Your Wedding Your Rules: Casting Your Wedding Vision

Hey Bride, are you ready to unlock the secret to a wedding that's authentically, magically you? In this game-changing episode of "Your Wedding, Your Rules," we're diving deep into the art of casting your wedding vision. Forget Pinterest boards and social media trends (although some are really great) –  today, we're  tapping into the heart and soul of your celebration.

Get ready to:

1. Reconnect with your inner dreamer:
2. Master the art of vision casting:
3. Transform your entire wedding journey:

This episode is your invitation to create a wedding that feels like magic from the inside out. Whether you're newly engaged or knee-deep in planning, it's time to hit pause and realign with what matters most – you and your love story.

Want to keep the magic flowing? Here's how:

• Free Coaching Consult: Ready to bring your vision to life? Book a free consult and let's make some wedding magic: https://alifecoachforbrides.com/consultation
• Share Your Vision: Use the special feature in the episode description to text me about your wedding vision. Your story might inspire other brides in future episodes!
• Weekly Newsletter: Get a dose of bridal empowerment straight to your inbox: https://alifecoachforbrides.com/newsletter

Limited Time Offer: Join a Small Group Coaching Session!

Ready to revolutionize your wedding planning experience? For a limited time, I'm offering exclusive "Sip & Solve" group coaching sessions for just $25!

Here's what you'll get:

• Intimate, supportive conversations with fellow brides
• Breakthrough strategies for your biggest wedding challenges
• Mindset shifts to rediscover the joy in planning
• Actionable steps to move forward with confidence

Spots are extremely limited and fill up fast. Don't miss this chance to transform your wedding planning journey!

To secure your spot, visit: https://alifecoachforbrides.com/group/

Remember, your extraordinary wedding starts right here!

Transcript

Casting Your Wedding Vision: Transcript

Amy Cloonan [00:00:00 ] If you just got engaged, congratulations. And you found this podcast at the exact right time, but also regardless of where you are in your journey, if you are still planning your wedding, this episode is here for you and it can really be a support. Hey bride, if planning your wedding hasn't exactly gone how you hoped, or if stressed is becoming the leading lady of your wedding story. [00:00:29] You have come to the right place. I'm Amy, a life coach and your wedding wing woman. This is Hey Bride, a podcast meant to encourage, inspire, and uplift you. And each episode, myself and other guests will drop gems and fresh perspectives so that you can stress less. Embrace your bridal badassery and enjoy this.[00:01:00]

[00:01:01] Brides, future brides, people, human beings, I am so fired up to talk about this. I could die on this hill. I won't. But I am so excited. We're gonna dig into the most important part of planning a wedding that feels authentically you. And if your wedding doesn't feel like you, then what's the point? We're gonna talk about having a vision that is rooted in your values, your dreams, and what you want to experience.

[00:01:30] I'm gonna ask that you forget what your family thinks that you should do. Or what Instagram. This is going to be so much bigger. I chose the phrase and the title for this episode on purpose, for a reason. It's very, very intentional. Cast your vision is a little different than have a vision. Actually, scratch that.

[00:01:55] It's, it's a significant difference. For me, having [00:02:00] a vision is more like in my mind's eye. I have a vision of something. I have a mental picture or an idea of my desired result. In this case, it's a wedding. It's internal. It's personal. But also, you're still molding. But are you? Or are you just thinking about what you want?

[00:02:18] When you cast a vision, you're actively projecting towards that vision in an outward way. Maybe you're sharing it with others, but you're definitely always considering it and you're inspiring them to join you and making it your reality. Your vision is probably so damn vivid for all of them and they see how excited you are that they can't fucking wait to be a part of it. [00:02:43] They want to help. They want to help bring it to life. Because they also can't wait for this. They are excited. It is about communication, collaboration, and bringing the vision to life. That is what I mean when I say cast a vision, manifest that shit. [00:03:00] People don't understand what manifestation is. It's not just thinking.

[00:03:04] It's thinking, it's acting. Our thoughts influence our actions, our actions influence our results. And how we feel matters, actually, I say wholeheartedly that how you feel matters most because you attract what you are. Vibration baby, I'm not going to get all the way woo on you today, unless of course you're a client and you ask for it.

