Bethany Calhoun, owner and lead planner of Pink Bubbly Events, shares insights into the most surprising wedding requests, her strategies for managing event day chaos, and her thoughts on where couples should invest their wedding budgets.
Resources Mentioned:
- Bethany Calhoun: LinkedIn
- Pink Bubbly Events: Website, Instagram, TikTok
- Alysse & Libby: Bios & LinkedIn
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Transcript
The following transcript is not certified. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. The information contained within this document is for general information purposes only.
Alysse Bryson [00:00:00]:
Do you both remember when the parrots got loose inside of the Paramount Theater? We had that parrot nonprofit organization, and the parrots got loose?
Libby Sundgren [00:00:09]:
Of course. Yeah, of course.
Alysse Bryson [00:00:11]:
And if I remember correctly, it was during a commercial break, but, like, the parrot flew across the stage and took a. And it, like, landed in somebody’s beer. I think that happened.
Bethany Calhoun [00:00:21]:
Yes.
Alysse Bryson [00:00:21]:
Oh, my God.
Bethany Calhoun [00:00:23]:
You’re in lock.
Libby Sundgren [00:00:23]:
And then. Yeah.
Alysse Bryson [00:00:25]:
Or I’ve just told the story so many times and embellished it so many times that that is now the story. But I think it’s pretty close.
Libby Sundgren [00:00:32]:
Yeah, that’s how we remember it now.
Alysse Bryson [00:00:34]:
That’s the story. Now that’s the story. Welcome to Beats Working Winning the Game of Events, where we share stories and strategies to turn any event or life moment into something unforgettable.
Libby Sundgren [00:00:47]:
Events are wild, and the people who work in them are some of the most resilient humans on earth. If you know, you know.
Alysse Bryson [00:00:55]:
So come with us behind the curtain for a look at their most memorable experiences.
Libby Sundgren [00:01:00]:
As they say, the show must go on. So let’s get on with the show. Welcome to Beats Working Winning the Game of Events. We’re so happy to have you here. And we are actually even happier to have our guest here. That’s right.
Alysse Bryson [00:01:21]:
So happy.
Libby Sundgren [00:01:21]:
So, so happy. Again, this is another guest that we go way back with. I don’t go as far back with as Elise, because she has a much deeper relationship with this person.
Alysse Bryson [00:01:34]:
That’s a nice way to say that I’m older. That’s nice, Libby. That’s nice.
Libby Sundgren [00:01:38]:
You just known her longer, just since she was born.
Alysse Bryson [00:01:42]:
But it’s fine.
Libby Sundgren [00:01:43]:
She’s younger than both of us. It’s true.
Alysse Bryson [00:01:45]:
That is definitely true.
Libby Sundgren [00:01:47]:
Bethany Calhoun is the owner and lead planner of Pink Bubbly Events, based in Phoenix, Arizona. But don’t worry, folks. She travels. You’re in Phoenix, she’s got you. You’re in Scottsdale, she’s got you. You’re in Paris. Then she’s definitely got you.
Alysse Bryson [00:02:02]:
You’re in Seattle. She’ll fly there. Yep.
Libby Sundgren [00:02:05]:
Yeah, the girl’s not afraid to hop on a plane. She’s got 12 years of experience in the event industry, and I actually had the extreme pleasure of working with her years ago, probably at the very beginning of those 12 years. She is just a complete mastermind. She is so great at guiding couples through the wedding planning process, relieving their stress, ensuring that they just have the best time ever. And don’t worry about all those little nitty gritty details that can keep a bride up at Night. Or maybe turn a bride into Bridezilla. I don’t know if anybody here knows one of those. Bethany, we are so excited to dive in with you.
Libby Sundgren [00:02:49]:
I want to ask you a question that has been just running around in my brain since you said, yes, I will be on your show.
Bethany Calhoun [00:02:59]:
Ooh. Okay, great.
Libby Sundgren [00:03:01]:
What is the single most delusional budget item you’ve ever been asked for by a couple? Because I know that I have had people say, hey, can you get a Ferris wheel in there? Our budget, our event budget is like $10,000. How do we get a Ferris. Whee.
Alysse Bryson [00:03:21]:
I only asked for that one time. And you keep bringing it up.
Libby Sundgren [00:03:25]:
It was one time, but it was so memorable because we couldn’t even. We couldn’t afford the insurance on a Ferris wheel, so she’s never done it since. Thank you, Elise.
Alysse Bryson [00:03:37]:
You’re welcome, Bethany.
Bethany Calhoun [00:03:38]:
What a great idea, though. That’s amazing.
Alysse Bryson [00:03:40]:
Thank you.
Bethany Calhoun [00:03:41]:
So good. One day. That’s a bucket list item for sure. Honestly, probably, like, people are trying to haggle me for my prices.
Libby Sundgren [00:03:49]:
I.
Bethany Calhoun [00:03:50]:
So I wet, right? Yeah. I wedding plan and then I also wedding coordinate. So in that, like, department, people, they. Their venue either requires them to have, like, a venue coordinator, and so that’s not in their budget. So I’ve literally had people be like, I have $600. Can you help me? And I’m like, no, honey, that’s. That’s crazy. That’s like what you give your sister’s cousin to help you.
