Weddings, Polka Dot Made, Polka Dot Honeymoons, and Polka Dot Wisdom. The content we get from various sources and when it comes in, I edit it and get it ready for publication on the blog.

Andrew: Okay. We’re throwing around a couple of [unclear] blog and website – is there a difference these days?

Helena: Yes, I think so. The website is a little bit more static so you can log on to a website today and you’ll get a certain amount of information from it. And chances are, you’ll log on to it again in a month and it will be the same as it was a month ago. Whereas a blog, if it’s a good blog, it will change on a daily basis, or even a few times throughout the day. So you’ll land on a homepage and see something different each time you land on. So that’s the main different.

Andrew: Alright. If that’s a criteria for good blog, your blog must be absolutely amazing because the amount of content that you guys put up is incredible.

Helena: Yes. There’s heaps. Heaps of content coming through and we always work hard to get even more content because that’s the nature of a blog. It’s a conversation, it’s information, and we want to change and move as much as possible.

Andrew: Sure. So where’s that content coming from for Polka Dot Bride?

Helena: What happens is the content for the main page comes from photographers who will submit weddings that they’ve been involved with, or shot. They submit that to Ms. Polka Dot, then she sifts through it and chooses the weddings that she would like to feature on the main page. And then the other content will come from Ms. Polka Dot herself, also. So that’s her baby – she controls that and writes it and does everything for it. And then all the other sub-blogs, the content comes from various sources. If we’re talking about Polka Dot Weddings, that content comes from brides, brides-to-be, and brides-that-were, also. So they will log on, write about their wedding. Or if they’re brides-to-be, they can log on and write about their plans – what they’re doing and how they’re planning their wedding. It’s really great because it starts a forum happening, so other brides will log on and hear what other people are doing. And then if they’ve got a question, so if a bride’s put her wedding up and she’s wearing a great pair of shoes, you’ll see that other brides will get on and go, “Where’d you get your shoes from?” And then the bride can answer that bride. And it becomes like a real little community, so it’s really cool.

Andrew: Say, a bride submits an article and she has some photos as well, is that then when you take over and you look at that and you have to do an edit, or you have to do some verifications?

Helena: Yes. So what we do is we give the brides access to a part of the site. It’s the contributor’s portal, I call it, they log in with a username and password and they basically have free reign to upload all their words, the article, and their photos. They’re given guidelines and specifications and everything to do that. And then once they’ve done it, they’ll submit that post for review. And then it comes to me. And then I can have a look at that post and edit it for typos and spelling mistakes and links in and rearrange the images, make them match and make it all look pretty. And then I schedule it for publication. I don’t really change much. People’s words are usually really great because they’re coming from the heart and we don’t want to lose that. So we just encourage people to write the way they might be speaking to a friend about their day. And as long as it’s nice and honest, then it goes up and it’s really cool.

Andrew: Okay, unreal. So is there any money involved with that whole process?

Helena: No. The brides get to showcase their wedding on the blog and get lots of people having a look and sharing it, which, after you’ve been married you want to show off your photos, don’t you?

Andrew: Yes, definitely.

Helena: Make people see them. And you put so much effort into planning this amazing event, which you hopefully want [unclear]. So that’s what they get out of it. And we get to support the community – the Australian wedding community – and bring people together. And that’s cool for us too.

Andrew: You’ve got another section on the blog there, Ask the Experts or Get Opinions from the Experts. So that would be service providers actually submitting articles with it?

Helena: Yes. I think what you’re talking about is Polka Dot Wisdom,  which is the other sub-blog that we have – specialty blog. And in that blog, we source our content from wedding vendors. They are either advertisers with us, or non-advertisers. It doesn’t really matter as long as they’ve got some facts they’d like to pass for couples who are planning their wedding. Then we’re happy for them to come on and write on the blog. And then people reading the blog have questions, then they can post comments, and those comments go straight to the author of the article. And then they can answer all queries and all of that. Is that what you were talking about?

Andrew: Yes. Because I’ve seen other posts there from, say, photographers and wedding planners and things like that. They’ve got some great advice and tips on there. Just wondering, does that come across your desk too? Is that something you look after?

Helena: It does. Yes. That content will come across my desk also in exactly the same way as it comes across from the brides. But it’s posted in a different section of the blog. So instead of going into Polka Dot Weddings, you have to go into Polka Dot Wisdom to read those articles. And if you go on to the blog, you can see that when you click onto the different specialty blogs and you get on to that specialty blog page, the color changes too so you can tell that you’re in a different section of the blog also.

Andrew: Okay. So up on your website now, in the Wisdom section, that’s got the green and white polka dots.

Helena: That’s right. Yes. That’s green and then Weddings is purple, Made is yellow.

Andrew: I actually subscribed to your blog via an RSS feed. So I see the amount of content coming in and I know that when I get all those articles coming from you, wow, there’s so much content. But when you actually come to the website, it is a little bit easy to navigate, isn’t it?

Helena: It is. I think the whole blog thing, it can be really new to people. They don’t understand just like what you asked, the difference between a website and a blog. And now we’ve got all these specialty blogs so they’re not sure where everything gets allocated. And that’s something that we’re still working on, to try and get people to understand that we do have a lot of content we do have to categorize that otherwise it will all just get mixed up in this big pot of content. So we do like to categorize it like that.

Andrew: Are you still there?

Helena: Yes.

Andrew: I thought I lost you. So if a bride’s coming to your website or to your blog for the first time, how would you like girls to interact or get involved with the blog? Would they go looking for colors or for styles or they would just start  browsing?

Helena: I think what we see is that people obviously land on the home page first. But they also get referred from lots of different areas. Say, somebody is on Facebook, and they click on a link to one of our posts, if it’s a post on Polka Dot Weddings, they’ll get referred straight to Polka Dot Weddings. So they’ll land straight there. And then how they navigate – it’s so personal from one person to the next. But we do find that they stay on for quite a while; there’s a lot to look at. And yes, they can search through the color book and look at posts that feature particular color or they can put search terms into Look for Weddings that will say, rustic or vintage, or whatever it is they’re looking at. Or some people just browse to get inspiration and trade stories. So there’s not a particular way to browse the site. But there’s a lot to say and lots of ways to get around it.

Andrew: Sure. I love the little section in the bottom there, on the footer there, where you can search for different colors. So, say, apple green or fairy floss pink, and then you go to actual weddings that feature those colors. That’s great!

Helena: Yes. Exactly. So when we’re categorizing our weddings as we’re publishing them, we then categorize them into a color, also, so all the new content always gets categorized into certain color books so people can then source all that content and get inspiration featuring that color. And then we’ve carried that across our Pinterest page too where we’ve got all our color boards so people can go in and click on a particular color and they’ll find inspiration featuring that color choice. So that’s really cool.

Andrew: Awesome. So with Pinterest, are you actually putting up all the photo from the blog onto Pinterest?

Helena: We select. We don’t like to promote just ourselves, we really like to have Pinterest as an area where people can source inspiration from us, and also from things that we think are cool, from other blogs and from other websites around the net, too. So our color books feature a really good mix of inspiration from lots of different sources. So it’s new inspiration. So it’s cool to go on there too and have a look.

Andrew: If someone’s there on Pinterest and looking at your Pinterest boards, then would there be links then back to those same articles on Polka Dot Bride? If they want to follow up a bit more?

Helena: Yes. If something is pinned from a particular article on Polka Dot Bride, then the link is there and it will go back to that article on Polka Dot Bride.

Andrew: Cool, unreal. So you’ve been there for a couple of years. You must have seen some changes and then things happening in the wedding industry. Can you tell us about any of those? Have you noticed new trends coming or old ones going?

Helena: I think the strongest trend – and it’s still there – is vintage and rustic. That’s the strongest trend we’ve seen.

Andrew: That’s been around for a little while now, hasn’t it?

Helena: It has. Yes. And we’re so surprised that it’s still so strong. But I think it’s the romanticism that comes with it – that whole nostalgic, vintage, romantic theme lends itself so well to a wedding. It ties in so well. So people have really taken it and ran with it for quite a while now. But we’re also seeing people at a little bit more contemporary twist through that theme too. With their accessories, they’re going a little bit bolder. They’re not quite as delicate and filigreed as they used to be. They’re not scared to put a big statement necklace on and change the styling a little bit to incorporate a few different things. And it’s more fused, maybe. It’s a good word. It’s fusion. So that’s really cool to see too. That people are going in different directions that [unclear]. What we want to see more of – and we’re not getting as much of – is grooms. We don’t get as many grooms coming through wanting to talk about getting involved in planning their wedding. We know they’re out there. We know the grooms have the strong voice. They just don’t talk about it as much. And we’ve got Polka Dot Groom and whenever we get grooms writing on Polka Dot Groom, it’s so refreshing because the lingo is different. The way the write is different. And in a really different view point, really fresh – and we love it – so we’d love to see more grooms coming through and sharing. That’s one thing.

Andrew: So with  the articles you do have submitted by a groom, do you find – I guess you don’t know; not sure if you know – but do you think there’s more guys that are reading those articles in? Or is it the girls who are enjoying the articles by the guys?

Helena: At the moment, I suspect because the readership is more female, it would be the girls going on and the girls pushing the guys  to then go on and write. And it is more female-driven. However, we do want to change that. So we’ve taken aboard one of our new contributors who is also a wedding photographer who’s a mail, and he’s writing once a month for us too. So we’re just trying to get more males to come in and voice and put their opinions on. I think as soon as more males are actually writing, then more males would want to be reading too.

Andrew: Definitely, definitely.

Helena: Yes. because it’s different when it comes from a girl written for a guy, you can tell. So it has to be the blogs.

Andrew: Yes. For sure. As a wedding photographer too, I see there’s a lot more girls that come to the first appointments with a girlfriend or a mom, even without their future husband.

Helena: Yes. Interesting, isn’t it? I wonder is it because the guys think, “I won’t get heard anyway so let them just do the calling and I’ll go to the last one.” I did hear from someone, a really interesting thing that went to an [unclear], this was a groom. And every time they’d stop at a stand, he would get ignored and the vendor would be speaking directly to his fiancée, the bride. And he felt really excluded from the process. So that was really interesting. Do we know that it’s the bride that makes decisions? Or do we think we know that? Or is it the way we associate with the grooms also that has a bit to with it? I’m not sure. It’s food for thought.

Andrew: I think the majority is still the girls that decide. I do.

Helena: Yes. Although the other guys that we have writing on Groom are very heavily involved.

Andrew: Sure. I think they would be, particularly if they’re contributing to the blog.

Helena: So cool to say. Because they bring in a new perspective to the whole thing and it usually improves an event so much to have the guys’ input.

Andrew: Yes. Agree. 100%. When the guys do get involved, I think the whole wedding is better. For sure.

Helena: Yes, definitely. You can see it even coming through the photos, when the guys are really involved and into what’s going on around him. It’s fantastic.

Andrew: Yes. Cool. So do you get to put some of your personal feeling or your personal touches into the blog? Or is it more working with everyone else’s stuff?

Helena: I get to comment.

Andrew: Which is good.

Helena: At the end of every post. But I also get to write a few things now and again. I’m a bit crafty so I get to do tutorials on Polka Dot Made, quite a bit.

Andrew: So if anyone hasn’t seen the blog, Polka Dot Made is the section of the blog or the sub-blog where there’s a lot of DIY stuff? Is that right?

Helena: That’s right. It’s our Bunnings. Our wedding Bunnings. It’s really cool. It’s all DIY-related stuff. You can find DIY tutorials, you can find recipes, cocktails, downloadables, freebies, lots of different things. And we’re trying to keep it a bit seasonal at the moment too so we’ve got Valentine’s day coming up. So we’ve got lots of Valentine’s day tutorials, which tie in really well with weddings anyway, because it’s a love thing. So the things that we make and post, people can then take inspiration from and make for their own weddings. And people love to DIY. They love to put personal touches into their weddings. And to do a little DIY project that is incorporated into their wedding is so popular at the moment. I think it has always been.

Andrew: I think it really took off particularly with the vintage thing, didn’t it? That’s when it really took off the DIY stuff.

Helena: It did, yes. That whole reclaimed, recycled, old-made-to-look-new-again – that sort of stuff. But people are also doing other things like they’re doing their own invitations and they’re doing their own jewelry, and all sorts of things that have got nothing to do with vintage. So it’s interesting what people are up to. And I’d say 90% of the weddings we get will have a DIY element in it, if not more.

Andrew: So do you guys actually showcase every wedding that gets in through? Or do some get, “Sorry, we’re not going to be showing yours.”

Helena: It depends where they go. So if they submitted through the Submissions tool, that tool is for photographers to submit weddings that they’ve shot. And those ones are chosen. So there are some that will get rejected, and there’s some that will get chosen to be featured on the blog. And that’s for Polka Dot Bride. Those weddings go on the homepage. Again, Ms. Polka Dot makes those decisions. And it’s not always because a wedding isn’t good enough or such. It’s because she may have had ten vintage picnic weddings come through in one week and she’s not going to be able to feature ten of them because the content just doesn’t remain fresh that way. So she does have to pull the pin sometimes. Another time she’s choose something that is showcasing something a little bit different, or a little bit new, so she’ll choose that over something else. But it’s not because she doesn’t like one wedding over another or anything like that.

Andrew: Sure. I’m sure there’s no sorts of reasons why or why not.

Helena: Yes. But if they come to Polka Dot Weddings through Brides, then they’ll always get put up. That’s the brides’ blog, so they’re allowed to put up their weddings. Same with Groom.

Andrew: So is there a number of words they should be contributing when they get featured?

Helena: There’s not a minimum number. There is in the guidelines, but we can work around what each person feels confident and comfortable saying about their wedding. Like I said earlier, it is really about giving the bride a voice. But if they’re not going to write anything, then that’s no voice. So we want something. And it’s nice to know a little bit of a history about the couple, where they met, how the proposal happened, a few little key things about the day, special things I remember. By the time you’ve listed those basic things, you’ve got 300-600 words anyway. So that’s all required.

Andrew: And then with the photos they’re submitting, do they have to get permission then from their photographer? Or is that something that you chase up?

Helena: We do have a requirement. They’d check a box on the form when they’re filling it out to apply to be a contributor at the start. They’d check a box to say that they have obtained the photographer’s permission to be able to use the photos. We’re very strict on crediting the photos that we do use. All images are always credited to the photographer. And when we post on our Facebook, we’ll tag the photographer in the Facebook post also. So we really try and be really, really careful about correct crediting through the site. It’s something we’re pretty strict on. If there’s no credit, we will not publish the post until we get the credits.

Andrew: Yes. Sure thing. There’s one thing I haven’t asked you. I don’t know – have you been married or are you married?

Helena: I am married.

Andrew: So how was your wedding? Did you take any inspiration from Polka Dot Bride or was this a long time ago?

Helena: I was married in 1999.

Andrew: Not that long ago.

Helena: Longer than what Polka Dot Bride has been around. And when I was planning my wedding, there were no wedding blogs, as far as I knew. So it was all that huge pile of wedding magazines that we used to buy and sift through. And it was so prehistoric. There was only so much inspiration you could get; it was very limited to what was available. And people wanted to do things that were different, but I think you just had a very limited ability to do so. I do remember DIY-ing my invitations because that was my little bit of DIY that I put into it.

Andrew: So you were already pretty crafty back then?

Helena: Yes. I must’ve been crafty or crazy. That I did do that. And I think I would’ve done heaps more if something like Polka Dot Bride was around, only because that’s my personality and I would’ve taken that on board. But I just think it’s so cool to have this type of inspiration all in one place – sitting there for you to just click through, and it’s a visual faced, isn’t it? There’s so much to say. And I think that actually can be a little bit of a problem for brides when they are planning their wedding. There is just so much online available that after a while, it becomes confusing. I mean, “Do I really want a vintage wedding? Or do I prefer to have a rustic vintage wedding with an urban twist?” I think that got to be [unclear], after a while.

Andrew: It would. So if you’re planning your wedding again, or for the first time, and you hadn’t had your other wedding, what would you do now? Would you do anything different?

Helena: I’d start a Pinterest page straight away, and I’d just pin everything that appealed to me. So I wouldn’t necessarily be too worried about sifting through things to begin with. I’d just be looking at stuff and whatever gave me a particular feeling, I’d just pin it straight away. And then after a while, I’d go on to that page and have a look and see if there’s a common theme running through. And that would guide me. I think that’s how I’d start.

Andrew: So would you put all your pins straight on to one board? Or would you divide up in, say, colors, or themes?

Helena: I think I would start by putting it all on one board because my feeling is that most people are attracted to a particular theme. And you’ll see that theme coming through. And you might not realize it about yourself, but you’ll notice that when you see it all visually together, there’ll be a theme, there’ll be a color, or there’ll be something that’s there in majority and you’ll be able to then eliminate things, delete pins, and you’ll get your theme that way. I think that would be really an easier way of doing it.

Andrew: Then do you think you would go with a vintage theme yourself if you were getting married this year?

Helena: I probably wouldn’t, purely because I’ve seen so much of it that I’d like to think that I could come up with something a little bit different.

Andrew: Like? On the spot now.

Helena: I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it, to be totally honest. My wedding was a Big, Fat Greek Wedding with a lot of people I didn’t know and a lot of the things that were done because I thought that was the way they should be done. So I would explore other options like having my wedding in a different venue. Other than the reception hall, I’d look like maybe something a bit different. But that’s only because I’ve done the reception hall. There’s nothing wrong with the reception hall; it’s great, we had a great time.

Andrew: Of course.

Helena: But because I’ve done it, maybe I’d explore the option of doing something a bit different.

Andrew: If you look back to then, so you had your Greek wedding – obviously that’s your heritage – how would both sets of parents feel if you said, “Mom and Dad, we want to do a vintage, rustic style wedding. And we want to have it out in the park.” Would they freak out?

Helena: They would laugh their heads off. Can you imagine putting the relatives on Hay  Bales to sit down?

Andrew: Exactly.

Helena: Oh my God, that would be so funny. But you’ve got to remember, I got married when I was a lot younger so my desire to please my weddings maybe has [unclear] little bit now. But that’s after two kids and 13 years of marriage. So it’s hard when you say, “What would you do differently now?” because you’re also a different person, aren’t you? You weren’t the same person you were.

Andrew: My wife and I, Linda and I, we talked about the same thing and we both say we would do My wife and I, Linda and I, we talked about the same thing and we both say we would do  things – well actually I’ll say it more – I would do things a little bit more differently. I would definitely be more involved as a guy than what I was back then. And I’d definitely have more input and I wouldn’t be so worried about what other people think and do things that I wanted to do.

Helena: Yes. And I think people do get concerned about what people will say, what people will think. And I think if there’s any words of wisdom I can give to younger people getting married, or people getting married for the first time and having that urge to please people around them, I’d say that, “13 years on, you’re not going to remember who was happy and who wasn’t. You’re going to remember more what made you happy. So it really is important to be true to what you want.”

Andrew: Yes. I agree.

Helena: It’ really important.

Andrew: But it is difficult, isn’t it? Or it can be difficult?

Helena: I think it is. It is difficult. Especially, you got to remember, sometimes it’s financials that get in the way of things too. If the bride’s parents are the old traditionists – the bride’s parents pay for the wedding. So, say, you’ve got these parents paying for a wedding, then you do feel like you have to conform to what they want, don’t you? There’s that too.

Andrew: I wouldn’t be arguing if they’re paying. It’s hard too, isn’t it?

Helena: Yes. But then where do you draw the line? Do you do everything they want because they’re paying? Or do you just say, “Well, I don’t want you to pay and I’d rather just sort out my own budget and do it my ways?”

Andrew: It’s a dilemma.

Helena: It is. And it’s always going to be there – that dilemma. So it is interesting. And they’re the topics we try to touch on the blog. And Ms. Polka Dot, on Polka Dot Weddings, she has a monthly blog post that goes up which is called, “Ask Ms. Polka Dot.” And there’s also a Desperately Seeking, and there’s Polka Dot Hotspot. And with Polka Dot Hotspot, that’s what she touches upon; she’ll bring a topic in and she’ll say, “How do you feel about your bridal party getting involved?” These sort of hot issues that people have trouble with when they’re planning their wedding, and then brides can get on and talk about their experiences and give each other support. So that’s a really cool way of addressing these things in an open, honest way. So we try and address them.

Andrew: So when people get involved with those conversations with Ms. Polka Dot, are they anonymous? The girls?

Helena: It depends on what [unclear] they’re using – [unclear] then –

Andrew: They’re not.

Helena: Yes, [unclear] it’s them. But they can use an alias if they like. They don’t have to use their own name. And it’s great. There’s lots of conversation and backwards and forwards, and honesty, which is what a blog is about. You can get on and you can give feedback. And even if it’s totally opposed to someone else’s opinion, that’s what a great thing about a blog is. You can get on and talk.

Andrew: Okay. And so you guys will publish that sort of stuff?

Helena: Yes. It goes on. The comments, if we have comments that are really negative or abusive and nasty, we won’t publish those because there’s no room for that sort of stuff. Or if it’s spam, obviously, that won’t get published. But anything that’s polite but it’s your opinion, that will definitely get published. It’s free rein.

Andrew: Cool. So have you got any idea of the number of people that actually go to the blog?

Helena: Yes. Our stats are constantly on the up. But at the moment we’re about 10,000 hits a day.

Andrew: Wow, that’s huge isn’t it?

Helena: It is huge. And it’s constantly growing.

Andrew: Wow. You said people tend to stay on for a while. Have you got an idea of how long people do stay on?

Helena: I’d have to look at the stats a little bit deeper to have a look. And I’m really bad at interpreting things on the fly like that. So I’d have to study it for a while and get back to you. I don’t have it right at the moment.

Andrew: That’s fine. I know that I’d be very easy to get lost on here. You lunch time’s gone and then some.

Helena: Exactly. You get on and you’re involved in what they’ve clicked on today and what people are reading and what they’re searching for. And it’s really, really interesting to see.

Andrew: Even just the general size of the blog, if a bride pops on the beginning of lunch, next thing, bang!, lunch is gone. And they’re still lost in the blog. It’s so big, isn’t it? There’s so much stuff on here.

Helena: Yes. And people revisit while they’re wedding. And that’s an interesting thing when we’re talking to our vendors too. We’ll say to them, ”Look, your website’s important not because it’s just the way you advertise, but also because a bride plans her wedding over quite a long period of time. So she might log on to your website today, but she’ll also log on a month or two later. And probably she’ll log on all through the planning process of her wedding.” And I think it’s important to introduce an element of change even if it is a website. If you don’t have a blog attached to your website, even if you can change your homepage image or something quite regularly, it will give those brides a sense that you’re up-to-date and still working, doing things. Doing new things. Otherwise, if it’s all the same image and everything’s all the same, they might just feel like you’re not really active. So a lot of photographers do have blogs, which are great. Really, really gorgeous. It gives you an insight into what’s happening.

Andrew: And talk about vendors. On the right hand side of the blog, there’s a few ads, isn’t it, down the right? On all the pages?

Helena: Yes.

Andrew: Obviously they’re paid advertisements.

Helena: Yes.

Andrew: Are they endorsed by you guys? Or they just straight out paid advertising?

Helena: No. We stand by our advertisers. We really believe that they’re the cream of the crop. If a new advertiser wanted to join us, then we wouldn’t look at them too because we don’t have all the best. We just got some. So there’s definitely room for more people. But we do stand by all of our vendors, definitely.

Andrew: So the vendors that you have advertising on the site, you’ve actually had a look at their website so you can know their work?

Helena: Yes. We don’t accept people’s advertising money and then abandon them; put the banner up and then just let them go. We contact them quite regularly. We encourage them to get involved in the blog and to put their opinions and voice on the blog too. And we always follow with them. We have a quiet concierge; Ms. Stripey, and that’s her full-time job basically – to look after our vendors and to make sure that they’re doing the best they can to get the most out of their advertising and give them advice as to what she thinks they could be doing. And we really try and help them as much as we can.

Andrew: That sounds good. And just to finish off, or moving towards the end, do you get in touch or hear back from brides that have used Polka Dot Bride after the wedding? I know you do [unclear], but do you get a little bit closer at all?

Helena: We do. We have brides who will contact us. When a bride writes on weddings, we contact them after their wedding has been on and we’ll ask them to write about their honeymoon too. And through that, we find out a lot of brides might be pregnant, or they might be moving on to other things. So we do. We find out a little bit. I’ve only been doing it for a couple of years so I myself haven’t developed any real relationships with anyone yet, but I know that Ms. Polka Dot has, and has kept in contact with a few people, which has been really handy for her, then, professionally. She’s found a lot of the people that work for her through those types of contacts. So it’s a real little community that we have.

Andrew: That’s nice, isn’t it? You’re working out of Sydney, is that right? Or is it Melbourne?

Helena: We’re actually out of Melbourne. We do have writers – we have one  writer that’s based out of Sydney, we have another that’s based in Queensland. Those particular writers come onboard to write articles on a contractual basis. They’ll write an article every now and again. The core team is made up of obviously, Ms. Polka Dot, Ms. Stripey, Ms. Paisley, who’s our advertising manager, myself, I’m the content manager, and we’ve got our newest team member, Ms. Herringbarn, who is our editorial assistant also. So there’s quite a few of us. And we’re all in Melbourne.

Andrew: Fantastic. Your day will be coming to the office and on the computer all day, most of the time, I’d imagine?

Helena: Yes. Moving from my kitchen into my study, my house.

Andrew: Really? You get to work from home?

Helena: Yes. We’ve all got virtual offices so we all work from home.

Andrew: Awesome.

Helena: And I’ve got two kids at school so my day is always dictated by what the little ones are up to. But they know all about my work. They’ll come in and say, “What are you doing for Polka Dot?” So they’re very up-to-date with everything.

Andrew: That’s great.

Helena: It is really. It’s cool. And now Ms. Paisley has a little baby also so we’re all pretty busy.

Andrew: That’s awesome. You can work from home and do this. What a wonderful job.

Helena: It’s really probably the best job I’ve ever had, I have to say. It’s really cool.

Andrew: That’s awesome. You’re working with weddings every single day, so mostly happy people as well.

Helena: Yes. Joy and visual faced, saying things that are really interesting visually and helping people if they ask for advice. And yes, it’s really nice.

Andrew: Unreal. Look, I just want to say thanks, Helena, for coming on and it has been really awesome to chat to you.

Helena: You’re welcome. It’s been a pleasure.

Andrew: So can you just tell us just before you go the best place to find you or Polka Dot Bride?

Helena: Polka Dot Bride  is at www.PolkaDotBride.com – that’s all one word. And you can find me via email, which is msgingham@polkadotbride.com. And you can also find us on Facebook, which is again Polka Dot Bride, if you search for Polka Dot Bride.

Andrew: I’ll put links to all these things in the show notes. So you’ve got a Facebook page and you’ve also got a Pinterest page.

Helena: We’ve actually got Facebook pages for every specialty blog too. So there’s a Polka Dot Weddings Facebook page, Polka Dot Honeymoons, Polka Dot Groom. So you can stay up-to-date with special content too. If you’re particularly interested in DIY, you can follow the Polka Dot Made Facebook page and even after you’re married, there’s lots of recipes and DIY projects and interesting stuff that you can source there too.

Andrew: [unclear] are good.

Helena: Yes. It keeps us busy.

Andrew: And the Pinterest page as well.

Helena: Pinterest page, and Instagram @PolkaDotBride and @MsGingham.

Andrew: That is awesome. I’ll add links to all those things on our show notes.

Helena: Actually, it’s @MsGingham.

Andrew: That’s okay.

Helena: And we’re on Twitter.

Andrew: And Twitter as well. You guys are everywhere.

Helena: Everywhere.

Andrew: I just want to make it clear – if someone wants to submit a post to you or an article to you about their wedding or their upcoming wedding, they shouldn’t email you. They should go through the blog.

Helena: Hope on to www.PolkaDotBride.com and they’re a bride, what they need to do is click on the Weddings tab, which is right up the top on the brown banner. So you click on to Weddings. Once you’re on Weddings, your page will turn purple, and right up the top, you’ll see Submissions tab, which sits next to the Advertise tab on top of the Newsletter Signup tab too. If you click on the Submissions tab there, it will take you through to an online form. And all you need to do is fill that out. That will come to me and then I’ll set you up. And you can write all about your wedding, you can write about your planning process, you can write about your actual wedding, you can show your honeymoon with us later too – there’s lots of things that you can write about if you desire. And we’d love to have you.

Andrew: That’s unreal. I’m just on that page right now. It was very simple and easy to use.

Helena: Yes. And there will be more updates coming to you soon. We’re working on a post-crafter so you’ll be able to get on and write your post directly through a page that you can find on the website without having to fill out forms for a quicker way of doing it too. So we’re constantly trying to get more technology to work for us too. Lots of updates coming.

Andrew: So the girls will still write their article in Word or whatever process that they’ve got and then they can just copy and paste that in once they’ve got their guideline.

Helena: They could do that, but I would just say, “Wait until you’ve got your guidelines,” which will take a day [unclear]. And then you can just type all your words directly into the post. You don’t even have to write anywhere else. Just type it straight in, save it as you go, log back in to make changes. Once you’re ready, submit for review. And you’re done.