[00:03:28] I just want to set the scene. I want to let you understand before I even get started what the difference is so that you know why it's important. You're listening to a series called Your Wedding, Your Rules. In order for you to lay out the rules for yourself, you have to really understand and embody your vision.

[00:03:51] And that's what I want to talk about today. I understand that a lot of brides are amped to start planning their wedding [00:04:00] like the day after they become engaged. I see it all the time. I get it. You maybe have been anticipating it and you're just really ready to get started. But personally, I think diving in, Head first is a huge mistake.

[00:04:17] If you found me or Hey Bride podcast in a Facebook group full of brides, you have probably heard me say this. The first thing you really want to do after saying yes to becoming someone's wife is nothing. Call your mama, call your friends, be excited, post it on social media. But don't, for the love of everything that is good, start planning.

[00:04:43] You really want to savor the moment for as long as you can. Just be present. As humans, we are always looking forward and there's nothing wrong with that, but there is something special when you stop thinking that you have to do something and you just [00:05:00] allow yourself to be happy. You said yes to becoming someone's wife.

[00:05:05] That is huge. That is amazing. And as excited as you are to begin, if you learn nothing from this conversation, if you take nothing away, let it be this. Wait. Give yourself at least two weeks to just enjoy it. Then, before you do anything else, cast your vision. It's not something I even really considered when I was planning my wedding at first.

[00:05:33] I spent about a month in a state of confusion. Maybe you're there right now. But when I realized the importance of what we're going to talk about today, Everything shifted. Everything felt a whole lot better and things just started falling in place. And not to jump to the very end, but here's why. That vision will be an anchor.

[00:05:55] It's going to be your wedding planning superpower. I promise. It [00:06:00] is the foundation. What I'm talking about right now is not a mood board. It's not even a wedding vision board or a Pinterest collection, although yes, there are very beautiful ones. It's not a theme and it's not the colors. No, your wedding vision is so much bigger than that.

[00:06:19] It is literally the heart and soul of your wedding day and the journey to it. I don't hear a whole lot of people talking about this. In fact, I hear no one. It's as if a 14 billion dollar industry wants brides to just hurry up and get started and not be present. Not savor it. And I think that's a damn shame.

[00:06:42] I want you to romanticize every part of this that you can. If that is something that you also want, then I'm going to need you to look at your wedding vision as the North Star that guides every decision you make from here on out. From the venue, to the dress, to the [00:07:00] playlist. It's literally what will keep you grounded when your mom starts pushing you for a DJ, but you and your partner want a fucking band.

[00:07:10] Or when you're tempted to book a venue because everyone happens to want that one, but it doesn't really feel like You, your vision is what you actually see. It's what you feel. It's what you know is out there for you. When you let go of your own limitations or other people's expectations and you just let yourself daydream.

[00:07:32] I think that casting a vision really requires us to reconnect with that wide eyed imaginative sweet little girl that we all still are. And I don't know, moving over and letting her take the wheel. Even if she doesn't have a lot. license to drive because you trust her. And you know she's going to take you to really interesting places.

[00:07:55] I'm gonna take you through an exercise that will help you to kind of get tapped [00:08:00] into that. Tapped into that energy of the little girl you once were and always will be. As adults, we, a lot of us have lost the ability to be creative. We have lost the ability to use our imagination. People have been telling us for years to face reality, to be realistic. [00:08:20] If you can't see me right now, which I know you can't because it's just me in my office, I'm flipping all of society off. Fuck. You. No. I want you to cast the type of vision that makes your tummy tingly. One that lights you up from the inside out and makes you feel really fucking excited. I also want you to

[00:08:52] And that is why having an aligned vision that you stay connected to is so damn important. An aligned vision [00:09:00] is from you. You are the artist in that. Not your aunt, not your uncle, not your dad, not your mom, not your best friend. But you. It's about designing a celebration that reflects you, your partner, and your stories, your personalities, and your values.