Bethany Calhoun [00:04:18]:
Like, that’s not it. So probably just not, like, having enough room, because people don’t think that a wedding coordinator for the day of is important until it’s almost too late. It’s like three weeks before their wedding, and they’re like, oh, my gosh, who’s going to move the flowers from point A to point B? I should hire someone to do that. And then it’s the end of what they’ve spent for everybody else. So that would be one of them. Another one, I think is people don’t want to spend quality money on things that they think are, like, insignificant, which to them, they think that a DJ or an emcee is insignificant. And I’m like, that’s what you spend the most money on. That’s like your voice for the day.
Bethany Calhoun [00:05:04]:
So people try and be like, I don’t know, fifteen hundred dollars for that. And that’s not. That’s not quality. But those would be the top two.
Libby Sundgren [00:05:13]:
I think I agree with you about the day of thing. People don’t think about it.
Bethany Calhoun [00:05:19]:
No, because they.
Libby Sundgren [00:05:20]:
Because you just don’t. You just can’t think about that. You just think everything’s gonna be planned and then it’s gonna be fine. And then you don’t think about who’s gonna wrangle your family to get into this photo or whatnot. I did think about it. And the person who was supposed to do that is actually on the call today. But I was trumped by an emergency heart surgery situation. Still not over.
Alysse Bryson [00:05:44]:
It was one time again. One time. Just like the Ferris wheel. Yes. I had offered to be Libby’s day of wedding coordinator as my gift to the happy couple.
Libby Sundgren [00:05:57]:
Which is a big gift because also, if you have a person do it who is your friend or a family member, they don’t fully get to enjoy the day because they’re bossing and. Yeah, you know, doing behind.
Alysse Bryson [00:06:11]:
And we know. I love bossing. Like, we definitely know I love bossing. And it was the Monday before Libby’s wedding, and I had been having. I had been having some unfortunate experiences. I later learned they’re called anginas, which. Let’s just talk about. That’s an unfortunate word.
Alysse Bryson [00:06:30]:
Like, nobody wants to say I’m having an angina. Right?
Bethany Calhoun [00:06:33]:
That’s awful.
Alysse Bryson [00:06:35]:
So I was at the doctor to have a stress test, and I had one of these anginas, which, newsflash. They’re like a baby heart attack. They’re like a news alert that a heart attack’s about to happen. And I had one in the middle of the stress test. And they were like, okay, now we’re gonna send you to this lab. And I didn’t really know what that meant. And I was like, okay, I just need to call Libby. Cause we were supposed to meet and go over her binder of all the directions, because she put all that together because she’s a control freak.
Alysse Bryson [00:07:01]:
Let’s be clear. And so I was calling her and like, hey, I have to go to this lab thing. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here. And the doctor was like, no, you’re. You’re going into heart surgery. You’re not going to a lab. I’m like, well, that’s what you said. So anyway, yeah, so then I went into heart surgery and I was not able to make it to Libby’s wedding.
Bethany Calhoun [00:07:21]:
And she’s.
Libby Sundgren [00:07:22]:
We laugh now. I’ve never forgiven her.
Alysse Bryson [00:07:24]:
I don’t laugh, but I don’t think it’s funny.
Libby Sundgren [00:07:27]:
Well, we laugh now because it was a long time ago. And because now you are healthy and great and but we do wish you would have been there.
Alysse Bryson [00:07:36]:
Well, I was definitely there in spirit. I was definitely there in spirit, for sure. But I also. I don’t, like. I don’t want to flex here, but I was at Bethany’s wedding.
Libby Sundgren [00:07:45]:
I know you were.
Bethany Calhoun [00:07:48]:
You were kind of my unhired. Like, social media.
Alysse Bryson [00:07:51]:
I was the. Yeah, I was running the social media. Video content.
Libby Sundgren [00:07:54]:
We don’t even need to talk about this anymore. I just. I just turned 40. Do we really need to keep throwing salt in my wounds?
Bethany Calhoun [00:08:02]:
Well, how many years have you been married? Can you have, like, a vow renewal where Elise can be Bethany?
Alysse Bryson [00:08:08]:
We could.
Libby Sundgren [00:08:09]:
We could. Next year will be 10 years.
Bethany Calhoun [00:08:14]:
Incredible.
Libby Sundgren [00:08:15]:
But, yeah, one of these years, wait for the 20th.
Alysse Bryson [00:08:20]:
Okay.
Bethany Calhoun [00:08:20]:
All right.
Alysse Bryson [00:08:21]:
I can even get ordained and, like, remarry you.
Libby Sundgren [00:08:23]:
We could do that. Let’s do that.
Alysse Bryson [00:08:25]:
Fun. Let’s be fine.
Bethany Calhoun [00:08:26]:
I’m ordained.
Libby Sundgren [00:08:26]:
Go to Hawaii.
Alysse Bryson [00:08:27]:
You’re.
Libby Sundgren [00:08:28]:
Or day.
Alysse Bryson [00:08:29]:
You’re. I can’t even say it. You’re. Order your dart. You’re ordained.
Bethany Calhoun [00:08:33]:
Yes. And I did that specifically because there have been multiple instances where the officiant will just leave after a ceremony. Be like, okay, I did my job, and they just go home, and then they’ve never signed a marriage license. So I’m like, I’ll do it for you. Like, I perform the ceremony. But, like, no one from the government is calling you and saying, did Bethany Calhoun actually perform your ceremony? Like, no, but she was there, and I.