Andrew: Easy. Okay. And do you accept weddings from overseas as well? Or only from Australia?

Helena: Definitely. We accept from everywhere. Obviously because we’re in Australia and we’re an Australian blog, we’d love to showcase Australian weddings as much as possible, because it’s realistic for brides here to be able to source what they see here. But content ]]> 0:56:24 no Andrew Hellmich: Wedding Photographer, Blogger and Owner of Impact Images Wedding Photography Have you heard of Polka Dot Bride? If not, either you're not from Australia, haven't really started planning your wedding or don't have an internet connection. If you are unaware, Polka Dot Bride is the largest and most visited wedding website in Austr... Have you heard of Polka Dot Bride? If not, either you're not from Australia, haven't really started planning your wedding or don't have an internet connection. If you are unaware, Polka Dot Bride is the largest and most visited wedding website in Austr... http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/silk-wedding-flowers-wedding-websites-and-wet-wedding-day/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=silk-wedding-flowers-wedding-websites-and-wet-wedding-day http://www.blubrry.com/theweddingpodcast/1671948/twp-011-silk-wedding-flowers-wedding-websites-and-a-wet-wedding-day/ Andrew Hellmich: Wedding Photographer, Blogger and Owner of Impact Images Wedding Photography Podcast Sat, 02 Feb 2013 04:02:08 -0500 <p>Have you considered silk wedding flowers for your bridal bouquet? In this episode of the wedding podcast, Andrew interviews Leanne of Silk Dreams Flowers to hear the difference between real flowers and modern silk and latex flowers. With the latest release of &#8220;real touch&#8221; silk flowers it has become impossible to see or feel the difference.</p> <p><strong>During the interview, learn about:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The types of silk flowers available</li> <li>Colour options in the different varieties</li> <li>How long silk flowers last</li> <li>Cost and how it&#8217;s calculated</li> <li>Silk flowers aren&#8217;t only used for bouquets</li> <li>The advantages of silk flowers and a disadvantage or two</li> <li>Ordering options for silks</li> <li>Lead times required for ordering your flowers before your wedding</li> <li>How to choose between a good and bad supplier</li> <li>Is it safe to order online? <p><a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Silk-Dreams_2.png"><img /></a><p >Silk or real, can you tell the difference?</p></li> </ul> <p>Toward the end of our chat, Leanne relays a story about a whole box of her silk flowers that were totally destroyed by heavy rain after they were dropped at the brides home a week before her wedding. The reason they were left outside and in the weather? The delivery driver was 100% sure they were real flowers!</p> <p>Obviously silk flowers won&#8217;t be an option for every bride. If you&#8217;re sitting on that side of the fence, tune in and you may come up with a few ideas where you could supplement your real flowers with some silks and save a bundle.</p> <p>Also on this episode, I cover the age old problem of wet wedding days following my wedding the day before which turned out to be the wettest wedding I have attended in my 12 years as a photographer. You&#8217;ll hear about the deluge, the photography options available to me and the big decision the bride and groom made to forget the back up plans we made earlier that week when we discussed the possibility of rain.</p> <p>To make matters worse, of the limited time I had available to capture the photos of the bride and groom, 15 minutes were trapped alone in a lift between the first and ground floor of the reception venue! Talk about stressful. Listen to see how the bride and groom took my &#8220;time off&#8221; from shooting the most important day of their life.</p> <p>Following the nightmare rain story, you can hear about a couple that are suing their wedding photographer for missing &#8220;the kiss&#8221; of which they suggested was the one shot a wedding photographer must absolutely capture.</p> <p>The judge ruled in favour of the couple but not after deliberating on just how tough a photo opportunity &#8220;the kiss&#8221; actually is &#8211; particularly if it&#8217;s a quick peck.</p> <a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Silk-Dreams_1.png"><img /></a><p >Silk flowers can be used for more than just the bouquets.<br />Photo by Delisser Photography</p> <p>The couple didn&#8217;t leave the court unscathed either as they were counter sued by the photographer for not paying in full for the photography package and for NOT supplying a meal to the photographer on the night of the wedding.</p> <p>Have you ever considered your own personal wedding website? Following my interview with Leanne, I discuss four different websites that are worth looking at if this idea appeals to you. I cover the following aspects:</p> <ul> <li>The costs involved</li> <li>Domain name registration for your website &#8211; for example, andrewandlinda.com.au</li> <li>Website hosting</li> <li>WordPress and why it&#8217;s your best option</li> <li>Four different WordPress themes</li> <li>Who can set it all up for you?</li> <li>What to with your website after your wedding</li> </ul> <p>It&#8217;s a big episode with a ton of information and I hope you can join the fun and get involved!</p> <p><strong>Items mentioned in this episode: </strong></p> <p>Silk Dreams Flowers: <a href="http://www.silkdreamsflowers.com.au" target="_blank">www.silkdreamsflowers.com.au</a></p> <p>Find Silk Dreams Flowers on Facebook here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/silkdreamsflowers" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/silkdreamsflowers</a></p> <p>Wet weather options to consider for your wedding day: <a href="http://impact-blog.com.au/rain" target="_blank">www.impact-blog.com.au/rain</a></p> <p>For the Age newspaper article about the couple suing their wedding photographer for missing &#8220;the kiss&#8221; &#8211; <a href="Newspaper article: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/weddings/stoush-over-wedding-smooch-has-court-sequel-20130109-2cgq4.html" target="_blank">click here</a></p> <p>For domain name registration, website hosting and wordpress (plus theme) installation, speak to Andrew from Silver Dimension:  <a href="http://www.silverdimension.com.au" target="_blank">www.silverdimension.com.au</a></p> <p>The four Wedding Website themes I mention in the podcast:</p> <p><a href="http://ithemes.com/purchase/save-the-date-wedding-theme/" target="_blank">Save the Date</a> - the theme for the lead up to your wedding and your wedding day</p> <a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Marrage-Theme.png"><img /></a><p >One of my favourite wedding theme designs for a brides own website</p> <p><a href="http://themeforest.net/item/marriage-responsive-wedding-wordpress-theme/2425068?ref=panah100" target="_blank">Marriage</a> - my favourite of the themes which is also a &#8220;responsive&#8221; clean and simple design which can easily be used beyond your wedding date</p> <p><a href="http://themeforest.net/item/the-wedding-elegant-wedding-wordpress-theme/2475860?ref=panah100" target="_blank">The Wedding</a> - another relatively clean design with some good colour options</p> <p><a href="http://themeforest.net/item/wedding-album-premium-wordpress-theme/2083854?ref=panah100" target="_blank">Wedding Album</a> - designed for wedding photographers but perfectly adaptable to show off your wedding photos. This theme is particularly relevant with todays photography packages which mostly include the digital photos from your day.</p> <p><strong>Feedback</strong></p> <p>Feedback or comments are always welcome and I love receiving questions for the podcast &#8211; I&#8217;d love to hear from you. You can email me, <a href="mailto:andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au">andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au</a> or leave a comment below.</p> <p>Have you been enjoying the podcast? If so, it&#8217;d be awesome if you&#8217;d spend two minutes to leave a rating and comment in iTunes. It makes the podcast more easy to find by ranking better in the iTunes store. Click <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-wedding-podcast/id581014454" target="_blank">here to go to the iTunes page</a>, click on the blue button &#8220;View In iTunes&#8221; then click on &#8220;Ratings and Reviews&#8221; to leave a comment. Thanks!</p> <p>Hope you enjoy the episode.</p> <p>Speak soon!</p> <p>Andrew</p> <p><em >Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:</em></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-wedding-podcast/id581014454" target="_blank">Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes</a></li> <li><a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/rss" target="_blank">Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Transcript:</strong></p> Podcast Transcript Inside <a href='' >Select</a><a href='' ='wpSpoilerToggle("spoilerDiv6346800a",true,"Show","Hide","fast",false); return false;' >Show </p> <p><b>[TWP 011 – Silk Wedding Flowers, Wedding Websites, and A Wet Wedding Day]</b></p> <p><b> [length: 00:59:23]</b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> The Wedding Podcast session number eleven.</p> <p>[Intro music]</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Hi, this is Andrew Hellmich from Impact Images. I’m a wedding photographer in the Central Coast. This is The Wedding Podcast. If you’re looking for advice, tips or ideas on how to have the perfect wedding day, then you’re in the right place and this is the right podcast for you. I’ve got a pretty good episode lined up for you today. It’s grown a little bit bigger than I first expected. So I’ve got some local news. I’ve got a news article that someone emailed me about weddings and a couple that sued – or in the process of suing a photographer. I’ve also got an interview with Leanne from Silk Dreams Flowers so if you’ve ever thought about having silk flowers instead of the real thing for your wedding, then that’ll be definitely worth a listen to. And I can tell you now that the quality of the latest release of flowers – it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference. Actually, you won’t be able to tell the difference. The only way you’ll be able to tell is by actually smelling them and I’ve even got some news on that too.</p> <p>After the interview, I’m going to talk to you about some wedding websites. I don’t know if you’ve ever considered having your own website or blog for a lead up to your wedding or for after the wedding. So I’m going to give you a few websites that you might consider if you’re looking at doing something like that. So you may have to be a little bit tech-savvy to start up your own blog but I’m going to give you a few little guidelines and tips and hints and certainly some places where you can start if that’s something that interests you. I think that’s totally relevant, too, saying that most of you seem to get your wedding photos on discs these days. So with the digital files, it’s certainly within everyone’s realm to have their own webpage if they desire. And before I go too much further, I’ve got a big apology for all of you out there. I don’t know. But if you’re subscribing to the podcast, this may have caught you out, but when I recorded the last episode, episode 10 of The Wedding Podcast, I actually warned you that I was a little bit sick when I was doing that recording. And while I was actually recording in little bits and pieces in between, in and around the interviews, I actually had a stage there where I had a bad, bad cough. And I didn’t catch it in the editing stage. I went back and listened to the podcast once it was uploaded to iTunes. Anyway, there was this horrible, horrible ghastly cough. And I really dread to think that you might have heard that while driving in your car or listening in headphones. That was certainly unpleasant and my mistake. I do apologize for that. If you have that episode downloaded but you haven’t actually listened to it yet, I urge you to delete that copy and just go down and re-download episode ten. Actually, I went back and re-edited the episode. I pulled it off iTunes and added a new one back up there. So I do apologize for that. If that did catch you out. I’m still getting over that cough so I’m going to pause this time and make sure I edit correctly before I send this out to you guys.</p> <p>Speaking of the last episode, where we talked about – well, we had a bunch of interviews actually from my trip in Japan – and as usual we like to add in a big takeaway or a big tip from the last episode, in case you haven’t heard that yet. And I think the big take away from that episode was to make sure that you’re firstly marrying the right person and I think also that marriage isn’t for everyone. So I don’t think you should get pressured into doing something that you don’t want to do. And I think that marriage certainly needs to be given a fair amount of thought before you enter into it. So go back and have a listen and see if you agree. That was my big take away from the last episode.</p> <p>As far as local news and what’s been happening with me and my studio this week, today’s a Saturday. I’d normally be shooting a wedding today, but I actually had a wedding yesterday. And I’ve got to tell you, it was the wettest, most horrible weather I’ve ever had in my 12 years of shooting weddings. It was absolutely torrential. I’ll give you a little bit more of a background of the day. I did actually meet with the couple; I even came before the wedding and we had a good chat about their options. So we did know there’s a chance of rain. I did meet with them early this week. So we had a definite backup plan for the ceremony, which was going to be where the reception was being held. There’s quite a large room there. So it was a fair bit of work for the reception staff, but it was going to be there as a backup plan if we did need that. As with most of my wedding photography shoots and weddings that I cover, there’s always some guys’ coverage and some girls’ coverage beforehand. The problem for Kane and Eve was one of their groomsmen wasn’t going to be there beforehand to get some of those photos. And that would’ve been a real drama if that had been wet because it would’ve been less chances to get the photos of the guys if we’re caught up in all that rain later. So we did a bit of juggling and some work to get him off and it turned out that I knew his employer. I made a phone call and we got him away early from work. Out of the intensive care nursing section at Gosset[?] Hospital, which is just awesome. So I’ve got to thank my good friend who got Alex out of work early. So he was there for those initial shots beforehand. The reason that was so important because I could get all the groomsmen together before the actual ceremony, it means that I didn’t have to worry too much about getting too many groomsmen photos after the ceremony when we go for the location shoot. So that was all done. The shoot of bride’s house at Eve’s place where she was getting ready with all of her gorgeous sisters and family, that went without a hitch. So we had plenty of shots of all the bridal party beforehand. So the rain was sort of on and off at that stage. But by the time I got to ceremony, up at the entrance, the weather looked like it was going to be clearing, but the call was already made by Jackie, the celebrant, to take the ceremony inside. And that was a fair call. It had been raining on and off all day. So the ceremony went off without a hitch but the groom’s fantastic. It was called the Glass House. As you can imagine, it was full of glass so the view was still spectacular right over the entrance, waterways and out to the ocean. Nobody even cared that the ceremony was inside. I’m sure even Kane didn’t notice. They were so caught up with themselves and having the actual ceremony and being married. It was just gorgeous. It was really a who’s who of the Central Coast. They’re at the wedding. Everyone was dressed up to the night and super glamorous. All the girls are definitely happy that the ceremony was happening inside.</p> <p>So after the ceremony was finished and even Kane said Hello to all their guests and had hugs and kisses and being congratulated and all that nice stuff, it was time to get a few family photos. The reception stopped, they needed us out of that room to set up for the reception. So we made the call to go up into the rooftop where the ceremony was originally going to be. The roof was a little bit wet. There’s a few dry areas and a few sail [?] cloths coverings there which protected a little bit of the ground from getting too wet. And it was a little bit windy but it wasn’t too bad. So we went up with one half of the family first and lift, and we proceeded to get all those photos of Kane’s side of the family. They’ve finished and then up came Eve’s side of the family. And you wouldn’t know it – just as they came to the rooftop, it started bucketing down. It was absolutely torrential. So we’ve had the quick shot auto too. And for that stage, it was groomsmen running around trying to get the lift, we’re raising for umbrellas – it was totally unpleasant. So we did the best we could and got the hell out of there. The groomsmen looked like drowned rats; I looked like a drowned rat. Everyone was doing their best to keep Eve dry and Kane dry. And they were laughing and had a great time; they thought it was very funny Eve’s mom thought it was with their nice hairstyle and beautiful dress. But she put in a brave face, I think, just for Eve and for Kane. So we did get through that. But that wasn’t the worst of it. So after the family shots, we headed back down to the reception area. We all went down by lift because we didn’t use the stairs because it was too wet. Like I said, it was torrential. Torrentially pouring down. So once we get to the reception, everyone was so crowding around those very little room there. And my idea was to use some of the reception venue – the room there – for the location shoot. It wasn’t many other places to go. But what I thought I would do is have a quick look downstairs and see if we can find out a little area down there, as well, to add a little bit more spice to the shots so they’re not all just in one spot. So I go into the lift, click the Ground button, and sure enough it stops halfway between the ground and first floor. I’m three floors away down. So there, I’m stuck in the lift, I’m pressing the alarm, I’m thinking, “What am I doing in here? I should be getting these photos. There’s no time as it is.” And it took 15 minutes to actually get out of that lift. I was absolutely stressing out, worried about these photos. Finally, I got back upstairs, Eve and Kane, and would you know it – they didn’t even know that I was gone. They were still having a ball, they were getting photos with friends, and chatting and mingling. So yes, it just goes to show it certainly not all about the photographer. The day does go on no matter what happens. You might be thinking, “Do we have a backup?” Because I’m always so big about backup plans for your wedding day if it’s wet. We did. We did our backup plans. We planned to go to a couple of different spots if it was wet. But because the rain was just so torrential and so heavy, Eve and Kane both said, “Look. We just don’t want to go anywhere. We’re quite happy to do whatever you can here and we’ll be happy with that.” So that always sounds nice to me. It’s a relief  in [unclear], to me as a photographer, to know that they feel that good about staying there and trusting me to get the shots there in the room. But I’m always thinking of the consequences later on. I don’t want them, in six weeks’ time or three weeks’ time, to come back and say, “Andrew, I really wished we had done this or done that. We really wished we had more variety to our photos. They’re not like the photos that we’ve seen in your album.” It was just little [unclear]. At the end of the day, they’re the client and I have to do what they suggest or what they prefer. I can put the options to them. And then I could totally understand where they were coming from. That was so caught up in the day as well [unclear] having a ball and I think when they look back in the day, they’ll still be full of good memories, great laughs, you could not wipe the smile off their face. And it’s couples like that that you just have that feeling that they really do belong together. That they’re the right couple to be getting married. And no matter how rocky the wedding turns up to be, it wouldn’t matter to them at all because you can see and feel that the most important thing for the two of them was the fact that they were getting married and nothing was going to spoil that at all.</p> <p>So as it turned out, we did get some shots in the reception venue. We also got back downstairs. We didn’t go by the lift. We went down the stairs with umbrellas. And we even got the bridal party up for a quick shot with the umbrellas that I supplied for the whole bridal party. We all came back in like drowned rats again. Eve was having a laugh. Her sisters were having a ball. It was good. We still got some great shots. I was totally drenched. My gear was drenched, but I’m sure we got some great shots and I’m yet to go through those. But I’m feeling confident. And you wouldn’t believe it – just as I was about to leave, we had a little bit of a sunset as well so it was just a strange, weird day. I guess that the lesson is to be prepared and to give the wet weather some thought when you bring the plans together for your wedding day. Without a backup option for the ceremony, I really would’ve been stuck. So bear that in mind if you’re planning your wedding day.</p> <p>One other little bit of local news for me – I mentioned in the last episode that there must’ve been heaps of you guys getting engaged out there because I’ve had so many downloads of our pricelist for the website. It just seems to be continuing. So I don’t know if there’s something in the air in January or in summer that get these guys into action. But I’ve had five wedding appointments this week. And looks like we’ve booked all five of them for weddings later this year, and also in 2014. So it’s a great sign. It’s really good. It’s good for me, as a photographer, and it’s nice to know that guys are getting into action and making their girls happy. So if you’re a guy and listening, now’s the time to do it. Get in with the rest of the other guys there and make your girl happy.</p> <p>So just before I move on to this newspaper article that I mentioned at the start of the show, I did forget to mention – just talking about the rain and the wet wedding from yesterday – I actually wrote a blog post on some different options you can look out for, for wet whether photography. So I’ll put a link to that in the show notes. If you’re looking for the show notes, just go to <a href="http://www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/11">www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/11</a> and I’ll have the links to all the things that we talked about today. That blog post just gives you some ideas, no matter whether you’re getting married on the country, the city or suburban area, we’ll give you eleven different options to look out for. If you got a good professional photographer, they will have these options sorted out for you anyway and they’ll discuss those with you before you book them. But if you’re using a friend to do the photography, or maybe a photographer that’s just getting in to wedding photography, then you might be able to actually go and locate these little spots yourself, these little gems, and work out what’s going to suit you and your style of wedding and you can suggest those areas to your wedding photographer. I hope that’ll help. And I’ll add a link to the show notes.</p> <p>Also, if you do want to contact me – if you want to get involved with the show – I love getting feedback. If you have any questions, you can do all that via email and that’s to <a href="mailto:andrew@TheWeddingPodcast.com.au">andrew@TheWeddingPodcast.com.au</a>. Also, you can go to the show notes and there’s little comments section down there. So any feedback at all, I love receiving it. Particularly questions. If you’ve got questions, I’d love to answer them on the show. So that’d be great.</p> <p>Okay. So this newspaper article that I was referring to earlier was I was sent a link while I was over in Japan on holidays. I’ve forgot to mention it last week. And we had [unclear] interviews anyway. But it came from The Age newspaper. And I’ll put a link to this in the show notes as well. And what it was, was that a couple had paid – I think it was almost $3,000 – for their wedding photography. And the photographer missed the kiss. So they took into court over this matter. Now, they hadn’t paid in full. I think they paid $2,200 of the balance. They still had $600 outstanding. And they refuse to pay that. So they were suing him for missing the kiss and [unclear] supply and for not supplying what he promised to supply and what he’d shown in his work in his studio. And he was counter suing them as well for not being paid in full, and also because the couple didn’t supply him with a meal at the wedding day. So the interesting part of the story was not the fact that it was a couple taking a photographer to court, but the judge’s ruling was that the kiss is actually a very tough thing to catch, particularly if it’s just a peck, as the photographer alluded to in this case. Apparently there’s a lot of to-ing ang fro-ing in the court case and the judge’s ruling was that, yes, it really is something that’s tough to catch. We talked about catching the kiss in an earlier podcast episode and I how I would tackle that if I did miss that, like I have in the past, by possibly recreating the moment. If it’s a celebrant, I’d ask them to get them to kiss again. If I knew them, I’d be happy to do that. I’d find out another way around. I certainly wouldn’t let it go without it. The other thing was the couples said that the kiss is the money shot of the day. Like if the photographer doesn’t get the kiss, then they’re not really a true professional wedding photographer. So I’d love to know your thoughts on that. To me, I know it’s one of those key shots that I have to get and that’s why I would do anything I could to recreate it if I missed it or there were some sort of mishap or the kiss was to brief. Or they’re going in with their mouths open, it just wasn’t a flattering kiss, I’d certainly want to reshoot that one as well. So I’d love to  hear your thoughts on that one. This couple in the news story, they also weren’t happy with the way that he captured the signing. They didn’t think there was a very good photo of them signing the marriage certificate. The photographer’s argument was there was an archway with flowers over the signing desk, and that was causing irregular shadows and that was his excuse there. So have a read at the article. I’ll put a link to it into the show notes. The judge’s final ruling was that he didn’t supply the $2,600 worth of photography as he promised to. So he awarded them damages. So the company had to pay $710 back to the couple and the couple were ordered to pay $60 for the meal. For the photographer that they failed to supply. So in the end, it looks like they got a $1,500 wedding package supplied to them. I don’t think they’re going to get an album now. And that’s what they were really after. So I don’t think it was a win-win situation, that’s for sure. I think everyone’s going to be walking away from that one as a loser, really, because it’s not a nice wedding to be involved with and not a nice case either. I don’t know what the lesson is there. Have yourself a good photographer and have a good understanding of the shots that you want taken at your wedding. The kiss is a no-brainer. You shouldn’t have to explain that, that’s for sure. And same with the signing. As a photographer, we do see the same things week in and week out. And I guess some photographers may become blasé about certain aspects of the wedding, but the signing of the certificates or the registry, that’s part of the day. That’s one of the important shots that we have to get. So I guess you have to talk to your photographer and make sure that they understand that some shots are certainly important to you and if they fogged you off and they’re saying, “Yes, of course we know that’s important. Yes, we always do that,”  I still think it is important that you make sure that they understand that you really do want those shots. If you’ve actually stated that, then they really have gotten no recourse if they failed to deliver.</p> <p>So it’s time to bring in Leanne and have a chat to her about her business, Silk Dreams Flowers. I started the interview by welcoming Leanne and just with a general hello. So let’s get into that now.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Hi Andrew! Thanks for having me</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You own and operate Silk Dreams Flowers. Is that right?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I certainly do. And what a fantastic industry it is now becoming.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> The wedding industry, you mean? Or the flowers in general?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> The flowers in general. Because they are such high-quality.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So I’ll actually have a blog post go up on the Wedding Made Easy blog. I saw that you made a comment there that the new flowers that have just come out in 2013, as almost impossible to tell the difference between them and the real roses.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It was ridiculous. I opened the box up and I thought they were like fresh flowers! It was just the feel of them is just uncanny.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So they feel real, as well as look real?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. I know that I’ve actually photographed quite a few silk flowers at weddings, and I know myself that it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference. So who are silk flowers for?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Pretty much anyone. But I primarily address the wedding industry so wedding bouquets, table arrangements. For function centers and things like that, I can do custom-designed arrangements for them so they can then hire them. The list is really endless. But primarily, I stick with the wedding and the brides.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So before I’m going to ask you budget questions or about the flowers and particularly to do with wedding, how did you get started in the least? Are you a florist by trade?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I am a florist by trade. Eventually, my mother-in-law actually got me into it. She suggested for my wedding to have silk flowers. And I’d never thought of it. we went shopping together – yes, the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law went shopping – and that’s how I got into it. My first bouquet was my own.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So why did your mom suggested silk flowers?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> My mother-in-law, she is very well known around Newcastle for her class and elegance. And she’s just got this fantastic brain.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. So she just had seen them and thought it looked real, or just thought of a better option for you?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Pretty much both. Because we got married in March so it was still hot, and I wanted roses so instead of going all brown and yucky by the end of the day when the photographer is doing the photo shoot, she suggested doing it that way. And I thought it was a fantastic idea. And it just rolled on from there.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So by the sound of things, you still get on with your mother-in-law</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I do. I love her.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s awesome. So after your wedding then, did the business slowly build up? Or you ordered a shipment of silk flowers? Or you make your own? How does it all work?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Basically, I order my supplies in from all over Australia. From all different suppliers, all different grades of flowers. There’s silk, there’s latex, real-touch, and now like the real-real-touch. And I just order them in, trying to do the best color matching we can for the bride, which is pretty simple considering that purple is the new pink. And then I design them up how they want. They might want something in specific. Or I’ve got some standard designs that we can work from and grow from that.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So have you seen a big change in the flower quality – from when you started to now?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Definitely. real touch wasn’t in when I got married. I had silk roses and I only threw them out maybe six months ago, only because I didn’t take care of them. But they still lasted that long. But now we’ve got the real touch and the real-real-touch roses that are out, which are just amazing.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So you said you’ve just thrown yours out six months ago. When were you married?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> 2004.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So it lasted years.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So, say, a bride’s coming to you then and they decide that they want silk flowers – even before they decide, what would sway you to silk flowers over real flowers? I know you said if it’s a hot day, that the real flowers may wilt or start to get brown.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That’s a big one, especially for somebody who want a beach wedding, like Frangipanis or lilies or something like that. Because with fresh flowers, those two flowers brown really quickly in the heat. So photographers will love them because if they miss out on during the photo shoot with the flowers, they can do it later on at the reception and they’re still going to look perfect. So that’s a really, really big plus. The other one is allergies. If the bride or groom have got allergies, you won’t get any sneezing or rubbing the nose or the watery eyes while you’re trying to say your vows, if you’ve got these silk flowers.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I didn’t even consider that for one second. That makes total sense.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It’s huge. I’ve got allergies today, actually. And I don’t have fresh flowers anywhere. But it is. The last thing you want is to have to swallow tablets and tablets and tablets so you don’t have the watery eyes or things like that. Whereas you just don’t have to worry about it. It’s just peace of mind.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So while we’re looking at pros and against between real flowers and silk flowers, is there a cost difference?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Which way?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Which way?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> The way you said that, I’m thinking silk flowers are cheaper.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Silk flowers definitely are cheaper. And best part about them as well is that you can get flowers which aren’t in season. Because my flowers are always in season.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Say, a bride loves Frangipanis, and I know they’re only up for, say, a month or two in summertime. Would you discourage your bride then, say, it’s a Sydney winter wedding to having Frangipanis? Would that look strange?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It’s really up to the bride. I would do anything the bride tells me to do. If she really wants the Frangipanis, no problems at all. But if she’s looking at fooling everyone – if it is winter – using the winter flowers instead of the summer flowers, then we can do that as well. It basically comes down to the bride’s choice.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Do you find that that’s what most brides are trying to do? Are they trying to fool everyone with the silk flowers and pretend that they’re real?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Not fooling them. Like I said, with allergies and [unclear] reasons. It’s not to try and trick everyone.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I know how real they look. You really can’t tell the difference.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. It just comes down to the bride’s choice, really.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So, say, I’m a bride and I’m coming to you to organize my flowers. I’m going to go with the silk flowers. What’s the first thing I’ll look at when I come to you? Do you need to know colors? Do I have to tell you the type of flower that I’m after?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. Color is probably the top runner, only because the color goes through everything – through the bridesmaid’s dresses, through to your reception, your invitations. Say, you’re using like the Cadbury’s chocolate purple, you’d want to carry that through the whole theme. So obviously we’re looking at that sort of color first, and then integrating the different flowers, whatever flowers we could do for you.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you don’t get every color with every flower? So it’s all realistic?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It is all realistic. Some come in different colors that normally wouldn’t come in fresh flowers. But the majority, yes, keeping to that realistic tone and doing it that way.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So is that the way most girls go? They’ll look at the realistic colors and then go with something that looks very similar?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. The first one’s the color.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Say, they want a champagne-colored flower. Then you start looking at actual flower types.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. You’ve got the roses, you’ve got lilies. You can integrate the orchids. There’s just so many. It really comes down to personal preference. A lot of brides – which is really great with this technology – is they bring their iPhones with them, or their iPods, and they’ve got photos and we can either just completely copy that, or go, “Okay, I’ll want to change that and put different flowers in.” So we can do that as well. I love technology when brides bring photos and things.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Cool. Okay. That makes it easy.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Oh yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> With the actual bouquets, I know that with real flowers, each flower is wired and then you put the bouquet together. Is that the similar process for you?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. They all come in different styles, I suppose. The orchids will actually come on an orchid stem so I have that to chop that and wire it, and then integrate it into the bouquet. Whereas a rose will come with a stem, and that doesn’t need wire. It just goes straight in.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay, right. And then you can create any style of bouquets you can do – like a teardrop or a round bouquet with different flowers?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Definitely. I love the weird and the wonderful bow. I’ve been getting a few of those after the bridal fair in January. I’m doing one for Lady and it’s red and black roses with skulls.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. That sounds like an awesome wedding. I’d love to photograph that.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It’s like a total skull theme. I can’t wait to see the finished product and for them to send me some photos.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> What color wedding dress, do you know?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I think it’s red.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Oh really? Okay. Cool. It’d look good on a photograph.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That’s why I said I can’t wait to see the photos.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And with the pricing with the different flowers, does it change only with the quality of the silk? Or does it depend on how large the bouquet is?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It goes on a couple of things. I’ve got some different-sized bouquets that we start off with. And then we add some, say, real touch roses, they’re obviously a little bit more expensive than the general silk ones. But it goes off the size of the bouquet and what type of flowers you use.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. And you said there’s latex as well as silk, and then you’ve got the real-touch.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So the real touch is the most expensive one?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> The real touch is the most expensive, then you go to your latex, which is more of a rubbery-type feel, which is pretty much real touch as well, to me. And then you’ve got the silk ones, the fabric. So it’s basically the three levels.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So the latex is actually more realistic than the basic silk one?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow, okay. So what is it with the real touch ones? They obviously look fantastic. They actually feel like a real flower too, do they?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It’s just unbelievable that the quality in these new roses that came in in January, to me, I just can’t get over how real they feel. They’re just so soft. I’ve compared them. I’d be honest – I went out and bought a bunch of fresh roses just to feel the difference. And I couldn’t tell the difference.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right. Okay. It’s amazing. What’s going to be the next step? Are they going to have smell introduced as well?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Actually you can do that to my bouquets as well. I don’t scent them myself only because if the bride is with allergies, but you can put your favorite scents through them as well if you wanted to do that.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Really?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. You get the best of both worlds.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. Okay. I know with the weddings that I photographed, and I’ve had silk flowers, I’ve seen family come up and actually smell the flowers and be totally blown away and shocked that they’re not real. I know how real they do look.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I know. I love it when people tell me that. Or when people come to my studio and say, “Oh. Are these like silk flowers?” And I’m like, “Yes, there’s nothing fresh here.” And they’re like, “Oh my God!”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s awesome. And can you do more than just the bouquet? Can you do the flowers for the hair, flower girl arrangements and things like that?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I do absolutely anything and everything. I do all the buttonholes, the pin corsages for the mums and grandmas, hair flowers, table decorations, flower girl, [unclear] – what else is it? It’s just so much. Anything.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And what about the actual reception or the ceremony? Do you do arrangements there for the tables and the church?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I can do anything and everything.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. So anything you can do with a real flower you can do with a silk flower.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That’s it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Perfect. So when brides are ordering flowers from a florist, I know you have to have a little bit of lead time and there’s the run to the market before the week of the wedding, what happens with the silk flowers?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> When a bride goes, “Yep, I’d like to order the flowers.” They’re filling a booking form, which has got all main information on it, which obviously got all their information on it. And then I order their flowers, get their bouquets done up. Normally, I had them done about two or three weeks ahead of the wedding day so they’ve got time to come and pick them up or if I need to post them. And that’s basically it. So it’s really good because when I get it done a couple of weeks beforehand, and they come and pick it up, if there’s something we need to change, we can do it there and then. So instead of on the wedding day, and their flowers turn up and you go, “That’s not exactly what I wanted. I’m not really happy with it.” You don’t get that with my flowers either. We can change it or whatever the case is.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So with the flowers they’re ordering, do you have an exact replica or a copy back at the studio?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Of the flowers, I do. I do have a wide range of sample bouquets done up, as well as there’s so many photos on the website. And all the prices are on the website as well.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Cool.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> And there’s just all these samples done up. I’ve got all the different flowers out on display so instead of trying to explain what the flowers look like, you can actually see them and feel them. We can put something together rather quickly and make some changes or add bits and pieces. So you get to actually see it before it’s actually done, really.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So it’s not like that you just order a whole bouquet from a supplier. You order the flowers and then you build the bouquets still.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That’s right, yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So everything is still made custom-order for the bride.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Definitely. There’s not one bride which has ever had the same bouquet, I don’t think.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Right. The more I talk to you, the more they sound like real flowers. So how do you find most of your orders come through, Leanne? Do they come to you to the studio at Toronto? Or do you find most of the orders come online? Who do you supply and what sort of area?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I supply internationally. The other day, I set one over to New Zealand. Last week I sent one to Canada. So a lot of things come directly through the website. Other people find me – like I said – at the bridal fair that we had in January. There have been back-to-back appointments since the 20^th of January. And yes, people just come here to the studio. They give me a call, make an appointment, and list down [unclear] what they need.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So it’s pretty easy.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I’m so simple to get along, it’s ridiculous.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I know when I rang you to do this interview, it’s, “Yes, no worries. Let’s do it” and it was very simple. So if you’re like that with your brides, I’m sure you’d be very easy to deal with.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. There’s no point in making things intricate or hard. That’s the way I live my life and that’s the way I live the business.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Very good. So with your website, the couples actually order through the website? Or they still make then contact with you when you guys chat at the phone? How does it work?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I don’t have an order form or anything like that on the website because like I said, not one bride has ever been the same. They might see a photo that they like and go, “Aw, I really wish it was this color” or wanted to add something else. So 9 times out of 10, they will send me an email and then I can just send a customized quote, which has got everything detailed listed out in it – pictures of bouquets, similar bouquets that I’ve done, the actual photos of the flower that I’d be using. So all the information is in that email. So it’s the best way to contact me. Or via telephone. My phone just doesn’t stop ringing but that’s okay. I like talking. Either way, I’ll send a quote via our email because then I can send all those pictures and all the colors and take it from there.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So it’s all pretty easy.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Pretty simple.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay, cool. And then obviously you would just post the flowers out if they’re not local and then they get them before the wedding or couple of weeks before the wedding.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes, that’s it. I love it when people come and pick the flowers up because I like seeing their face when I open up the box.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Sure.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> So a lady came and picked two flowers up last Thursday, I think it was. And she was getting married Sunday. The big stormy Sunday that we had.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> And I helped her take the flowers out to the car. And we’re standing on the driveway and she’s like, “I just can’t believe that that’s exactly what I wanted. It’s absolutely perfect.” And she just ran over and gave me this huge kiss and huge cuddle.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Isn’t it good when it works out like that?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> It’s lovely.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s awesome. So where do you see the silk flowers in five years’ time. Do you think there’ll be many changes?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I hope more real touch flowers come out. They’re just becoming so popular since the bridal fair. That’s pretty much all the quotes I’ve been doing – it’s for the real touch. Like the Casablanca lilies as well, they’re the real touch and they blow you away as well but you don’t get all that yucky stuff all over your fingers. So I’d hope that. And more colors. Even there is an abundance of color, there’s always one bride who has an in-between-y color.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Right. Okay. So when they order the colors, there’s actually different shades of each color as well?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Pretty much, yes. Say, the roses. I’ve got like 12 different types of roses you can select from. And say, it’s a red one, there’s 12 different shades of reds. Like this lady, she’s got a red wedding dresses with the skulls, we actually could match – because she had a swatch of her material – we could actually match the exact red to that dress.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. Okay. So there really is a big range.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Huge.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Awesome. Unreal. Look, is there anything I haven’t asked you that you think brides should know before they order silk flowers?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I don’t think so. There’s a lot of us around. I’m sitting in the mid-range. By no means the cheapest. I don’t hide my prices or anything like that. I think that’s just ridiculous. And I sit probably the middle to high range just because of the quality I use. I don’t use the really low budget down $2 shop flowers or anything like that. I just use that quality. What else is there…</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Let’s say that someone was listening to this podcast and they’re from overseas or interstate, and for whatever reason they want to use someone local to them, and there’s another silk flower supplier, how do they tell whether they’re a good quality silk flower or they’re not? Is it purely by look?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> No. You can look at some silk flowers and go, “Yes, they’re not really good quality.” By feel. Definitely by feel. If people say to me – email me through and say, “I really want to know what the difference is between this one and that one?” I’ll say, “Look, give me your address, I’ll send you a sample and go and compare it. If you’re happy with theirs, that’s fine. But mine are really high quality.” And again, it’s up to the bride what she wants to do. And I’ve got no problem with showing the quality of my flowers.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Cool. So if someone is from oversees or interstate, like I said, and they did want to use local, they should go and actually see the flowers and touch them?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> And touch them, yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And that’s the best way.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That is the best way. Even though saying that, I’ve done so many international and national orders myself. Again, I’m confident in myself that the brides will be happy with them because of the quality I use.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Sure. Okay. Is there any risk of them getting damaged when you post them out?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Not really. I use a courier for Australia deliveries, which the boxes are just totally marked all over it – top load only, handle with care. And I only use the best courier as well. I have had little incidents with some couriers, but I don’t use them anymore. And for international, again, the box is quite marked quite well. And I always tell the brides to insure it and to track it as well. So it’s a little bit more expensive, but there’s that guarantee – hopefully that guaranteed that it all arrived in one piece.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes. Perfect. And I guess with your lead time, it would give you the chance to redo something if there was an incident.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That’s right. If there is an issue, I can do something about it. A lady in Queens ordered last year. She ordered some frangipanis and the courier left the box because he thought that they were fresh flowers and they’re allowed to leave fresh products out. He left the box out the carport while it was raining. And the box was open. So her order got absolutely destroyed and she rang me out and she absolutely panicked. She had three weeks until her wedding and this has to happen, “Oh my God, it’s only three weeks.” I’m like, “That’s fine. I’ve just dropped everything. I’m working on your next order. I’m going to do this and because of this hassle, we’re going to add an extra couple of buttonholes or extra flowers or something just so you’re happy.” So in the end, she got her flowers a week later. That was an interesting week. A few late notes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I bet.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> And she used a different courier company obviously. And the flowers arrived safely and she was over the moon. So I do anything and everything to ensure that my brides are happy.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Sounds like you fool the courier up, right? Because he thought they were real flowers. He thought he was doing nothing wrong.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Well, that’s it. But the box shouldn’t have been opened in the first place.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> True.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> A lot quite happens along the way. But he thought that they were fresh flowers as well.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right. Okay. Let me ask you one last question about the flowers. Because they were left out obviously in the torrential rain or whatever it was, if the girls have silk flowers on their wedding day and it’s raining, do you have to be extra careful with the silk flowers in the rain?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> No. They will tolerate a fair bit. When the flowers were left out in the carport, it was like the floods up in Queensland.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So they got hammered.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> They got pretty hammered. A lot of people, what they do, is you can even spray them with just a little bit of water just to give them a little fresh look, so they’ll actually look like – even though they do look like – fresh flowers. But just to give it that extra oomph, you can spray them a little bit of water. But no, water won’t damage them at all.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Perfect. So how can people find you?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Okay. You can either find me at bridal fairs. I pretty much stick with the ones at City Hall in Newcastle, run by the Grapevine. On my website, which is <a href="http://www.SilkDreamsFlowers.com.au">www.SilkDreamsFlowers.com.au</a>. And my contact details are on there as well. I love talking to brides so please feel free to give me a call.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Just so with your website, it’s actually Silk Dreams, with an ‘S’ on the end, and then flowers.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> With an ‘S’ on the end, yes. Or you just do a search on Google for Silk Dreams and it will come up.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Perfect. And like you said, you ship nationally and internationally.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> I certainly do.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And if someone books with the Wedding Discount Card, you even offer a discount with that?</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> That’s right, exactly.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Cool! That’s unreal. Look, thanks so much for chatting to us today, Leanne.</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> My pleasure.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And you guys have an awesome rest of the summer, and a great wedding season!</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Yes. Well, I’ve got [unclear] orders to get out already this month. So I better stop chatting and get on with that.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Awesome. Thanks again Leanne!</p> <p><b>Leanne:</b> Thanks Andrew!</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I hope you enjoyed that interview with Leanne. And if you are looking at silk flowers as an option for your wedding day, I can absolutely truly promise you that the difference between them and the real flowers is impossible to tell these days. It really is amazing. Definitely worth checking out if you’re thinking of going down that road. I’ll also add links to Leanne’s website if in case you want to get in touch with her, and also some links to her Facebook page if you want to get in touch that way.</p> <p>I mentioned earlier in the show that I’ve seen some different blogs for weddings. Particularly if you’re looking at starting your own blog about your wedding and your wedding day, not something your photographer would do, there’s a few great options out there that I’ve come across. I don’t know if it’s something you’ve considered. There’s a couple of different ways you can approach it, but the easiest way is to have your own website. And that’s not hard to do; I’ll tell you a little bit about how to do that and the costs involved. Once you have your own website, then you would have a WordPress installation added to your website. That’s a simple process that the person who does your website, they will do that part for you. And then you would purchase a theme that goes over the top of that WordPress installation. So it might sound a little bit technical, but it depends on how web-savvy you are. But it really isn’t that difficult at this stage. So basically, you have an empty skin there or a theme that you’ve chosen or that you’ve purchased. And then you just have to populate or fill that up with the information that you’d like to add. So that’ll include photos and texts about you and your partner and your wedding day.</p> <p>To get started, the first thing you would need to do would be to find a domain name. That’s your <a href="http://www.AdamAndSandra.com.au">www.AdamAndSandra.com.au</a> or <a href="http://www.BobAndTiffanysWedding.com.au">www.BobAndTiffanysWedding.com.au</a>. So it’d be a matter of coming out with a name that’s available and free. And you can find that out just by searching for the name that you’d like to put down for your website.</p> <p>Once you’ve got that name, you need to register that. Again, the guy that I use for all my website stuff is Andrew from Silver Dimension. I’ve asked him for some prices just for someone starting out and setting up a website for the first time. And to actually register the .com.au domain name, that costs $66 excluding GST, and that’s for two years. So you’re looking at about $36 per year. What you can do, you can have the website stay live forever and keep adding to it if you like. Or you can have the website populate it with all your information, have it as beautiful as you like right up until your wedding. You could continue that for another 12 months after and talk about married life and that first year, or have your honeymoon images in there. You can make it as big and as fancy as you like, or as minimal as you like.</p> <p>Once you’ve finished with the website, or you don’t think people are going to keep going back there, or you’ve had enough of working on it, instead of paying a certain fee every year, what you can do then is just have the whole website put onto a disc, DVD, and you can keep that as an archive and back that up, keep a copy at your place, a copy somewhere else, and you can have that memory forever. You can certainly leave it on the web, as well, but then you will have to pay those fees per year.</p> <p>Once you have your domain name sorted out, you’d also have to pay for hosting, and that’s where the host actually holds your website. He’s a guy that actually looks after it. And for 200 megabytes of disc space, which is a fair bit, if you have quite small photos, you’re looking at about $120, excluding GST, per year for that. So that’s the part that’s probably going to hurt you the most if you want to keep this website live over a long time. And another fact that you will have to consider if you’re looking at doing this is if you’re having a lot of photos on there, you have to make sure that your photos are quite small, otherwise you’re going to use up that 200 megabytes of disc space quite quickly. So the smaller your images, the more you can have on there for that space. You can up the size of your hosting space and obviously the price will go up proportionally as you add more space. But it isn’t much more expensive to do that.</p> <p>That’s the hard and scary bits out of the way. Once you’ve got your domain name and your website hosted, you ask your web guy to install WordPress and then it’s on to the themes. And that’s the good stuff. I found the few themes that I think is certainly relevant if you’re looking at doing this. The first one is called Save The Date. The cost of the theme is $70. That’s a one-off cost. So once you buy the theme, that’s yours for good. Again, you’ll install that over the top of your WordPress installation on your new website. I’m going to add links to these in the show notes. Again, you just go to <a href="http://www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/11">www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/11</a> and I’ll have the links to all these different themes and pricings and things like that.</p> <p>The Save The Date website, that’s a pretty cool one. I guess that the only limiting factor with this one is it’s design to go up until the wedding day. And then it finishes there. It certainly can add your wedding images on there, but it’s designed to tell your story the lead up to your wedding. It’s got little sections there for RSVPs, you can add about your proposal and how that went down. You can send this out to all your guests, to actually save the date. And then you’ve got a little blog section to add stories along the way as you make your preparations and as you’re heading towards the actual wedding day. And you can customize the blog to suit yourself. So the example that I’ve got up here on the screen in front of me, there’s a section there for the groom as well. I don’t know how much input you’re going to get from your partner when it comes to the blog, but it’s certainly nice if the guys do get involved. I guess it just adds another dimension to the website. It’s just not you guys or you girls doing all the work.</p> <p>The next theme that I really like the look of is called Marriage. The special thing about this particular theme is that it’s a responsive WordPress theme. Responsive means that it doesn’t matter where people look at your website – whether it’s on a computer, a desktop, a laptop, a phone, or an iPad – it’ll actually resize and look nice on all those different devices. So if you think a lot of your friends and family will look at your website on their phone or on their iPad – chances are, they will – then it’s nice to have a responsive WordPress theme. And this particular theme, Marriage, is only $40. Again, it’s a one-off cost. Once youâ Have you considered silk wedding flowers for your bridal bouquet? In this episode of the wedding podcast, Andrew interviews Leanne of Silk Dreams Flowers to hear the difference between real flowers and modern silk and latex flowers. With the latest release of “real touch” silk flowers it has become impossible to see or feel the difference.

