Turning A Pinterest Board Into A Wedding Story

The best weddings have a moment where the couple walks in, stops, and exhales — and that moment is never an accident. In this episode, we talk with Riley Snider of Elegant Affairs by Design in Tampa, Florida, about how real wedding design works when it's built on purpose, not trend-chasing or "more decor."

Riley walks through the practical process she uses to find the thread behind a chaotic Pinterest board: deep design questions, a detailed design questionnaire, and a dedicated design meeting built to uncover what actually matters to a couple — connection, intimacy, energy, family tradition, or a specific hosting vibe. We also talk about reading reactions, inviting honest feedback, and using tools like multi-page vision boards so couples can see their story coming together before the day arrives.

Then we get into the harder conversation: budget. Riley shares how she guides couples toward intentional spending, prioritizes what creates the biggest impact, and avoids letting any decision feel like a compromise. We also cover guest experience ideas couples are loving right now, and why chasing a "viral wedding" can pull planners away from what their clients actually need.

If you want to design weddings that feel personal, cohesive, and memorable, this episode is for you.

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Transcript

The Exhale Moment

SPEAKER_01 0:00

There's a moment at some weddings where the couple walks in, stops, and just exhales. Like the room finally said out loud what they've been feeling all along. And that moment does not happen by accident. Somebody designed it. And today I'm sitting down with someone who builds that feeling on purpose. And honestly, we have a lot to talk about. Let's hop in.

Meet Riley Snyder

SPEAKER_00 0:34

Welcome to the Wedding Planner Society Podcast, brought to you by the CWP Society, the world's premier planner certification and membership program. Now let's jump right in with our host, founder and CEO Lori Hartwell.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

Welcome back to the CWP Society Podcast. Grab your drink, pull up a chair, because you're about to eavesdrop on one of my favorite kinds of conversations. My guest today is someone I get to call a colleague and a friend. Riley Snyder is the owner of Elegant Affairs by Design out of Tampa, Florida, and Riley is the real deal. She's a master certified wedding planner, but she's also a certified educator and a certified design consultant all through the CWP Society. And honestly, the list of what she's certified in just keeps growing. So by the time you guys are listening to this, she probably will have a few more certifications under her belt. But here's what I love about her. She has one of the best eyes for design that I know. Riley, welcome to the podcast. I am so glad that you're here.

SPEAKER_06 1:44

Hi, Lori. I am so excited to be here today. You know, every time we're together and having these conversations, it just, ugh, it's it's amazing. It's like literally, I leave just feeling so refreshed. So happy to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

I feel the exact same way. So it is a good thing. Before

Coffee Orders And Connection

SPEAKER_01 2:01

we get into any of it, we have a very serious tradition on this show. We're at our very cute little virtual coffee shop, and I have to know your order because I fully believe that your drink order is gonna tell us everything that we need to know about you. So what are you ordering today?

SPEAKER_06 2:16

Yeah, today I have my venti iced matcha with vanilla cold foam on the top. I don't know, something about just matcha lately. It's it's how to pull on me, and I don't I don't know why, but it's a mix between tea and coffee.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

So that's great. Actually, that's super popular, right? And do you add anything to it afterwards or no?

SPEAKER_06 2:38

Nope, just straight matcha, the vanilla cold foam on top, and I am good to go.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Okay, well, I think I am just going to do my standard chai latte because it just tastes like the holidays. And since we're kind of getting into the fall, I need to kind of pump myself up just a little bit, right? I'm the same way.

SPEAKER_06 2:55

Yeah. I usually I start the chai usually around September, October, but stick with the macho for now.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Normal for you Floridians. But see, up here, it's it's a little cooler earlier, and so I feel like I can start it a little bit earlier. I love that. Love it. So let's grab our cups, let's carry these over to our quiet little corner by the window where nobody's gonna bother us and let's actually get into it. Now, before I get to pepper you with all of my millions of questions, I know that you came in with one saved up for me. So I'm going to hand you the mic for a sec and let you put me in the hot seat.