Alysse Bryson [00:08:59]:
That’s so smart.
Bethany Calhoun [00:09:01]:
Yeah.
Libby Sundgren [00:09:01]:
That is so good. That’s a really good tool to have. It’s a good flex.
Alysse Bryson [00:09:06]:
That’s a good flex.
Bethany Calhoun [00:09:07]:
Yeah.
Libby Sundgren [00:09:08]:
It really is one of my, like.
Bethany Calhoun [00:09:09]:
Like, special, you know, two truths and a lie game. And, like, people don’t believe it, but, yeah, it’s come in very handy.
Alysse Bryson [00:09:18]:
So let’s go backwards a little bit, though, because how did you. When did you know that you wanted to have a career in events? And maybe Bethany, share with us if there was, I don’t know, maybe a magical summer where you really got to get your feet wet with. With event experts in. In their field, like, the best in the business, at least say, I don’t know, in the Pacific Northwest, like, what did that look like for you? How did this all start?
Bethany Calhoun [00:09:47]:
Yes. Yes. It was the. The year of our Lord 2013. Gosh, that was a long time ago. And I had the incredible opportunity to intern at the Seattle Met magazine under drum roll 2. Libby was my direct boss. I worked in the.
Bethany Calhoun [00:10:07]:
I think I already said this, events and marketing department. And Learned a lot about the event business, corporate side, put on several incredible events and then simultaneously I also worked and interned with the Invisible Hostess, a wedding planning company in Seattle. And I actually think that you just had their incredible owner boss lady Sheena Kelso on as well. So dove into weddings and dove into corporate fun events. Very different, but like still kind of had the same structure. So I got the best of both worlds. I just kind of absorbed as much as I could and kind of chalked it up to like that was such a fun summer. And then I went back to college and finished with a business communications degree and then immediately went into the corporate world and worked very, very boring jobs like as someone’s assistant and as an office manager.
Bethany Calhoun [00:11:10]:
And after a couple years there was like really feeling for some passion. I just was like craving something different. I wanted to use my God given skills. And I reverted back to that amazing summer that I had and learned and just really was like, how do I incorporate how incredible that was into something now? And at the time I was living in San Diego and so I just sat down and I was like, I’m just going to research and reach out to any event professional that I can find within a 20 mile radius. And so I sent emails to venues, photographers, photo booth companies, caterers, like asking, do you have volunteer work? Do you, are you hiring part time? Do you know someone who’s hiring? Do you, can you point me in any direction at all? And I got several responses and I had a couple interviews and then one opportunity came through where they said we are looking for, we’re a venue and we’re looking for like a part time venue manager. So to just literally sit in the office while an event is going on, you just make sure that the smoke alarm doesn’t go off and you know, people don’t break stuff. Like essentially is the job. And I was like, cool, let’s do it.
Bethany Calhoun [00:12:28]:
So I started there and like an in house coordinator kind of took me under her wing and she was like, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. You are gonna meet hundreds of people over like in one day at one event and they just see you as a person like of authority in charge. They just see you like carrying the clipboard and having a little name tag. They don’t know that you didn’t plan this event. They just know that you’re in charge. So just start telling people that you’re a wedding planner. Just start, just start telling them. And I was like, okay, cool.
Bethany Calhoun [00:13:00]:
So I just kind of Introduced myself as like, oh, yeah, I’m Bethany, the wedding planner. And after like literally three to four months of that, I had someone be like, I want you to plan my wedding. I was like, well, shoot. Okay. Like, I guess I need a business name, I need a website, I need business cards. Like, it just kind of steamrolled so quickly. And so that was a side hustle that I did from my corporate jobs and then it turned into something where I could quit my other jobs and this has become my full time job. And all these years later and it’s been amazing.
Alysse Bryson [00:13:35]:
I love that.
Libby Sundgren [00:13:36]:
That’s so fun.
Alysse Bryson [00:13:37]:
Is it because you love, love Bethany, or do you just do? I mean, let’s be clear. Everybody loves a clipboard. And if you don’t, like, you’re listening to the wrong podcast, right? I mean, clipboard. The. Whoever holds the clipboard is the person in charge for sure.
Bethany Calhoun [00:13:53]:
Yes.
Libby Sundgren [00:13:53]:
I’m so passionate about clipboards.
Alysse Bryson [00:13:55]:
You really are.
Bethany Calhoun [00:13:57]:
So, yes. I think it honestly, like, I didn’t love weddings. I think I got. This is terrible to say because I’m a wedding planner, I kind of got pigeonholed into wedding planning and I don’t really know how to break out of it. I love them. I think that they are so special. I think that couples that hire me, like, that’s so much trust. You know, little girls have been dreaming of their wedding since they were little and, and there’s so much pressure and they want it to be perfect.
Bethany Calhoun [00:14:27]:
So I feel very, very fortunate and very blessed that they have entrusted me to have a small part of it. But I think if I, like, could go back and choose from my magical summer wedding planning versus, like, funner parties, like, I think I would go that route to do just a variety. But I do, I love it. I think that, like, marriage is so special and like, people wedding planning is very emotional. So when brides come to me, like, I’m helping you plan a day, but at the same time I’m giving marriage advice, then I’m giving counseling when their, you know, maid of honor has screwed up. And I’m helping them through family drama. And so, like, there’s so many layers to wedding planning that I didn’t really think would happen. But yeah, I don’t even remember the original.
