065: Ashley Thompson, The Power of Yes
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Release Date: 01/15/2025
076: Ali Phillips - Thinking Beyond Your Market
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi Planners! In this episode, I sit down with the vibrant and adventurous Ali Phillips, Chief Wedding Orchestrator of Engaging Events by Ali. Named one of Chicago’s top wedding planners, Ali shares her journey from a fast-paced career in trucking logistics to becoming a celebrated name in luxury and destination weddings. Ali opens up about: Her adventurous childhood that sparked a love of travel Pivoting careers at 29 after discovering wedding planning by chance The lessons learned from early years navigating the Chicago market Transitioning into the luxury and destination wedding world Her...
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075: Rethinking Your Networking
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi Planners! In today’s episode, I’m diving into the world of networking—but not the stiff, awkward kind that makes you want to turn the car around in the parking lot. This is all about meaningful, energizing, and actually enjoyable connections. I’m sharing how one last-minute decision to show up at a networking event led to a Martha Stewart feature and a dream client—and how shifting my mindset around networking transformed my business (and my attitude). You’ll hear about common mistakes planners make when networking, the power of preparation and follow-up, and how generosity and...
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074: Wedding Content Creation with BTS Bride, Stacey Moran
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi Planners! In this episode, I sit down with Stacey Moran, the visionary founder of BTS Bride, a wedding content creation company that’s redefining how couples relive their wedding day. With a background in fashion, beauty, and social media marketing, Stacey launched BTS Bride after recognizing a gap in the wedding industry during her own wedding in 2022. Since then, her team has captured over 150 weddings and received accolades from Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, and beyond. We dive into: The origin and evolution of BTS Bride—from supporting vendors to serving couples directly What it...
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073: Workshop Recap, Template Bundle
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi Planners! Today, we’re diving into a special topic that I’m so excited to share – a behind-the-scenes look at the Mastering Management Workshop and why coordination is more valuable than many planners realize. If you’re looking to level up your wedding coordination services, streamline your processes, and boost your profits, this episode is for YOU. In this Episode: Why wedding coordination is a valuable service and not just a stepping stone. How coordination can improve your profitability and flexibility as a planner. Highlights from the recent Mastering Management Workshop,...
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072: Fallon Carter & The Importance of Mentorship
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi planners, welcome to this week's episode. It's one that is equal parts laughter as it is filled with nuggets of insight. Meet my next guest, Fallon Carter. Fallon is the founder and creative director of Fallon Carter Events. She has been named one of the top wedding planners in the world by Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and Brides Magazine. Fallon is well known for connecting southern hospitality with international luxury. As you'll hear in this episode, Fallon's journey began after helping a friend with her three-day Paris wedding. Fallon soon fell in love with the organization,...
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071: Green Flag vs. Red Flag Inquiries
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi Planners! Recently I have been getting a lot of questions from planners about streamlining their inquiry process. The pros and cons or offering a few options or more limited options. How to suss out if the client is the right fit and so much more. It got me thinking about one of my favorite topics - the green or red flag system for evaluating if clients are a good fit for you. So today’s episode is just that. Entitled Green Flag vs Red Flag Inquiries. I’ll walk you through what this process is, how you can adapt it, what an important tool it is and when you should use...
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070: LIVE from the Mastering Management Workshop - Planner Panel Discussion
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi planners! Welcome to this week’s episode. I have something special for you and I am really excited to share it. We recorded live the Planner Panel from the Mastering Management workshop. My guests are both returning to the podcast - Christine Garrison owner of CMG Events and Candice Sanders of Engaged Events. In addition to a great conversation, you can hear a bit about what the conversations are like at our workshops. If you want to learn more about Wedding Management, be sure to be on the lookout for the new Management Template Bundle launching soon! In this episode: ...
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069: Let's Talk About Confidence
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi planners! Today I want to talk about one of the biggest struggles that every planner faces. I want to share with you one of the main reasons planners come to Planner Life Academy. Now these planners might be coaching with me, they might be taking the online course, or they might be attending an in-person workshop. But what seems to be universal when I ask these planners why they are here...one of the most common answers is to improve their confidence. So let's talk about confidence. Let's talk about the steps we know can improve confidence. In this episode: Focus on your...
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068: New Year, New Feels
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi planners, welcome to a solo episode today about the new year and the new feelings that come with it. In this episode: How I push my new year start to February. The steps that I take to reset for this next chapter of life and business. What about the way we get to reset each year. How when you take the time to reflect and start fresh, you get to improve your personal and professional life in a really meaningful way. This episode is supported by Planner Life Academy. In case you didn't know, we created Planner Life Academy for planners to have the education, tools and resources...
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067: Holly Gray, "No Is A complete Sentence"
Planner Life Podcast | A Podcast For Wedding Planners
Hi planners! Meet my next guest, Holly Gray. Founder and CEO of Anything But Gray Events, Holly Gray is a Los Angeles, California second generation wedding planner and community builder. As you'll learn, Holly is a former stage manager of theater, TV, improv, and she brings a fearlessly theatrical perspective and unique skill set to the event industry. Holly is known for her use of color, creativity, and bold design aesthetics. Anything but great events weddings look and feel as unique and out of the box as the couples they are crafted for. Holly's work has been featured in Equally...
info_outlineHappy New Year! Meet my next guest, Ashley Thompson.
Ashley Thompson is a Las Vegas native who started Ashley Creative Events in 2017. As you'll hear in this episode, Ashley found her passion for events at a very young age when she was inspired by the events her mom would plan and host. Ashley knew weddings were the end game and she carefully created a resume to learn every bit of the event industry until she found her way to starting her own business.
Today, Ashley leads her company as the owner and creative director. She focuses on understanding her clients' priorities and carefully crafting the intentional touches and moments that reflect their vision. Ashley Creative Events has been featured in Martha Stewart, Brides, People, Style Me Pretty, Inside Weddings, The Knot, and more.
Ashley's never stop learning attitude included Planner Life Academy online course, which is when I was introduced to her and her brand. Watching her grow, evolve, and shine over the years has quickly turned me into an Ashley Creative fan.
Ashley's passion for events and love for hospitality are so evident in the events she produces. In our conversation, she mentions what an absolute honor it is to be someone's planner. And she talks about how saying yes early on in her career and even still today have had such a positive impact.
We chat about bringing on a full-time right hand and the massive turning point that was for her business. We chat about percentage-based pricing and we talk about what planners should wear at the luxury, ultra luxury level.
Please enjoy my conversation with Ashley Thompson.
Connect with Ashley Creative Events