During the interview, learn about:

• The types of silk flowers available
• Colour options in the different varieties
• How long silk flowers last
• Cost and how it’s calculated
• Silk flowers aren’t only used for bouquets
• The advantages of silk flowers and a disadvantage or two
• Ordering options for silks
• Lead times required for ordering your flowers before your wedding
• How to choose between a good and bad supplier
• Is it safe to order online?

  Silk or real, can you tell the difference?

Toward the end of our chat, Leanne relays a story about a whole box of her silk flowers that were totally destroyed by heavy rain after they were dropped at the brides home a week before her wedding. The reason they were left outside and in the weather? The delivery driver was 100% sure they were real flowers!

Obviously silk flowers won’t be an option for every bride. If you’re sitting on that side of the fence, tune in and you may come up with a few ideas where you could supplement your real flowers with some silks and save a bundle.

Also on this episode, I cover the age old problem of wet wedding days following my wedding the day before which turned out to be the wettest wedding I have attended in my 12 years as a photographer. You’ll hear about the deluge, the photography options available to me and the big decision the bride and groom made to forget the back up plans we made earlier that week when we discussed the possibility of rain.

To make matters worse, of the limited time I had available to capture the photos of the bride and groom, 15 minutes were trapped alone in a lift between the first and ground floor of the reception venue! Talk about stressful. Listen to see how the bride and groom took my “time off” from shooting the most important day of their life.

Following the nightmare rain story, you can hear about a couple that are suing their wedding photographer for missing “the kiss” of which they suggested was the one shot a wedding photographer must absolutely capture.

The judge ruled in favour of the couple but not after deliberating on just how tough a photo opportunity “the kiss” actually is – particularly if it’s a quick peck.

Silk flowers can be used for more than just the bouquets.
Photo by Delisser Photography

The couple didn’t leave the court unscathed either as they were counter sued by the photographer for not paying in full for the photography package and for NOT supplying a meal to the photographer on the night of the wedding.

Have you ever considered your own personal wedding website? Following my interview with Leanne, I discuss four different websites that are worth looking at if this idea appeals to you. I cover the following aspects:

• The costs involved
• Domain name registration for your website – for example, andrewandlinda.com.au
• Website hosting
• WordPress and why it’s your best option
• Four different WordPress themes
• Who can set it all up for you?
• What to with your website after your wedding

It’s a big episode with a ton of information and I hope you can join the fun and get involved!

Items mentioned in this episode: 

Silk Dreams Flowers: www.silkdreamsflowers.com.au

Find Silk Dreams Flowers on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/silkdreamsflowers

Wet weather options to consider for your wedding day: www.impact-blog.com.au/rain

For the Age newspaper article about the couple suing their wedding photographer for missing “the kiss” – click here

For domain name registration, website hosting and wordpress (plus theme) installation, speak to Andrew from Silver Dimension:  www.silverdimension.com.au

The four Wedding Website themes I mention in the podcast:

Save the Date - the theme for the lead up to your wedding and your wedding day

One of my favourite wedding theme designs for a brides own website

Marriage - my favourite of the themes which is also a “responsive” clean and simple design which can easily be used beyond your wedding date

The Wedding - another relatively clean design with some good colour options

Wedding Album - designed for wedding photographers but perfectly adaptable to show off your wedding photos. This theme is particularly relevant with todays photography packages which mostly include the digital photos from your day.

Feedback

Feedback or comments are always welcome and I love receiving questions for the podcast – I’d love to hear from you. You can email me, andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au or leave a comment below.

Have you been enjoying the podcast? If so, it’d be awesome if you’d spend two minutes to leave a rating and comment in iTunes. It makes the podcast more easy to find by ranking better in the iTunes store. Click here to go to the iTunes page, click on the blue button “View In iTunes” then click on “Ratings and Reviews” to leave a comment. Thanks!

Hope you enjoy the episode.

Speak soon!

Andrew

Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
• Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

Transcript:

So just before I move on to this newspaper article that I mentioned at the start of the show, I did forget to mention – just talking about the rain and the wet wedding from yesterday – I actually wrote a blog post on some different options you can look out for, for wet whether photography. So I’ll put a link to that in the show notes. If you’re looking for the show notes, just go to www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/11 and I’ll have the links to all the things that we talked about today. That blog post just gives you some ideas, no matter whether you’re getting married on the country, the city or suburban area, we’ll give you eleven different options to look out for. If you got a good professional photographer, they will have these options sorted out for you anyway and they’ll discuss those with you before you book them. But if you’re using a friend to do the photography, or maybe a photographer that’s just getting in to wedding photography, then you might be able to actually go and locate these little spots yourself, these little gems, and work out what’s going to suit you and your style of wedding and you can suggest those areas to your wedding photographer. I hope that’ll help. And I’ll add a link to the show notes.

Also, if you do want to contact me – if you want to get involved with the show – I love getting feedback. If you have any questions, you can do all that via email and that’s to andrew@TheWeddingPodcast.com.au. Also, you can go to the show notes and there’s little comments section down there. So any feedback at all, I love receiving it. Particularly questions. If you’ve got questions, I’d love to answer them on the show. So that’d be great.

Okay. So this newspaper article that I was referring to earlier was I was sent a link while I was over in Japan on holidays. I’ve forgot to mention it last week. And we had [unclear] interviews anyway. But it came from The Age newspaper. And I’ll put a link to this in the show notes as well. And what it was, was that a couple had paid – I think it was almost $3,000 – for their wedding photography. And the photographer missed the kiss. So they took into court over this matter. Now, they hadn’t paid in full. I think they paid $2,200 of the balance. They still had $600 outstanding. And they refuse to pay that. So they were suing him for missing the kiss and [unclear] supply and for not supplying what he promised to supply and what he’d shown in his work in his studio. And he was counter suing them as well for not being paid in full, and also because the couple didn’t supply him with a meal at the wedding day. So the interesting part of the story was not the fact that it was a couple taking a photographer to court, but the judge’s ruling was that the kiss is actually a very tough thing to catch, particularly if it’s just a peck, as the photographer alluded to in this case. Apparently there’s a lot of to-ing ang fro-ing in the court case and the judge’s ruling was that, yes, it really is something that’s tough to catch. We talked about catching the kiss in an earlier podcast episode and I how I would tackle that if I did miss that, like I have in the past, by possibly recreating the moment. If it’s a celebrant, I’d ask them to get them to kiss again. If I knew them, I’d be happy to do that. I’d find out another way around. I certainly wouldn’t let it go without it. The other thing was the couples said that the kiss is the money shot of the day. Like if the photographer doesn’t get the kiss, then they’re not really a true professional wedding photographer. So I’d love to know your thoughts on that. To me, I know it’s one of those key shots that I have to get and that’s why I would do anything I could to recreate it if I missed it or there were some sort of mishap or the kiss was to brief. Or they’re going in with their mouths open, it just wasn’t a flattering kiss, I’d certainly want to reshoot that one as well. So I’d love to  hear your thoughts on that one. This couple in the news story, they also weren’t happy with the way that he captured the signing. They didn’t think there was a very good photo of them signing the marriage certificate. The photographer’s argument was there was an archway with flowers over the signing desk, and that was causing irregular shadows and that was his excuse there. So have a read at the article. I’ll put a link to it into the show notes. The judge’s final ruling was that he didn’t supply the $2,600 worth of photography as he promised to. So he awarded them damages. So the company had to pay $710 back to the couple and the couple were ordered to pay $60 for the meal. For the photographer that they failed to supply. So in the end, it looks like they got a $1,500 wedding package supplied to them. I don’t think they’re going to get an album now. And that’s what they were really after. So I don’t think it was a win-win situation, that’s for sure. I think everyone’s going to be walking away from that one as a loser, really, because it’s not a nice wedding to be involved with and not a nice case either. I don’t know what the lesson is there. Have yourself a good photographer and have a good understanding of the shots that you want taken at your wedding. The kiss is a no-brainer. You shouldn’t have to explain that, that’s for sure. And same with the signing. As a photographer, we do see the same things week in and week out. And I guess some photographers may become blasé about certain aspects of the wedding, but the signing of the certificates or the registry, that’s part of the day. That’s one of the important shots that we have to get. So I guess you have to talk to your photographer and make sure that they understand that some shots are certainly important to you and if they fogged you off and they’re saying, “Yes, of course we know that’s important. Yes, we always do that,”  I still think it is important that you make sure that they understand that you really do want those shots. If you’ve actually stated that, then they really have gotten no recourse if they failed to deliver.

So it’s time to bring in Leanne and have a chat to her about her business, Silk Dreams Flowers. I started the interview by welcoming Leanne and just with a general hello. So let’s get into that now.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Leanne: Hi Andrew! Thanks for having me

Andrew: You own and operate Silk Dreams Flowers. Is that right?

Leanne: I certainly do. And what a fantastic industry it is now becoming.

Andrew: The wedding industry, you mean? Or the flowers in general?

Leanne: The flowers in general. Because they are such high-quality.

Andrew: So I’ll actually have a blog post go up on the Wedding Made Easy blog. I saw that you made a comment there that the new flowers that have just come out in 2013, as almost impossible to tell the difference between them and the real roses.

Leanne: It was ridiculous. I opened the box up and I thought they were like fresh flowers! It was just the feel of them is just uncanny.

Andrew: So they feel real, as well as look real?

Leanne: Yes.

Andrew: Wow. I know that I’ve actually photographed quite a few silk flowers at weddings, and I know myself that it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference. So who are silk flowers for?

Leanne: Pretty much anyone. But I primarily address the wedding industry so wedding bouquets, table arrangements. For function centers and things like that, I can do custom-designed arrangements for them so they can then hire them. The list is really endless. But primarily, I stick with the wedding and the brides.

Andrew: So before I’m going to ask you budget questions or about the flowers and particularly to do with wedding, how did you get started in the least? Are you a florist by trade?

Leanne: I am a florist by trade. Eventually, my mother-in-law actually got me into it. She suggested for my wedding to have silk flowers. And I’d never thought of it. we went shopping together – yes, the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law went shopping – and that’s how I got into it. My first bouquet was my own.

Andrew: So why did your mom suggested silk flowers?

Leanne: My mother-in-law, she is very well known around Newcastle for her class and elegance. And she’s just got this fantastic brain.

Andrew: Wow. So she just had seen them and thought it looked real, or just thought of a better option for you?

Leanne: Pretty much both. Because we got married in March so it was still hot, and I wanted roses so instead of going all brown and yucky by the end of the day when the photographer is doing the photo shoot, she suggested doing it that way. And I thought it was a fantastic idea. And it just rolled on from there.

Andrew: Okay. So by the sound of things, you still get on with your mother-in-law

Leanne: I do. I love her.

Andrew: That’s awesome. So after your wedding then, did the business slowly build up? Or you ordered a shipment of silk flowers? Or you make your own? How does it all work?

Leanne: Basically, I order my supplies in from all over Australia. From all different suppliers, all different grades of flowers. There’s silk, there’s latex, real-touch, and now like the real-real-touch. And I just order them in, trying to do the best color matching we can for the bride, which is pretty simple considering that purple is the new pink. And then I design them up how they want. They might want something in specific. Or I’ve got some standard designs that we can work from and grow from that.

Andrew: Okay. So have you seen a big change in the flower quality – from when you started to now?

Leanne: Definitely. real touch wasn’t in when I got married. I had silk roses and I only threw them out maybe six months ago, only because I didn’t take care of them. But they still lasted that long. But now we’ve got the real touch and the real-real-touch roses that are out, which are just amazing.

Andrew: Okay. So you said you’ve just thrown yours out six months ago. When were you married?

Leanne: 2004.

Andrew: So it lasted years.

Leanne: Yes.

Andrew: So, say, a bride’s coming to you then and they decide that they want silk flowers – even before they decide, what would sway you to silk flowers over real flowers? I know you said if it’s a hot day, that the real flowers may wilt or start to get brown.