Libby Sundgren [00:15:22]:
Does that ever exhaust you?
Alysse Bryson [00:15:24]:
I mean, I mean, I’m exhausted just listening to all that.
Libby Sundgren [00:15:28]:
Yeah. And like, how do you keep your emotional and like, physical strength and like, patience going when you are like in an event, on event day, when you’ve got 12 hours at least of things to do and moving around and shuffling people around. How do you stay nice and not collapse from exhaustion?
Bethany Calhoun [00:15:55]:
I think on event day, there is an energy about the room that every single person that has been hired, whether it’s like my team, so I employ assistants that work with me on wedding day, whether it’s like the catering staff, whether it’s the DJ and his team, there’s just this energy that’s like, we have been building this probably for the last 18 months to two years, and this day is finally here. And so we’re excited to see everything come into fruition. But the days are long. There are times where I will get home from a wedding, like, after midnight and sit on the couch and it’ll trigger like, this is the first time I’m sitting down today. And so it’s just, it’s a beast. Like, you really have to be prepared to be yelled at if, especially as a planner and a coordinator, like, if the food’s not ready on time, somehow that’s the planner’s fault. If the cake didn’t get delivered, somehow that’s the planner’s fault. So you really just have to have a thick skin and take it.
Bethany Calhoun [00:17:01]:
And you have to just remember that, like, they’re stressed because they want it to go so perfect. And, you know, they’re not mad at you. They just got so many emotions bubbling up. I think it just takes like a emotionally strong person, a physically strong person to be on your feet all day. Like, you just gotta work out physically. You gotta vent to somebody. You gotta, you know, lift up your own spirits. I don’t know.
Bethany Calhoun [00:17:28]:
It takes a lot. It’s a lot of work.
Alysse Bryson [00:17:30]:
So how do you. What do you do to prep yourself for a day like that? For a. And that could be like, is it making sure you get enough sleep the night before? Is it packing certain snacks, certain shoes, certain outfits? Because you’re going to be schlepping stuff like, how do. What does it look like for you the day before the big day?
Bethany Calhoun [00:17:48]:
So for me, I kind of have my go to standard wedding outfit. So I pick between, like two black dresses. I always have a pair of like black Spanx shorts under them. I have. I used to, in my early bit years of my job, I used to wear like the cutest, most comfortable shoes I could. But after losing two toenails just with digging them into cute shoes, I was like, screw it. So now I wear all black Adidas and nice compression socks. So those are my go to sexy.
Bethany Calhoun [00:18:21]:
I make sure even a Couple days before, I drink tons of water with electrolytes. Because on wedding day, I’m so busy that I don’t even drink water. So I have to, like, really hydrate up beforehand. I have a backpack, a little fanny pack that is. You know, it has snacks, it has breath mints, it has a jacket, things for me. And then I also bring. I call it my bride box. But it’s this little pink duffel bag, essentially.
Bethany Calhoun [00:18:52]:
And it’s full of, like, any item ever that someone could ask for a bride.
Alysse Bryson [00:18:57]:
Like pasties.
Bethany Calhoun [00:18:58]:
Like pasties, yes. Safety pins, a tide to go stick, fishing, wire, tape of all sorts. Like, anything that’s in there. So I always kind of do a check to make sure that everything’s in there. Like lighters for candles. So just. What was that?
Alysse Bryson [00:19:17]:
Like, batteries?
Bethany Calhoun [00:19:18]:
Yes. Yeah, I. So I have. I think I only have double double A’s at this point, but I also have those. Really, those flat, circular ones, because those typically used for neon signs. And there were like, two times where I showed up to a wedding and there was no battery in a neon sign. I was like, okay, I’m gonna go order that. So I always have that with me.
Bethany Calhoun [00:19:39]:
And then I also do walkie talkies. And I actually learned that from you, Libby. So I have little headsets and have to charge up my walkie talkies.
Libby Sundgren [00:19:48]:
Yep.
Bethany Calhoun [00:19:49]:
And constantly.
Libby Sundgren [00:19:50]:
They’re so helpful.
Bethany Calhoun [00:19:51]:
It’s. So I used to do, like, texting on my phone and be mad when my assistant wouldn’t get it. Cause it’s in her pocket. And I was like, well, I’m just gonna take a page.
Alysse Bryson [00:20:02]:
Is there any more powerful feeling than holding a clipbook and wearing a walkie talkie? I don’t know that there is. No.
Bethany Calhoun [00:20:08]:
You didn’t do anything.
Libby Sundgren [00:20:09]:
You were on track.
Alysse Bryson [00:20:10]:
Especially if you’re wearing compression socks and Adidas sneakers, which this episode is not brought to you by Adidas. But if anyone from Adidas is listening. It could be.
Bethany Calhoun [00:20:19]:
Yeah, it could be. Please sponsor me. I go through so many pairs.
Libby Sundgren [00:20:23]:
What if. What is something memorable you’ve had to fix with your bride bag?
Bethany Calhoun [00:20:28]:
Oh, that’s a great question. My. I feel like I use fishing line more than anything else. What do you use it for?
