Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney

Show notes: What does accessibility really look like in the wedding industry? This week, I’m chatting to Charlotte Rowe, founder of The Unseen Weddings, about her experience of planning her own wedding as a disabled bride and the lack of accessibility and representation she has encountered along the way. From struggling to find genuinely accessible venues to seeing very little representation at wedding shows, Charlotte shares some of the experiences that inspired her to start The Unseen Weddings project. We talk about why simply describing somewhere as “wheelchair accessible” isn’t always enough, why asking couples what they actually need is so important, and how accessibility can look completely different from person to person. And it isn’t just about venues. We explore what photographers, florists, DJs, planners and other wedding professionals can do to make their businesses more inclusive; from asking better questions during consultations to thinking about sensory needs, mobility aids, photography and representation. Charlotte also shares some of the positive experiences she’s had, including a wonderfully accessible engagement experience at the Sea Life Centre, and explains her plans to create a directory of wedding suppliers who are committed to learning, listening and doing better. If you’re a wedding professional, I hope this episode makes you stop and think about your own business and the small changes you could make to create a more accessible experience. Unseen Weddings Instagram Time stamps: 00:57 - Charlotte Rowe — Founder of Unseen Weddings 08:45 - Sea Life Center: Accessibility Done Right 13:31 - Directories and Accessibility: Finding Accessible Wedding Venues 22:28 - When Wedding Planning Doesn't Reflect You: Realising You're Unseen 26:00 - Turning Frustration into Action — Starting Unseen Weddings 32:10 - Creating an Inclusive Supplier Directory and Accessible Events 39:34 - Asking About Accessibility: How Suppliers Should Start the Conversation 45:26 - A Word of Caution: Who Should Get Involved

Show notes: In this episode, I’m chatting to Lianne Cole, a female wedding DJ, live vocalist and entertainer who is right at the beginning of her journey in the wedding industry. Lianne’s route into weddings hasn’t exactly been a straightforward one. With a Master’s in opera performance behind her, she’s worked across a whole mix of different industries and businesses before finding her way into DJing and entertainment. She now brings together her love of performing and her passion for music through LMC, combining live vocals with high-energy DJ sets. We talk about what it’s actually like trying to establish yourself when you’re new to the wedding industry, particularly as a female DJ in what has traditionally been a very male-dominated space. Lianne shares some of the challenges she’s come up against, from seeing the same male DJs repeatedly recommended in local wedding groups to feeling like female DJs can sometimes be brought in simply to tick a box. We also talk about why visibility matters, the importance of having more women represented in the industry and how venues and suppliers could help create more opportunities for people who are newer to the wedding world. Lianne's TikTok Time stamps: 01:37 - Leanne's Background & Opera Journey 13:57 - Gender and the DJ Industry: Women in Opera, Weddings, and Beyond 19:41 - Confronting Sexual Harassment in the Industry 27:34 - Unearthing the Gender Gap: Getting On Venue Supplier Lists 35:16 - Marketing on a Shoestring: Visibility Strategies for New DJs

Show notes: This week, I'm chatting to Ade, a wedding MC and celebrant based in London and working worldwide, about exactly that. Ade has built a hugely successful wedding business, with 50 weddings this year, while continuing to work full time as a management consultant. His journey into the wedding industry was almost accidental, starting when friends asked him to MC their wedding in Athens. Five years later, he's worked on weddings around the world and has even been featured in publications including The New York Times and Vogue Weddings. If you're currently juggling a wedding business alongside another job, wondering whether you're ready to go full time, or simply trying to figure out what makes your business different, I think you're going to get a lot from this episode. New York Times article Time stamps: 09:55 - Benefits to Couples: Guest Experience & Value 19:37 - Breaking Down 50 Weddings: Where Clients Come From 28:20 - When Time Becomes Precious: Balancing a 9-to-5 and a Wedding Business 40:00 - The Pipeline: When to Quit and Go Full-Time 51:52 - What I Wish I'd Known Sooner — Essential Business Advice

Show notes: In this week's episode I'm chatting to wedding photographer Ollie Knight, who has been capturing weddings since 2011 and has photographed more than 400 couples. Based in Canterbury, Ollie has built a photography business around a documentary, unscripted approach, capturing the real moments of a wedding day rather than creating lots of staged images. But photography is just one part of Ollie's life. Alongside his business, he makes time for his family, his faith, music and his work mentoring and educating other photographers through Framed. One of my favourite parts of this conversation is our discussion around being niche. Ollie talks about how, in the early days, he sometimes compromised his documentary style because he wanted to attract more work. Looking back, he'd choose to double down on what makes his work different. And I couldn't agree more. You don't need everyone to love what you do. It's a brilliant reminder that your business doesn't have to consume every part of your life. You can build something successful while still making space for your family, your faith, your interests and the things that matter to you. FramED Instagram FramED website

Show notes: What is it really like to run a wedding venue in the middle of a wild animal park? In this episode, I’m chatting to Stephanie Betts, Wedding & Event Sales Manager at Port Lympne Reserve in Kent, an award-winning wedding venue with a seriously unique USP. I was lucky enough to visit Port Lympne myself. From safari experiences and a stunning private orangery to exceptional customer service and a carefully curated recommended supplier list, there’s plenty that wedding businesses can learn from the way Port Lympne approaches its guest experience. Time stamps: 00:12 - Introduction to Wedding Marketing 05:34 - The Uniqueness of Portland's Wedding Experience 21:51 - Adapting to Changing Wedding Trends 30:02 - The Rise of Intimate Weddings 45:53 - Understanding Supplier Relationships in Event Management 01:01:29 - The Importance of Customer Experience in Weddings