Leanne: That’s a big one, especially for somebody who want a beach wedding, like Frangipanis or lilies or something like that. Because with fresh flowers, those two flowers brown really quickly in the heat. So photographers will love them because if they miss out on during the photo shoot with the flowers, they can do it later on at the reception and they’re still going to look perfect. So that’s a really, really big plus. The other one is allergies. If the bride or groom have got allergies, you won’t get any sneezing or rubbing the nose or the watery eyes while you’re trying to say your vows, if you’ve got these silk flowers.

Andrew: I didn’t even consider that for one second. That makes total sense.

Leanne: It’s huge. I’ve got allergies today, actually. And I don’t have fresh flowers anywhere. But it is. The last thing you want is to have to swallow tablets and tablets and tablets so you don’t have the watery eyes or things like that. Whereas you just don’t have to worry about it. It’s just peace of mind.

Andrew: So while we’re looking at pros and against between real flowers and silk flowers, is there a cost difference?

Leanne: Yes.

Andrew: Which way?

Leanne: Which way?

Andrew: The way you said that, I’m thinking silk flowers are cheaper.

Leanne: Silk flowers definitely are cheaper. And best part about them as well is that you can get flowers which aren’t in season. Because my flowers are always in season.

Andrew: Okay. Say, a bride loves Frangipanis, and I know they’re only up for, say, a month or two in summertime. Would you discourage your bride then, say, it’s a Sydney winter wedding to having Frangipanis? Would that look strange?

Leanne: It’s really up to the bride. I would do anything the bride tells me to do. If she really wants the Frangipanis, no problems at all. But if she’s looking at fooling everyone – if it is winter – using the winter flowers instead of the summer flowers, then we can do that as well. It basically comes down to the bride’s choice.

Andrew: Do you find that that’s what most brides are trying to do? Are they trying to fool everyone with the silk flowers and pretend that they’re real?

Leanne: Not fooling them. Like I said, with allergies and [unclear] reasons. It’s not to try and trick everyone.

Andrew: I know how real they look. You really can’t tell the difference.

Leanne: Yes. It just comes down to the bride’s choice, really.

Andrew: Okay. So, say, I’m a bride and I’m coming to you to organize my flowers. I’m going to go with the silk flowers. What’s the first thing I’ll look at when I come to you? Do you need to know colors? Do I have to tell you the type of flower that I’m after?

Leanne: Yes. Color is probably the top runner, only because the color goes through everything – through the bridesmaid’s dresses, through to your reception, your invitations. Say, you’re using like the Cadbury’s chocolate purple, you’d want to carry that through the whole theme. So obviously we’re looking at that sort of color first, and then integrating the different flowers, whatever flowers we could do for you.

Andrew: So you don’t get every color with every flower? So it’s all realistic?

Leanne: It is all realistic. Some come in different colors that normally wouldn’t come in fresh flowers. But the majority, yes, keeping to that realistic tone and doing it that way.

Andrew: So is that the way most girls go? They’ll look at the realistic colors and then go with something that looks very similar?

Leanne: Yes. The first one’s the color.

Andrew: Okay. Say, they want a champagne-colored flower. Then you start looking at actual flower types.

Leanne: Yes. You’ve got the roses, you’ve got lilies. You can integrate the orchids. There’s just so many. It really comes down to personal preference. A lot of brides – which is really great with this technology – is they bring their iPhones with them, or their iPods, and they’ve got photos and we can either just completely copy that, or go, “Okay, I’ll want to change that and put different flowers in.” So we can do that as well. I love technology when brides bring photos and things.

Andrew: Cool. Okay. That makes it easy.

Leanne: Oh yes.

Andrew: With the actual bouquets, I know that with real flowers, each flower is wired and then you put the bouquet together. Is that the similar process for you?

Leanne: Yes. They all come in different styles, I suppose. The orchids will actually come on an orchid stem so I have that to chop that and wire it, and then integrate it into the bouquet. Whereas a rose will come with a stem, and that doesn’t need wire. It just goes straight in.

Andrew: Okay, right. And then you can create any style of bouquets you can do – like a teardrop or a round bouquet with different flowers?

Leanne: Definitely. I love the weird and the wonderful bow. I’ve been getting a few of those after the bridal fair in January. I’m doing one for Lady and it’s red and black roses with skulls.

Andrew: Okay. That sounds like an awesome wedding. I’d love to photograph that.

Leanne: It’s like a total skull theme. I can’t wait to see the finished product and for them to send me some photos.

Andrew: What color wedding dress, do you know?

Leanne: I think it’s red.

Andrew: Oh really? Okay. Cool. It’d look good on a photograph.

Leanne: That’s why I said I can’t wait to see the photos.

Andrew: And with the pricing with the different flowers, does it change only with the quality of the silk? Or does it depend on how large the bouquet is?

Leanne: It goes on a couple of things. I’ve got some different-sized bouquets that we start off with. And then we add some, say, real touch roses, they’re obviously a little bit more expensive than the general silk ones. But it goes off the size of the bouquet and what type of flowers you use.

Andrew: Okay. And you said there’s latex as well as silk, and then you’ve got the real-touch.

Leanne: Yes.

Andrew: So the real touch is the most expensive one?

Leanne: The real touch is the most expensive, then you go to your latex, which is more of a rubbery-type feel, which is pretty much real touch as well, to me. And then you’ve got the silk ones, the fabric. So it’s basically the three levels.

Andrew: So the latex is actually more realistic than the basic silk one?

Leanne: Yes.

Andrew: Wow, okay. So what is it with the real touch ones? They obviously look fantastic. They actually feel like a real flower too, do they?

Leanne: It’s just unbelievable that the quality in these new roses that came in in January, to me, I just can’t get over how real they feel. They’re just so soft. I’ve compared them. I’d be honest – I went out and bought a bunch of fresh roses just to feel the difference. And I couldn’t tell the difference.

Andrew: Yes, right. Okay. It’s amazing. What’s going to be the next step? Are they going to have smell introduced as well?

Leanne: Actually you can do that to my bouquets as well. I don’t scent them myself only because if the bride is with allergies, but you can put your favorite scents through them as well if you wanted to do that.

Andrew: Really?

Leanne: Yes. You get the best of both worlds.

Andrew: Wow. Okay. I know with the weddings that I photographed, and I’ve had silk flowers, I’ve seen family come up and actually smell the flowers and be totally blown away and shocked that they’re not real. I know how real they do look.

Leanne: I know. I love it when people tell me that. Or when people come to my studio and say, “Oh. Are these like silk flowers?” And I’m like, “Yes, there’s nothing fresh here.” And they’re like, “Oh my God!”

Andrew: That’s awesome. And can you do more than just the bouquet? Can you do the flowers for the hair, flower girl arrangements and things like that?

Leanne: I do absolutely anything and everything. I do all the buttonholes, the pin corsages for the mums and grandmas, hair flowers, table decorations, flower girl, [unclear] – what else is it? It’s just so much. Anything.

Andrew: And what about the actual reception or the ceremony? Do you do arrangements there for the tables and the church?

Leanne: I can do anything and everything.

Andrew: Wow. So anything you can do with a real flower you can do with a silk flower.

Leanne: That’s it.

Andrew: Perfect. So when brides are ordering flowers from a florist, I know you have to have a little bit of lead time and there’s the run to the market before the week of the wedding, what happens with the silk flowers?

Leanne: When a bride goes, “Yep, I’d like to order the flowers.” They’re filling a booking form, which has got all main information on it, which obviously got all their information on it. And then I order their flowers, get their bouquets done up. Normally, I had them done about two or three weeks ahead of the wedding day so they’ve got time to come and pick them up or if I need to post them. And that’s basically it. So it’s really good because when I get it done a couple of weeks beforehand, and they come and pick it up, if there’s something we need to change, we can do it there and then. So instead of on the wedding day, and their flowers turn up and you go, “That’s not exactly what I wanted. I’m not really happy with it.” You don’t get that with my flowers either. We can change it or whatever the case is.

Andrew: So with the flowers they’re ordering, do you have an exact replica or a copy back at the studio?

Leanne: Of the flowers, I do. I do have a wide range of sample bouquets done up, as well as there’s so many photos on the website. And all the prices are on the website as well.

Andrew: Okay. Cool.

Leanne: And there’s just all these samples done up. I’ve got all the different flowers out on display so instead of trying to explain what the flowers look like, you can actually see them and feel them. We can put something together rather quickly and make some changes or add bits and pieces. So you get to actually see it before it’s actually done, really.

Andrew: Okay. So it’s not like that you just order a whole bouquet from a supplier. You order the flowers and then you build the bouquets still.

Leanne: That’s right, yes.

Andrew: So everything is still made custom-order for the bride.

Leanne: Definitely. There’s not one bride which has ever had the same bouquet, I don’t think.

Andrew: Right. The more I talk to you, the more they sound like real flowers. So how do you find most of your orders come through, Leanne? Do they come to you to the studio at Toronto? Or do you find most of the orders come online? Who do you supply and what sort of area?

Leanne: I supply internationally. The other day, I set one over to New Zealand. Last week I sent one to Canada. So a lot of things come directly through the website. Other people find me – like I said – at the bridal fair that we had in January. There have been back-to-back appointments since the 20^th of January. And yes, people just come here to the studio. They give me a call, make an appointment, and list down [unclear] what they need.

Andrew: Okay. So it’s pretty easy.

Leanne: I’m so simple to get along, it’s ridiculous.

Andrew: I know when I rang you to do this interview, it’s, “Yes, no worries. Let’s do it” and it was very simple. So if you’re like that with your brides, I’m sure you’d be very easy to deal with.

Leanne: Yes. There’s no point in making things intricate or hard. That’s the way I live my life and that’s the way I live the business.

Andrew: Very good. So with your website, the couples actually order through the website? Or they still make then contact with you when you guys chat at the phone? How does it work?

Leanne: I don’t have an order form or anything like that on the website because like I said, not one bride has ever been the same. They might see a photo that they like and go, “Aw, I really wish it was this color” or wanted to add something else. So 9 times out of 10, they will send me an email and then I can just send a customized quote, which has got everything detailed listed out in it – pictures of bouquets, similar bouquets that I’ve done, the actual photos of the flower that I’d be using. So all the information is in that email. So it’s the best way to contact me. Or via telephone. My phone just doesn’t stop ringing but that’s okay. I like talking. Either way, I’ll send a quote via our email because then I can send all those pictures and all the colors and take it from there.

Andrew: Okay. So it’s all pretty easy.

Leanne: Pretty simple.

Andrew: Okay, cool. And then obviously you would just post the flowers out if they’re not local and then they get them before the wedding or couple of weeks before the wedding.

Leanne: Yes, that’s it. I love it when people come and pick the flowers up because I like seeing their face when I open up the box.

Andrew: Sure.

Leanne: So a lady came and picked two flowers up last Thursday, I think it was. And she was getting married Sunday. The big stormy Sunday that we had.

Andrew: Yes, right.

Leanne: And I helped her take the flowers out to the car. And we’re standing on the driveway and she’s like, “I just can’t believe that that’s exactly what I wanted. It’s absolutely perfect.” And she just ran over and gave me this huge kiss and huge cuddle.

Andrew: Isn’t it good when it works out like that?

Leanne: It’s lovely.

Andrew: That’s awesome. So where do you see the silk flowers in five years’ time. Do you think there’ll be many changes?

Leanne: I hope more real touch flowers come out. They’re just becoming so popular since the bridal fair. That’s pretty much all the quotes I’ve been doing – it’s for the real touch. Like the Casablanca lilies as well, they’re the real touch and they blow you away as well but you don’t get all that yucky stuff all over your fingers. So I’d hope that. And more colors. Even there is an abundance of color, there’s always one bride who has an in-between-y color.

Andrew: Right. Okay. So when they order the colors, there’s actually different shades of each color as well?

Leanne: Pretty much, yes. Say, the roses. I’ve got like 12 different types of roses you can select from. And say, it’s a red one, there’s 12 different shades of reds. Like this lady, she’s got a red wedding dresses with the skulls, we actually could match – because she had a swatch of her material – we could actually match the exact red to that dress.

Andrew: Wow. Okay. So there really is a big range.

Leanne: Huge.

Andrew: Awesome. Unreal. Look, is there anything I haven’t asked you that you think brides should know before they order silk flowers?

Leanne: I don’t think so. There’s a lot of us around. I’m sitting in the mid-range. By no means the cheapest. I don’t hide my prices or anything like that. I think that’s just ridiculous. And I sit probably the middle to high range just because of the quality I use. I don’t use the really low budget down $2 shop flowers or anything like that. I just use that quality. What else is there…

Andrew: Let’s say that someone was listening to this podcast and they’re from overseas or interstate, and for whatever reason they want to use someone local to them, and there’s another silk flower supplier, how do they tell whether they’re a good quality silk flower or they’re not? Is it purely by look?

Leanne: No. You can look at some silk flowers and go, “Yes, they’re not really good quality.” By feel. Definitely by feel. If people say to me – email me through and say, “I really want to know what the difference is between this one and that one?” I’ll say, “Look, give me your address, I’ll send you a sample and go and compare it. If you’re happy with theirs, that’s fine. But mine are really high quality.” And again, it’s up to the bride what she wants to do. And I’ve got no problem with showing the quality of my flowers.

Andrew: Cool. So if someone is from oversees or interstate, like I said, and they did want to use local, they should go and actually see the flowers and touch them?

Leanne: And touch them, yes.

Andrew: And that’s the best way.

Leanne: That is the best way. Even though saying that, I’ve done so many international and national orders myself. Again, I’m confident in myself that the brides will be happy with them because of the quality I use.

Andrew: Sure. Okay. Is there any risk of them getting damaged when you post them out?

Leanne: Not really. I use a courier for Australia deliveries, which the boxes are just totally marked all over it – top load only, handle with care. And I only use the best courier as well. I have had little incidents with some couriers, but I don’t use them anymore. And for international, again, the box is quite marked quite well. And I always tell the brides to insure it and to track it as well. So it’s a little bit more expensive, but there’s that guarantee – hopefully that guaranteed that it all arrived in one piece.

Andrew: Yes. Perfect. And I guess with your lead time, it would give you the chance to redo something if there was an incident.

Leanne: That’s right. If there is an issue, I can do something about it. A lady in Queens ordered last year. She ordered some frangipanis and the courier left the box because he thought that they were fresh flowers and they’re allowed to leave fresh products out. He left the box out the carport while it was raining. And the box was open. So her order got absolutely destroyed and she rang me out and she absolutely panicked. She had three weeks until her wedding and this has to happen, “Oh my God, it’s only three weeks.” I’m like, “That’s fine. I’ve just dropped everything. I’m working on your next order. I’m going to do this and because of this hassle, we’re going to add an extra couple of buttonholes or extra flowers or something just so you’re happy.” So in the end, she got her flowers a week later. That was an interesting week. A few late notes.

Andrew: I bet.

Leanne: And she used a different courier company obviously. And the flowers arrived safely and she was over the moon. So I do anything and everything to ensure that my brides are happy.

Andrew: Sounds like you fool the courier up, right? Because he thought they were real flowers. He thought he was doing nothing wrong.

Leanne: Well, that’s it. But the box shouldn’t have been opened in the first place.

Andrew: True.

Leanne: A lot quite happens along the way. But he thought that they were fresh flowers as well.

Andrew: Yes, right. Okay. Let me ask you one last question about the flowers. Because they were left out obviously in the torrential rain or whatever it was, if the girls have silk flowers on their wedding day and it’s raining, do you have to be extra careful with the silk flowers in the rain?

Leanne: No. They will tolerate a fair bit. When the flowers were left out in the carport, it was like the floods up in Queensland.

Andrew: So they got hammered.

Leanne: They got pretty hammered. A lot of people, what they do, is you can even spray them with just a little bit of water just to give them a little fresh look, so they’ll actually look like – even though they do look like – fresh flowers. But just to give it that extra oomph, you can spray them a little bit of water. But no, water won’t damage them at all.

Andrew: Okay. Perfect. So how can people find you?

Leanne: Okay. You can either find me at bridal fairs. I pretty much stick with the ones at City Hall in Newcastle, run by the Grapevine. On my website, which is www.SilkDreamsFlowers.com.au. And my contact details are on there as well. I love talking to brides so please feel free to give me a call.

Andrew: Just so with your website, it’s actually Silk Dreams, with an ‘S’ on the end, and then flowers.

Leanne: With an ‘S’ on the end, yes. Or you just do a search on Google for Silk Dreams and it will come up.

Andrew: Perfect. And like you said, you ship nationally and internationally.

Leanne: I certainly do.

Andrew: And if someone books with the Wedding Discount Card, you even offer a discount with that?

Leanne: That’s right, exactly.

Andrew: Cool! That’s unreal. Look, thanks so much for chatting to us today, Leanne.

Leanne: My pleasure.

Andrew: And you guys have an awesome rest of the summer, and a great wedding season!

Leanne: Yes. Well, I’ve got [unclear] orders to get out already this month. So I better stop chatting and get on with that.

Andrew: Awesome. Thanks again Leanne!

Leanne: Thanks Andrew!

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: I hope you enjoyed that interview with Leanne. And if you are looking at silk flowers as an option for your wedding day, I can absolutely truly promise you that the difference between them and the real flowers is impossible to tell these days. It really is amazing. Definitely worth checking out if you’re thinking of going down that road. I’ll also add links to Leanne’s website if in case you want to get in touch with her, and also some links to her Facebook page if you want to get in touch that way.

I mentioned earlier in the show that I’ve seen some different blogs for weddings. Particularly if you’re looking at starting your own blog about your wedding and your wedding day, not something your photographer would do, there’s a few great options out there that I’ve come across. I don’t know if it’s something you’ve considered. There’s a couple of different ways you can approach it, but the easiest way is to have your own website. And that’s not hard to do; I’ll tell you a little bit about how to do that and the costs involved. Once you have your own website, then you would have a WordPress installation added to your website. That’s a simple process that the person who does your website, they will do that part for you. And then you would purchase a theme that goes over the top of that WordPress installation. So it might sound a little bit technical, but it depends on how web-savvy you are. But it really isn’t that difficult at this stage. So basically, you have an empty skin there or a theme that you’ve chosen or that you’ve purchased. And then you just have to populate or fill that up with the information that you’d like to add. So that’ll include photos and texts about you and your partner and your wedding day.

To get started, the first thing you would need to do would be to find a domain name. That’s your www.AdamAndSandra.com.au or www.BobAndTiffanysWedding.com.au. So it’d be a matter of coming out with a name that’s available and free. And you can find that out just by searching for the name that you’d like to put down for your website.

Once you’ve got that name, you need to register that. Again, the guy that I use for all my website stuff is Andrew from Silver Dimension. I’ve asked him for some prices just for someone starting out and setting up a website for the first time. And to actually register the .com.au domain name, that costs $66 excluding GST, and that’s for two years. So you’re looking at about $36 per year. What you can do, you can have the website stay live forever and keep adding to it if you like. Or you can have the website populate it with all your information, have it as beautiful as you like right up until your wedding. You could continue that for another 12 months after and talk about married life and that first year, or have your honeymoon images in there. You can make it as big and as fancy as you like, or as minimal as you like.

Once you’ve finished with the website, or you don’t think people are going to keep going back there, or you’ve had enough of working on it, instead of paying a certain fee every year, what you can do then is just have the whole website put onto a disc, DVD, and you can keep that as an archive and back that up, keep a copy at your place, a copy somewhere else, and you can have that memory forever. You can certainly leave it on the web, as well, but then you will have to pay those fees per year.

Once you have your domain name sorted out, you’d also have to pay for hosting, and that’s where the host actually holds your website. He’s a guy that actually looks after it. And for 200 megabytes of disc space, which is a fair bit, if you have quite small photos, you’re looking at about $120, excluding GST, per year for that. So that’s the part that’s probably going to hurt you the most if you want to keep this website live over a long time. And another fact that you will have to consider if you’re looking at doing this is if you’re having a lot of photos on there, you have to make sure that your photos are quite small, otherwise you’re going to use up that 200 megabytes of disc space quite quickly. So the smaller your images, the more you can have on there for that space. You can up the size of your hosting space and obviously the price will go up proportionally as you add more space. But it isn’t much more expensive to do that.

That’s the hard and scary bits out of the way. Once you’ve got your domain name and your website hosted, you ask your web guy to install WordPress and then it’s on to the themes. And that’s the good stuff. I found the few themes that I think is certainly relevant if you’re looking at doing this. The first one is called Save The Date. The cost of the theme is $70. That’s a one-off cost. So once you buy the theme, that’s yours for good. Again, you’ll install that over the top of your WordPress installation on your new website. I’m going to add links to these in the show notes. Again, you just go to www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/11 and I’ll have the links to all these different themes and pricings and things like that.

The Save The Date website, that’s a pretty cool one. I guess that the only limiting factor with this one is it’s design to go up until the wedding day. And then it finishes there. It certainly can add your wedding images on there, but it’s designed to tell your story the lead up to your wedding. It’s got little sections there for RSVPs, you can add about your proposal and how that went down. You can send this out to all your guests, to actually save the date. And then you’ve got a little blog section to add stories along the way as you make your preparations and as you’re heading towards the actual wedding day. And you can customize the blog to suit yourself. So the example that I’ve got up here on the screen in front of me, there’s a section there for the groom as well. I don’t know how much input you’re going to get from your partner when it comes to the blog, but it’s certainly nice if the guys do get involved. I guess it just adds another dimension to the website. It’s just not you guys or you girls doing all the work.