Filling Your Own Cup Again

SPEAKER_01 3:34

So go for it.

SPEAKER_06 3:35

I love this. And, you know, one thing about me, I think that listeners will start realizing as you know we continue is that I love getting to know my friends on a deeper level and connection. So that's very important to me. So flipping the script here, Lori, I just want to ask you this. You know, what's something you're intentionally making more time for in the season of life?

SPEAKER_01 3:57

What I'm intentionally making more time for right now is getting to know myself again, to be quite honest with you. For as long as I can remember, I kind of was whatever anybody else needed me to be at any given time. So when I was a young woman, just starting out, I was figuring out what I was actually capable of. And I realized I could actually build any life that I dreamt of. So I did, I built it. And then I met my husband and I became a wife. And I had to learn what that meant. And I reinvented myself a little bit there. And then I became a mom. And somewhere in there, without ever deciding to, I kind of slipped into the background of my own life, which I think we're just sort of supposed to do, but maybe not. I don't know. It was not something I had done several times prior and learned from previous mistakes or what have you. But I was so focused on everyone else that I put myself on the back burner to the point where I didn't even remember that I was supposed to be a priority. Uh now I still had my business and I still had my friends, but honestly, I was 100% on autopilot. And now that the kids are grown and they've been out of the house for years, and I'm starting to actually slowly start to find that little girl again. And I'm starting to find the joy in just being me and figuring out what I actually like to do and what I don't like to do. Uh, and it's kind of reminding myself that who I was when joy just was natural. And I'm learning that it's completely okay that it's not the same, you know, as what my husband likes or what the kids liked or what my friends like, and that it's okay for me to just be me. And I and I'm talking simple things, Riley, like what to watch on TV. Okay, so like whether tonight's gonna be a book night or a puzzle or just doing literally nothing right for years. I'd find out what everyone else wanted to do first and then try to squeeze myself into whatever that was. And now I'm kind of letting myself just want what I want. And I've realized I'm allowed to have my own boundaries and my own feelings, my own opinions, my own perspective. And it's okay if somebody else doesn't also love that. As long as I'm being kind and I'm being respectful and loving, I feel like that's what matters and putting myself on that list. So that's what I'm making room for right now, Rye. Uh, kind of getting to know this woman at 50 years old, almost 51 next month. And while kind of holding on to all the parts that I love about being a wife and a mom and a friend and just overall human being.

SPEAKER_06 6:42

I love that so much, Lori. And you know, I feel like in this industry, we kind of become a chameleon, right? We kind of just whether it's, you know, we're conforming to uh our couples or our family or our friends, you know, we're always filling others' cups. So there comes a point where you just have to kind of step back and be like, hey, I have to fill my cup too, because if I'm not filling my cup, I'm not gonna be able to fill anyone else's. So it's very important.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

It's so important. And I feel like a lot of people aren't thinking about that and not making it a priority. So now I'm just glad that I finally am. But I also don't want to lose so much of myself, that giving spirit where I don't want to make it all about me either. Like I want it to be about everybody else, but I just want to make sure that I'm remembering that I can be there too. Like I'm on the list.

SPEAKER_05 7:32

It's okay. Yeah, it's okay. It's okay. Absolutely. I love this for you. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

But enough about me.

Designing A Feeling

SPEAKER_01 7:40

I got you here to talk about design. So let's get into that. So the thing I wanted to start out with, Riley, was the whole reason that you light up inside. And it's kind of the idea that design isn't really about the room itself, it's about the feeling that it creates. And I think that you do this so, so well, maybe better than most. And so I kind of wanted you to answer a question that I was just sort of thinking off the top of my head. I'm like, I wonder. So I gotta ask you, do you have a couple that you will probably never forget? One where like the design ended up saying something so very much about them that even they hadn't even been able to put it into words?