[00:09:22] That is what people remember. I promise. That is the legacy. It is not the decorations. It's not even the food. And I'm speaking from my own personal experience. Our wedding food sucked. But do you know how many people have told me that was the best wedding they have ever been to? Because they felt like they were a part of it because they felt the magic of what adam and I had created And I just want you to know that that is available to you Staying connected to that vision. [00:09:54] It won't just help you to create your dream wedding. It's going to help you to Thoroughly [00:10:00] enjoy the planning experience too, which call me crazy I think is even more important. You've heard the saying it's about the journey not the destination I happen to think it's true. When you start thinking about your dream wedding, when you start thinking about your vision and you begin the casting process, don't just think about the day.

[00:10:27] Think about right now. Think about tomorrow. Think about every moment that leads you to it because it really truly matters. I, oh my god, so many brides. It's the whole reason that I'm here talking to you. Too many brides. are completely disappointed by their journey to their wedding and that sucks and it doesn't have to be like that.

[00:10:50] It doesn't have to be a stressed out overwhelming period of your life. It can be one of enchantment, one that makes you [00:11:00] feel special and celebrated and supported and even empowered. Because here's the secret. This is something that only you can give to yourself. When I use words like celebrated and supported, I'm talking about you giving that to you. [00:11:18] It's actually not about other people. When we treat ourselves in a certain way, we influence how we feel and we take action from a different place. And that is why casting this vision is so important and that you learn how to support it. You learn how to advocate for what you want. You learn how to bring that vision to life, how to manifest it.

[00:11:40] All right, that's enough of that. Let's actually, let's, let's get to work. Things might be a little weird for you if you've never worked with someone like me. I'm not recording a podcast just to give you good information, although I hope that what you're getting feels good and that it's helping you. No, we're [00:12:00] going to actually do stuff.

[00:12:01] I want you to walk away from this short episode feeling more connected than ever. If you're driving, maybe don't do this yet, but you can think about it. Use your mind, but keep your eyes on the road. And then, come back to this when you can. I want you to promise me that you will. If it, like, is lighting a fire in you.

[00:12:20] If you're like, ooh, that might be fun. Please come back and just do this part. Back to those of you who aren't driving, or operating a machine, or cooking dinner. Let's do this little exercise. I call it vision casting. Hit pause, go grab a pen and a cute notebook, open up an app on your phone, whatever you gotta do.

[00:12:44] Bring your honey buns, and your pen and paper, and your favorite beverage back to the table. to your couch or your bed or your chair, and let's get these creative juices flowing together. [00:13:00] I'm assuming that you did that, that you pressed pause and now we're like in the future. So are you ready? All right.

[00:13:08] Hey, if you need a little extra help, press pause again, go put on some nice music, like binaural beats on Spotify, anything you find, uh, it's going to help you. Take the deepest breath that you have taken today. We're talking diaphragm action, baby. [00:13:31] Hold it at the top and let it go, slow. Let all that beautiful breath out. Take another deep breath or two or three. And as you do, I want you to let your eyelids close and [00:14:00] imagine your wedding day.

[00:14:05] Let your breath come back to a normal pattern and just breathe. [00:14:14] I want you to forget where you are in your planning journey. I don't care if you just got engaged on Tuesday, or if you're nine months in. Forget about what's already done. Forget about your budget. Forget about any decisions that you're already in the process of making. Poof. It's all gone. It's just you, your partner, and it's your wedding day.

[00:14:48] You're just waking up. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?[00:15:00] [00:15:06] Don't worry about logistics or budgets.

[00:15:13] Allow your imagination to run wild and free

[00:15:23] over the next few minutes. Just let the day flash through your mind. Don't try to control the order of things. Just let it unfold however it wishes.

[00:15:43] Maybe you see flashes of color, [00:15:50] maybe you hear voices. [00:15:58] I bet it's beautiful there.[00:16:00]

[00:16:05] Are you getting ready? Who's with you?

[00:16:15] What music is playing? What are you wearing? [00:16:30] If you haven't already, this might be a good time for you to put me on ice. Press pause and let that soft music play.