Libby Sundgren [00:20:38]:
I mean, I think you would use it, but, like, tell us what for.
Bethany Calhoun [00:20:41]:
So it’s a couple of things over the years. So I will, like, at one point, a bride’s bouquet, like, kind of fell apart. So you just kind of like, circle it up and tie it. It’s a great way to, like, Hang things like neon signs. If they want their, like something to hang off the end of their table that’s not attached to a wall or something. I just kind of like drape it over the table with the linen and just tape it underneath. Yeah, it comes in really handy.
Libby Sundgren [00:21:11]:
What a hand. I know I might need to just stick that in my own bag to have a fourth me at all times.
Bethany Calhoun [00:21:16]:
Yes.
Alysse Bryson [00:21:16]:
What’s your favorite moment of a wedding? Is it the first look? Is it the first kiss?
Bethany Calhoun [00:21:23]:
That’s really sweet.
Alysse Bryson [00:21:24]:
The end.
Bethany Calhoun [00:21:25]:
I really love two moments. I really love, like, sending the bride down the aisle. So like I, you know, you line up the bridal party, she’s always in the back with her dad and so you send them down. I always like, remind them to take a deep breath, smile, watch where you’re going, whatever. I send them down the aisle and then I kind of loop around and I hold the bride’s train and we’re waiting for her song to change so that she gets to walk down her own moment. And so she’s, you know, nervous. She’s with her dad and I’m just like kind of expressing like blessings over her. I just from her backside holding her train.
Bethany Calhoun [00:22:02]:
I’m just like, this is your day. You get to marry your person. Take a deep breath, soak it in, Take a look at everyone there that is supporting you. Take your time or run down the aisle to your husband, like, whatever. Just this is your day. So I think that is like one moment. And then in the reception when they are grand entered so guests are seeing them almost potentially for the first time since the ceremony. I recommend you grand enter and then go straight into your first dance because you hooked everybody’s attention.
Bethany Calhoun [00:22:39]:
The adrenaline is going. So just getting to see everyone support them and cheer for them in their newlywedness and then get to partake in their first dance. I think those are like my top two moments. And then I mean, top another, you know, top three is at the end. I always recommend having like a. A banger song, like so that you can scream, sing at your. The last song of the night. So seeing, you know, drunk people, people that are so tired because it’s late, but scream.
Bethany Calhoun [00:23:11]:
Singing the Killers on the dance floor is like top three moments.
Libby Sundgren [00:23:16]:
That’s a classic way to close out a wedding.
Alysse Bryson [00:23:19]:
Now. Good.
Libby Sundgren [00:23:20]:
So good.
Alysse Bryson [00:23:21]:
Yeah.
Libby Sundgren [00:23:21]:
You know, everybody leaves feeling good on a high.
Bethany Calhoun [00:23:26]:
Yes.
Libby Sundgren [00:23:26]:
I mean, they might not want to leave, but they don’t.
Alysse Bryson [00:23:29]:
They don’t.
Bethany Calhoun [00:23:29]:
But we flick those lights on and they’re blinded. So they’re like, oh, get me out to the, to the parking lot where it’s dark again.
Alysse Bryson [00:23:38]:
Have you ever had like. And it’s okay if you don’t want to share this, but like, like the worst possible thing went wrong that you had to fix on the fly.
Bethany Calhoun [00:23:47]:
Oh, sure, yes. So very recently actually there’s this venue up north in Sedona where it’s, it’s very beautiful, it’s very gorgeous. It’s called Tlacapaque and it’s essentially like a shopping center that converts into an outdoor venue space once the shopping center is over. So because it’s a shopping space, they do not, they’re so strict. They do not let you set up or even unload your things until 5pm like this. All the stores have to close. So you get to start setting up at 5pm and the ceremony has to take place at 6:15. So yes.
Bethany Calhoun [00:24:32]:
So it is the most chaotic 45 minutes to get things out of, to get chairs out of the truck and for the rental people to set up and the caterers to get all their stuff. So you already go into that day being like, okay everyone, like you’re on your A game. We only have a certain amount of time to set up. So once I send people down the aisle, then I’m back setting up reception table items. And so you’re just constantly moving like this is a day where you’re not sitting down. So I had a bride from Phoenix that she and her family drove up, you know, it’s two hours a couple days before. And so they’re there for the entire weekend prepping, you know, having fun festivities and things. And we get to wedding day and realize at 5 o’clock when I’m unloading all of their stuff, that she has left half of all of her decor in Phenix.
Bethany Calhoun [00:25:33]:
So she had assigned tables at dinner. So we didn’t have half the guest table cards. I didn’t have half of my table’s table numbers. I think she had like maybe favors or something that was supposed to go on the table. That box didn’t show up. I think she had like, I don’t know, something for her welcome table. Those things were kind of irrelevant. But like you’re gonna have assigned seats at your dinner table.
Bethany Calhoun [00:25:59]:
And I don’t have 50 to 60 of them for 100 person wedding. So it’s already like a stressful setup. And then I don’t have these things. So I’m, I’m automatically just like, how, what can I finesse? What trash can I use what. Can I like, figure out how to make table numbers and make place cards and the tables that she did have the place. The table numbers were like. I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but it’s like stone that has been broken in really cool ways to like, be a propped up table number. So it’s just big and grand and beautiful.