The next theme that I really like the look of is called Marriage. The special thing about this particular theme is that it’s a responsive WordPress theme. Responsive means that it doesn’t matter where people look at your website – whether it’s on a computer, a desktop, a laptop, a phone, or an iPad – it’ll actually resize and look nice on all those different devices. So if you think a lot of your friends and family will look at your website on their phone or on their iPad – chances are, they will – then it’s nice to have a responsive WordPress theme. And this particular theme, Marriage, is only $40. Again, it’s a one-off cost. Once youâ]]> 0:59:24 no Andrew Hellmich: Wedding Photographer, Blogger and Owner of Impact Images Wedding Photography Have you considered silk wedding flowers for your bridal bouquet? In this episode of the wedding podcast, Andrew interviews Leanne of Silk Dreams Flowers to hear the difference between real flowers and modern silk and latex flowers. With the latest rel... Have you considered silk wedding flowers for your bridal bouquet? In this episode of the wedding podcast, Andrew interviews Leanne of Silk Dreams Flowers to hear the difference between real flowers and modern silk and latex flowers. With the latest rel... http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wedding-and-marriage-views-from-a-mixed-group-of-travellers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wedding-and-marriage-views-from-a-mixed-group-of-travellers http://www.blubrry.com/theweddingpodcast/1671947/twp-010-wedding-and-marriage-views-from-a-mixed-group-of-travellers/ Andrew Hellmich: Wedding Photographer, Blogger and Owner of Impact Images Wedding Photography Podcast Mon, 28 Jan 2013 02:21:56 -0500 <p>This episode of the Wedding Podcast is brought to you from Japan! During my recent holiday and while staying in a &#8220;share house&#8221; I sought out the views on weddings and marriage from a number of international travellers.</p> <p>This wildly broad group include a gay Australian woman, a Swiss ski instructor in a long term relationship against the idea of marriage, a newly engaged couple from New Zealand and Sydney, two young Swedish skiers not considering marriage at this time of their life when their culture has an average age of 35 for marriage and an Aussie guy that married in Las Vegas, by Elvis, after a 3 week courtship.</p> <a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Japan-podcast_1.png"><img /></a><p >My youngest brother Simon and I at the peak of Mt Annupuri in Japan. Even here, I was thinking about The Wedding Podcast <img src='http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' /></p> <p>Before the interviews get underway I&#8217;ll let you in on a simple way to get my top tips for your perfect wedding delivered straight to your inbox on a weekly basis. I&#8217;ll cover these tips over the coming months during the podcast but if you&#8217;d like some great info on some simple things that really will make a difference to your day, and you&#8217;d like them sooner rather than later, this is an easy way to get them.</p> <p>Interestingly (for me anyway) we are approaching 800 downloads of the podcast already and surprisingly, there are listeners from right around the world &#8211; very cool! I was expecting 90% of listeners to be Australian brides-to-be but it seems there are a bunch of listeners from the USA, UK, Malaysia, Germany and Denmark.</p> <p><strong>The interviewees include:</strong></p> <p><strong>Kate:</strong> a gay Australian woman who isn&#8217;t allowed to marry &#8211; yet. Chatting to Kate was a real pleasure for me. It was great to hear her views on marriage, commitment ceremonies and weddings and the idea that she can&#8217;t legally be married. Kate is just kicking off her adventure and Japan was her first stop after throwing in her high pressure and demanding job in the city to travel the world with her partner who is on an art scholarship.</p> <p>I may be leading a sheltered life but I don&#8217;t know too many gay people and chatting to Kate opened my eyes and mind to different perspectives on marriage. When Kate was so adamant that gay marriage should be, must be legalised I wasn&#8217;t surprised. I was surprised though that following her views on the legalities of gay weddings, she tells me that she has absolutely no interest in a wedding for herself &#8211; even after a long term relationship and an obvious commitment to her partner.</p> <p><strong>Kai:</strong> is a 28 year old ski instructor from Switzerland and after I mentioned that I was a wedding photographer his adamant reply was that I&#8217;ll NEVER photograph his wedding because he is NEVER going to be married. With that opening comment I had to know more.</p> <p>It turns out Kai has been in a relationship with his girlfriend for over ten years and they are totally in love. They are building a house together and although his girlfriend wanted to get married, he said no way. Since then, she has come round to his way of thinking and Kai says she is totally happy with the arrangement.</p> <p>Kai&#8217;s views on marriage are based around family issues when he was growing up. His parents went through a messy and tough divorce which he talks about in our chat. We also talk about Swiss weddings, his best mates wedding day and how things are changing for young couples celebrating their wedding in Switzerland.</p> <p><strong>Rob and Lola:</strong> a recently engaged Kiwi and Aussie couple travelling together through Japan were great to interview. I decided to chat separately to Rob and Lola and get their individual perspectives on how they were going to tackle the obvious issues of planning a wedding. We discuss things like which family and how many will be invited, how much they expect to budget on certain aspects, where they would make any required cost cuts and what they absolutely wouldn&#8217;t skimp on.</p> <a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Japan-podcast_2.png"><img /></a><p >Blue sky days are rare in Japan at this time of year. In 3 weeks, we received almost 4m of snow!</p> <p>I think Rob and Lola will get as much enjoyment from the interviews as you will &#8211; especially when Rob&#8217;s first choice of cost and number cuts would be to Lola&#8217;s family while Lola is adamant that all her family will be coming and costs cutting will be elsewhere &#8211; but not the dress, the flowers, the photographer or the location.</p> <p>We also discussed the proposal where Lola leaves out certain aspects and leaves me feeling that Rob is much more romantic than he makes out. His story telling of the event definitely needs some refinement. <img src='http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' /> </p> <p><strong>Richard:</strong> was one of my absolute favourite interviews. After a 3 week courtship he was married in a Las Vegas Chapel by Elvis. There is a little more to this story and it&#8217;s well worth a listen, especially if you are planning to run off and get married yourself.</p> <p><strong>Emmy and Michaela:</strong> the two young and shy Swedish girls who have no plans to marry anytime soon. I was surprised to learn that the average age for marriage in Sweden is well over 30 years. Emmy&#8217;s parents were married after being together for over 20 years and 2 children and the girls say that this is nothing out of the ordinary. The wedding day seems to run a little different to an Australian wedding which we discuss briefly.</p> <p><strong>Items mentioned in this episode: </strong></p> <p>If you&#8217;d like to see more photos from my Japan trip or to follow me on Instagram, go to: <a href="http://instagram.com/andrew_hellmich" target="_blank">http://instagram.com/andrew_hellmich</a></p> <p>Michaela&#8217;s blog from Japan can be found at: <a href="http://michaelajohansson.blogg.se/" target="_blank">http://michaelajohansson.blogg.se/</a></p> <p>If you&#8217;d like to actually read her blog, you can use Google Translate to <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=sv&amp;tl=en&amp;js=n&amp;prev=_t&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;eotf=1&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fmichaelajohansson.blogg.se&amp;act=url" target="_blank">access the blog here</a></p> <p>To get my top tips for your perfect wedding day, add your details here: <a href="http://www.impact-images.com.au/weddings/" target="_blank">http://www.impact-images.com.au/weddings/</a></p> <p><strong>Feedback</strong></p> <p>Do you have any feedback or comments to add &#8211; I&#8217;d love to hear about it and share it with other listeners to the show. You can email me, <a href="mailto:andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au">andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au</a> or leave a comment below.</p> <p>If you&#8217;re enjoying the podcast, it&#8217;d be a great help if you leave a rating and comment in itunes. Other brides-to-be will find the podcast more easily and it&#8217;ll take you 2 minutes max. Click <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-wedding-podcast/id581014454" target="_blank">here to go to the iTunes page</a>, click on the blue button &#8220;View In iTunes&#8221; then click on &#8220;Ratings and Reviews&#8221; to leave a comment.</p> <p>Hope you enjoy the episode.</p> <p>Speak soon!</p> <p>Andrew</p> <p><em >Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:</em></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-wedding-podcast/id581014454" target="_blank">Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes</a></li> <li><a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/rss" target="_blank">Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Transcript:</strong></p> Podcast Transcript Inside <a href='' >Select</a><a href='' ='wpSpoilerToggle("spoilerDiv742c800a",true,"Show","Hide","fast",false); return false;' >Show </p> <p><b>[TWP 010 – Wedding and Marriage Views From A Mixed Group of Travelers]</b></p> <p><b> [length: 01:26:02]</b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> The Wedding Podcast session number ten.</p> <p>[Intro music]</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Hi, welcome to this episode – episode number 10 of The Wedding Podcast. I’m Andrew Hellmich from Impact Images. I’m a wedding photographer on the Central Coast of Australia, and it’s great to have you with me today. I’m sorry I didn’t get an episode out last week. As you might have heard in the previous episode, I was away in Japan. I’ve been there on the holidays. We had an absolutely fantastic time there. And it was really tough coming back and getting into work mode. It’s actually not even a work day today; it’s still a long weekend here in Australia. It’s raining outside and apparently there’s some strong winds coming down as well from Queensland.</p> <p>This week, I’ve got a series of interviews lined up for you, that I recorded while I was in Japan. I was staying in a share house. It wasn’t really a backpacker’s, but a share house, I guess. There’s a lot of people coming and going in there – a lot of Aussies, but we had a wide range of people there. And I thought I’d try and get a few interviews together on people’s views from around the world – get their views on weddings and what happens in their country. They include Kate, a gay woman from Australia, who’s not even allowed to get married. I interviewed an engaged couple – the guy, Rob, was from New Zealand, and Lola from Australia. They’re just recently engaged. But what I did with them, I interviewed them separately to get their views on what’s going to be happening on the planning on the lead up to their wedding. So that should be interesting. I also interviewed a young ski instructor from Switzerland, a guy named Kai. He has an interesting view, too, on marriage. He’s been in a long-term relationship; 30 years old, but is dead against getting married. So we’ll have a chat to him as well. I also had a really cool interview with an Aussie guy who eloped in Vegas after a 3-week courtship. I had a problem with the actual recording with Richard and there’s too much noise going on in the house. And the audio was pretty much unusable so what I’m going to try and do is relay his story because it was a pretty cool story. And I really want to share that with you. I also spoke to a couple of young Swedish girls that were staying where we were; lovely girls – both Michaela and Emmie. Their audio too is a little bit tough to work with because they spoke so quietly. They were very nervous about speaking in English for the podcast but I got a little bit information from them about weddings in Sweden. The two of them, neither of them are very interested in getting married at this stage, but Amy’s parents were recently married – a few years ago. And both of them have been to at least wedding. So it’s good to get an idea of what happens in Sweden. As usual, you’ll be able to download any links that I mentioned in this episode if you go to <a href="http://www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/10">www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/10</a>. You’ll get any information there regarding the show.</p> <p>Usually, I like to add a tip in from the last episode. I’m not sure if you had a chance to listen to Tracy yet. I recorded that interview and released that over the Christmas holidays. Tracy lost 30 kilograms of weight in the lead up to her wedding. I guess the big takeaway from listening to Tracy was that anyone can lose weight, any amount of weight that they want to, as long as they have a plan to work to. Like I said, Tracy lost 30 kilos. She really was an inspiration to listen to. She looked amazing on her wedding day. And interesting too was she tried everything but it wasn’t until she had an actual roadmap and a plan for that weight loss that she actually started to get some success. And once she saw some success, it got easier until she had a little bit of plateau in the middle. But jump back and have a listen to that if you haven’t had a chance to yet. If you’re looking at losing a couple of kilos, Tracy, like I said, is really an inspiration after having lost 30 kilos.</p> <p>You might notice my voice. It goes a little bit in and out, although [unclear]. I’ve come back with a bit of a flu [unclear] on anybody so I’m trying to get over that. I guess it has something to do with spending the last three weeks – I think the average temperature for us in Japan was about -10°. Obviously, we were rugged up for those conditions. But once one person got sick in the house, then it tended to go right through the whole house. So I come back and I’m sick, but I’m going to struggle through this and hopefully my voice will hold up for the episode.</p> <p>In local news, there’s not too much to report from me because I have been away. But I do know that couples have been madly getting engaged over the Christmas period. I’ve had about 40 girls ask for our prices while I’ve been away. Couples do that via our website. They just enter their email address and their first name, and they get instant access to our pricelist. If you are interested in getting some extra tips, when you do subscribe and you do get our pricelist, you’ll also get some top tips and you get a series of emails – about a week apart – about how to have the best wedding day that you possibly can, and some of my personal tips on how you can improve your wedding day. No matter whether you’re having me for your photographer or not for your wedding if you do want to read a little bit more about my views on how to have the perfect wedding day. Obviously I’ll cover those things over the coming weeks and months in the podcast. If you want to get those delivered to your inbox, you can do that. Just jump over to <a href="http://www.impact-images.com.au">www.impact-images.com.au</a>. And if you go to the Wedding page, you can see a little box there to enter your details, and you’ll automatically get those emails from me. And you can unsubscribe any time as well. So feel free to do that.</p> <p>I guess the other really cool thing I wanted to tell you about was that I checked the stats for the podcast just before I started recording today, and we’ve had over 780 downloads so far, which I’m totally rapped with. I expected it to be a lot slower to get going but it looks like word is spreading, which is fantastic. Another interesting thing is that listeners are coming from all over the world. I expected that to be 90% of listeners to be from Australia,  but I’ve got listeners now from America, UK, Germany, Malaysia, and even Denmark, which is pretty cool. And not just one or two. I’ve got a large number particularly in the US, and good numbers from those other countries as well.</p> <p>If you do want to get more involved with the podcast, if you want to send me any tips, anything that you think I should bring up or talk about, if you’ve got any service providers you’d like to recommend, or if you’re not sure about something, shoot me an email and I’ll get that covered on an upcoming episode. You can do that, <a href="mailto:andrew@TheWeddingPodcast.com.au">andrew@TheWeddingPodcast.com.au</a>. I’d love to get any feedback that you’ve got. It’s always good to know that there’s real people out there listening. I can see the numbers but it’d be really nice to actually hear from you. Let’s get into the main part of the show now.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I’m coming to you from Japan today. I’m actually on holidays over here with my son and my brother and a couple of other mates, and I’m staying in a share house. It’s a bit like a backpacker’s, but it’s more of a share house. I’m chatting to all the guests here over the last week or two. It’s been interesting to get their feedback or their ideas on marriage and weddings, and I thought it’d be a good idea to hear some of their thoughts on the topic for the podcast. Before we get into the interviews, I just want to paint a picture of what it’s like around. I’m on the north island of Japan, which is called Hokkaido. I’m in a little town called Hirafu, and the snow here is just insane. I’ve been here for almost three weeks, and we’ve had close to four meters of snow. It really is incredible. If you’re into skiing, you like [unclear] snow, this is the place that you have to come. So just looking at the window here, I’m actually in the ski room at the moment, away from the main part of the lodge. It’s where everyone gets ski off [unclear] so their skis for storage and their snowboards and their boots. It’s pretty cold in this room; it’s probably about 0° or just under. The average temperature in the mountains since I’ve been here has been -10° to -12°. And it gets a lot colder than that up the top. I’m looking at a small window, it’s snowing now as I speak. There’s about two meters of snow on each side of the road. The road gets cleared regularly by bulldoze and big machines to clear the snow. And where we’re in is just a little back street. So it just fills up super quick. As soon as there’s any glimpse of some sort of clear weather, there’s people madly clearing snow from the roofs and the council workers cleaning from the streets. During the night when we’re sleeping, and the day when we’re here at the lodge, it’s not uncommon to hear these massive, big, thunderous bangs as the snow slides off the roofs of our lodge. And it really is impressive; you definitely not want to get caught underneath one of those [unclear] because I reckon you’d be killed with those huge chunks of ice. I hope you enjoy the episode and I’ll see you soon!</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> To keep things off, my first interview is with Kate, and I started by asking Kate just for a brief introduction. So take it away, Kate.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I’m Kate Hole, I’m from Sydney, Australia, and I met Andrew skiing in Niseko.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Awesome!</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Totally awesome.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So we’re staying in a share house here, which has been really cool because there’s so many different people here with different views and different upbringings – everything like that. When we started chatting, I found that you are gay. And you’re actually not allowed to be married, not even Australia.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> At the moment it’s illegal to get married in Australia. There’s a couple of states in America where it is legal, and I think Ireland, and a few European countries actually have legalized gay marriage as well.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So if you go to those countries to get married, is that still recognized in Australia?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I believe it is, yes. Exactly right. And there are a lot of people – I’ve got some friends who’ve gone out to Ireland to get married, and to all the different countries to get married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Is there any difference between, say, female and male gay people in marriage?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No. It just comes down to whether it’s same-sex or not, or whether they make a differentiation between man and woman, or same-sex.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And do you think that’ll ever change in Australia?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. I think so. Absolutely. There’s a lot of activism at the moment in Australia to have gay marriage legalized. I think, last time I checked, most Australians were pretty much for it. When I say most, the poll say 60% of Australians were in support for it. I have to say that my experience in Australia is that most people are very non-judgmental and very supportive of our relationships. So I can see it happening in the near future.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Amongst your gay friends or people that you know that are gay, are any of those against gay marriage?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Really? For what reason?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> First up, I’m against it because I  don’t want to get married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you’re actually against it?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No. I lied actually; I’m for it theoretically. But I personally don’t want to ever get married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So if it was legalized, you wouldn’t necessarily take up that option.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No, I wouldn’t take up the option. It’s just not for me, what can I say. But yes, I do have friends who are dead set against it. And why don’t they want to do it? I think they’re happy to actually not be part of the mainstream society and having to adhere to the norms of society. Some of those guys have had some pretty tough stories though.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So do you think that some gay people want marriage to be legalized in Australia just for the sake of it? Like the fact that it can be legalized? Why do you even care if you don’t want to be married would you go on actively protest to have it legalized?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I just think any form of discrimination based on gender or preference – any form of discrimination – is just totally inappropriate. So I’m massively for it and I haven’t protested but I’ll sign for the press that comes through. But for example, my partner – neither of us want to get married. But she says things like, “Imagine if the marriage legislation said that marriage is between a white man and a white woman. Or Japanese people can’t get married in Australia.”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> But it’s not like that.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No, you reckon?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> It doesn’t say that. It just says marriage is between a man and a woman.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> But imagine if it actually excluded some race, for example. I think of it that way. And I just think that’s not fair.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s how you come up with your views.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I just think it’s…</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Discrimination.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Discrimination. It just should be equality. It should be equality. There’s some pretty funny arguments against it though. Have you heard them?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> No. Tell me.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Some of the politicians and the hard right are against it because they’re basically saying, “Alright. If we change the marriage legislation to say it’s between two people, then it’s a slippery slope before you actually go to say marriage is between a man, a woman and a dog.”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So they think if they change it, it’s going to get out of hand.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> It’s going to get out of hand. Or a man, a man, a man, a woman and a dog. So they basically don’t want to tamper with it. And I just think that’s pretty funny.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s a bit lame, isn’t it?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> It’s pretty funny.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, okay. So do you guys miss out on anything by not being married? Benefit-wise? I know you guys both work. But do you get to miss out on anything by not being married?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> It differs by state. In Australia, there’s a lot of state legislation, so there’s no actual one. There’s a Marriage Act, I think, which is national. Don’t quote me on any of this but this is my sketchy understanding of it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> This is only going international so you can say whatever you like.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I’ll just make whatever rubbish I feel like. But in different states, the legislation is different. So for example, there’s things like artificial birth assistance. There’s also the adoption laws that’s different by state. So some are allowed to adopt..</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> If you’re not married..</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> ..If you’re not married. Or if you’re in a same-sex relationship. And then in other states there’s no real difference at all. I think in the ATT, you are allowed to have a civil union, which actually gives you all of the same rights as being married, but without the marriage certificate.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So in yourself, whereas you can have a commitment ceremony, because I know that a lot of the celebrants that I work with perform those, but it’s not legal. So is that a de facto relationship?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> We’re in a de facto relationship so all of the things – everything that covers the de facto relationship covers out ours as well. There is also the trouble with the superannuation. Again, that’s different state by state. So if one of us dies, then the superannuation. Again, that’s different state by state. So if one of us dies, they you got problems. The state can actually overrule..</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> …if you don’t have a will.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So [unclear]. You don’t really miss out anything by not legally being married, if you recognize it as a de facto.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. I think to me, your right to adopt and your right to choose to undergo artificial birth – what do you call that stuff anyway?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You mean – I don’t know what you mean.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. Anyway –</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> IVF and things like that.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> IVF, yes. And the superannuation are the three big ones, really. But everything else – so if we broke up, you just divide everything down the middle.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> If there’s no kids.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> If there’s no kids. It’s all pretty much identical in that respect.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> What about with kids? I know it’s [unclear] from weddings, but are you guys allowed to adopt?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> No. Are gay guys allowed to adopt?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So any gay couples cannot adopt.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. In different states.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> But you could have a child if either of you are trying to get a child, and then raise that child as your own.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes, absolutely. And then you just got to put in place in your will. Just arrange what will basically just say there’s two moms or two dads, and this is how we chose to raise the kid. So you just have to take a little bit of care with that.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So do you think gay guys should be able to have kids?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. Of course!</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Some people don’t.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Really?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes!</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> There’s people who think they want to marry a dog, but I definitely think that gay guys should be able to have kids. And they do!</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And they do! Yes. And have you ever been to gay weddings? Or commitment ceremonies?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So it’s not a big thing in the gay community?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Not amongst my circle of friends. No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Alright. And then you said before that you would never get married or it doesn’t interest you.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No, sorry.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> What’s the reason for that?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> It’s a personal choice. It just doesn’t interest me. It never has. I’ve never wanted to have a wedding.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. You’re right. So what about if your partner, she said, “Kate, I want to marry you,” if it was legalized. Or, “I want to have a commitment ceremony.”</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> We’ve been together for 17 years so I have to say yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You have to say yes.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I would be obliged to say yes. But whilst we haven’t had a commitment ceremony or anything like that, we certainly have discussed whether we might stay together for a little bit longer.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> 17 years, that’s a little bit longer!</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> That’s fairly committed, I’d say.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right. So you can have that same commitment without actually having a wedding.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes, the ceremony. But neither of us have any interest whatsoever.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I’m surprised you haven’t been to a commitment ceremony or wedding.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. And you know what’s weird? Lots of our straight friends are not married either.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I don’t know. Maybe it’s just an attitude in our generation. And also my close friends who have gone married got married really late. So they’ve been together for years and years and years and they have kids and they’re like, “We probably should get married.”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right. So they did after the kids and everything. Can I ask how old you are?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> 40.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> 40. So have you seen any big changes then, say, as you’ve been growing up in the gay community, regarding weddings or marriage. Have views changed?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes, very much so. It’s sometimes difficult to separate out which bits has been as a result of me changing and what’s the result of the community changing. But I think there’s a lot of momentum behind the equality. So gay marriage being legalized across Australia, and across the world, actually. And there’s quite a lot of support for that. I’ve never really experienced a whole lot of discrimination. I have to say I’ve been lucky, I think, in that respect. Either that or Australians are just really accepting. Or don’t really care. Either way, I haven’t really noticed a difference.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Do you think it’s different for gay girls or gay guys?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. I certainly do. And I think it’s different in different communities as well. For example, in some religious communities, it’s really very much frowned upon. And we have friends who’ve pretty much been disowned by their families as a result of their sexual preference, I suppose. And I also think some of the more traditional communities. For example, I was telling you the story the other day. I met a Japanese girl who was married at 23 and then she worked out…</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> She was married to a guy?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Married to a guy. Went through the official ceremonies in Japan. And then a couple of years later she just couldn’t live that lifestyle anymore and came out to her family and friends and got divorced. And ever since then she hasn’t had any contact with her family at all.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So they basically disowned her.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes, which is..</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Pretty sad.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Pretty sad. I mean, there is still is some pretty negative attitudes to it all. But I’ve been lucky. I just haven’t experienced too much of that.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> It’s been good.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Unreal. Thanks for doing this today.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes, pleasure. No worries.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Is there anything controversial you want to add at the end?</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> I don’t think anyone in the straight community should get married until gay marriage is legalized.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Woah, heavy. I’ll take it to the masses.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Take it to the masses. Actually I love a festival of love. I’m all in favor of people getting married. I’m also massively in favor of equality, so I think get behind the course.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I know. Lots of my friends, but certainly the people I work with would love to see gay marriage legalized. And the cynics would say that’s because we work in the wedding industry, but I think I truly believe it to be legalized.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. If your son or daughter was gay, you’d probably want them to get married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, of course. And certainly want to have a normal life. But you said it’s been pretty crazy for you in Australia.</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> Yes. I haven’t experienced anything negative. So thank you to all of those open-minded individual out there.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Awesome. Thanks Kate!</p> <p><b>Kate:</b> No worries, Andrew. Pleasure.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Next up, I had a little chat to Kai, from Switzerland. Kai turned up to the share house with three other buddies. All of them could speak English, but Kai was definitely the number one English speaker in the group. He spent a season in New Zealand – or two – as a ski instructor. And his English was great. He also had some really strong views on weddings and getting married. So it was great to have him involved. So I started again by asking Kai just for an introduction, and let’s get into that now.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> My name is Kai. I’m from Switzerland. I am 28 and I’ve been in a relationship for almost 10 years now. But we’re not married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And no kids?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No kids.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So when I chatted to you the other day, I told you that I was a wedding photographer and you said that there’s no way I’ll ever photograph your wedding. You’re dead against it.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> I’m not dead against it, but for us, we don’t want to get married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So if one of your friends said they’re getting married, what would you say?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> My best friend, he just got married. If it’s fine for them, why not?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you’re not against weddings or marriage or such.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No. Absolutely not. But for us, there’s no way we’re going to get married.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Is your partner, she feels the same way? Or is this something that she [unclear].</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Didn’t feel the same way when we got together, but now she does. I don’t know why really, it’s just the way we have our relationship at the moment, we don’t see a point why should we sign  a contract. By what we’ve got at the moment.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. In Switzerland, I think it’s a little bit different to Australia. So there’s no  such thing as a de facto relationship, is that right? You’ve been together now for 10 years. So if you split up now and you have a house together, does she automatically get half the house?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No. She doesn’t. Say, if we would have a house together, and say if I brought all the money, if I’ve been building the house, it’s still my house; she doesn’t get anything off it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So even though she might have contributed to the payments for the house, with her job? So you’re both working?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So if she’s paid some money to the house and to the household, does she get some of the house?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> She probably just gets the money back she was paying for. And that’s it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. And is it different in Switzerland if there’s kids involved? Or still the same?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> It’s still the same.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Right, okay. But if you’re married in Switzerland, then she would get half?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Not necessarily. In Switzerland, if you get married, you can have three different contracts. So one contract you can get where you say, “Okay. Her money and my money are brought in to the relationship together. When we split up, it’s going to be 50-50.” But then also you can have a contract where it says, “Okay. We get married, say, in one year. And then you count the money you have. So she’s counting her money, I’m counting my money. And say, we split up after ten years, you basically get the same money back you brought in to the relationship. Pretty much.”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So is that something you decide on when you get married?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So everyone goes through that decision in Switzerland?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Okay.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And then when we’re chatting the other day, you said there’s a reason why you don’t think weddings or a marriage is a good idea for you. And that was brought about through your family situation?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Are you happy to talk about that?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. No problem.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So what is it that turned you away from why you think it’s such a bad idea for you?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Because when I was 12, my parents split up. And then my dad, he wasn’t working a lot. We were kind of a poor family. So my dad split up and my mom basically could take all the money from my dad. So every coin he was owning during work went back to my mom.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Is that because of the contract they had?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. So basically, you can, as a man, if you split up, the ex-wife can destroy you. Totally. If you’re married. Or if you split up afterwards.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So the wife can destroy for the man. So is that what happened then with your mom and dad?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So she made it hard for him.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. Because my dad has to pay for the kids. My dad has to pay. I don’t know exactly how it works, but that’s what I remembered from this.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Ah, okay. Right. And that would’ve been because of the contract they entered into?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you don’t want to put yourself in that situation.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No. Never.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So could you still see yourself having kids now?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So what would you do with the family name for the kids? They’ll take the dad’s name or the mom’s name?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No, the mom’s name. If you’re not married, they have to take the mom’s name. They can’t take my name.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Alright. So what about celibacy? You guys love each other? You’re talking about kids, you have a house together, and what about if your partner, she says, “Kai, I really think we should get married.”</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No. No way.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> No way? Not going to happen.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> It’s not going to happen.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So why wouldn’t you, if you could have the contract that would make sure that you’re safe?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> You don’t get the contract where you think you’re safe. Because it doesn’t matter what kind of contract you sign. In the end, if she’s going to the law and wants your money, she’ll get your money.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. No matter the contract you have.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Have you been to any Swiss weddings?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> One. My best mate’s wedding. I was his best man.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I’ve never been to a Swiss wedding. I’ve only been to Australian and Scottish ones. Is there much difference – did you have photos beforehand? Did the photographer come to the house?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No, I don’t think so.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> A photographer at the ceremony? At the church?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> No photographer? Not at all?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No. But they didn’t marry in a church.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> A garden wedding?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> It was in a bar. In Switzerland, you have two weddings. One, which is the official one, where you go to the government..</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, like a government office? Like a registry?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes, registry office. And that’s the official wedding.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So everyone does that.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. You have to. Because the one in the church, that’s just a ceremony. That’s not like the official wedding.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> As they are already married.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. They are already married when they go to church. The one in the church is just for friends and families and to keep that tradition up a little bit.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So everyone gets married in the registry and then the couple decide to have a garden wedding or church wedding. So the church wedding is still the most popular?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Not anymore.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So more gardens..</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So your best friend, he got married in a pub.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Kind of.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And then do they go off to have photos? Or no photos at all the whole day?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Just friends were doing photos. But not like a professional.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And then they have like 100 guests or…</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> What was it. I think, yes, something around 100 guests.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s pretty normal. And speeches and things like that?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No, it was just friends and family and we were celebrating a little bit.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Just a party.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. It’s a party. But they didn’t have like the typical wedding dress or anything. He was wearing a suit but not a tie. She was wearing a black dress with yellow socks.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> A black dress?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes. And a yellow flower. And that’s about it. It wasn’t like the typical way.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And just tell me to finish – in Australia, there’s about 40% of couples break up and get divorced. Is this something similar in Switzerland?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> It’s probably around 60%.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That break up?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right. Okay. That’s high, isn’t it?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Because the problem these days is that a lot of people, they get married way too early. So they know each other for maybe two months and then they get together. Half a year later, they get married. And then one year later, there’s the first kid on its way. And for me, that’s way too fast. Because you don’t get to know each other in this time.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So why do you think they’re getting married so young?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Because they think they have to. They’re not thinking.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> That’s what I think.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Just because tradition, or…?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s what they do.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And you’re here with three buddies?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And none of them are married?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Any likely to get married?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> I don’t know. Probably one of them is. The other one’s…</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> A city boy.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes, city boy. City boy, could be. But the other two, I don’t think so.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Cool. You had a good time in Japan so far?</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> Yes, perfect. Awesome. Perfect.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Unreal. Thanks for chatting.</p> <p><b>Kai:</b> No worries. Thank you.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Next up is Rob. Rob’s a Kiwi and travelling with his fiancé Lola, or Loren. The really cool thing about these guys is I interviewed Rob and Lola separately. And they’ve only been just recently engaged; they got engaged in December. I hear that he’s a true  romantic. So let’s get into the interview with Rob.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Do you want to start just by introducing yourself? Tell me about your name, where you live, how old you are.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Sure. My name is Rob. I’m thirty years old now. I come from New Zealand, a place called Piha, and live in Sydney, Australia at the moment.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Cool. And I know that you are engaged to Lola. He’s also staying here at the lodge in Japan. So you guys are just recently engaged?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes. Actually this is all [unclear] 2^nd of December 2012. It’s a nice little ambiance to the numbers there.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Perfect. And you got to tell me, was it a romantic proposal?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> It was. We live in Balmain. We got out on to Ballast Point Park which overlooks the ferries and the harbor and what nonsense. And anyway, I’m dragged there every week – against my will most of the time – but we went down there I’d sort of been playing up. I’ve eaten KFC that day and I was trying to be like, “Let’s go for a walk.” I didn’t buy her a ring. It’s impossible trying to find rings these days without talking to them, because it’s all very much a surprise. And I [unclear] because she likes ferries, she likes sailing. So I got her an anchor on a necklace. And on the back, it says, “Will you marry me?” Anyway, we’re walking down and I’m like, “Let’s go up to the point overlooking at…” And I’m like, “Oh, I got to just go around the corner. I’ve got to take a leak.” And I didn’t.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s romantic!</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> That’s obviously very romantic. Anyway, she is also on a [unclear] and I ran around the corner. And I’m about to come back but people were just past. And for some insane reason, they just stopped. And I just want to go anywhere. So I said, “Lola, come over here. Look, I found something.” And I was bounded down the steps and I just showed her the necklace. And she’s like, “Ah, it’s an anchor. That’s fantastic.” And I’m like, “Yes, I just found it while I was taking a leak.” And I didn’t. So I said, “There’s some engraving. What does it say?” And it says, “Will you marry me?” Then I bended knee and she was just stunned. She was absolutely stunned. And just the look of surprise on her face. And obviously, with me, she took a double take on whether or not I was serious.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s awesome. So she said yes obviously.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes, she was pretty stunned. So she took her a while. And she was just that shocked. Definitely shocked.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And how long were you guys going out or seeing each other before?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> It’s been about almost two years now. We’ve been living together for about ten months. It happened so quickly but not that quick. I know other people that have been married with only a year sort of thing.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So now that you’re engaged. And that’s only been reasonably recently, have you guys given any thought to the date or where the wedding’s going to  be?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> We’ve got it for October, the date. But that’s one of the things. Any sort of advice for a guy, like one that got on bended knee, I just think things through. It’s just all of a sudden. That’s just an admin nightmare. There’s just things to think about that you just never, never give thought to before you propose and all that sort of thing. And Lola’s not really the type of girl that grew up sweating on her wedding day. She’s pretty independent girl and that sort of thing. Apart from the date, we’ve got a lot of stuff to get through.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So when you say, to give something some thought, or administrative nightmare…</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> The numbers of who you’ve got to cut off, where you want to do it. It’s the logistics that’s actually giving people there and back. The financial side, I mean. It used to be the bride’s parents pay for everything. And that’s changed now. I’m fronting up quite a bit of the fee. And it’s just everything you’re going to think of. The dresses, the colors, we haven’t talked about it before. Every time she’s like, “Oh, is there an us in the future.” I’m like, “No, there’s an I” and just push away that conversation.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Until you proposed.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> To keep the romance.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> [unclear] of the hopeless romantic, right?</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> In your head, have you guys discussed figures? Have you got an idea how much it’s going to cost you?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes. I think we do. There’s a couple of magazines that are talking of a couple of people. I think in Sydney, you’re not going to get a half-day wedding for under 30K. And I think  it just goes up from there. There’s no way we could afford anything more than 50. But it depends on who contributes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So would you be prepared to spend $50,000.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I really wouldn’t want it. Because the other thing is, we got to save for a house and all these other lovely things.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Sure. Part of life.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Oh, God. I just feel my wallet is getting larger and larger as we go along. But no, it’s just [unclear] is the most important things. For me, a wedding day is great. It’s the most expensive part of your [unclear]. It’s the best part of your [unclear]. But you got to take it with a pinch of salt.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Sure. Do you guys decide together whether you have 50 guests or 100 guests?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I think that’s probably one thing we didn’t talk about. I think you got to come to an agreement then you got to sacrifice. Because I’m prepared to sacrifice my parents, friends. I don’t see them ever [unclear]. But Lola’s had friends – her parent’s friends – that have been there for each of her brother’s weddings. So it was like a traditional… you just can’t be like that. Because then it just opens up a box of…[unclear] People get angry if they’re left out. That sort of things.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So are you saying that she has to be prepared to cut some of her side because you’re prepared to cut some of yours?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes, but I don’t think it will come down to have because I think we both know that there’s only a few people that we really want anyway.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So what’s stopping you from eloping?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> That’s [unclear] Vegas is always there. I went to Vegas in three weeks. I loved that vice. I guess, it’s different on the table, I guess. But I get a thing with Sydney, we do want our friends and family there because we got quite close families, both of us. And quite a few people in Sydney that we know. Our mutual friends are pretty excited about it. We’ve been touring and all that sort of thing. I guess sometimes [unclear] just to go, cross overseas, just to make sure that you’re alive and you cut out all those stuff. It’s still an option. My mate got married in Kuala Lumpur and that was a fantastic time.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Yes, right.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> It’s still there.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Obviously you’ve had the romantic lead-up, the fantastic proposal and you got all these dramas now, like it did pop up in your head – you gotta think, “Man, what have I got myself in for?”</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Look man, that’s life. If it’s not bad, it will be something else. Every big decision you make. I think it is more of the fact that I, as a guy, you don’t perhaps know how big a decision this is. And maybe for the girls as well. But it is a big commitment to make and all that sort of thing. But if I wasn’t thinking about these sorts of things, then the other things, either way, I mean I got to buy a house, I got to buy a car – it doesn’t change. It’s just this one day. It makes people sweat.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> It does.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Everything’s got to fall into place. And God forbid if it rain. [unclear]. It’s a family broadcast.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So either way of the rain, you’ll still get married. Some girls forgive that. But the guys are pretty cool with that sort of thing.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I think some girls forgive who the groom is. It wasn’t [unclear] the groom as just the by-product.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> They just want to have their wedding.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Exactly. That’s what it’s all about. It’s for her, but for Lola, she wants it to be for me as well. But I’m like, “Look, if you bring my opinion into it, it’s likely that you’ll say rid of black, and I’ll say black and you’ll say, it’s going to be red.”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I’ve seen that a lot.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Well, that’s the point. But it’s something that all these little things that you got to do as if suddenly you got to think about [unclear]. You know, life is admin.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You seem a lot more involved to me, than a lot of couples that I see. I see the girls who do all the groundwork. But you say it like you’ve given this a lot of thought already.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I’ve given it a lot of thought up to the proposal.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Even now you’re talking about figures and numbers and sacrifices.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> We’ve had a couple of chats. And it’s pretty much where’s it come down. For me, I’m that sort of person that I’m playing things where I can because in life, there’s lots of things you can’t play. You just do what you can. I think we’re also youngest one in many years in each of our families so we’ve been through lots of weddings – some cousins and that sort of thing. So we can see that it surprises.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> It is.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> And it is just what you got to go through.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So what’s the first thing you got to do now? What’s the first thing you got to book or..</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> It’s got to be date and venue.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> The date and the venue. Okay.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes. And then venue, my venue is city. The actual city or country.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Because you might still go to New Zealand.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Possibly. It had to be quite cheaper. Quite a bit cheaper to go.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So your family will come to Australia then?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes. And that’s the thing. I don’t really care – if my extended family can come, then it’s all great. But if they can’t I’m not too fussed because they’ve already been through the weddings in my family.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Has it been [unclear]?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> No. We’re pretty mellow about. There’s always [unclear]. We call it [unclear]. None of the tough decisions have been made yet. None that there’s like, “You’ve got to get rid of this person” has been made yet. As I said to you before, I picked my three best men without thinking about the fact that Lola’s couple other friends are oversees and probably can’t make it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you say picked and asked them?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So is that idea on hindsight?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> It was a blow out. Lola has defined this a blow out. But that’s cool. I would work around that. Those guys that will be there [unclear] guys. Doesn’t matter.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Cool. So what about, say, from when you first proposed to now – it’s only been a month.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Any advice for anyone else that’s heading down the same road? From the little that you know so far?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> You just got to take the plans. You’ll know if it’s the right one for you. Whatever happens down the line, there’s the future. You just can’t overanalyze things too much. I have been saying, “It would be good to know more about the wedding process before you propose” but in the end, you just got to do it. And if you can keep the romance, I think that’s key part of it. Because a lot of my friends – especially my mate who just got engaged, he had already picked out the ring. And I understand the logic behind it but it shouldn’t be about logic. It should just be like you go in emotion. You got to know when someone is a right person for you.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You sound like the true romantic!</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> [unclear] have been working, you know, he used to read books. Wedding books, wedding magazines while I was growing up. Under the bleachers.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Are you joking or not?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Much truth [unclear]. No.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you got a bit of an idea of what’s going to happen?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I hope so. Then it will all blow up in front of me and then we’ll go back to square one.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Let me just get back to money for one minute. If things start getting out of hand, or say, Lola’s parents said, “Look, we really want to have Uncle Frank and Auntie Betty come into the wedding” then would you expect them to contribute more then to the wedding? Or is this something you guys would just&#8230;</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I think her parents are going to contribute the majority part of the two sets of parents.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Right, okay. So if the parents weren’t going to contribute, then would you feel you have more right to say who comes and who doesn’t come?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> And I’m going to be, “But I think that will be okay.” Because the people that I want to turn up, it’s not we can manage it. That’s like [unclear].</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> What about chapel or outdoor ceremony?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> I’m a Catholic. She’s a Protestant. She’s quite happy to do Catholic, but it’s very difficult to sort out a Catholic priest. I’m from New Zealand. I can get an [unclear] priest because from the family and stuff like that. But here, it’s a bit more difficult. You got to be part of a congregation, as I understand. You just got to jump through a few hoops. And not just that pre-wedding course that you do.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> A little bit more than that.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> And the chapels, yes. We’re trying to. If we could, it’d be great.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Catholic. One last question. I know you’re in a hurry. One last question – I totally forgot what I was going to ask you.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Take your time. People get quite [unclear] in front of me. It’s just my natural me.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That charm. Well I was going to ask you, why are you getting married?  Because I’ve spoken to a few people so far in the lodge that are all against marriage? So why are you getting married?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> It’s how you grow up. I grow up, marriage is a big part. My parents have been married for 45 years. It just feels right. You never know. My parents have been married for 45 years, but many times [unclear]. You got to go through. There’ll be times when you fall out of love and that sort of thing. But you still see something as if you find someone you really click or you really connect with, then you should try and make it. And to be fair, there’s still a society thing. That’s a society trait that people get married. And it’s good to actually have a wing woman. Not like that. But someone that you can rely on and that is just part of you now.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> But why not just stay together in a relationship? Why actually get married?</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Yes, that’s a good question. Again, probably because I feel that is the most significant commitment than just staying together. Legally, it doesn’t matter. But I think for an emotional or perhaps religious or spiritual thing, marriage is some sort of act of actually saying, “We’re together now for life.” I think that’s a pretty big commitment to make. So I think if you can do that, then you can look back and see that it’s a big achievement on your life.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s awesome.</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> But [unclear].</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> No, I totally agree. Thank so much for your time. I know you have a dinner date, mate. And have a great time!</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Dinner date with six guys.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And Lola!</p> <p><b>Rob:</b> Exactly, yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Alright, thanks Rob!</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> This next chat is with Lola, or Loren, who is engaged to Rob. And it’ll be interesting to hear her view and her take on the upcoming wedding that these guys are planning. So let’s get into the interview with Loren.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Do you want to start with an introduction – tell me who you are, where you live, how old you are. Are you happy to?</p> <p><b>Lola:</b> My name is Loren Parker. I live in Balmain. I’m 32. And I’ve been back in Sydney for two years after traveling the world for about eight years.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You traveled for eight years?</p> <p><b>Lola:</b> Not traveled. I lived places over six.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you’ve been working.</p> <p><b>Lola:</b> Working oversees.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And recently engaged.</p> <p><b>Lola:</b> Recently engaged.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And I heard it was a super romantic This episode of the Wedding Podcast is brought to you from Japan! During my recent holiday and while staying in a “share house” I sought out the views on weddings and marriage from a number of international travellers.