[00:16:43] When your little arm hairs stand up because you're excited and you're here but you're also not here. You're there and holy shit you're about to get married. You're about to be a wife.

Pause. Stay there. [00:17:00] Enjoy it. Daydream a little bit longer.

[00:17:09] When you're ready, I want you to start writing down everything that just came to mind. If it's easier, pick up your cell phone and Hit record and just start sharing. Talk to yourself. Tell yourself the story of what you experience from the very beginning. Talk about as much as you can remember. Where did you wake up?

[00:17:36] Did you have friends there? Or was it your partner? I want you to notice the details that seem insignificant because they aren't. What was the weather like? Hit What did the air smell like? Did you even make it to the ceremony yet in that vision?

[00:18:00] Were there personal touches, like family heirlooms or sentimental decorations?

[00:18:11] What kind of food is being served? What are you drinking? What kind of atmosphere did you envision? Was it intimate and cozy or grand and glamorous? Was it many or few? What colors and textures and scents filled the air? What kind of music was playing? What are you and your partner wearing? What are your guests doing?

[00:18:46] What are they experiencing? What are they telling you? [00:18:55] And here's the most important part of it all. How did you feel?

[00:19:03] Joyful? Excited? Peaceful? Cared for? Loved? What emotions do you want to experience on your wedding day? Write those down too.

[00:19:27] Keep writing for a few more minutes. Let your thoughts flow freely onto the page. Don't censor yourself. Don't worry about if what you're writing or what you're speaking out loud is realistic or not. This is your dream after all.

[00:19:47] Once you have a good list going, take a step back, look for patterns or themes. Were there any words or phrases that you noticed kept popping up? [00:20:00] Any specific emotions or feelings that you want to evoke?

[00:20:09] These are clues that will help you to start shaping your vision. Now I want you to switch gears a little. If you're still listening to music, that's great. If you're not, that's great, too. If you need to reset, take a few deep breaths and let yourself get back into that good place where it feels really warm and cozy to you.

[00:20:38] And then I want you to imagine planning your wedding. [00:20:46] What is that like? I want you to ask yourself some questions. What do you want from this experience?[

[00:21:03] Like what are you really hoping for?

[00:21:08] The best case scenario would be Just fill in the blanks.

[00:21:19] For a lot of brides, myself included, it was that I wanted to feel special. I wanted it to be meaningful. I wanted to feel like what I was doing was important and that it would matter to the people that I wanted to have there with us. I wanted to have fun. I knew I did not want to be stressed out. So just list some things that Whatever comes to your mind about what you would love to experience while you're planning your wedding.

[00:22:03] I want you to think about Making decisions that align with the vision that you just experienced.

[00:22:13] How does it feel when you choose the venue knowing that it is the perfect vibe that you want to create? When you select your dress or your suit or whatever you're wearing, how does it resonate with that same energy?

[00:22:32] What challenges do you anticipate as you plan?

[00:22:38] And how does your vision guide you through them? Think about how staying connected to your vision will make every step of the planning process feel more intentional and dare I say, even fun, right? For as long as you want to.

[00:23:00] And when you're done, when you feel complete, when you feel like your imagination has had enough time to get what's in there out, then move on and keep listening to me. I'm going to start talking as though we're ready for the next step. Now that you have had a taste of your dream wedding and the journey to it, you know what you want, you know what you want to experience. Let's talk about how to differentiate between external expectations and your own. Personal wishes.

[00:23:43] It's easy to get caught up in what other people think you should do, especially when it comes to weddings. These are big deals. This is not something small. It's not just a, Ooh, why don't you guys come on over at five? No, it's important. It's meaningful. [00:24:00] You're making vows. Maybe your mom has been dreaming of her Uh, having a beautiful, extravagant wedding. [00:24:12] But you, ma'am, are not. When you think about your dream wedding, what you saw was being barefoot. with your partner and a couple of people in the woods. Or perhaps all of your friends are having these lavish destination weddings and you feel pressured to keep up. But that's not what you want. Here's the thing.