SPEAKER_06 8:22

I love this question so much. And, you know, I think one couple that comes to mind is actually one that taught me that great design isn't about choosing the prettiest details, it's about telling a story, right? So when we first met, they described their vision as timeless and elegant and their Pinterest board reflected that. But as we dug deeper, you know, what I learned, what mattered the most to them, wasn't necessarily the flowers or the tablescapes. It was creating a wedding where everyone and all the guests felt connected.

unknown 8:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 8:57

You know, they were kind of that kind of couple who loved to host dinner parties and spend weekends with family and making sure no one ever felt left out. So instead of pouring the budget into these extravagant florals or decor, we curated the experience around that feeling. We designed the intentional lounge spaces that encouraged the conversation. You know, we arranged the reception layout to keep guests connected instead of separated. We incorporated the long banquet tables and we kind of just built in those thoughtful moments throughout the evening that honestly naturally brought the people together. So that is the one couple that speaks to me still to this day. And I kind of carry that into every intentional design moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

Yeah, because honestly, it sounds to me that you brought intimacy to their event. And sometimes events don't have an intimate feel, right? But it sounds as though you really went out of your way knowing what was important to this amazing couple, and made sure that they all just knew that they were there to have an amazing celebration of one another and to remember it forever and ever and ever. I love that that happened. You know, I think that's amazing. And and it kind of makes me think about the very start of that process because it's not always that super clear, is it? With

Turning Pinterest Chaos Into Clarity

SPEAKER_01 10:22

because sometimes couples don't really know what they want and what's important to them. Sometimes what a couple hands you is just a lot. And I think a lot of planners and coordinators have had that moment where a couple hands you their Pinterest board and it's kind of all over the place, let's just be honest. How do you personally find the thread for your couples? You know, that thing they're actually reaching for underneath all of those images.

SPEAKER_06 10:51

I mean, you're right. There's so much inspiration out there, whether it's Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, it's like it's overwhelming. So I sit there and I think about if I were in their shoes, how overwhelmed I would feel. And when our couples come to us, I actually stop looking at the pictures and I start asking the questions. You know, one of the first things that I do with my couples during the design process is complete a detailed questionnaire, followed by a dedicated design meeting where we actually dive deeper into their story and what kind of makes them tick together as a couple. So overall, I want to know how they want the day to feel, what they love doing together, how they spend their time together, and what moments matter the most to them. You know, I think a Pinterest board and inspiration, it's a great starting point, don't get me wrong. But it doesn't always tell the whole story. So my job is to find the thread connecting all those images, you know, that feeling they are trying to create, but they may not have the words for that yet. And that's okay. You know, that's that's why they hired us. But overall, you know, once I understand the why behind their choices, the design becomes so much clearer and so much more intentional.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

Absolutely. I know that one of my favorite things to do when I was looking at my clients' images is not assume that they liked the whole picture either. You know, so show me this beautiful picture. I'm like, oh, this is gorgeous. I've learned to say, what do you love about this? And sometimes they're like the napkin fold. And that was it.

SPEAKER_05 12:33

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_06 12:34

It's like you're you're picking and choosing, right? You're pulling different details from each image. So it's not true.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Yeah, so I'm so glad. Uh so you know, there is a difference between uh a wedding that's amazing and beautiful and one that feels like the couple. You know, you walk in and you're like, oh yeah, this is so good. What are you doing in those early conversations to make sure that you're designing them and not just a pretty room or what you think is going to be amazing, the design that you love? Because there's so many planners and coordinators out there that, you know, say some negative things like, oh, I would never use this, or oh, I hate those colors together. I'm so over this trend. I really feel like we need to maybe look past that and see our couple and inspire them to want something amazing, but still make it about who they are. So in those early conversations, how are you making sure that the couple is kind of standing out?