Bethany Calhoun [00:26:37]:
So she had. This is so terrible. She had. She had photos of herself on the welcome table. So we took the photo out of the frame, we flipped it around to the back, and I just wrote, like, table numbers. So at least it was in a frame. So I put those on the table.
Alysse Bryson [00:26:54]:
That’s quick.
Bethany Calhoun [00:26:55]:
And then the cards were these long, beautiful piece of paper. And it had a black ribbon, like, right tied around it. And the name was like, maybe at the top or at the bottom. So I literally. I mean, I use scissors. I cut them in half. So now it was just a short little stubby thing and I took off the ribbon off of half of them. So it was every other place card got a ribbon.
Bethany Calhoun [00:27:20]:
And then I hand wrote from the seating chart the people that I was missing.
Libby Sundgren [00:27:26]:
Oh, my gosh.
Bethany Calhoun [00:27:28]:
And so, like, it. That’s just like, you gotta work on the fly. And so I told the photographer, I was like, do not photograph that side of the room. Focus on me. Sorry.
Libby Sundgren [00:27:39]:
Do not photograph any tables over there.
Bethany Calhoun [00:27:41]:
No.
Libby Sundgren [00:27:42]:
Oh, my God.
Alysse Bryson [00:27:43]:
Thankfully, you have really good handwriting. That’s a. That’s another gift that you’ve got when.
Bethany Calhoun [00:27:48]:
You’Re, like, stressed for time. You’re like, I don’t know if I wrote this person’s name right, but I’m not even going to double check. Like, it was wild. So I. And that’s just something where I’m like, I didn’t know that I had to remind someone. Hey, before you leave, make sure that all of your stuff is in the car.
Libby Sundgren [00:28:07]:
Yeah.
Bethany Calhoun [00:28:08]:
So now that that has happened once.
Alysse Bryson [00:28:10]:
Yeah.
Bethany Calhoun [00:28:10]:
I have put that on my checklist. Okay. It’s the Monday before your wedding. I’m gonna remind you of all these things. Like, don’t do it.
Alysse Bryson [00:28:17]:
How long is that checklist that you have created over the years?
Libby Sundgren [00:28:20]:
Oh, that’s.
Bethany Calhoun [00:28:22]:
It’s long.
Alysse Bryson [00:28:22]:
Yeah, it’s long. Yeah.
Bethany Calhoun [00:28:24]:
Because I’ve also, like, just like I mentioned, like, you observe something once that doesn’t go right, and you’re like, all right. So that I never, ever have to deal with this again. I’m gonna just forever mention it to everybody else. One of those moments, one of those instances was it was my first wedding ever. It was that couple that had booked me after three months of like, working at that venue. First wedding ever. They are mid ceremony moment, and they say, okay. The.
Bethany Calhoun [00:28:58]:
The officiant says, like, okay. They’re gonna read their own vows. And the groom pulls out his vows and the bride just. Her eyes get so big and she’s like, I forgot them in the room. And so I. I drop all my stuff and I’m racing and I. I get into this bride’s suite room from the venue, and I’m like, I don’t know what bag is hers. I don’t know if it’s on her phone.
Bethany Calhoun [00:29:19]:
I don’t know if it’s tucked in a pocket somewhere. And I’m just staring like, I can’t help her. Like, I tried, but can’t. So now I line everybody up and I’m like, okay. I verbally say, like, who. Who has the rings? Who. Who is responsible for those? Do you have the vows? Is it the officiant? Is it the best man? Like, who’s holding those? So it happened once. It’ll never happen again.
Bethany Calhoun [00:29:44]:
Ridiculous.
Libby Sundgren [00:29:45]:
See, people, this is why you need somebody on your wedding day.
Alysse Bryson [00:29:48]:
Exactly.
Libby Sundgren [00:29:49]:
To be doing all of these things.
Alysse Bryson [00:29:51]:
Correct?
Bethany Calhoun [00:29:52]:
Yes.
Libby Sundgren [00:29:53]:
Oh, my gosh. One of my. One of my girlfriends from home, she. At her wedding, she forgot the ring for her husband in the hotel room. So her bridesmaid, her maid of honor drove back together. It was at a winery, so it wasn’t like that far. So, sure. Someone drove left, came back.
Libby Sundgren [00:30:12]:
So it started like 30 to 45 minutes late because we were.
Bethany Calhoun [00:30:15]:
I think I actually maybe years and years ago, I had a situation. And I don’t even know if it was one of my weddings because I’ve kind of. I’ve assisted throughout the years, kind of as another side hustle. And I feel like they didn’t have the groom’s ring. And one of the dads use either the bride’s dad or the groom’s ring. Yes.
Libby Sundgren [00:30:36]:
That’s a good idea. Yeah, that’s a good idea.
Alysse Bryson [00:30:39]:
That’s a better. Well, it’s better than fishing wire.
Libby Sundgren [00:30:41]:
Right, True, but on.
Alysse Bryson [00:30:43]:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So how did you. I was at your wedding. I was not as Libby at Libby’s, as we’ve already established. But how did you use all that you learned to make your day special?
Bethany Calhoun [00:31:00]:
I planned the entire thing. I barely asked for my husband’s opinion because at first he was like, just do what you want. Like, I just want this music played. That’s fine. So. So I. I Planned every element of it. But I really wanted to be very intentional with our people because I have seen weddings where they’re so focused on the photo element that they, they want.