[00:24:38] It's your wedding. It's not theirs. It's okay to have different ideas about what your day should look like. In fact, it's essential. I want you to honor your own desires and create a wedding that feels true to you, even if it means going against the grain. When I say aligned vision, that's [00:25:00] what that is.

[00:25:01] Your vision, not influenced by theirs. So how do you navigate external expectations? It starts by having open and honest communication. Now you know what you want. Even if you have been planning for six months and you've spent a lot of money, that doesn't, you don't have to throw it all away. Talk to your partner, talk to your family and your friends about what is important to you. [00:25:30] Explain your vision and why it matters. Don't be afraid to set boundaries for yourself. And please, please, please say no to things that do not align to your values. If you don't want it, don't allow it. I know that that is so much easier said than done. I get it. I've been there. We're going to be talking about that.

[00:25:55] But for now, I just want you to try and remember that this is [00:26:00] your story. This is your wedding. This is your life. And your wedding should reflect what is right for you to. It is 100 percent okay for you to make room for traditions that you love. It's even okay to sacrifice some of your wishes. I just don't want you to lose sight of your vision. [00:26:21] I don't want you to become resentful or bitter or like so frustrated with other people that and feel like they made all the choices for you. I need you to be brave, be bold, and not dim your own light and not let anybody else do it for you. It doesn't matter what they want. It's your wedding, your rules.

[00:26:46] Alright, I don't know if I fully got my point across. I hope I did and I hope that the exercise helped a little. These are just questions. I'm just trying to help get those [00:27:00] juices flowing and if it helped a little then I have done my job. I, I'm going to leave you with a little challenge as we come to a close.

[00:27:12] In the episode description you're gonna see a special feature and it says text me or message me I don't remember what I wrote It's just a cool feature from my host buzzsprout and allows you to share things with me So I want you to tell me Something about your wedding vision, something that you may have just realized today.

[00:27:34] It can be something that has you really excited or something that has you feeling bummed out or something that you think is going to be a challenge. Just sharing might be enough to fuel the spark. Communicating what you truly want for yourself, the vision that you have for your wedding, that is part of casting your vision.

[00:27:56] That is bringing what is in your mind, what is in [00:28:00] your heart out into life. I think it's important. I think it is magic. I think this is how we are deliberate creators. And if you don't have anybody to share it with, I just told you you can share it with me. And who knows? You might inspire other brides.

[00:28:20] Your text can be totally anonymous or you can let me know I can share your name, but I do want to highlight the responses that I get throughout this series to keep the energy going and to help other brides feel seen and understood and really know that they're not in this alone and that there are other brides out there and they're going through it, too. [00:28:43] I've already had my wedding. You're still in it. I'm a life coach for brides, but I'm not a bride. I can guide you through some mucky waters. I can help you work through some shit. We can self coach ourselves until we feel strong and confident. [00:29:00] But I think that there is something beautiful that happens when you're talking to each other and you're shining a light on your experience.

[00:29:08] And it helps us all feel connected, and community is key, and it's something that a lot of us don't have, but we can create that right here. Ah, that's a wrap for this episode of Hey Bride, and this part of your wedding, your rules. We actually have covered a lot of ground in this 30 minutes from understanding what casting a vision is compared to having a vision.

[00:29:35] Hopefully you made some headway in actually envisioning what you truly want. I want you to now go out there and cast it, which means supporting that. It means Standing up for yourself and for that dream. You might have to tell people that You love that what they want isn't really gonna work [00:30:00] for you. And when that happens, your brain's gonna go kinda wild on you. [00:30:05] It might tell you stories about how you're really letting people down, and you might feel riddled by guilt. You're gonna go through a lot of different emotions. This is a super emotional time of your life. That's why I think it can be so transformative. So if that kind of stuff is happening, reach out, you can reach me here.

[00:30:26] You can leave a message here, but I won't be able to talk to you like right back. You can send me an email, amy at a life coach for brides. com, or you can schedule a consult and you can see if one on one support is something that you might like. Just know that we're just getting started and until the next time, remember.

[00:30:48] The best weddings are the ones that reflect your love, your story, and create a lot of joy. You've got this. And when you don't, I've got you.