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Oak + Willow Event Co.

Bride Tells All: Wedding Planning, Vendor Red Flags & Best Advice

Valerie welcomes past bride Courtney to talk about her wedding experience, the importance of trusting your planner, and balancing dreams with practical decisions.

Welcome back to another episode of Nuptial Nonsense! 🎉 This week, Valerie is joined by Courtney Alexander, a former Oak & Willow bride, to spill the tea on her wedding planning experience, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. If you’re planning a wedding (or just love hearing about them), this episode is packed with real talk, helpful advice, and a few wild moments!


💍 In This Episode:

  • What It’s Really Like to Plan a Wedding While Moving Twice – Courtney shares her journey of planning a wedding in Chattanooga while living in Knoxville and Georgia (before eventually moving to Chattanooga—by surprise!).


  • Hiring a Wedding Planner: Why It’s a Must – Courtney breaks down why she chose Oak & Willow and how having a planner allowed her to actually enjoy her wedding day instead of stressing over the details.


  • Single Life & Marriage: Navigating Expectations – As a trauma-informed life coach for single women, Courtney talks about embracing singleness, setting real standards, and avoiding getting married just for the sake of marriage.


  • The Vendor Vetting Process: What to Ask & When to Run – The #1 question every bride should ask a past client before booking a vendor: Would you hire them again? Plus, the nightmare experience that left Courtney second-guessing whether one of her vendors would even show up on wedding day.


  • Favorite Wedding Moments – From walking down the aisle with her dad to an unexpected concert moment with cell phone lights during her first dance, Courtney shares the moments that made her wedding unforgettable.


  • Vendor Communication is Everything – Valerie and Courtney discuss why consistent communication is key and how ghosting a couple (or their planner) is the quickest way to break trust.


🎙️ Helpful Links & Chattanooga Resources:

🔗 Find the Perfect Wedding VenueVisit Chattanooga

🔗 Tennessee Marriage License RequirementsTN.gov

🔗 Southside Loft (Rehearsal Dinner Venue Shoutout!)Southside Chattanooga

🔗 Wedding Planner vs. Venue Coordinator: Know the DifferenceWedding Wire

🎧 Listen Now & Subscribe for New Episodes!

🌿 Learn More About Our Planning Services: oakandwilloweventco.com

🎥 Produced by: Build Something Media


Follow Oak + Willow Event Co. for Wedding Inspiration!

📍 Oak + Willow Event Co.:

🌿 Website: oakandwilloweventco.com

📘 Facebook: Oak + Willow Event Co.

📸 Instagram: @oakandwilloweventco_

🎥 TikTok: @oak.willow.event

🎙️ Nuptial Nonsense Podcast:

📺 YouTube: @nuptialnonsensepodcast

📸 Instagram: @nuptialnonsensepodcast

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