Wedding Planner Society Podcast
CWP Society is proud to produce the "Wedding Planner Society: Industry Expert Insights" podcast! Laurie Hartwell & Krisy Thomas, award-winning Master Certified Wedding Planners and Industry Educators from the CWP Society, discuss the real lives of wedding planners and professionals, dispense business tips, and share ways you can elevate yourself and your career in the wedding industry. Visit the CWP Society website for more information: www.cwpsociety.com
Episodes
In this episode, Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, sits down with two incredible relationship pros: Amanda Borrero, Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, and Aisha Garnett, Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator. Together, they unpack how planners turn vendors into true collaborators, leverage community for confidence, and keep ethics front and center while growing a business that lasts.
They dig int...
Church weddings don't have to be a battlefield between sacred tradition and creative vision. Join Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, alongside Emma Cockerham, Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, and Riley Snider, Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, as they reveal how alignment—not conflict—transforms church ceremonies into seamless, deeply meaningful experiences.
What you'll dis...
Ready to stop playing catch-up and start leading your business with clarity? We're closing out 2025 with finance expert and Master Certified Wedding Planner Matt Mitchell to help you run a clean, confident year-end reset.
Together we walk through the exact steps to reconcile your accounts, fix messy categories, and review your numbers with curiosity instead of criticism—so you can see what truly worked, where money leaked, and ...
🎉 Episode 100: Two Hours of Game-Changing Wisdom You Don't Want to Miss
We're throwing a party—and you're invited! Join Laurie Hartwell, Founder and CEO of the CWP Society, and Krisy, COO of the CWP Society and Master Certified Wedding Planner, for our milestone 100th episode—a special two-hour celebration packed with stories, breakthroughs, and the hard-won advice that's transformed countless planning careers.
S...
In this rapid-fire solo episode, Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, shares a practical blueprint for wedding planners ready to make 2025 more profitable and organized. She walks through a simple reflection exercise to identify what's energizing your business versus what's draining it, then covers the systems and boundaries that create sustainable growth. You'll hear specific examples for streamlining timelines, co...
Join Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, and Certified Wedding Planner & Certified Wedding Planner & Certified Educator, Rima Shah, as they dismantle the dangerous assumption that South Asian weddings are just "bigger centerpieces on a longer timeline."
This is a masterclass in what multi-day celebrations actually demand: extended vendor access, hospitality infrastructure most venues ignore, and contracts built f...
What if the secret to thriving in wedding planning isn't just about serving clients—it's about finding your people?
In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on one of the most powerful (and underrated) relationships in the wedding industry: the planner-to-planner friendship that actually saves your business—and your sanity.
Joining the COO of the CWP Society, Krisy Thomas, are Certified Wedding Planners Hailey B...
Not all "venue coordinators" are created equal—and assuming they are can derail your entire event. In this episode, COO Krisy Thomas sits down with Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator Nikki Rodgers to pull back the curtain on how venue teams actually operate, so you can stop guessing and start collaborating with confidence.
Nikki breaks down the four core roles you're likely to encounter—from the o...
Surprise moments should make hearts lift, not race. In this episode, Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, welcomes Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator Brianne Ackerland to explore how planners can create high-impact celebrations that honor military guests and anyone living with PTSD or sensory sensitivities—without sacrificing the magic couples dream about.
The reality is that surprise cannons, strobes, and smok...
Wedding days inside a church can feel like navigating a maze of policies, people, and expectations, and many planners carry battle scars from these sacred spaces. In this episode, Master Certified Wedding Planner & Certified Educator, Emma Cockerham joins Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, to unpack why church venues often feel more challenging and how to transform tension into trust through intentional communication and gen...
Weddings with rich traditions don’t just need timelines—they need translators. In this episode, Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, Rima Shah joins CWP Society COO, Krisy Thomas to unpack the real work behind South Asian weddings: navigating multiple families, aligning expectations across generations, and setting boundaries that protect joy without steamrolling culture. From the first consultation to the final site vi...
Tired of hearing “just get experience” as if that’s a strategy? On this episode, we dig into why that advice often backfires, eroding vendor trust, anchoring fees at unsustainable levels, and putting couples at risk on a day with no do‑overs.
Crystal Dailey, Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, joins Krisy Thomas to show a better path—one that blends hands-on learning with real education. Together, they explore h...
Ever wonder why some planners seem to leap ahead while others grind for years? We unpack the real advantage behind the scenes: a mentor who listens, challenges, and opens doors. From first weddings full of unknowns to high-stakes productions, we walk through the qualities that separate a true guide from a loud voice—proven experience, integrity, generosity with knowledge, strong listening, access to opportunity, and the emotional i...
Wedding planning is an emotional rollercoaster for couples, and behind every seating chart and floral arrangement lies a complex web of feelings that skilled planners must navigate with grace and understanding. Riley Snider, Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, joins Krisy Thomas to explore how wedding professionals can serve as the steady emotional anchor their clients truly need.
This conversation uncovers the hidden ...
Navigating the magnificent scale of South Asian weddings demands more than standard planning approaches—it requires masterful team leadership. In this compelling episode, Certified Wedding Planner and Educator Rima Shah of Big Guava Events joins Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, to share battle-tested strategies for building, preparing, and leading teams through multi-day celebrations with hundreds of guests.
Rima reveals why fi...
Ever wondered what venue coordinators really think when wedding planners walk through their doors? In this eye-opening conversation, Nikki Rodgers, Master Certified Wedding Planner and Certified Educator, joins Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, to pull back the curtain on both sides of the planning experience.
With over a decade of experience managing venues, sometimes coordinating up to six events in a single day, Nikki transit...
Wedding professionals pour their hearts into creating flawless celebrations for their clients, yet many overlook one critical detail—their own financial futures. In this eye-opening episode, Matt Mitchell, Master Certified Wedding Planner, Certified Educator, and founder of The Event Ledger, joins Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, to share how wedding planners can build lasting financial security while continuing to run thrivin...
Krisy Thomas, COO of the Certified Wedding Planner Society, is joined by two remarkable Certified Wedding Planners, Vicki Amar and Ashley Babbitt, to share their transformative journeys in the wedding industry. This captivating conversation highlights the power of education, certification, and community in shaping a successful career.
Vicki Amar brings a fascinating perspective, having coordinated iconic New York City events like th...
What truly separates thriving wedding planners from those who struggle to build sustainable businesses?
In this candid conversation, Master Certified Wedding Planners & Certified Educators, Aisha Garnett and Crystal Dailey join Krisy Thomas, COO of the CWP Society, to reveal the powerful synergy between education and relationships that has transformed their careers.
Aisha reflects on her early days, when she charged just $300 for...
The relationship between wedding planners and church coordinators has long been marked by tension, misunderstandings, and at times, outright conflict. But what if there’s a better way forward?
In this episode, Emma Cockerham, Certified Educator and Master Certified Wedding Planner, joins Krisy Thomas, COO of The CWP Society, for a candid conversation on transforming these often-strained relationships into true partnerships.
Emma shar...
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