SPEAKER_06 13:35

Yeah, you know, and I going back to what you just said, what we as planners need to remember, it's not about us, it's about our couple. So it doesn't matter if a trend is trending or, you know, there's things that we don't necessarily agree with in terms of decor or florals. At the end of the day, it's about our couple. And I think sometimes we do lose sight of that. So let's, you know, bring it back to reality here. And, you know, going back to just spending a lot of time getting to know my couples during the planning process beyond just the wedding details. I want to know their story. I want to know how they met. I want to know how you know their partner proposed to them. I want to know what they like to do together on the weekends when they have free time. You know, do they have family traditions that they want to incorporate? What are their favorite places? You know, what makes them laugh? Just how they naturally connect with the people they love. Because making sure to incorporate those details, it just, it just transforms the whole space at the end of the day. And, you know, those conversations tell me so much more than a Pinterest board could ever tell me at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

And that's why you and I see and understand why our couples want what they want.

SPEAKER_06 14:51

Correct. I'm very much an empath as as well as you are. And, you know, just making sure that every I is dotted, every T is crossed, and just like I said, it's it's just the connection overall for me. So I think, you know, overall a beautiful wedding can be created from a checklist, but a meaningful wedding comes from understanding the people behind it, and it's so important.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

Amen to that. That's awesome. And

Budgeting For What Matters Most

SPEAKER_01 15:16

of course, you know, there's always the part of the conversation that nobody loves to really have. And that's really about budget. So budget and and I know budget and vision don't always agree. I get it. And but when a couple's room is bigger than what they can actually spend, how do you, Riley, get them something that you know they're going to love without it feeling like a compromise?

SPEAKER_06 15:39

I always propose it like, okay, let's talk about the elephant in the room because no one wants to talk about it. Let's be honest. But I always remind my couples that a meaningful wedding doesn't necessarily come from spending more. It comes from spending intentionally. So the first thing that I do is identify what matters most to them. Is it that guest experience? Is it the floral design? Is it the food and beverage? Maybe it's, you know, wanting a live band versus a DJ. Is it the atmosphere that we we are creating? You know, is it the draping and candlelight? Once we kind of understand the priorities, we can make those budget decisions that have the biggest impact moving forward. You know, I think there's always ways to create a beautiful experience without trying to do everything. And going back to what I said about before, there's just so much inspiration online. You know, sometimes it means investing in one statement moment instead of spreading the budget thin across multiple areas.

SPEAKER_04 16:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 16:41

And sometimes it's about finding creative alternatives that still give them a big impact and give them what, you know, what they're looking for without breaking that budget. So I think overall, my goal is to never have our couple feel like they're losing something. It's more about helping them understand where their investment will make the biggest difference and also showing them that thoughtful design often has more impact than simply adding more details.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Oh, that is amazing advice. I love that, especially the big statement pieces. Because I mean, we have to make sure that we're allocating funds properly always. And there are some planners and coordinators that try to pull more from their couple financially than they're they're capable of or comfortable with. And I try to always say, let's let's just see what we can do within your budget first. Then if you decide you want to put more to it, then fine, let's do that. But I love that statement piece that you're talking about. How often are you finding that your couples tend to go that route rather than adding all of those millions of other little detail pieces that you know could really raise that budget up?

SPEAKER_06 17:58

That's

Guest Experience Over Bigger Decor

SPEAKER_06 17:59

a good question, too. I've noticed a shift. You know, I would say maybe three years ago, I think our couples were going big, you know, big centerpieces. They wanted hanging installations, but now it's become a trend, I think, more of the intimate gathering. So we're seeing less of those statement pieces and more of maybe like unique designs to them, you know, more candlelight, more just simple rosebud vases. So a lot of our couples are spending it more with the guest experience. So whether that's, you know, having the live band or having a cannoli guy on the dance floor or bringing in different, you know, unique experiences for the guests rather than spending it on the decor itself, which I love personally.

SPEAKER_01 18:47

Well, what are some of your favorite pieces then? You know, the favorite guest experiences that you have noticed that have been requested by your clients, or that you have been the one who've said, hey, because you guys like this, I've got an idea. What have been some of your favorite guest experiences brought in?