This wildly broad group include a gay Australian woman, a Swiss ski instructor in a long term relationship against the idea of marriage, a newly engaged couple from New Zealand and Sydney, two young Swedish skiers not considering marriage at this time of their life when their culture has an average age of 35 for marriage and an Aussie guy that married in Las Vegas, by Elvis, after a 3 week courtship.

My youngest brother Simon and I at the peak of Mt Annupuri in Japan. Even here, I was thinking about The Wedding Podcast

Before the interviews get underway I’ll let you in on a simple way to get my top tips for your perfect wedding delivered straight to your inbox on a weekly basis. I’ll cover these tips over the coming months during the podcast but if you’d like some great info on some simple things that really will make a difference to your day, and you’d like them sooner rather than later, this is an easy way to get them.

Interestingly (for me anyway) we are approaching 800 downloads of the podcast already and surprisingly, there are listeners from right around the world – very cool! I was expecting 90% of listeners to be Australian brides-to-be but it seems there are a bunch of listeners from the USA, UK, Malaysia, Germany and Denmark.

The interviewees include:

Kate: a gay Australian woman who isn’t allowed to marry – yet. Chatting to Kate was a real pleasure for me. It was great to hear her views on marriage, commitment ceremonies and weddings and the idea that she can’t legally be married. Kate is just kicking off her adventure and Japan was her first stop after throwing in her high pressure and demanding job in the city to travel the world with her partner who is on an art scholarship.

I may be leading a sheltered life but I don’t know too many gay people and chatting to Kate opened my eyes and mind to different perspectives on marriage. When Kate was so adamant that gay marriage should be, must be legalised I wasn’t surprised. I was surprised though that following her views on the legalities of gay weddings, she tells me that she has absolutely no interest in a wedding for herself – even after a long term relationship and an obvious commitment to her partner.

Kai: is a 28 year old ski instructor from Switzerland and after I mentioned that I was a wedding photographer his adamant reply was that I’ll NEVER photograph his wedding because he is NEVER going to be married. With that opening comment I had to know more.

It turns out Kai has been in a relationship with his girlfriend for over ten years and they are totally in love. They are building a house together and although his girlfriend wanted to get married, he said no way. Since then, she has come round to his way of thinking and Kai says she is totally happy with the arrangement.

Kai’s views on marriage are based around family issues when he was growing up. His parents went through a messy and tough divorce which he talks about in our chat. We also talk about Swiss weddings, his best mates wedding day and how things are changing for young couples celebrating their wedding in Switzerland.

Rob and Lola: a recently engaged Kiwi and Aussie couple travelling together through Japan were great to interview. I decided to chat separately to Rob and Lola and get their individual perspectives on how they were going to tackle the obvious issues of planning a wedding. We discuss things like which family and how many will be invited, how much they expect to budget on certain aspects, where they would make any required cost cuts and what they absolutely wouldn’t skimp on.

Blue sky days are rare in Japan at this time of year. In 3 weeks, we received almost 4m of snow!

I think Rob and Lola will get as much enjoyment from the interviews as you will – especially when Rob’s first choice of cost and number cuts would be to Lola’s family while Lola is adamant that all her family will be coming and costs cutting will be elsewhere – but not the dress, the flowers, the photographer or the location.

We also discussed the proposal where Lola leaves out certain aspects and leaves me feeling that Rob is much more romantic than he makes out. His story telling of the event definitely needs some refinement.

Richard: was one of my absolute favourite interviews. After a 3 week courtship he was married in a Las Vegas Chapel by Elvis. There is a little more to this story and it’s well worth a listen, especially if you are planning to run off and get married yourself.

Emmy and Michaela: the two young and shy Swedish girls who have no plans to marry anytime soon. I was surprised to learn that the average age for marriage in Sweden is well over 30 years. Emmy’s parents were married after being together for over 20 years and 2 children and the girls say that this is nothing out of the ordinary. The wedding day seems to run a little different to an Australian wedding which we discuss briefly.

Items mentioned in this episode: 

If you’d like to see more photos from my Japan trip or to follow me on Instagram, go to: http://instagram.com/andrew_hellmich

Michaela’s blog from Japan can be found at: http://michaelajohansson.blogg.se/

If you’d like to actually read her blog, you can use Google Translate to access the blog here

To get my top tips for your perfect wedding day, add your details here: http://www.impact-images.com.au/weddings/

Feedback

Do you have any feedback or comments to add – I’d love to hear about it and share it with other listeners to the show. You can email me, andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au or leave a comment below.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, it’d be a great help if you leave a rating and comment in itunes. Other brides-to-be will find the podcast more easily and it’ll take you 2 minutes max. Click here to go to the iTunes page, click on the blue button “View In iTunes” then click on “Ratings and Reviews” to leave a comment.

Hope you enjoy the episode.

Speak soon!

Andrew

Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
• Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

Transcript:

This week, I’ve got a series of interviews lined up for you, that I recorded while I was in Japan. I was staying in a share house. It wasn’t really a backpacker’s, but a share house, I guess. There’s a lot of people coming and going in there – a lot of Aussies, but we had a wide range of people there. And I thought I’d try and get a few interviews together on people’s views from around the world – get their views on weddings and what happens in their country. They include Kate, a gay woman from Australia, who’s not even allowed to get married. I interviewed an engaged couple – the guy, Rob, was from New Zealand, and Lola from Australia. They’re just recently engaged. But what I did with them, I interviewed them separately to get their views on what’s going to be happening on the planning on the lead up to their wedding. So that should be interesting. I also interviewed a young ski instructor from Switzerland, a guy named Kai. He has an interesting view, too, on marriage. He’s been in a long-term relationship; 30 years old, but is dead against getting married. So we’ll have a chat to him as well. I also had a really cool interview with an Aussie guy who eloped in Vegas after a 3-week courtship. I had a problem with the actual recording with Richard and there’s too much noise going on in the house. And the audio was pretty much unusable so what I’m going to try and do is relay his story because it was a pretty cool story. And I really want to share that with you. I also spoke to a couple of young Swedish girls that were staying where we were; lovely girls – both Michaela and Emmie. Their audio too is a little bit tough to work with because they spoke so quietly. They were very nervous about speaking in English for the podcast but I got a little bit information from them about weddings in Sweden. The two of them, neither of them are very interested in getting married at this stage, but Amy’s parents were recently married – a few years ago. And both of them have been to at least wedding. So it’s good to get an idea of what happens in Sweden. As usual, you’ll be able to download any links that I mentioned in this episode if you go to www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/10. You’ll get any information there regarding the show.

Usually, I like to add a tip in from the last episode. I’m not sure if you had a chance to listen to Tracy yet. I recorded that interview and released that over the Christmas holidays. Tracy lost 30 kilograms of weight in the lead up to her wedding. I guess the big takeaway from listening to Tracy was that anyone can lose weight, any amount of weight that they want to, as long as they have a plan to work to. Like I said, Tracy lost 30 kilos. She really was an inspiration to listen to. She looked amazing on her wedding day. And interesting too was she tried everything but it wasn’t until she had an actual roadmap and a plan for that weight loss that she actually started to get some success. And once she saw some success, it got easier until she had a little bit of plateau in the middle. But jump back and have a listen to that if you haven’t had a chance to yet. If you’re looking at losing a couple of kilos, Tracy, like I said, is really an inspiration after having lost 30 kilos.

You might notice my voice. It goes a little bit in and out, although [unclear]. I’ve come back with a bit of a flu [unclear] on anybody so I’m trying to get over that. I guess it has something to do with spending the last three weeks – I think the average temperature for us in Japan was about -10°. Obviously, we were rugged up for those conditions. But once one person got sick in the house, then it tended to go right through the whole house. So I come back and I’m sick, but I’m going to struggle through this and hopefully my voice will hold up for the episode.

In local news, there’s not too much to report from me because I have been away. But I do know that couples have been madly getting engaged over the Christmas period. I’ve had about 40 girls ask for our prices while I’ve been away. Couples do that via our website. They just enter their email address and their first name, and they get instant access to our pricelist. If you are interested in getting some extra tips, when you do subscribe and you do get our pricelist, you’ll also get some top tips and you get a series of emails – about a week apart – about how to have the best wedding day that you possibly can, and some of my personal tips on how you can improve your wedding day. No matter whether you’re having me for your photographer or not for your wedding if you do want to read a little bit more about my views on how to have the perfect wedding day. Obviously I’ll cover those things over the coming weeks and months in the podcast. If you want to get those delivered to your inbox, you can do that. Just jump over to www.impact-images.com.au. And if you go to the Wedding page, you can see a little box there to enter your details, and you’ll automatically get those emails from me. And you can unsubscribe any time as well. So feel free to do that.

I guess the other really cool thing I wanted to tell you about was that I checked the stats for the podcast just before I started recording today, and we’ve had over 780 downloads so far, which I’m totally rapped with. I expected it to be a lot slower to get going but it looks like word is spreading, which is fantastic. Another interesting thing is that listeners are coming from all over the world. I expected that to be 90% of listeners to be from Australia,  but I’ve got listeners now from America, UK, Germany, Malaysia, and even Denmark, which is pretty cool. And not just one or two. I’ve got a large number particularly in the US, and good numbers from those other countries as well.

If you do want to get more involved with the podcast, if you want to send me any tips, anything that you think I should bring up or talk about, if you’ve got any service providers you’d like to recommend, or if you’re not sure about something, shoot me an email and I’ll get that covered on an upcoming episode. You can do that, andrew@TheWeddingPodcast.com.au. I’d love to get any feedback that you’ve got. It’s always good to know that there’s real people out there listening. I can see the numbers but it’d be really nice to actually hear from you. Let’s get into the main part of the show now.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: I’m coming to you from Japan today. I’m actually on holidays over here with my son and my brother and a couple of other mates, and I’m staying in a share house. It’s a bit like a backpacker’s, but it’s more of a share house. I’m chatting to all the guests here over the last week or two. It’s been interesting to get their feedback or their ideas on marriage and weddings, and I thought it’d be a good idea to hear some of their thoughts on the topic for the podcast. Before we get into the interviews, I just want to paint a picture of what it’s like around. I’m on the north island of Japan, which is called Hokkaido. I’m in a little town called Hirafu, and the snow here is just insane. I’ve been here for almost three weeks, and we’ve had close to four meters of snow. It really is incredible. If you’re into skiing, you like [unclear] snow, this is the place that you have to come. So just looking at the window here, I’m actually in the ski room at the moment, away from the main part of the lodge. It’s where everyone gets ski off [unclear] so their skis for storage and their snowboards and their boots. It’s pretty cold in this room; it’s probably about 0° or just under. The average temperature in the mountains since I’ve been here has been -10° to -12°. And it gets a lot colder than that up the top. I’m looking at a small window, it’s snowing now as I speak. There’s about two meters of snow on each side of the road. The road gets cleared regularly by bulldoze and big machines to clear the snow. And where we’re in is just a little back street. So it just fills up super quick. As soon as there’s any glimpse of some sort of clear weather, there’s people madly clearing snow from the roofs and the council workers cleaning from the streets. During the night when we’re sleeping, and the day when we’re here at the lodge, it’s not uncommon to hear these massive, big, thunderous bangs as the snow slides off the roofs of our lodge. And it really is impressive; you definitely not want to get caught underneath one of those [unclear] because I reckon you’d be killed with those huge chunks of ice. I hope you enjoy the episode and I’ll see you soon!

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: To keep things off, my first interview is with Kate, and I started by asking Kate just for a brief introduction. So take it away, Kate.

Kate: I’m Kate Hole, I’m from Sydney, Australia, and I met Andrew skiing in Niseko.

Andrew: Awesome!

Kate: Totally awesome.

Andrew: So we’re staying in a share house here, which has been really cool because there’s so many different people here with different views and different upbringings – everything like that. When we started chatting, I found that you are gay. And you’re actually not allowed to be married, not even Australia.

Kate: At the moment it’s illegal to get married in Australia. There’s a couple of states in America where it is legal, and I think Ireland, and a few European countries actually have legalized gay marriage as well.

Andrew: So if you go to those countries to get married, is that still recognized in Australia?

Kate: I believe it is, yes. Exactly right. And there are a lot of people – I’ve got some friends who’ve gone out to Ireland to get married, and to all the different countries to get married.

Andrew: Is there any difference between, say, female and male gay people in marriage?

Kate: No. It just comes down to whether it’s same-sex or not, or whether they make a differentiation between man and woman, or same-sex.

Andrew: And do you think that’ll ever change in Australia?

Kate: Yes. I think so. Absolutely. There’s a lot of activism at the moment in Australia to have gay marriage legalized. I think, last time I checked, most Australians were pretty much for it. When I say most, the poll say 60% of Australians were in support for it. I have to say that my experience in Australia is that most people are very non-judgmental and very supportive of our relationships. So I can see it happening in the near future.

Andrew: Amongst your gay friends or people that you know that are gay, are any of those against gay marriage?

Kate: Yes.

Andrew: Really? For what reason?

Kate: First up, I’m against it because I  don’t want to get married.

Andrew: So you’re actually against it?

Kate: No. I lied actually; I’m for it theoretically. But I personally don’t want to ever get married.

Andrew: So if it was legalized, you wouldn’t necessarily take up that option.

Kate: No, I wouldn’t take up the option. It’s just not for me, what can I say. But yes, I do have friends who are dead set against it. And why don’t they want to do it? I think they’re happy to actually not be part of the mainstream society and having to adhere to the norms of society. Some of those guys have had some pretty tough stories though.

Andrew: Okay. So do you think that some gay people want marriage to be legalized in Australia just for the sake of it? Like the fact that it can be legalized? Why do you even care if you don’t want to be married would you go on actively protest to have it legalized?

Kate: I just think any form of discrimination based on gender or preference – any form of discrimination – is just totally inappropriate. So I’m massively for it and I haven’t protested but I’ll sign for the press that comes through. But for example, my partner – neither of us want to get married. But she says things like, “Imagine if the marriage legislation said that marriage is between a white man and a white woman. Or Japanese people can’t get married in Australia.”

Andrew: But it’s not like that.

Kate: No, you reckon?

Andrew: It doesn’t say that. It just says marriage is between a man and a woman.

Kate: But imagine if it actually excluded some race, for example. I think of it that way. And I just think that’s not fair.

Andrew: That’s how you come up with your views.

Kate: I just think it’s…

Andrew: Discrimination.

Kate: Discrimination. It just should be equality. It should be equality. There’s some pretty funny arguments against it though. Have you heard them?

Andrew: No. Tell me.

Kate: Some of the politicians and the hard right are against it because they’re basically saying, “Alright. If we change the marriage legislation to say it’s between two people, then it’s a slippery slope before you actually go to say marriage is between a man, a woman and a dog.”

Andrew: Okay. So they think if they change it, it’s going to get out of hand.

Kate: It’s going to get out of hand. Or a man, a man, a man, a woman and a dog. So they basically don’t want to tamper with it. And I just think that’s pretty funny.

Andrew: That’s a bit lame, isn’t it?

Kate: It’s pretty funny.

Andrew: Yes, okay. So do you guys miss out on anything by not being married? Benefit-wise? I know you guys both work. But do you get to miss out on anything by not being married?

Kate: It differs by state. In Australia, there’s a lot of state legislation, so there’s no actual one. There’s a Marriage Act, I think, which is national. Don’t quote me on any of this but this is my sketchy understanding of it.

Andrew: This is only going international so you can say whatever you like.

Kate: I’ll just make whatever rubbish I feel like. But in different states, the legislation is different. So for example, there’s things like artificial birth assistance. There’s also the adoption laws that’s different by state. So some are allowed to adopt..

Andrew: If you’re not married..

Kate: ..If you’re not married. Or if you’re in a same-sex relationship. And then in other states there’s no real difference at all. I think in the ATT, you are allowed to have a civil union, which actually gives you all of the same rights as being married, but without the marriage certificate.

Andrew: So in yourself, whereas you can have a commitment ceremony, because I know that a lot of the celebrants that I work with perform those, but it’s not legal. So is that a de facto relationship?

Kate: We’re in a de facto relationship so all of the things – everything that covers the de facto relationship covers out ours as well. There is also the trouble with the superannuation. Again, that’s different state by state. So if one of us dies, then the superannuation. Again, that’s different state by state. So if one of us dies, they you got problems. The state can actually overrule..

Andrew: …if you don’t have a will.

Kate: Yes.

Andrew: So [unclear]. You don’t really miss out anything by not legally being married, if you recognize it as a de facto.

Kate: Yes. I think to me, your right to adopt and your right to choose to undergo artificial birth – what do you call that stuff anyway?

Andrew: You mean – I don’t know what you mean.

Kate: Yes. Anyway –

Andrew: IVF and things like that.

Kate: IVF, yes. And the superannuation are the three big ones, really. But everything else – so if we broke up, you just divide everything down the middle.

Andrew: If there’s no kids.

Kate: If there’s no kids. It’s all pretty much identical in that respect.

Andrew: What about with kids? I know it’s [unclear] from weddings, but are you guys allowed to adopt?

Kate: No.

Andrew: No. Are gay guys allowed to adopt?

Kate: No.

Andrew: So any gay couples cannot adopt.

Kate: Yes. In different states.

Andrew: But you could have a child if either of you are trying to get a child, and then raise that child as your own.

Kate: Yes, absolutely. And then you just got to put in place in your will. Just arrange what will basically just say there’s two moms or two dads, and this is how we chose to raise the kid. So you just have to take a little bit of care with that.

Andrew: Okay. So do you think gay guys should be able to have kids?

Kate: Yes. Of course!

Andrew: Some people don’t.

Kate: Really?

Andrew: Yes!

Kate: There’s people who think they want to marry a dog, but I definitely think that gay guys should be able to have kids. And they do!

Andrew: And they do! Yes. And have you ever been to gay weddings? Or commitment ceremonies?

Kate: No.

Andrew: Okay. So it’s not a big thing in the gay community?

Kate: Not amongst my circle of friends. No.

Andrew: Alright. And then you said before that you would never get married or it doesn’t interest you.

Kate: No, sorry.

Andrew: What’s the reason for that?

Kate: It’s a personal choice. It just doesn’t interest me. It never has. I’ve never wanted to have a wedding.

Andrew: Okay. You’re right. So what about if your partner, she said, “Kate, I want to marry you,” if it was legalized. Or, “I want to have a commitment ceremony.”

Kate: We’ve been together for 17 years so I have to say yes.

Andrew: You have to say yes.

Kate: I would be obliged to say yes. But whilst we haven’t had a commitment ceremony or anything like that, we certainly have discussed whether we might stay together for a little bit longer.

Andrew: 17 years, that’s a little bit longer!

Kate: That’s fairly committed, I’d say.

Andrew: Yes, right. So you can have that same commitment without actually having a wedding.

Kate: Yes, the ceremony. But neither of us have any interest whatsoever.

Andrew: I’m surprised you haven’t been to a commitment ceremony or wedding.

Kate: Yes. And you know what’s weird? Lots of our straight friends are not married either.

Andrew: Okay.

Kate: I don’t know. Maybe it’s just an attitude in our generation. And also my close friends who have gone married got married really late. So they’ve been together for years and years and years and they have kids and they’re like, “We probably should get married.”

Andrew: Yes, right. So they did after the kids and everything. Can I ask how old you are?

Kate: 40.

Andrew: 40. So have you seen any big changes then, say, as you’ve been growing up in the gay community, regarding weddings or marriage. Have views changed?

Kate: Yes, very much so. It’s sometimes difficult to separate out which bits has been as a result of me changing and what’s the result of the community changing. But I think there’s a lot of momentum behind the equality. So gay marriage being legalized across Australia, and across the world, actually. And there’s quite a lot of support for that. I’ve never really experienced a whole lot of discrimination. I have to say I’ve been lucky, I think, in that respect. Either that or Australians are just really accepting. Or don’t really care. Either way, I haven’t really noticed a difference.

Andrew: Do you think it’s different for gay girls or gay guys?

Kate: Yes. I certainly do. And I think it’s different in different communities as well. For example, in some religious communities, it’s really very much frowned upon. And we have friends who’ve pretty much been disowned by their families as a result of their sexual preference, I suppose. And I also think some of the more traditional communities. For example, I was telling you the story the other day. I met a Japanese girl who was married at 23 and then she worked out…

Andrew: She was married to a guy?

Kate: Married to a guy. Went through the official ceremonies in Japan. And then a couple of years later she just couldn’t live that lifestyle anymore and came out to her family and friends and got divorced. And ever since then she hasn’t had any contact with her family at all.

Andrew: So they basically disowned her.

Kate: Yes, which is..

Andrew: Pretty sad.

Kate: Pretty sad. I mean, there is still is some pretty negative attitudes to it all. But I’ve been lucky. I just haven’t experienced too much of that.

Andrew: It’s been good.

Kate: Yes.

Andrew: Unreal. Thanks for doing this today.

Kate: Yes, pleasure. No worries.

Andrew: Is there anything controversial you want to add at the end?

Kate: I don’t think anyone in the straight community should get married until gay marriage is legalized.

Andrew: Woah, heavy. I’ll take it to the masses.

Kate: Take it to the masses. Actually I love a festival of love. I’m all in favor of people getting married. I’m also massively in favor of equality, so I think get behind the course.

Andrew: I know. Lots of my friends, but certainly the people I work with would love to see gay marriage legalized. And the cynics would say that’s because we work in the wedding industry, but I think I truly believe it to be legalized.

Kate: Yes. If your son or daughter was gay, you’d probably want them to get married.

Andrew: Yes, of course. And certainly want to have a normal life. But you said it’s been pretty crazy for you in Australia.

Kate: Yes. I haven’t experienced anything negative. So thank you to all of those open-minded individual out there.

Andrew: Awesome. Thanks Kate!

Kate: No worries, Andrew. Pleasure.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: Next up, I had a little chat to Kai, from Switzerland. Kai turned up to the share house with three other buddies. All of them could speak English, but Kai was definitely the number one English speaker in the group. He spent a season in New Zealand – or two – as a ski instructor. And his English was great. He also had some really strong views on weddings and getting married. So it was great to have him involved. So I started again by asking Kai just for an introduction, and let’s get into that now.

Kai: My name is Kai. I’m from Switzerland. I am 28 and I’ve been in a relationship for almost 10 years now. But we’re not married.

Andrew: And no kids?

Kai: No kids.

Andrew: So when I chatted to you the other day, I told you that I was a wedding photographer and you said that there’s no way I’ll ever photograph your wedding. You’re dead against it.

Kai: I’m not dead against it, but for us, we don’t want to get married.

Andrew: So if one of your friends said they’re getting married, what would you say?