Bethany Calhoun [00:31:29]:
It’s essentially like a wedding photo shoot where they don’t spend very much time with their guests and they’re just like, oh, I need a sunset. Oh, I need, you know, a.
Libby Sundgren [00:31:38]:
Just.
Bethany Calhoun [00:31:38]:
I need. I don’t want to see my person before walking down the aisle. So we’re not doing a first look. And so every photo has to be taken after the ceremony. And I’ve seen, you know, you are separate from your person until your ceremony at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, or if you’re doing a first look, 2 o’clock in the afternoon. And so I really wanted it to be about us together, because that’s what marriage is, it’s togetherness. And then like 90% of my people traveled in, and then like 100% of his people traveled in. So we didn’t want to see people from dinner until the last song of the night.
Bethany Calhoun [00:32:22]:
So I. We planned a welcome party the night before, and it was very casual. It was just like a picnic in the park and everyone was welcome and most people came. And so that was really fun that we got to celebrate with them. After the picnic in the park, we took our bridal party and like our close friends to the brewery that we had our first date at, which also happened to be the place that he proposed. So first date, proposal day, and then wedding weekend. So just to have like a little beverage before bed. And then wedding day, we had our bridal party get together and we had breakfast together.
Bethany Calhoun [00:33:03]:
So we saw each other at 9 o’clock in the morning and just relaxed and enjoyed. And it wasn’t. There wasn’t such an emphasis on, like, we’re going to spend six hours in hair and makeup and we’re going to, you know, not be with each other. So we did that, got ready separately. I think we spent like an hour and a half getting ready and then did the wedding. And then the next day we had a brunch for all the family members. So it was very intentional just to be very family and friend oriented. We didn’t take very many photos.
Alysse Bryson [00:33:37]:
We just wanted to do a photo shoot like a couple days after.
Bethany Calhoun [00:33:41]:
Oh, yeah, we did. Yeah.
Alysse Bryson [00:33:42]:
Which I actually was so smart. I mean, I know you went out into like the hills or the mountains, whatever you refer to them as in Arizona, the desert. But like, I thought that was so smart. I mean, yes, it requires the Effort of like putting everything on again and trying to make sure it looks very similar to the actual day. But like that it doesn’t take away from the day.
Bethany Calhoun [00:34:02]:
Yes. Yeah. So it actually was the very next day. So we went to brunch in the morning and then that evening at dusk we called it like an adventure session. So we went out there. But yeah, so the dress is sweaty and I don’t want to stick it back on my body. His suit reeks of just how like sweaty and truly how much fun he had the other like the night before. But it worked out because like I did my own hair and makeup so I just copied the same thing the next day.
Bethany Calhoun [00:34:30]:
And it was very fun. It was, it was nice like again just to, to be with family and then like take our own time.
Alysse Bryson [00:34:37]:
You mentioned that.
Libby Sundgren [00:34:38]:
I love that.
Alysse Bryson [00:34:39]:
I love it too. And you mentioned that, you know, you mentioned that you think that people should invest in a good dj, an MC for that reason. What are the two most investments besides the rings that you think are important in the day? Like to me I would, I honor the dj. I totally get why that’s important. But for me it would definitely be videography and pictures. But I also like the idea of the pictures don’t have to happen all that day too. So where is the two best places to put an investment in?
Bethany Calhoun [00:35:11]:
That’s a really great question.
Alysse Bryson [00:35:11]:
It’s hard to say too because the venue mat matters a lot too. But like what are the most important things?
Bethany Calhoun [00:35:17]:
Like really my answer is, is very different than I think what other people decide on because to me you can get, you can get married in a dress from Macy’s, you can get buy a fake ring off Amazon. Like those things don’t necessarily matter. I think you just have to like feel beautiful and focus on like the fact that you’re marrying your honey. People put a big emphasis on food and the bar. I don’t think you need food to have a wedding. I think that they’re going kind of different directions where we’re seeing a lot more morning weddings, like brunch type. We’re seeing a lot of like weddings that start at 6:30, 7:00 and it’s just like dessert there so it’s not a full on dinner. So for me, truly, I think that like your dj/mc which should be the same thing, they are your voice, they are the ones on a microphone giving all of your guests direction.
Bethany Calhoun [00:36:17]:
They’re trying to keep them entertained, they are making announcements off of your behalf and then they’re the ones keeping you engaged, whether you’re like big dancers on the dance floor or you just want, you know, some ambiance, music or something. So I think that that’s the biggest investment. I think that photo video is huge. Done in an intentional way. I think there’s a new style out that’s more like documentary style. So it’s just they are constantly snapping photos of you, you know, hugging your aunt or you, you know, putting your own shoe on because it’s a little wobbly or something. Like, it’s. It’s not so posed.
Bethany Calhoun [00:37:00]:
And so you don’t have to like, schedule out time to do all of your wedding photos because those moments happen naturally and then they’re being photographed naturally. So I think photo is. Is one. I will say, like, as a wedding professional, I didn’t book a videographer. And here we are almost two years later and I’m like, man, I sh. I should have. So if you’re on the fence, do it. Because I would rather, like, have spent the money and been like, eh, you know, whatever.
