Podcasts Culture Bride to Have Been From 17 Weddings to 0 with Wedding Planner, Haley Brantley

From 17 Weddings to 0 with Wedding Planner, Haley Brantley

Published: Dec. 21, 2020, 10:01 a.m.

In today\u2019s world, trying to get married has become... a hot mess. So, to all the COVID brides to have been, grooms and wedding professionals: you\u2019re not alone. Welcome to Bride To Have Been, a StudioPod original podcast hosted by Emily Lewis, with the purpose of building a community by sharing the reality of this new normal in the wedding industry. Let\u2019s keep inspiring each other and celebrate the thing we treasure the most: love.

What could be more stressful than being a bride or groom and having to restructure your entire wedding in the middle of a pandemic? Being a wedding planner. In today\u2019s episode, Emily is joined by Haley Brantley, lead planner and designer at Hitched by Haley, to chat about how COVID hit her business, how she pivoted from the crisis, and the future of the industry in the new normal \u2014 it all comes down to empathy, adaptability, and being capable of spotting the silver linings! Listen to this episode to learn more of the magic behind the scenes of the industry, and to have a glimpse of what the future holds for brides across the globe.

Jump straight into:

(01:26) - On Hitched by Haley before COVID and the future for the wedding industry - \u201cI definitely see smaller celebrations in terms of guest count, but you can still offer a really unique and personal experience for your guests.\u201d

(08:02) - Difficult decisions and tough conversations - \u201cThere's definitely a level of therapist role that you play as a wedding planner. COVID, like a global pandemic, just really sharpens those skills for you.\u201d

(14:57) - Pivot and adapt: The transformation of Haley\u2019s business model - \u201c We've definitely had to get creative with how we're going to keep our little baby alive.\u201d

(21:07) - The value of great teams and the secrets of wedding operations - \u201cIt's so nice to have an extra pair of hands on the day. Whatever it is, you have to keep yourself on track during the chaos.\u201d

(24:18) - Stress overload, pandemic planning and the need for flexibility - \u201cI thought it was going to be easy, and both 2020 and COVID taught me differently. It required a lot more planning.\u201d 

(29:12) - Spot the silver lining! - \u201cAnd if anything good can come out from COVID, definitely taking care of yourself has to be a good one, right?\u201d

(32:15) - How will COVID transform the bridal industry? - \u201cI just feel like freedom is given to people now to really design the wedding of their dreams and not feel so much pressure from their friends and family or society.\u201d

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Thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram and feel free to send us your COVID wedding stories. Bride To Have Been is a podcast brought to you by GiftPod and produced at StudioPod....