Kai: My best friend, he just got married. If it’s fine for them, why not?

Andrew: So you’re not against weddings or marriage or such.

Kai: No. Absolutely not. But for us, there’s no way we’re going to get married.

Andrew: Is your partner, she feels the same way? Or is this something that she [unclear].

Kai: Didn’t feel the same way when we got together, but now she does. I don’t know why really, it’s just the way we have our relationship at the moment, we don’t see a point why should we sign  a contract. By what we’ve got at the moment.

Andrew: Okay. In Switzerland, I think it’s a little bit different to Australia. So there’s no  such thing as a de facto relationship, is that right? You’ve been together now for 10 years. So if you split up now and you have a house together, does she automatically get half the house?

Kai: No. She doesn’t. Say, if we would have a house together, and say if I brought all the money, if I’ve been building the house, it’s still my house; she doesn’t get anything off it.

Andrew: Okay. So even though she might have contributed to the payments for the house, with her job? So you’re both working?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: So if she’s paid some money to the house and to the household, does she get some of the house?

Kai: She probably just gets the money back she was paying for. And that’s it.

Andrew: Okay. And is it different in Switzerland if there’s kids involved? Or still the same?

Kai: It’s still the same.

Andrew: Right, okay. But if you’re married in Switzerland, then she would get half?

Kai: Not necessarily. In Switzerland, if you get married, you can have three different contracts. So one contract you can get where you say, “Okay. Her money and my money are brought in to the relationship together. When we split up, it’s going to be 50-50.” But then also you can have a contract where it says, “Okay. We get married, say, in one year. And then you count the money you have. So she’s counting her money, I’m counting my money. And say, we split up after ten years, you basically get the same money back you brought in to the relationship. Pretty much.”

Andrew: So is that something you decide on when you get married?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: Okay. So everyone goes through that decision in Switzerland?

Kai: Okay.

Andrew: And then when we’re chatting the other day, you said there’s a reason why you don’t think weddings or a marriage is a good idea for you. And that was brought about through your family situation?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: Are you happy to talk about that?

Kai: Yes. No problem.

Andrew: So what is it that turned you away from why you think it’s such a bad idea for you?

Kai: Because when I was 12, my parents split up. And then my dad, he wasn’t working a lot. We were kind of a poor family. So my dad split up and my mom basically could take all the money from my dad. So every coin he was owning during work went back to my mom.

Andrew: Is that because of the contract they had?

Kai: Yes. So basically, you can, as a man, if you split up, the ex-wife can destroy you. Totally. If you’re married. Or if you split up afterwards.

Andrew: So the wife can destroy for the man. So is that what happened then with your mom and dad?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: So she made it hard for him.

Kai: Yes. Because my dad has to pay for the kids. My dad has to pay. I don’t know exactly how it works, but that’s what I remembered from this.

Andrew: Ah, okay. Right. And that would’ve been because of the contract they entered into?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: So you don’t want to put yourself in that situation.

Kai: No. Never.

Andrew: So could you still see yourself having kids now?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: So what would you do with the family name for the kids? They’ll take the dad’s name or the mom’s name?

Kai: No, the mom’s name. If you’re not married, they have to take the mom’s name. They can’t take my name.

Andrew: Okay. Alright. So what about celibacy? You guys love each other? You’re talking about kids, you have a house together, and what about if your partner, she says, “Kai, I really think we should get married.”

Kai: No. No way.

Andrew: No way? Not going to happen.

Kai: It’s not going to happen.

Andrew: So why wouldn’t you, if you could have the contract that would make sure that you’re safe?

Kai: You don’t get the contract where you think you’re safe. Because it doesn’t matter what kind of contract you sign. In the end, if she’s going to the law and wants your money, she’ll get your money.

Andrew: Okay. No matter the contract you have.

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: Have you been to any Swiss weddings?

Kai: One. My best mate’s wedding. I was his best man.

Andrew: I’ve never been to a Swiss wedding. I’ve only been to Australian and Scottish ones. Is there much difference – did you have photos beforehand? Did the photographer come to the house?

Kai: No, I don’t think so.

Andrew: A photographer at the ceremony? At the church?

Kai: No.

Andrew: No photographer? Not at all?

Kai: No. But they didn’t marry in a church.

Andrew: A garden wedding?

Kai: It was in a bar. In Switzerland, you have two weddings. One, which is the official one, where you go to the government..

Andrew: Yes, like a government office? Like a registry?

Kai: Yes, registry office. And that’s the official wedding.

Andrew: So everyone does that.

Kai: Yes. You have to. Because the one in the church, that’s just a ceremony. That’s not like the official wedding.

Andrew: As they are already married.

Kai: Yes. They are already married when they go to church. The one in the church is just for friends and families and to keep that tradition up a little bit.

Andrew: Okay. So everyone gets married in the registry and then the couple decide to have a garden wedding or church wedding. So the church wedding is still the most popular?

Kai: Not anymore.

Andrew: So more gardens..

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: So your best friend, he got married in a pub.

Kai: Kind of.

Andrew: And then do they go off to have photos? Or no photos at all the whole day?

Kai: Just friends were doing photos. But not like a professional.

Andrew: And then they have like 100 guests or…

Kai: What was it. I think, yes, something around 100 guests.

Andrew: That’s pretty normal. And speeches and things like that?

Kai: No, it was just friends and family and we were celebrating a little bit.

Andrew: Just a party.

Kai: Yes. It’s a party. But they didn’t have like the typical wedding dress or anything. He was wearing a suit but not a tie. She was wearing a black dress with yellow socks.

Andrew: A black dress?

Kai: Yes. And a yellow flower. And that’s about it. It wasn’t like the typical way.

Andrew: And just tell me to finish – in Australia, there’s about 40% of couples break up and get divorced. Is this something similar in Switzerland?

Kai: It’s probably around 60%.

Andrew: That break up?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: Yes, right. Okay. That’s high, isn’t it?

Kai: Because the problem these days is that a lot of people, they get married way too early. So they know each other for maybe two months and then they get together. Half a year later, they get married. And then one year later, there’s the first kid on its way. And for me, that’s way too fast. Because you don’t get to know each other in this time.

Andrew: So why do you think they’re getting married so young?

Kai: Because they think they have to. They’re not thinking.

Andrew: Yes, right.

Kai: That’s what I think.

Andrew: Just because tradition, or…?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: That’s what they do.

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: And you’re here with three buddies?

Kai: Yes.

Andrew: And none of them are married?

Kai: No.

Andrew: Any likely to get married?

Kai: I don’t know. Probably one of them is. The other one’s…

Andrew: A city boy.

Kai: Yes, city boy. City boy, could be. But the other two, I don’t think so.

Andrew: Cool. You had a good time in Japan so far?

Kai: Yes, perfect. Awesome. Perfect.

Andrew: Unreal. Thanks for chatting.

Kai: No worries. Thank you.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: Next up is Rob. Rob’s a Kiwi and travelling with his fiancé Lola, or Loren. The really cool thing about these guys is I interviewed Rob and Lola separately. And they’ve only been just recently engaged; they got engaged in December. I hear that he’s a true  romantic. So let’s get into the interview with Rob.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: Do you want to start just by introducing yourself? Tell me about your name, where you live, how old you are.

Rob: Sure. My name is Rob. I’m thirty years old now. I come from New Zealand, a place called Piha, and live in Sydney, Australia at the moment.

Andrew: Cool. And I know that you are engaged to Lola. He’s also staying here at the lodge in Japan. So you guys are just recently engaged?

Rob: Yes. Actually this is all [unclear] 2^nd of December 2012. It’s a nice little ambiance to the numbers there.

Andrew: Perfect. And you got to tell me, was it a romantic proposal?

Rob: It was. We live in Balmain. We got out on to Ballast Point Park which overlooks the ferries and the harbor and what nonsense. And anyway, I’m dragged there every week – against my will most of the time – but we went down there I’d sort of been playing up. I’ve eaten KFC that day and I was trying to be like, “Let’s go for a walk.” I didn’t buy her a ring. It’s impossible trying to find rings these days without talking to them, because it’s all very much a surprise. And I [unclear] because she likes ferries, she likes sailing. So I got her an anchor on a necklace. And on the back, it says, “Will you marry me?” Anyway, we’re walking down and I’m like, “Let’s go up to the point overlooking at…” And I’m like, “Oh, I got to just go around the corner. I’ve got to take a leak.” And I didn’t.

Andrew: That’s romantic!

Rob: That’s obviously very romantic. Anyway, she is also on a [unclear] and I ran around the corner. And I’m about to come back but people were just past. And for some insane reason, they just stopped. And I just want to go anywhere. So I said, “Lola, come over here. Look, I found something.” And I was bounded down the steps and I just showed her the necklace. And she’s like, “Ah, it’s an anchor. That’s fantastic.” And I’m like, “Yes, I just found it while I was taking a leak.” And I didn’t. So I said, “There’s some engraving. What does it say?” And it says, “Will you marry me?” Then I bended knee and she was just stunned. She was absolutely stunned. And just the look of surprise on her face. And obviously, with me, she took a double take on whether or not I was serious.

Andrew: That’s awesome. So she said yes obviously.

Rob: Yes, she was pretty stunned. So she took her a while. And she was just that shocked. Definitely shocked.

Andrew: And how long were you guys going out or seeing each other before?

Rob: It’s been about almost two years now. We’ve been living together for about ten months. It happened so quickly but not that quick. I know other people that have been married with only a year sort of thing.

Andrew: So now that you’re engaged. And that’s only been reasonably recently, have you guys given any thought to the date or where the wedding’s going to  be?

Rob: We’ve got it for October, the date. But that’s one of the things. Any sort of advice for a guy, like one that got on bended knee, I just think things through. It’s just all of a sudden. That’s just an admin nightmare. There’s just things to think about that you just never, never give thought to before you propose and all that sort of thing. And Lola’s not really the type of girl that grew up sweating on her wedding day. She’s pretty independent girl and that sort of thing. Apart from the date, we’ve got a lot of stuff to get through.

Andrew: So when you say, to give something some thought, or administrative nightmare…

Rob: The numbers of who you’ve got to cut off, where you want to do it. It’s the logistics that’s actually giving people there and back. The financial side, I mean. It used to be the bride’s parents pay for everything. And that’s changed now. I’m fronting up quite a bit of the fee. And it’s just everything you’re going to think of. The dresses, the colors, we haven’t talked about it before. Every time she’s like, “Oh, is there an us in the future.” I’m like, “No, there’s an I” and just push away that conversation.

Andrew: Until you proposed.

Rob: To keep the romance.

Andrew: Yes.

Rob: [unclear] of the hopeless romantic, right?

Andrew: In your head, have you guys discussed figures? Have you got an idea how much it’s going to cost you?

Rob: Yes. I think we do. There’s a couple of magazines that are talking of a couple of people. I think in Sydney, you’re not going to get a half-day wedding for under 30K. And I think  it just goes up from there. There’s no way we could afford anything more than 50. But it depends on who contributes.

Andrew: So would you be prepared to spend $50,000.

Rob: I really wouldn’t want it. Because the other thing is, we got to save for a house and all these other lovely things.

Andrew: Sure. Part of life.

Rob: Oh, God. I just feel my wallet is getting larger and larger as we go along. But no, it’s just [unclear] is the most important things. For me, a wedding day is great. It’s the most expensive part of your [unclear]. It’s the best part of your [unclear]. But you got to take it with a pinch of salt.

Andrew: Sure. Do you guys decide together whether you have 50 guests or 100 guests?

Rob: I think that’s probably one thing we didn’t talk about. I think you got to come to an agreement then you got to sacrifice. Because I’m prepared to sacrifice my parents, friends. I don’t see them ever [unclear]. But Lola’s had friends – her parent’s friends – that have been there for each of her brother’s weddings. So it was like a traditional… you just can’t be like that. Because then it just opens up a box of…[unclear] People get angry if they’re left out. That sort of things.

Andrew: So are you saying that she has to be prepared to cut some of her side because you’re prepared to cut some of yours?

Rob: Yes, but I don’t think it will come down to have because I think we both know that there’s only a few people that we really want anyway.

Andrew: Okay. So what’s stopping you from eloping?

Rob: That’s [unclear] Vegas is always there. I went to Vegas in three weeks. I loved that vice. I guess, it’s different on the table, I guess. But I get a thing with Sydney, we do want our friends and family there because we got quite close families, both of us. And quite a few people in Sydney that we know. Our mutual friends are pretty excited about it. We’ve been touring and all that sort of thing. I guess sometimes [unclear] just to go, cross overseas, just to make sure that you’re alive and you cut out all those stuff. It’s still an option. My mate got married in Kuala Lumpur and that was a fantastic time.

Andrew: Yes, right.

Rob: It’s still there.

Andrew: Obviously you’ve had the romantic lead-up, the fantastic proposal and you got all these dramas now, like it did pop up in your head – you gotta think, “Man, what have I got myself in for?”

Rob: Look man, that’s life. If it’s not bad, it will be something else. Every big decision you make. I think it is more of the fact that I, as a guy, you don’t perhaps know how big a decision this is. And maybe for the girls as well. But it is a big commitment to make and all that sort of thing. But if I wasn’t thinking about these sorts of things, then the other things, either way, I mean I got to buy a house, I got to buy a car – it doesn’t change. It’s just this one day. It makes people sweat.

Andrew: It does.

Rob: Everything’s got to fall into place. And God forbid if it rain. [unclear]. It’s a family broadcast.

Andrew: So either way of the rain, you’ll still get married. Some girls forgive that. But the guys are pretty cool with that sort of thing.

Rob: I think some girls forgive who the groom is. It wasn’t [unclear] the groom as just the by-product.

Andrew: They just want to have their wedding.

Rob: Exactly. That’s what it’s all about. It’s for her, but for Lola, she wants it to be for me as well. But I’m like, “Look, if you bring my opinion into it, it’s likely that you’ll say rid of black, and I’ll say black and you’ll say, it’s going to be red.”

Andrew: I’ve seen that a lot.

Rob: Well, that’s the point. But it’s something that all these little things that you got to do as if suddenly you got to think about [unclear]. You know, life is admin.

Andrew: You seem a lot more involved to me, than a lot of couples that I see. I see the girls who do all the groundwork. But you say it like you’ve given this a lot of thought already.

Rob: I’ve given it a lot of thought up to the proposal.

Andrew: Even now you’re talking about figures and numbers and sacrifices.

Rob: We’ve had a couple of chats. And it’s pretty much where’s it come down. For me, I’m that sort of person that I’m playing things where I can because in life, there’s lots of things you can’t play. You just do what you can. I think we’re also youngest one in many years in each of our families so we’ve been through lots of weddings – some cousins and that sort of thing. So we can see that it surprises.

Andrew: It is.

Rob: And it is just what you got to go through.

Andrew: So what’s the first thing you got to do now? What’s the first thing you got to book or..

Rob: It’s got to be date and venue.

Andrew: The date and the venue. Okay.

Rob: Yes. And then venue, my venue is city. The actual city or country.

Andrew: Because you might still go to New Zealand.

Rob: Possibly. It had to be quite cheaper. Quite a bit cheaper to go.

Andrew: Okay. So your family will come to Australia then?

Rob: Yes. And that’s the thing. I don’t really care – if my extended family can come, then it’s all great. But if they can’t I’m not too fussed because they’ve already been through the weddings in my family.

Andrew: Has it been [unclear]?

Rob: No. We’re pretty mellow about. There’s always [unclear]. We call it [unclear]. None of the tough decisions have been made yet. None that there’s like, “You’ve got to get rid of this person” has been made yet. As I said to you before, I picked my three best men without thinking about the fact that Lola’s couple other friends are oversees and probably can’t make it.

Andrew: So you say picked and asked them?

Rob: Yes.

Andrew: So is that idea on hindsight?

Rob: It was a blow out. Lola has defined this a blow out. But that’s cool. I would work around that. Those guys that will be there [unclear] guys. Doesn’t matter.

Andrew: Cool. So what about, say, from when you first proposed to now – it’s only been a month.

Rob: Yes.

Andrew: Any advice for anyone else that’s heading down the same road? From the little that you know so far?

Rob: You just got to take the plans. You’ll know if it’s the right one for you. Whatever happens down the line, there’s the future. You just can’t overanalyze things too much. I have been saying, “It would be good to know more about the wedding process before you propose” but in the end, you just got to do it. And if you can keep the romance, I think that’s key part of it. Because a lot of my friends – especially my mate who just got engaged, he had already picked out the ring. And I understand the logic behind it but it shouldn’t be about logic. It should just be like you go in emotion. You got to know when someone is a right person for you.

Andrew: You sound like the true romantic!

Rob: [unclear] have been working, you know, he used to read books. Wedding books, wedding magazines while I was growing up. Under the bleachers.

Andrew: Are you joking or not?

Rob: Much truth [unclear]. No.

Andrew: So you got a bit of an idea of what’s going to happen?

Rob: I hope so. Then it will all blow up in front of me and then we’ll go back to square one.

Andrew: Let me just get back to money for one minute. If things start getting out of hand, or say, Lola’s parents said, “Look, we really want to have Uncle Frank and Auntie Betty come into the wedding” then would you expect them to contribute more then to the wedding? Or is this something you guys would just…

Rob: I think her parents are going to contribute the majority part of the two sets of parents.

Andrew: Right, okay. So if the parents weren’t going to contribute, then would you feel you have more right to say who comes and who doesn’t come?

Rob: And I’m going to be, “But I think that will be okay.” Because the people that I want to turn up, it’s not we can manage it. That’s like [unclear].

Andrew: What about chapel or outdoor ceremony?

Rob: I’m a Catholic. She’s a Protestant. She’s quite happy to do Catholic, but it’s very difficult to sort out a Catholic priest. I’m from New Zealand. I can get an [unclear] priest because from the family and stuff like that. But here, it’s a bit more difficult. You got to be part of a congregation, as I understand. You just got to jump through a few hoops. And not just that pre-wedding course that you do.

Andrew: A little bit more than that.

Rob: And the chapels, yes. We’re trying to. If we could, it’d be great.

Andrew: Catholic. One last question. I know you’re in a hurry. One last question – I totally forgot what I was going to ask you.

Rob: Take your time. People get quite [unclear] in front of me. It’s just my natural me.

Andrew: That charm. Well I was going to ask you, why are you getting married?  Because I’ve spoken to a few people so far in the lodge that are all against marriage? So why are you getting married?

Rob: It’s how you grow up. I grow up, marriage is a big part. My parents have been married for 45 years. It just feels right. You never know. My parents have been married for 45 years, but many times [unclear]. You got to go through. There’ll be times when you fall out of love and that sort of thing. But you still see something as if you find someone you really click or you really connect with, then you should try and make it. And to be fair, there’s still a society thing. That’s a society trait that people get married. And it’s good to actually have a wing woman. Not like that. But someone that you can rely on and that is just part of you now.

Andrew: But why not just stay together in a relationship? Why actually get married?

Rob: Yes, that’s a good question. Again, probably because I feel that is the most significant commitment than just staying together. Legally, it doesn’t matter. But I think for an emotional or perhaps religious or spiritual thing, marriage is some sort of act of actually saying, “We’re together now for life.” I think that’s a pretty big commitment to make. So I think if you can do that, then you can look back and see that it’s a big achievement on your life.

Andrew: That’s awesome.

Rob: But [unclear].

Andrew: No, I totally agree. Thank so much for your time. I know you have a dinner date, mate. And have a great time!

Rob: Dinner date with six guys.

Andrew: And Lola!

Rob: Exactly, yes.

Andrew: Alright, thanks Rob!

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: This next chat is with Lola, or Loren, who is engaged to Rob. And it’ll be interesting to hear her view and her take on the upcoming wedding that these guys are planning. So let’s get into the interview with Loren.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

Andrew: Do you want to start with an introduction – tell me who you are, where you live, how old you are. Are you happy to?

Lola: My name is Loren Parker. I live in Balmain. I’m 32. And I’ve been back in Sydney for two years after traveling the world for about eight years.

Andrew: You traveled for eight years?

Lola: Not traveled. I lived places over six.

Andrew: So you’ve been working.

Lola: Working oversees.

Andrew: And recently engaged.

Lola: Recently engaged.