SPEAKER_06 19:07

Yeah, we we recently just did one where um they brought in a live watercolor artist, which, you know, I thought was really neat because the guests got to go home with portraits of themselves at the end of the night. So it kind of was a duplicate of their wedding favor, right? You know, it's for the guests that don't necessarily want to be on the dance floor all night. They want to have like something interactive to work with. Another one that we're doing this fall, and I am so excited about is kind of a curated shopping experience. So the couple is getting branded um swag, whether it's hats, tote bags, um, you know, little accessories. And the guests can go up and kind of pick and choose what swag they want to take home with them. So cute. So cute. It's very, very on brand for them as a couple. But I, you know, I just I'm loving all of these different unique ideas that we're seeing, you know, on social media and we're making it a reality for them.

SPEAKER_01 20:10

Yeah, it's such a fun way to say to the couple, it doesn't have to be these huge, extravagant centerpieces that are going to kind of be wasted in a sense. But you can't waste money on that experience because it's the experiences you're going to remember for years and years and years to come. You're not going to remember necessarily how big those floral arrangements were. Now, I do love me some big floral arrangements. I need you to know. Like, I love huge centerpieces.

SPEAKER_06 20:43

I do too. Trust me. Like, I am all about it. Don't get me wrong.

SPEAKER_01 20:47

I will never say, hey, no, we're not doing that, but our florists are some of the most amazing creatures because they can literally pull off anything from super small to something absolutely huge or floral installations hanging from the ceiling, whatever it might be. It is so amazing of how much span our couples get to choose from of what their overall design vision is actually going to be. And it's, and there's no right or wrong answer, which I also love.

SPEAKER_06 21:21

No, I mean, they completely transform a space, let's be honest. I can never do their job. So I'll leave, you know, that's the professional florist, but it's just amazing that they can transform such a blank space, you know, and it's just a collaborative effort at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Oh, a hundred percent. Now,

How Planners Learn Design

SPEAKER_01 21:39

I want to kind of ask you, because I know that there are people listening right now that want to know how in the world they can become like Riley Snyder. Okay. So a lot of wedding planners and coordinators, they're super strong on logistics, but a lot of times what I'm finding is they freeze up when it comes to design. So If someone's listening right now and they kind of want to grow that muscle, what would you tell them and where should they start?

SPEAKER_06 22:07

Yeah, you know, I think when I first started, I was big on logistics too. You know, I'm gonna be very transparent with everyone listening. I did not have that design aspect under my belt. But over time, you know, through just learning who I was as a person and who I wanted to become as a certified wedding planner, I actually became certified as a design consultant through the CWP Society. So I definitely think that's a great place to start, become certified. But I would also say to stop putting pressure on yourself to create something completely original right away. Great design doesn't always come from reinventing the wheel. It actually comes from understanding the fundamentals and learning how to tell a story with your couples. You know, start by studying the basics, the colors, the textures, the scale, the balance, how different elements work together. Look beyond weddings and find inspiration, whether it's in fashion or maybe like architecture, nature, art. Design is everywhere at the end of the day. So, most importantly, you have to get curious about your clients and you have to have a willingness to get to know them on a deeper level. So the strongest designers aren't just picking out the pretty details, they're creating something way more meaningful. Ask those better questions, listen for the small details, learn how to translate someone's personality and story into kind of that visual experience.

SPEAKER_01 23:39

I love this. I like to read between the lines, you know, when I'm showing a couple some pictures and some images or talking to them about some of their options that they have within their budget, obviously. Right, right. I watched their facial expressions. I watched their body language because a lot of times we also, as empaths or just planners and coordinators in general, we have to make sure that we're not imposing, I think is the right word, imposing our thoughts and opinions on them, that we are presenting options and then reading them because sometimes they're afraid to tell us that they like something or they don't like something. Maybe they're like, oh, I don't want to hurt their feelings, but I hope that they have to be open and willing.

SPEAKER_06 24:28

And that's another conversation that I have with them right from the beginning. I'm like, hey, you guys got to be transparent just as much as we, as you know, your certified planner has to be transparent with you. It's vice versa. So please tell us if you hate something. We're not going to be offended.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

No, not at all. Because we do want to make it about them. We do want it to be their thoughts and ideas and design. We want it to be their vision. And I always say, I want you to think of me as the person who is going to try to enhance the ideas that you have in your head so that it could be the dream that you didn't even know was possible. And when I kind of put it to them that way, they go, okay. And it allows for some trust, but I also need to always show them the visual. Because we have there are so many couples out there that I could describe something, but that they can't picture it in their minds. We have to be the types of professionals where we can say, all right, let me show you a few pictures. And this is what I'm picturing kind of coming together. And it helps a lot. Do you have to use that part of you a lot too?

Vision Boards And Theme Translation

SPEAKER_01 25:34

Is you know, bringing those images together and kind of because we're melding a lot of thoughts and ideas, you know, into one.

SPEAKER_06 25:40

Absolutely. Yeah. And I'm actually a very visual person too. So kind of going back to what we were chatting about earlier, I almost step into their shoes. And I, if I was my couple, I would want a full design vision board of everything that we've chatted about. So that's what we do. We curate, you know, it's usually like 15 pages worth of just overall inspiration that we've chatted about, whether it's, you know, from their bouquets to personal flowers to unique details, you know, ceremony, reception, tablescape design, stationary. It's a full overview of everything that we've kind of encompassed over our conversations. And then we take the time to tweak it until they're absolutely 100% comfortable moving forward with it.

SPEAKER_01 26:29

Yeah. I love getting to the bottom of my couples, what they're looking for. I I remember I had a client who wanted to get married on Halloween. And I'm like, oh, let's do this.

SPEAKER_06 26:44

I mean, hey, let's do it. But are we talking like Halloween vibes or are we talking like keeping it classic?

SPEAKER_01 26:53

Or that was my question. So um they're like, well, here's all I can tell you. It's our favorite holiday. And but I still, you know, they had a lot of money, and I said, so I'm gonna put together a couple of looks for you, and then you can pick and choose. Now, one was not my favorite, obviously, but it's not about me, right? But I put that together and then I put a couple of like really nice, classy versions together so that we were bringing out some of their favorite elements, but in the most artistic kind of ways, but not like screaming jack-o'-lanterns, right? And not screaming, you know, trick-or-treat. So I put them together and I showed them all three options, and they picked my favorite one, which I was so grateful for. And those images turned out so beautiful. And I was thinking to myself, gosh, I wonder how other planners and coordinators would have handled that when they hear we're getting married on Halloween and it's our favorite holiday.

SPEAKER_06 28:01

Oh, so we we're gonna have jack-o'-lanterns as centerpieces and we're like cobwebs and all the black elements, and yeah, huh?

SPEAKER_01 28:11

We had the burnt oranges and with gorgeous golds, and we really brought it together in a nice and elegant way. And it honestly, if you didn't know that they were married on Halloween, you wouldn't have been able to truly tell, but it brought some of their favorite elements of it. And that's my point. I think getting to the bottom of a couple's why and then enhancing whatever they were originally thinking in their head is probably the most fun out of that whole experience. I enjoy that part, and that's I can tell so much of what your favorite part is too, which is probably why we get along so well, is you just love jumping inside of their minds and then going, oh, that's your idea? Now watch this, baby.

SPEAKER_06 28:59

Watch this, it's gonna be yep, brought to life, no problem. 100%. No, I agree. Yeah, it really is. It's just getting to pick their brain, right? And making sure it just feels like them. That's our goal at the end of the day. That's what it's about.

SPEAKER_01 29:16

I agree with you. And I think it's important to remind planners and coordinators listening that we need to make sure that we as professionals don't impose on our couples and make them think that their ideas are bad. It's making sure that we are truly getting to know who they are, giving them options, but thinking beyond just design, thinking about what you were saying earlier, Riley. Who are they as a couple? What speaks to them? What can we do to even enhance what they were envisioning from the very beginning and make it such an amazing experience that they're gonna look back on that 30 years from now, going, I still smile every time I think of our wedding. That's what I love. So that's a very, very important thing.

Stop Chasing Viral Weddings

SPEAKER_01 30:13

Now, Riley, if there's one thing that I'm taking from this talk, is that design is just never really about the decor specifics, like the flowers or the linens or the perfect table. It's really about making a couple feel seen. It is, it is you know, you can decorate a room right all day long, but designing the feeling is making someone walk in and go, oh my gosh, this is so us. And and I think that's the whole job. And that's it is that every single one of us can keep growing and making better. So, what is one takeaway that you want listeners to think about?

SPEAKER_06 30:57

Yeah, and I think this is really important right now, kind of in this in this time, but great design isn't about creating that next viral wedding. You know, I think we just get so like immersed in all the social media and you know, going viral or making sure every little detail is perfect. So don't necessarily think that the wedding is gonna go viral. It's ultimately about creating that wedding day that could only belong to your couple.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

So that's so much because it's not about getting published, it's not about so many people are so focused on this.

SPEAKER_06 31:32

They are, and it drives me crazy. And I will that's a whole nother topic of conversation that you and I can chat about later on, but it is true, and I do want to make sure that we do say that.

SPEAKER_01 31:45

If you're listening, don't make it about what you're gonna get from your couple's design. Think about what your couples are going to get from the design, what experience, what memories you are helping them build. It should have literally nothing to do with us. And we need to all just stop making it about us. And oh, should I even post that? It's not as fabulous as that other planner. I'm like, first of all, that's called the comparison trap, and let's stop falling into it. And let's not refuse weddings because they're not going to spend fifty thousand dollars on florals. It shouldn't be about this. So I'm so glad that we're talking about it, to be honest. And we can we can dive back into that uh maybe at a future podcast, Riley. I think it might be worth talking about.

SPEAKER_06 32:33

I think I think so too. Absolutely. Absolutely. My wheels are already turning over here.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

So if you're listening and you want more of Riley, and trust me, you do. Uh, you can find her at Elegant Affairs by Design in Tampa, Florida. Riley, thank you so much for being so generous with all of this information. I really mean it.

SPEAKER_06 32:54

Thank you so much for having me. I I love it. I love our conversations, truly.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

Me too. And to

Find Your Place In CWP Society

SPEAKER_01 33:01

everybody listening, if this conversation is lighting you up inside, that's exactly what the CWP Society is here for. We're the world's leading and premier wedding planner certification program. We're also the largest community of wedding professionals anywhere, and we have a place for you no matter where you are in your journey. It starts with our wedding pro membership, which is completely free and open to every single category in the wedding industry. So there's truly no reason not to join us. But if you're still in college, we have a student membership that's made just for you. And if you're planning to build your career working alongside an established wedding planner, then our associate membership is probably the perfect fit for you. It includes the wedding associate certification program designed exactly for that path. Now, if you own your own wedding planning firm or you're dreaming about the day that you will, our executive membership includes the wedding planner and coordinator certification program to help you raise those credentials. Plus, it includes lifetime-free certified benefits like weekly workshops and quarterly mentoring and so much more. And listen, if you're ready to raise yourself up to that next level, you already own your own company, you've been planning weddings for years, and you want to have the highest level of credentials that our industry has to offer, then our master membership, which includes the master certified wedding planner and coordinator program, is probably your path. And it also includes lifetime-free certified benefits like those weekly workshops. But instead of quarterly mentoring, it also includes monthly mentoring and templates and everything that you can imagine. That's the very level that Riley reached. And it's part of what makes her the pro that she is today. So if you guys want to be like Riley, definitely make sure that you are putting your education to work here. So wherever you are, we have a place for you. Come find us, come grow with us. We'll see you next time, same corner at the same coffee shop.