Bethany Calhoun [00:37:33]:
But to not be like, oh, man, I wish I had it just because the emotions of the day, like, it was so fun and so beautiful. And to be able to look back on that years later and see those family members or those friends that have, you know, that aren’t here anymore or aren’t in your life significantly, just having that extra little something is really special.
Libby Sundgren [00:37:55]:
The MEMs. Yes, the MEMs. Do it for the Mems.
Alysse Bryson [00:37:59]:
Folks, I know we have to wrap here pretty soon. Gotta wrap. We can keep talking forever and ever and obviously we’ll have you back. Let’s just change really quick to, you know, you talked about the fact that if you could redo things, you might wanna go more corporate consumer fun. And you did quite a bit of that with Libby and I over the years. In addition to after the magazine days, when we moved over to TV land, we. We flew you up to help with several events there. Do you have a favorite event that was on the corporate consumer side that you were particularly proud of being part of or what you contributed to it?
Bethany Calhoun [00:38:37]:
Wow, that’s really fun. I think. And maybe it’s because it’s the Most recent, like, 2013 was a long time ago. I had been a part of. Was it two connecteds? I think because I was. I had my own professional business and was hired, like, after the fact, like, not interning. I was given some more responsibility working those ones. And so those two events really stuck out in my mind with just the Scale of it, the amount of people that attended, the amount of vendors.
Bethany Calhoun [00:39:11]:
Those I think were like some of my top good, like fun memories of event world because it’s so different from what I do now. And yeah, I remember like from internship. I feel like there was a. An aquarium opening. That was fun. I think there was like a. An open house theater. Like a theater had just opened or they were like opening.
Bethany Calhoun [00:39:38]:
It was like an opening night party or something that we participated in. That was a good one. Yeah. They’re just so different and have different amounts of people and types of clientele. That’s very different from the wedding world. So it is hard.
Alysse Bryson [00:39:57]:
At the same time, though, the skills as the behind the scenes person are very transferable.
Bethany Calhoun [00:40:03]:
Right.
Alysse Bryson [00:40:03]:
And I would argue that you are really well equipped to work with sponsors, clients, different people, talent that we had from the station at the event because you were already used to working with the high emotion of people on their wedding day. Do you both remember when the parrots got loose inside of the Paramount Theater? We had that parrot nonprofit organization and the parrots got loose.
Libby Sundgren [00:40:29]:
Of course. Yeah, of course.
Alysse Bryson [00:40:32]:
And if I remember correctly, it was during a commercial break. But like the parrot flew across the stage and took a shit and it like landed in somebody’s beer. I think that happened.
Bethany Calhoun [00:40:41]:
Yes. Oh, my God. You’re in lockdown.
Libby Sundgren [00:40:44]:
Yeah.
Alysse Bryson [00:40:45]:
Or I’ve just told the story so many times and embellished it so many times that that is now the story. But I think that’s pretty close.
Bethany Calhoun [00:40:52]:
Yeah, I think that’s pretty.
Libby Sundgren [00:40:53]:
Remember it now.
Alysse Bryson [00:40:54]:
That’s the story. Now that’s the story. Well, Bethany, where can people find you if they want to hire you for any kind of event?
Bethany Calhoun [00:41:02]:
Yes. Our website is pinkbublyevents.com I am on the gram. I’m on TikTok. I have a Facebook, but it was hacked, so probably don’t DM me on there. You could send a text, an email. All of that is found on our website.
Alysse Bryson [00:41:18]:
That’s amazing. Libby, do you have any final questions or thoughts for our dear Bethany?
Libby Sundgren [00:41:24]:
Just that we love you and we’re so glad you came here today.
Alysse Bryson [00:41:28]:
Can’t wait to see you in person soon. I know. And maybe in the next year or two, we’ll be doing some bigger events that we’ll have to bring you back on board for.
Bethany Calhoun [00:41:36]:
Yeah.
Alysse Bryson [00:41:36]:
You just never know.
Libby Sundgren [00:41:38]:
Always.
Bethany Calhoun [00:41:39]:
Yes. Yes.
Alysse Bryson [00:41:40]:
I think that’s the thing about.
Bethany Calhoun [00:41:41]:
You are a part of. I’m. I’m there.
Libby Sundgren [00:41:44]:
Okay.
Alysse Bryson [00:41:45]:
I love that. Well, and I think that’s the thing about events is once you have the bug, like, they never get old. They’re always fun, they’re always crazy. Things always go wrong. But it’s that, that’s that high at the end of the night or the next day when, you know, you crushed it. Like, yeah, that’s always what I do it for. Yeah. All right, well, that’s a wrap on this this episode of Beats Working Winning the Game of Events.
Alysse Bryson [00:42:12]:
If you’ve liked what you heard, we hope you like, subscribe, follow and we’ll catch you the next time. Thanks for listening to Beats Working Winning the Game of Events, where we explore what it takes to make moments unforgettable.
Libby Sundgren [00:42:26]:
If you’re leaving with a little more inspiration, a little more perspective, and a big sideache from all of the laughing at our funny jokes, then we’ve done our job.
Alysse Bryson [00:42:35]:
Beats working is a work P2P production. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review us on your favorite podcast platforms.
Libby Sundgren [00:42:45]:
Your support helps us keep the magic going.