Andrew: And I heard it was a super romantic]]> 1:25:40 no Andrew Hellmich: Wedding Photographer, Blogger and Owner of Impact Images Wedding Photography This episode of the Wedding Podcast is brought to you from Japan! During my recent holiday and while staying in a "share house" I sought out the views on weddings and marriage from a number of international travellers. This episode of the Wedding Podcast is brought to you from Japan! During my recent holiday and while staying in a "share house" I sought out the views on weddings and marriage from a number of international travellers. This wildly broad group include a gay Australian woman, a Swiss ski instructor in a long term relationship against the idea of marriage, a newly engaged couple from New Zealand and Sydney, two young Swedish skiers not considering marriage at this time of their life when their culture has an average age of 35 for marriage and an Aussie guy that married in Las Vegas, by Elvis, after a 3 week courtship. Before the interviews get underway I'll let you in on a simple way to get my top tips for your perfect wedding delivered straight to your inbox on a weekly basis. I'll cover these tips over the coming months during the podcast but if you'd like some great info on some simple things that really will make a difference to your day, and you'd like them sooner rather than later, this is an easy way to get them. Interestingly (for me anyway) we are approaching 800 downloads of the podcast already and surprisingly, there are listeners from right around the world - very cool! I was expecting 90% of listeners to be Australian brides-to-be but it seems there are a bunch of listeners from the USA, UK, Malaysia, Germany and Denmark. The interviewees include: Kate: a gay Australian woman who isn't allowed to marry - yet. Chatting to Kate was a real pleasure for me. It was great to hear her views on marriage, commitment ceremonies and weddings and the idea that she can't legally be married. Kate is just kicking off her adventure and Japan was her first stop after throwing in her high pressure and demanding job in the city to travel the world with her partner who is on an art scholarship. I may be leading a sheltered life but I don't know too many gay people and chatting to Kate opened my eyes and mind to different perspectives on marriage. When Kate was so adamant that gay marriage should be, must be legalised I wasn't surprised. I was surprised though that following her views on the legalities of gay weddings, she tells me that she has absolutely no interest in a wedding for herself - even after a long term relationship and an obvious commitment to her partner. Kai: is a 28 year old ski instructor from Switzerland and after I mentioned that I was a wedding photographer his adamant reply was that I'll NEVER photograph his wedding because he is NEVER going to be married. With that opening comment I had to know more. It turns out Kai has been in a relationship with his girlfriend for over ten years and they are totally in love. They are building a house together and although his girlfriend wanted to get married, he said no way. Since then, she has come round to his way of thinking and Kai says she is totally happy with the arrangement. Kai's views on marriage are based around family issues when he was growing up. His parents went through a messy and tough divorce which he talks about in our chat. We also talk about Swiss weddings, his best mates wedding day and how things are changing for young couples celebrating their wedding in Switzerland. Rob and Lola: a recently engaged Kiwi and Aussie couple travelling together through Japan were great to interview. I decided to chat separately to Rob and Lola and get their individual perspectives on how they were going to tackle the obvious issues of planning a wedding. We discuss things like which family and how many will be invited, how much they expect to budget on certain aspects, where they would make any required cost cuts and what they absolutely wouldn't skimp on. I think Rob and Lola will get as much enjoyment from the interviews as you will - especially when Rob's first choice of cost and number cuts would be to Lola's family while Lola is adamant that all her family will be coming and costs cutting will be elsewhere - but not the dress, http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/lost-30kg-for-her-wedding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lost-30kg-for-her-wedding http://www.blubrry.com/theweddingpodcast/1671946/twp-009-tracie-lost-30kg-for-her-summer-wedding-heres-how/ Andrew Hellmich: Wedding Photographer, Blogger and Owner of Impact Images Wedding Photography Podcast Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:25:14 -0500 <p>This episode of the podcast is a follow up on last weeks weight loss, get fit and healthy for your  wedding where I speak with Tracie who lost an incredible 30kg for her wedding. Having just returned from her honeymoon in Hawaii and coming back lighter than before she left while eating and drinking what she liked, I wanted to know how?</p> <p>One year ago, almost to the day, Tracie weighed a touch under 100kg and she drew a line in the sand. After trying &#8220;everything&#8221; to lose weight up until that point and being engaged to be married with a date set for the following summer she said, &#8220;that&#8217;s it, no more!&#8221;</p> <p>It took a while for her to get on track once making that commitment to herself and after finding the right weight loss program for her, she was away and losing a kilogram a week! With results like that, there was no stopping her.</p> <p><strong>During the interview we discuss:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Which diets and programs didn&#8217;t work</li> <li>The one program that did</li> <li>The hiccups along the way</li> <li>Foods Tracie avoided</li> <li>How much exercise was required &#8211; less than you may think</li> <li>What she did when results stopped</li> <li>The goal that drove Tracie to success</li> <li>Tricks to stay motivated</li> <li>Why isolating herself worked but not for long</li> <li>How hungry she was during the weight loss period</li> <li>Why &#8220;weighing in&#8221; every day is NOT a good idea</li> <li>How much weight her husband Darren lost by ONLY changing his evening meal</li> </ul> <a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/lost-30kg-for-her-wedding/tracie/" rel="attachment wp-att-322"><img /></a><p >A before and after photo of Tracie &#8211; one year ago, almost to the day. What an achievement!</p> <p>Following the interview, Tracie emailed me to fill in some important points that she felt were important if you are considering following in her footsteps and plan to lose weight for your wedding. She reveals times spent crying in frustration as the excuses to do the wrong thing kept creeping into her head, the cost to follow the program she succeeded with and how she had to purchase two wedding dresses!</p> <p><strong>Items mentioned in this episode: </strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.phoenixfitnesscc.com.au" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.michellebridges.com.au" target="_blank">Michelle Bridges</a> &#8211; the official website</p> <p><a href="http://www.12wbt.com" target="_blank">The 12 Week Body Transformation Plan</a>  - Tracie did 2 of these back to back</p> <p><a href="http://www.jennycraig.com.au" target="_blank">Jenny Craig</a> &#8211; diet and weight loss programs</p> <p><a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com.au/util/browserdetect.aspx?redirectURL=gY1GW34NWejBt%2bbbg%2f4jikwjMK%2fW6yfHDHVK21GXmeZ0ZovWpTXt%2fsbffNPOeqyh" target="_blank">Weight Watchers</a> &#8211; the weight loss program that uses a points system</p> <p><a href="http://thebiggestloser.com.au" target="_blank">The Biggest Loser</a><strong><a href="http://thebiggestloser.com.au" target="_blank"> </a> &#8211; </strong>TV program about contestants losing weight to win. Michelle Bridges is one of the trainers.</p> <p><strong>Feedback</strong></p> <p>Do you have a weight loss story, tip or advice &#8211; I&#8217;d love to hear about it and share it with other listeners to the show. You can email me, <a href="mailto:andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au">andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au</a> or leave a comment below.</p> <p>Hope you enjoy the episode.</p> <p>Speak soon!</p> <p>Andrew</p> <p><em >Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:</em></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-wedding-podcast/id581014454" target="_blank">Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes</a></li> <li><a href="http://podcast.yourweddingmadeeasy.com.au/rss" target="_blank">Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Transcript:</strong></p> Podcast Transcript Inside <a href='' >Select</a><a href='' ='wpSpoilerToggle("spoilerDiv56bd800a",true,"Show","Hide","fast",false); return false;' >Show </p> <p><b>[TWP 009 – Tracie Lost 30kg for Her Summer Wedding – Here’s How]</b></p> <p><b> [length: 00:33:58]</b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> The Wedding Podcast session number nine.</p> <p>[Intro music]</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Hi, it’s Andrew Hellmich here from Impact Images and The Wedding Podcast. Welcome to another episode. Like I said earlier, this is session number nine. And this is the podcast to help you have the best wedding day through advice, tips and ideas brought to you by me, and also the people that I interview. I managed to squeeze in one more interview before I head off to my trip for my holiday for the year over to Japan. I shouldn’t say for the year – I totally squeeze in as many holidays as I can possible get throughout the year, but this is certainly the big one for 2013. I’m going to get it out of the way early in January. I really want to try and make sure that I don’t break that sequence of my podcast coming out to you. I know there will be a little interruption while I’m away. I’m going to try and collect some interviews while I’m over there in Japan, but I did manage to get one more interview in before I leave later on tonight. Today’s episode is an interview with Tracie, who’s a wedding client of ours at Impact Images. She was recently married on the Central Coast and photographed by one of our team members Corey – you did an amazing job by all accounts. The reason I wanted to speak to Tracie was basically, I was inspired by the chat that I had in last week’s episode about fitness and getting healthy and losing weight for your wedding. I remember that Tracie had actually lost 30 kilos for her wedding. So I thought, “Look, let’s get in touch with Tracie and find out how she actually did that, what the process was, what she went through along the way.” She was really good and said yes and was happy enough to come on and have a chat in between that Christmas-New Year break. So I really appreciate that, Tracie. I’m not going to get ramble on too much. I did want to give you a quick tip from last week. My top tip or the big takeaway from last episode regarding the wedding weight loss. A lot of girls talk about losing weight for their wedding, but a lot of girls don’t have to. I also know, after speaking to Kel-Leigh, which I alluded to in the last episode, that a lot of girls set their sights on having a smaller dress than what would actually fit them at the moment. They’re ordering their dress, and she said to me that nearly every time in that case, the girl doesn’t lose enough weight to fit the smaller dress. She generally just ignores that when they suggest that she makes the dress a size or two smaller.</p> <p>I do know that after last week’s episode, the biggest proportion that’s going to have the effect in you losing any weight is the diet side of things. Not so much exercise. Obviously, the exercise is going to make you feel better about yourself, and also tone up and look better, but it’s actually the eating side of things that’s going to help you to lose that weight that you want to lose, if you do want to lose any. That was a real surprise to me. I thought exercise played up a much bigger role than that, but yes, 20%. Only small. That’s a big tip – if you do want to lose weight, you really have to watch that diet and watch what you’re eating. And that takes me straight into the interview with Tracie because she went through this whole process herself and she can testify to the fact that diet really is 80%. And I think in Tracie’s case, it may even be more than 80% of the equation. So let’s get into the interview now with Tracie.</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Alright. Thanks for joining me today, Tracie.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Thank you for having me.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> It’s an absolute pleasure now. I know that you are recently married because Corey from Impact Images photographed your wedding, and by all accounts it was an awesome day. Do you want to tell us a little bit about it?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> It was hot, so that was a good thing. It was a beach wedding. It was just magical. It was everything that I’d ever wanted. Couldn’t have asked for a better day.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Unreal. Excellent. And you had a pretty cool honeymoon, didn’t you?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I did. We went to Hawaii for two weeks. That was awesome.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Excellent. And the shopping was good?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Fantastic.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I saw a few of your Facebook posts. It sounds like you’re shopping up a storm over there.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I was, yes. It was great.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Awesome. And look, I really wanted to talk about the fact that you lost a lot of weight before your wedding. Are you happy to tell everyone how much you actually lost?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I lost 30 kilos in 6 months.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> 6 months. That’s amazing! So that’s pretty quick to lose that much weight, isn’t it?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. It is. I did it the right way though so hopefully it will stay away.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So was the wedding day the catalyst to get you started with the weight loss? Or is it just something that you planned to do when you said, “That’s the day I’m going to start.”</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I’d always wanted to lose weight that I guess having set the wedding date, I definitely had my eye on the prize and that was to be a gorgeous bride.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Was the engagement six months? Or were you engaged for longer than that?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> We’re engaged for 14.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So that first seven or so months, you were actually thinking about losing the weight? Or you already had a few go’s at it?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Sort of half-hearted I was at it. It was sort of a turning point was New Year’s day when I [unclear] and just thought I’d weigh myself. And nearly had a heart attack when I got on the scales. So that was the turning point.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So new year’s day 2012.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Are you happy to say what the measurement was that day?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> It was 99.5 kilos</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Right. So you drew a line on the sand that day and said, “That’s it.”</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Absolutely. I didn’t want to be conscious of myself in my wedding dress, having my photos taken.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you’re already engaged for two months or so, you still got 12 months to the wedding, you made that [unclear] to start losing that weight but you weren’t successful until another six months later?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I started in February and I actually had got to where I wanted to be in about August, and then maintained it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Oh, okay. Right. Have you had other go’s at losing weight before then?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I’ve tried everything. I don’t think I was dedicated or hungry enough to stick to it and make it work.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Are you happy to share a couple of things that you might have tried that other girls would know about?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Lite n’ Easy. I tried doing it myself, which is portion control, but there were too many temptations in the world that I just said, “One of them won’t hurt.” And yes, I just never really stuck to anything.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Would you think any of those things that you tried could’ve worked if you have had stuck to them? Or they just weren’t right for you?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I just don’t think they were right for me.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So what did you actually do when you came to that February when you started something that actually worked? What was it that you did?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I was actually flicking through a  magazine and saw an ad for the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So that’s Michelle Bridges from The Biggest Loser, right?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. I was always a massive fan of her. Always wanted her to be my trainer. So before and after [unclear] and [unclear], if that works for them, it might work for me. I really had nothing to lose, except a lot of weight. I came home, Google it, and signed up right then and there. And the diet started on the 8^th[?] of February.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So was it actually a program that you signed up for? Or was it just a diet? What did you sign up for?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> It’s a program. She does all your menu planning for you. And does your shopping list. So all I had to do was print everything out and do the shopping, and then cook the meals.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So she writes the full diet.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. She takes all the thinking out of it for you, which is why I think I was successful. Because I didn’t have to think too much. I just had to eat what was on the menu for that day and prepare it.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Right. So that was breakfast, lunch, dinner and the snacks in between?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And what she set out for you, was that a big change to what you were normally eating?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Oh yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> In what regards? Just smaller portions? Or just different types of foods?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Different types of food. I’ve never tried so many new foods in my life; things that in the past I regard all that as disgusting, but when I’d actually cooked it and tried it, I actually liked it. And I just had to stop being so naïve about food.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So when you say naïve, remove the bad things like the chocolates and the sweets?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. And it really is mind over matter.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> To remove those things?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. And it’s only a fleeting second that you think “I really want that chocolate.” I would go and have a drink of water instead of having that chocolate.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Is that something that she taught you? Or that’s just something you worked out that worked.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> She does mindset lessons with you as well, once a week, that address everyday issues – whether you’re a self-sabotager, temptations in life – and just gives you coping mechanisms in how to deal with things if you’re put in that situation. I would just have a look at it, think, “Oh yes, that looks nice and I don’t really want that.” And I just kept my eye on the prize.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. You would obviously have lots of little get-togethers with your bridesmaids and family in the lead up to the wedding. There must have been hundreds of temptations.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> There was. Earlier on in the year, I would not go to functions; I didn’t go to Australia Day, get-togethers with family. I just removed myself from situations wherever temptation would be laid out in front of me. I’m a big savory person so cheese, bickies, dips – anything like that, if it was put in front of me, I would’ve eaten it. So I just thought I’m just not going to put myself in that position. This is where I want to be for my wedding. And I just kept focused on my goal.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Unreal. Okay. So it was easy just to not go to some of these things at the start.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. Definitely.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So once you got the food that you had to eat – and obviously it was a little bit different – were the portions a lot smaller too than what you were used to?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> The portion sizes were actually pretty good. And it’s a calorie-based program; it’s 1200 calories a day. And when I first started, I couldn’t eat the 1200 calories a day – I was full.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So it was actually more than what you’re used to eating?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. And just because you’re eating constantly – breakfast, then you have snack, then lunch, and then snack – I was never looking for food, so to speak, because I was hungry.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. Because there was always something there to have.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. It sounds so strange. What were you doing so wrong before you started this thing?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Drinking too many wine every night of the week.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Linda’s not going to like to hear that one.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Alcohol, take away – Darren travels a lot for work so when he wasn’t here, it would be just too easy to go to a McDonald’s or KFC for dinner. And portion size. I would eat huge meals.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. And then once you started this thing, you weren’t really hungry then the whole time you’re losing weight? Surely you must’ve been starving.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Once my body got used to the 1200 calories, I would think to myself, “Gee, I’m hungry” but it was a fleeting, fleeting thought. I wasn’t really hungry. It was probably just my brain telling my stomach that it was hungry when I actually wasn’t. There was plenty of food, plus I was exercising every day as well. I would exercise and then come home and eat dinner, and that would fill me up.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So e exercise is part of the program as well?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes, definitely.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And how much – an hour a day or less?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> She suggested 500 calories a day. So depending on what you were doing – if you were doing a cardio session at the gym and you were running, you could burn that really quickly. It was a punk[?] class, it would obviously take you a little bit longer. I was at the gym six to seven days a week, averaging an hour to two hours a day.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay, right. So that’s a fair bit then. The fitness part of the equation, did that play a big part in the weight loss? Or was that more just the feeling healthy part?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I could not go to the gym for a week and still be really strict with my food, and I would still lose weight. I would walk out of the gym and feel energized and feel really good about myself and come home, cook dinner, and run around the house with so much energy. Whereas before I get home from work, cook dinner, and sit on the lounge and have a cup of glass, sip wine, and then go to bed. I had an abundance of energy after being at the gym.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So the gym helps out, just with the mindset as well as feeling good.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Are you wearing a bracelet?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Are you happy to take that off? It’s just clinging a lot in the audio.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Okay. It’s off.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Thank you. You must be using your hands a lot when you’re talking.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I see.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So the fitness was a big part, and then the size of your meals were cut down. But you said you a went too hungry a lot of the time. What about the times when you go for the chocolate, or you have the cheese and bickies at the friend’s house. Did that happen at all in that eight months?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> It did and I would have a couple, but then I would pull myself up and stop thinking. You still have to live life while you’re doing these. Otherwise, once it’s finished and you get to your goal weight, you’ll full strike back off the wagon. So it is definitely a lifestyle change. And you have to factor everyday life into it. If I was going somewhere where I was going to be naughty, I would not have two of my snacks. I would make up my calories with the naughty food.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So you still weren’t going over with your calories, but you just make them up with the stuff you shouldn’t be having.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Right.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And that was okay to do that on the program? Obviously it worked. Is that what she suggests that you do?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I can’t sort of withdraw from life, which I did for the first three months. After that, I thought, “This isn’t fair on my family and friends.” So I just worked out a way that I could have both.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Sure. So what about now after the wedding? Are you back into the chocolates and snacks?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Well, Christmas and New Year [unclear]. Especially going to Hawaii for your honeymoon whereas the Americans know how to eat. So I actually came home a kilo and a half lighter from Hawaii. I think that was just all the walking. I ate what I wanted and I drank what I wanted. I thought, “I’m on my honeymoon.” Basically, I didn’t care for two weeks. And I have put a couple of kilos back on but I’m not worried about it because I know how to get them off.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So you don’t beat yourself up now if you have something that you shouldn’t be having?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Definitely not.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And were you doing that during that eight months? If you had a slip up, did it mess with your head or you just ignored it the next day and get started again?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> On that [unclear] it definitely messed with my head. I felt like I’d – not failed – but I’d only let myself down in the long run if I kept going down that road. You’d feel guilty, you wake up the next day, tomorrow is a new day and you’re back on the wagon the next day.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So did you ever feel like chucking it in after a bad eating session?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Never.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you must have been seeing results pretty quickly, I’d imagine, with the way it changed.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> And I think that’s why this worked for me – because the results were very quick. I was averaging a kilo and a half a week weight loss.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s huge, isn’t it?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Definitely. When you’ve constantly got that happening, that’s your determination. You can see the numbers coming down and you’re getting closer to your goals. So that spurs you on.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So with your goal, was that a set weight? Did you say, “I want to be this many kilos.” Or did you have a measurement or you had a size dress? What was your goal?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I wanted to be under 70 kilos. I didn’t care if it was 69.95. I just wanted to be under  70. So I got to that and people were telling me that I started to look sick. Amazing I was in a size 10. I had all the confidence. I felt incredible. Then I felt that’s okay. So I purposely put on a kilo or two. And I was still staying in a size 10. And I felt great.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Unreal. So what size were you when you started?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I was a size 18.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. That’s amazing. During that eight months, when you were dropping that kilo a week, was there a stage anywhere along the way where it just plateau-ed and just didn’t move for a week or two weeks?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. And that was very frustrating. I questioned why.  I haven’t done anything different, my eating is the same, I’m still doing the same exercise at the gym. But it’s just how your body works, unfortunately. And it was only a week or two. And I find that for the first two days – because I’d weigh myself every day, which I shouldn’t have done but I did – and you wouldn’t see the number’s changed and you think, “Ugh” and you get really frustrated. But I actually had a picture on my fridge of me in Bali when I was a size 10. And I would just constantly look at that photo and go, “No. Just stick at it. You’ll get there. If you put in the hard work and stick to it, you’ll succeed.”</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay.  What would you suggest – say, someone else was doing the same sort of thing. It doesn’t matter how much they’re looking to lose. If they started to plateau, do you contact someone there or you talk it over or just keep plugging away?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I have a fairly good network of people around me as well. There’s a Facebook group in the Central Coast where girls all joined. So if you ever had any questions or anything, you could just ask them on Facebook. And a lot of people had the same problem, and you’ve just got to ride it out. Really, there’s no answers to how you can change at all or anything like that. I just had to stick with it and stick to the program. Two weeks after that I lost 2 kilos.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Wow. Okay. So you got double the result from the week before.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. I had a chat to a fitness expert for the last episode of the podcast. And she was suggesting that women in particular should only weigh themselves once a month because their weight fluctuates so much, particularly around their cycle. So did you see that weighing yourself every day?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> [unclear]. And it was a love-hate relationship I had with the scales because it could fluctuate daily.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Go up and down.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Definitely. It could go up two kilos overnight. I’ve lost weight. So that was in the beginning. I’d weigh myself every day. As the program got and the smaller I got, I tended to only do my weekly weight.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So to  say, normally once a week is what’s recommended?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. That’s awesome. So what would you say to someone that, say, just wanted to lose, say, 5 kilos, or 10 kilos? Before their wedding in particular, would you suggest that they start well before the wedding or just leave it for the last six weeks?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I would start probably six months out because in my experience, the last five to ten kilos are the hardest, and you really, really have to work hard to budge those five kilos.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So do things change for the last five kilos? Or  you just had to keep doing the same thing and see less results?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I had to step up my workouts, be really, really tight with my food, and I definitely had to work harder to drop those last five kilos.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So what about now. Once the program’s finished, you’re married, you’re happy with your weight, everything’s going great and you’re off the program, how do you prepare your meals then? Do you still prepare the same meals, or do you go back to the start? What are you doing for your food?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I printed out all her recipes so I’ve got hundreds of recipes. And the key to this and keeping it off is to be organized? So if I don’t sit down on a Saturday night or a Sunday morning and plan my week’s food and write my grocery list and then go shopping on Sunday, that’s when I’ll tend to – McDonald’s is only five minutes down the road; I’ll just sweep down there and grab dinner. For me, I need to be organized. And I highly recommend it to anybody.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Get sorted at the beginning of the week for the whole week.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And what about Darren – is he enjoying this food?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Darren, at first, would turn his nose up at the food. He’s a meat and three vegetable sort of guy, so when I was putting all these feta and cottage cheese &#8211; [unclear] things in front of him. He was like, “I’m not going to eat that.” But he learned to love it and he himself lost 20 kilos as well just by eating what I was putting in front of him.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Without even trying? He just lost 20 kilos?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. Without even trying. [unclear].</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So he ate his normal meals – breakfast and lunch – he would’ve just changed his dinners, is that right?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Pretty much, yes. He’s a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast so he’ll have the same thing every day for breakfast, which is muesli and grated apple. Lunch, he would make just a sandwich or leftover salads that were in the fridge, and then I’d cook in dinner.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> And he lost 20 kilos? That’s amazing!</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. So he feels great too.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You said a meat and three vegetable guy, isn’t that a good meal? Meat and three veg?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> As long as your portion controls are fine. Darren would eat a huge sized steak and a big lump of mashed potato. I didn’t eat potato for six months, basically. I didn’t eat a great deal of pasta – just all your carbs.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> So you took out carbs. But you would still had carbs for breakfast, surely, for doing your exercise and things?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes, I did. But I didn’t have any carbs past 10 o’clock.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Alright, okay. And you weren’t hungry. That’s the big thing.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Halfway or three-quarters of the way through the program, she introduces a no-carb day, which was always on a Tuesday. And the first time I did, I had a stinking headache and I was starving all day. But come Wednesday, I was fine. And that way, you’d know come Tuesdays, you’ve got that horrible day ahead of you. And towards the end of it all, I was fine with the no-carbs.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You just get in and do it.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So looking back now, if you had to go back and do it all again – say, you picked the Weight Watchers diet or one of the other ones you mentioned earlier, the Jenny Craig – do you think any of those would work if you had just stuck to it?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Maybe Weight Watchers, but then I’m not a huge fan of counting points. And I think that for my experience with Weight Watchers, if I still wanted to have my chocolate, I could, as long as I included that in my daily points. I don’t think it actually educates you properly as far as good, clean eating goes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Right. Because you can still have your bad food and just get the points?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Just to finish off, how did you actually feel in your wedding day? Obviously in your photos, I know how happy you looked, just knowing that you’d lost that weight and had the dress that you wanted and everything worked out perfectly.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> I can’t describe how I felt that day. Putting on my dress and when Corey got there, I loved having my photo taken. I just couldn’t get enough of it. For me to say that in 12 months earlier, I was terrified of having a camera put in front of me.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Really?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes, I was never ever in photos. I’d always take photos. And I just really wanted to look the best that I could because the day flew. And all I’ve got now on my photos – I’ve got the memory – but photos are special. And I look amazing, if I can say that.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You sure can! Look, it’s so unreal. I just want to say thanks again for coming on and telling me about it. If you’ve got one bit of advice for anyone that’s looking to lose even if it’s a couple of kilos for their wedding, or five kilos, what would be your word of advice?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Stick to it. Give it everything that you’ve got. And even if you stick a photo of your dream dress on your fridge or somewhere where you’re going to see it every day and be hungry enough for it, you’ll definitely succeed.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I didn’t ask you about this. Just quickly with the foods that you shouldn’t be eating – did you remove all those from the house?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. I had a big kitchen cupboard and a big fridge cleaned out before I started the program. I’ve got two teenagers so obviously, there was still crappy foods in the house for them. But they would eat all that rather quickly anyway so it was never a temptation. [unclear] shopping and stay in the chips or biscuits or things in the cupboard.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Okay. So you still had some of those stuff in the house?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. I had too for the kids because they were eating what we were some times of a night. If they liked it, they would eat it. Otherwise, I would cook two meals.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Right. Because you don’t want to be doing that every night.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> No. But yes, I was hungry for it. And I really just had my eye on the first of December and looking my best, and nothing was going to get in my way.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That is awesome. Look, congratulations on the wedding and the weight loss! I hope you guys have an awesome life together. I know you guys will. I can see how happy you were on your wedding day.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Thanks, Andrew. And thanks to Corey too for taking those amazing photos!</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> He had a ball too. He had a great day.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Excellent.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Thanks again. Maybe we’ll check in again in the future and see how it’s all going!</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> No problem. Thank you!</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Thanks Tracie!</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Thanks Andrew!</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That’s awesome. Thanks for doing that!</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> No problem.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> You’re going to go and get ready now for tonight?</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Yes. I’m casual tonight. Not dressing up, no makeup or heels.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> That should be a fun night. I hope that’s great. I might add another little bit to this podcast but I’ll let you know as soon as it comes out and you can come over and have a listen.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Okay, cool. Wonderful.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Unreal. Thanks again Tracie. Have an awesome new year!</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> You too. Thanks Andrew!</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I’ll speak to you soon.</p> <p><b>Tracie:</b> Okay.</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> Bye!</p> <p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p> <p><b>Andrew:</b> I just want to say thanks again Tracie for doing the interview. And funnily enough, once we’ve finished the call, Tracie emailed me back and she says that she actually remembered a few different things that she could’ve answered a bit better. And she wanted to add a little bit more information. Maybe I didn’t ask the right questions, but she had a few extra points that she wanted to make to help you if you plan to lose some weight for your wedding.</p> <p>I’ll just read what she sent me. She says, “At the beginning of the program, you do what Michelle Bridges calls pre-season tasks. One in particular that has stuck with me was writing down excuses. Oh my God, I wrote the rule book on excuses.” Tracie goes on to say, “I had an excuse for absolutely everything. Writing them down was very confronting and if I was to be successful, it was time to be brutally honest. I remember sitting at my PC and crying. It was just another turning point for me.” I guess that’s pretty fabulous there and I think what Tracie said in the interview there when she had those excuses, or when she had that craving, she would just go for the glass of water instead and that craving would pass quickly. I guess that’s how she got around having loads of excuses and doing the wrong thing. That’s awesome.</p> <p>She also says that she had to set some goals, short-term and long-term. And a part of the pre-season tasks is really having a good look at yourself. She says that “They get you in the right head space to give you the best chance of success.” So a couple of more tips there from Tracie.</p> <p>I didn’t ask about the cost of the program, which is a bit silly. And Tracie actually added that information in for me. And I’ve also added links to the exact program that Tracie did at the show notes. So you can find them at <a href="http://www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/9">www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/9</a>. But Tracie does say that the program was $200. That was for a 3-month program. And she actually did two of those programs back-to-back. So she spent $400. And it goes on to say that it was the best $400 that she’s ever spent.</p> <p>Funny thing too that Tracie also mentioned in that email to me was that she had to have two wedding dresses. The first wedding dress that she bought was a size 16 because she did aim to lose some weight. I remember her saying she’s a little bit larger than that when she first had her goals to lose weight. But that size 16 still couldn’t be taken in enough to actually fit her when she lost all her weight.  So she had to go in and order a size 10 dress, which still had to be taken in for her  wedding. So that was just fantastic. Tracie says that her advice to brides that want to lose weight is to not order your dress to early. Good piece of advice there.</p> <p>I’ve also added some before and after photos, thanks to Tracie. She sent those over. And again, you can find those at the show notes for this episode of the podcast.</p> <p>That’s it for this episode of the podcast. If you’re living in Australia, have an awesome summer. And if you’re in the northern hemisphere, I  hope it’s a super cold winter because I’m heading up there this afternoon, up to the north end of Japan to go skiing, and I can’t wait. So when you hear this episode, I’ll actually be over there. Like I said, hopefully I’ll be able to bring you a couple of interviews from Japan while I’m there.</p> <p>Again, if you’ve got any comments, if you want to make any suggestions for the show, if you have any weight loss tips or advice or things that you’d like to pass on to other brides, I’d love to hear from you. You can do that by email – <a href="mailto:andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au">andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au</a>.</p> <p>Have a great summer or a great week or two without me, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Bye for now.</p> <p><b>[END OF AUDIO]</b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p> <p>&nbsp;</p> This episode of the podcast is a follow up on last weeks weight loss, get fit and healthy for your  wedding where I speak with Tracie who lost an incredible 30kg for her wedding. Having just returned from her honeymoon in Hawaii and coming back lighter than before she left while eating and drinking what she liked, I wanted to know how?

One year ago, almost to the day, Tracie weighed a touch under 100kg and she drew a line in the sand. After trying “everything” to lose weight up until that point and being engaged to be married with a date set for the following summer she said, “that’s it, no more!”

It took a while for her to get on track once making that commitment to herself and after finding the right weight loss program for her, she was away and losing a kilogram a week! With results like that, there was no stopping her.

During the interview we discuss:

• Which diets and programs didn’t work
• The one program that did
• The hiccups along the way
• Foods Tracie avoided
• How much exercise was required – less than you may think
• What she did when results stopped
• The goal that drove Tracie to success
• Tricks to stay motivated
• Why isolating herself worked but not for long
• How hungry she was during the weight loss period
• Why “weighing in” every day is NOT a good idea
• How much weight her husband Darren lost by ONLY changing his evening meal

A before and after photo of Tracie – one year ago, almost to the day. What an achievement!

Following the interview, Tracie emailed me to fill in some important points that she felt were important if you are considering following in her footsteps and plan to lose weight for your wedding. She reveals times spent crying in frustration as the excuses to do the wrong thing kept creeping into her head, the cost to follow the program she succeeded with and how she had to purchase two wedding dresses!

Items mentioned in this episode: 

 Michelle Bridges – the official website

The 12 Week Body Transformation Plan  - Tracie did 2 of these back to back

Jenny Craig – diet and weight loss programs

Weight Watchers – the weight loss program that uses a points system

The Biggest Loser  – TV program about contestants losing weight to win. Michelle Bridges is one of the trainers.

Feedback

Do you have a weight loss story, tip or advice – I’d love to hear about it and share it with other listeners to the show. You can email me, andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au or leave a comment below.

Hope you enjoy the episode.

Speak soon!

Andrew

Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
• Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

Transcript:

I didn’t ask about the cost of the program, which is a bit silly. And Tracie actually added that information in for me. And I’ve also added links to the exact program that Tracie did at the show notes. So you can find them at www.TheWeddingPodcast.com.au/9. But Tracie does say that the program was $200. That was for a 3-month program. And she actually did two of those programs back-to-back. So she spent $400. And it goes on to say that it was the best $400 that she’s ever spent.

Funny thing too that Tracie also mentioned in that email to me was that she had to have two wedding dresses. The first wedding dress that she bought was a size 16 because she did aim to lose some weight. I remember her saying she’s a little bit larger than that when she first had her goals to lose weight. But that size 16 still couldn’t be taken in enough to actually fit her when she lost all her weight.  So she had to go in and order a size 10 dress, which still had to be taken in for her  wedding. So that was just fantastic. Tracie says that her advice to brides that want to lose weight is to not order your dress to early. Good piece of advice there.

I’ve also added some before and after photos, thanks to Tracie. She sent those over. And again, you can find those at the show notes for this episode of the podcast.

That’s it for this episode of the podcast. If you’re living in Australia, have an awesome summer. And if you’re in the northern hemisphere, I  hope it’s a super cold winter because I’m heading up there this afternoon, up to the north end of Japan to go skiing, and I can’t wait. So when you hear this episode, I’ll actually be over there. Like I said, hopefully I’ll be able to bring you a couple of interviews from Japan while I’m there.

Again, if you’ve got any comments, if you want to make any suggestions for the show, if you have any weight loss tips or advice or things that you’d like to pass on to other brides, I’d love to hear from you. You can do that by email – andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au.

Have a great summer or a great week or two without me, and I’ll be back as soon as I can. Bye for now.

[END OF AUDIO]

What if you could have the lot?

Whats in the show this week:

In this episode of the podcast, gym owner, fitness expert and personal trainer Alison Gibson of Phoenix Fitness reveals that it’s possible, definitely achievable but there has to be a balance. More on that in a minute.

Before and after photos of Tiana – achievable if you follow the directions Alison mentions in this episode of the podcast. I can’t wait to photograph Tiana and Ben’s wedding later this year!

Before my interview with Alison I cover a top tip from last episode with Ben Newnam, the Sydney wedding photographer loved by ALL his clients. That episode of the podcast was very photography heavy but the big take away from my perspective is not photography relate at all. I believe the biggest lesson is to make sure you book the service provider you want as soon as you know you want them to be a part of your wedding. Listen to the podcast to find out why.

Following the top tip, you get a little insight to a wedding and portrait photography workshop I held for up and coming Central Coast Photographers. I discuss the differences I see between the girl and the guy photographers and who you should be booking for your wedding photography if you are considering hiring a less experienced photographer.

There is no problem hiring a “beginner” if you are aware of the shortcomings – namely experience. The difference between the girls and guys though should give you a little food for thought when it comes to saving money by hiring a newbie. It all comes down to technically great photography OR capturing the look and feel of your wedding day. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Lastly, before the interview with Alison, a little more local news that involved a wedding booking for me that was made the day before the wedding!

Who’s fault was the late booking. Who do you think… the groom of course!

The day was a total success and a beautiful little wedding ceremony at Bells Kilcare, more of a dinner party/wedding reception for around twenty of the bride and grooms closest friends. Find out a little more in the podcast.

The main event

With the start of the New Year and so many resolutions of weight loss and fitness, I thought this would be perfect timing for an interview

Walking into Alison’s gym, it was clear that this was no ordinary gym full of machines and weights

with a health and fitness expert. That and the fact that SO MANY brides are constantly talking about losing weight, dropping a dress size, getting toned and fit for their wedding.

I managed to track down the perfect person for this interview as Alison not only owns a gym, she runs bootcamps on the beach, has been a bridesmaid six times in the past, has major fitness goals of her own (which may differ from yours), loves chocolate and has faced plenty of setbacks when it comes to weight loss herself. This girl knows what you’re going through!

During the interview we discuss:

• Losing Weight for your wedding
• How long you need
• What to do after smashing a block of chocolate
• Foods to eat and what to avoid
• The best time to train
• What’s more important, diet or exercise?
• Should you train indoors or out?
• Meal replacement shakes
• Training in winter
• How to avoid looking muscly (if you want to)
• Why you should only weigh your self once a MONTH
• Which two weeks not to measure for results
• What you should be measuring for weight loss results
• Why you may not be able to lose weight even with a good diet and exercise

To finish off our chat, Alison tells me about a client of hers that lost 30kg and over one metre of fat. I was gob-smacked to learn that girl was Tiana – who is getting married later this year and I will be her wedding photographing. I met Tiana recently, with her fiancé Ben and she looks amazing! I could not believe she had lost so much weight. Hear all about  her success in this episode of the show.

Items mentioned in this episode: 

Phoenix Fitness Central Coast

Phoenix Fitness on Facebook

Bootcamps Australia - main website

Bootcamps Australia – Newcastle division

Calorie King – the online calorie counter for Australian foods

NOTE: During the interview with Alison, she makes a few references to her nutritionist. Although she didn’t mention him by name, Shannon Brenton is who she uses and recommends. Shannon is located on the Central Coast and you can find more about him through the links below:

Shannon Brenton – main website

www.askshannon.com.au - Ask Shannon a Question

Feedback

If you have any feedback, comments, suggestions for people to interview or you have a wedding related story to tell, you can email me, andrew@theweddingpodcast.com.au. Hope you enjoy the episode.

Speak soon!

Andrew

Please subscribe to the podcast to get automatic updates when a new episode is released:

• Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes
• Click here to subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)

Transcript: