Wedding Empires - Grow and Market Your Dream Wedding Business
Step into the dynamic world of the wedding industry with Wedding Empires, your indispensable podcast companion crafted exclusively for ambitious wedding professionals eager to elevate their businesses to unprecedented heights. Led by Jac Bowie, the forward-thinking CEO of The Wedding Academy, and Ben Connolly, a distinguished award-winning wedding photographer and esteemed educator, this podcast is your gateway to a wealth of invaluable insights, expert interviews, and actionable strategies tailored specifically for wedding planners, florists, celebrants, photographers, and every other wedding professional under the sun.
In each exhilarating episode, Wedding Empires delivers a meticulously curated masterclass in success, meticulously designed to empower professionals at every stage of their journey. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur seeking to carve out your niche or a seasoned veteran aiming to stay ahead of the curve, Jac and Ben have you covered. From mastering the intricacies of branding and marketing to navigating the labyrinth of legal considerations, and from unlocking the secrets of scalable growth to crafting unforgettable client experiences, every facet of wedding entrepreneurship is dissected and explored with precision and expertise.
Yet, Wedding Empires is more than just a podcast—it's a movement. A vibrant community of like-minded professionals united by a shared passion for excellence and a collective commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the wedding industry. Here, you'll immerse yourself in the stories of industry luminaries, glean invaluable insights from real-world success stories, and forge invaluable connections with fellow professionals who share your unwavering dedication to creating magical moments that last a lifetime.
But the journey doesn't end with the podcast. Delve deeper into the minds behind the microphones and uncover the remarkable stories of Jac Bowie and Ben Connolly. Explore Jac's visionary leadership and groundbreaking initiatives at The Wedding Academy, and gain exclusive access to Ben's unparalleled expertise in the art of wedding photography. Visit jacbowie.com and bcphoto.com.au to explore their worlds further and connect with two trailblazers who are redefining the very essence of wedding entrepreneurship.
So whether you're a seasoned wedding planner looking to revitalize your business or a budding florist eager to make your mark on the industry, Wedding Empires is your ultimate destination for inspiration, education, and community. Subscribe today and embark on a transformative journey toward building the wedding empire of your dreams. Your journey starts here—seize the opportunity and join the ranks of those who dare to dream big in the ever-evolving world of weddings.
Wedding Empires - Grow and Market Your Dream Wedding Business
WNTT: The Anxiety No One Talks About: Wedding Pros in Crisis
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Exclusive episodes and resources for your wedding businessIntroducing our new segment, We Need To Talk (WNTT). Where Ben & Jac tackle the issues no-one talks about in the Wedding Industry.
Ever sat in your car before a wedding, heart racing, convinced you can't possibly deliver what your clients expect—despite years of successful experience? You're not alone.
This candid conversation pulls back the curtain on the wedding industry's silent epidemic: anxiety, imposter syndrome, and the crushing self-doubt that plagues even the most accomplished professionals. When Ben shared a raw video about his pre-wedding anxiety after 20+ years and 1000+ weddings, the response was overwhelming. Countless wedding pros admitted they face the same struggles but never felt safe discussing them openly.
Timing couldn't be more relevant as the wedding industry faces a significant economic downturn in 2024. After the post-COVID boom years of 2021-2023, many businesses are experiencing dramatic drops in inquiries, smaller wedding budgets, and mounting financial pressure—all factors that intensify professional anxiety. We explore how these external stressors compound the internal battles many creatives already fight.
Beyond simply naming the problem, we share practical strategies for managing these moments: education as confidence-building, specific breathing techniques, planning systems, and community support. We also discuss how underlying factors like ADHD, hormonal changes, and other biological realities shape our professional experiences in ways rarely acknowledged in business conversations.
The most powerful takeaway? You deserve to be in that room. The couple chose you specifically, above all others. Your anxiety doesn't define your abilities—and understanding that everyone from newcomers to industry veterans experiences these same feelings can be the first step toward healthier relationships with ourselves and our work.
Join our community as we continue these essential conversations about the realities of creative entrepreneurship. You're never as alone as your anxiety wants you to believe.
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need to talk, it's going to be a little bit different to our wedding empires.
Speaker 1:I'm putting that out there right now. Um ben and I have both been kind of having conversations about our businesses and noticed that I don't know things are, things are doing.
Speaker 2:this, you know, since, since I'm sure it's the same with everyone, but since covid you know there's a few boom years in the wedding industry when, when you know, people have started to get married again and there's been, you know, from 21 and a half all the way through till sort of 23 was a bit of a boom for everyone and then it's died off pretty savagely in 24 and this year for a lot of people as well. So it's challenging.
Speaker 1:And we're hearing it from you guys as well. This live event today is really. We want this to be a two-way conversation. We want to hear your comments, we want to hear your questions, we want to hear what's been happening to you. So please get on the chat, start sending us your questions, and you know examples of what you're going through. So look, let's kick it off. I know that you did this video. What was it on TikTok or on Instagram or something?
Speaker 2:It was on Insta. So, guys, let's call this the Anxiety Live, essentially because this is Inside our brain live.
Speaker 2:Well, the Anxiety Live for every wedding supplier, I think, on the planet, and every creative on the planet. It doesn't matter if you're weddings or not. But this came about because I contacted Jack and I said, hey, I did a video, just a quick little video on Instagram. Sitting in my car, my heart rate was about 500. My blood pressure was about a million and I was filled and rattled with anxiety and I thought I can't be the only one that feels this and I decided to do a quick video, just sitting in my car before I walked into the wedding, and the amount of not so much interest, but the amount of reach that it got and the sheer volume of people that reached out to me and said, hey, I feel the same and I struggle with this as well the sheer volume of that was a bit overwhelming and I thought that this is something that I think, as professionals and as people who do a podcast, that this is something that we can talk about, that I think every single person, whether you're in the wedding industry or not, even if you're just a creative like that, I think that it's going to be something that happens to you. You know that is something that you experience as well, and if I can say that it came about because for the first three months of this year I've been basically traveling around the world doing events, doing speaking gigs, doing awards and that sort of stuff. And in January I was in Japan, in February I was in Malaysia, in March I was in Las Vegas, and they're all award ceremonies. I was speaking to large groups of people and you walk into more so in Japan and Malaysia, walking into that room. Everyone knows who you are and everyone respects you and everyone wants a photo with you and and you're and because you're judging as well like people look up to you a lot.
Speaker 2:And after three months of that, and then coming back to Australia and then just being another photographer, fighting for jobs and that sort of stuff, is it? It rattled me and it was something that I didn't expect that would happen to me, because I didn't expect to reach, I guess, the heights of where I've managed to. But that was all weighing on me and I hadn't done a wedding for about four months because you know, the last one was in December and it was Christmas and I'd been away for three months and, yes, I'd been teaching and yes, I'd been taking photographs, but I hadn't done a wedding months and, yes, I'd been teaching and yes, I'd been taking photographs, but I hadn't done a wedding. And I drove to the wedding venue nervously and I didn't speed, I was just enjoying the car ride up there. And I got there and it all kind of built up because it was a really challenging venue.
Speaker 2:The weather was fucking horrendous and the couple were lovely, a beautiful couple, but just everything around it was really difficult and really challenging. And I sat in the car and I said to myself fuck, am I actually capable of doing this? Am I an imposter? Can I actually give this couple what they expect and what I've shown them? And I sat there and I just went fuck, I don't know if I can do this.
Speaker 2:And in that moment I thought I can't be the only one that feels this and I can't be the only one that has this imposter syndrome, that feels this anxiety.
Speaker 2:And I thought I'm going to do a video, I'm going to put it all out there and if it hurts me and it hurts my business, then that's the way it is, but if it helps someone, then that can be the silver lining of it, I guess.
Speaker 2:And so I did that video and so many people reached out and so many people said they experienced the same thing. And it hit me that, wow, this is something within this industry that is really never spoken about, that is affecting so many people and potentially the effects of it can be really really dramatic. And I mean they were dramatic for me. But the way I kind of got around it was saying to myself right, you have the skills and ability because you've invested so much in teaching yourself and in education and you know what you're doing and as soon as you get in there, you'll be fine. You just need to take that next step and rely on the education and rely on what you know and you'll be fine. And it was fine and there was some really amazing photos. The couple were really lovely, the couple loved their photos, but it was something that really took my breath away to a degree and I just went wow, I need to share this.
Speaker 1:I'm sure that took a lot out of you that day too.
Speaker 2:Like you know, the the aftermath of how you were feeling physically after that day would have been a lot more taxing, right yeah, like a wedding, my perspective, a wedding is taxing a lot of the time because I just, for some reason, I do way more than so many other photographers do. I work so much harder in, you know, shooting more photos, pushing things harder and that sort of stuff, not being a pain in the ass to the couple, but just giving them more. And my photography style is very different to a lot of people, where I will direct and I'll amplify strengths and I'll hide their weaknesses so that they love how they look in the photos, as opposed to a lot of people that just run around and go, don't worry about me, you just won't even know I'm here. And you've got to like how you look already and you've got to have no body hangups and that sort of stuff to love the photos, which is great if you're a catwalk model, but if you're a real person who has real hangups about things like, boys are worried about chins and bullheads and bellies and girls are worried about everything sometimes.
Speaker 2:So if you can direct your couple and give them the gift of amplifying their strengths and hiding any perceived weaknesses they feel they have, they're always going to love their photos more and that's why I always push so much harder. So I'm always taxed at the end of a wedding, whether it's eight hours or whether it's a big Greek wedding in Sydney, that's like 14 hours or something Like. I'm always taxed but it's because I do so much more and put in so much more so. But you know, as I said, at the end of the day it was fine and it all worked out. But that anxiety, and you know that what I was feeling, it's, it's. There's so many people that reached out.
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm somebody who gets anxiety anyway, I get it a lot and then for us ladies out there who are even over 30, the perimenopause has commenced. I actually suspect that it's been hanging around a bit longer. Maybe it's been going on for a couple of years, but the combo that I already get the anxiety and can get depression, and now put this on top of it has been like an absolute confidence killer, to the point that you know there's. I've certainly stripped back the days that I work in winning academy in that business to the days that I feel up to it you know I can't.
Speaker 1:I've started um HRT, which is treatment for perimenopause, and that's only early days, but apparently that's going to help me feel better in terms of my hormones and irritability and those sorts of things. So I'm hoping that that might be the secret weapon that's been missing. But even on good days, I remember being at weddings, and this is not in the beginning. This is like towards the end of before I sold my business and I've been doing hundreds of weddings. At that point I remember days where I'm sitting there and thinking I've actually got nothing to do, like there would be these. It's very different. As a wedding planner, you've got clear stuff to do every second.
Speaker 1:Sometimes we have these awkward gaps where, like, we don't have an office and we don't want to be with the guests and we don't want to be appearing or to be working. So I would go and hide in my car and I would like put it under the guise of like charging my devices and things like that, but quite often I'd be sitting there having a full-blown panic attack about do I look like I'm not doing anything?
Speaker 2:Maybe I parked my car miles away, and that's not possible. Where do I go? Where do I?
Speaker 1:go to have that moment to just kind of regroup. So you know, I learnt through a therapist some different things that you can do to sort of and Hayley, your partner, there were some great tips that she said on the. Wedding Empires episode that we did with her, but you know, just to kind of whatever it is that brings you back to the moment and but, yeah, you can feel your heart beating and it's terrible.
Speaker 2:I was sitting in the car and I actually had to lean the phone up against the steering wheel and prop it up because I was actually shaking and I couldn't hold it still properly and I just thought, fuck, this is craziness. 20 odd years in the industry, over a thousand weddings there's no doubt that in my mind that I know what I'm doing and I know how to do it. It's just how do you explain that?
Speaker 1:So, guys, if you've got any stories, I guess, specifically around kind of anxiety in those moments, or also if you've got anything to share around like business kind of being quiet and that causing you stress and worry, we'd really like to hear about it on the chat now. I've just opened up the chat. I know that we've got Kiri there. She said yeah, I feel that up and down too. Um, she said oh, she said you're being so brave sharing this ben and that she feels like she's also fighting to prove her worth as a wedding planner and why she deserves to get paid the prices that she's charging.
Speaker 1:Rosalina said in asia too, slowing down this year. So you know it's certainly not just us in australia. Now. I know rose is joining us at some point soon. Is she written there all over the world now she's in egypt and and also feeling the downturn. She she works for us as head of styling, but she also has a full events business and really really noticing it. So you know someone else has just written that they feel stressed that there's just such a slow amount of inquiries and and it's just strange isn't it Do?
Speaker 1:you think a lot of now this is stepping aside from the anxiety and more about the sort of slowing down of the business. Do you think it's connected with what's going on in the economy? Like I'm not really someone who follows politics, and understands it as well as I should, but there's definitely a sense of it being quiet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's a whole lot of uncertainty in the US because obviously the US president now is making a lot of changes with tariffs and upsetting a lot of people and that sort of stuff. And whether you agree with him, disagree with him, it doesn't really matter. The world is now in a position where, you know, people are struggling a little bit more than they were the year before and the cost of living is going up and because of that, as wedding suppliers because the cost of living is going up, we can't sometimes charge as much or charge what we're worth. The weddings are getting smaller. People, because the cost of living is going up, are cutting things back. The weddings are smaller, there's less budgets, there's all of that sort of stuff, and I'm sure that that that would cause people anxiety as well.
Speaker 2:If, if you've got, you know, kids and a mortgage and everything else that you've got to provide for and you've got to pay for, and there's just not the work coming in, that's anxiety. C you know what do you do? Advertising costs more and more and more and more. Now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a real disconnect, isn't it? Less coming in and then.
Speaker 2:And the cost to actually put yourself out there, because guess what. Those platforms are probably struggling too. So, needing to Come on, is Zuck really struggling?
Speaker 1:No, I'm not thinking of him, but I'm thinking of like it's a knock-on effect whether it's Easy Weddings or another platform like that.
Speaker 1:You know, in that the suppliers aren't getting the booking so they can't afford their subscriptions anymore to have their listing as a celebrant or their listing as a venue. Maybe the venues are all right, but you know the little guys is where it's really. They don't have that budget like they used to. If they were doing 50 weddings for the year, I'd be keen to hear how many of you are noticing more of these sort of micro weddings. He was wedding planners, I know, when I had Darling Don't Panic that it was.
Speaker 2:Our average was sort of 100 to 150 people and I wonder does that happen so well, I don't know, maybe in Sydney and maybe in Melbourne maybe, but here very, very rare.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, yeah, the micro wedding, yeah, so look if you've got any more questions we'd love to hear from you. I had a client request a refund because she's scaling back on her wedding. I don't have the funds to pay that back because the money has been spent.
Speaker 2:Kerry.
Speaker 1:I don't know if that.
Speaker 2:That is a fun moment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wow.
Speaker 2:There's a nice little system called Profit First. That might help you out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, I don't know how to answer that one. You've probably not spent it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what else was I going to say? So the the anxiety kind of side of things. If it helps anyone, the way that I've gotten around that and and like I'm going to be honest, I still feel anxious going to weddings. Like even even now, even when it's a cool venue that I know you know the weather's good, like there's still that little element of anxiety. But when you rock up to a wedding it's at a venue that is tough or a venue that you haven't worked at before, you know, and the weather is shit and that sort of stuff. You're going to feel it and there's going to be that imposter syndrome situation where you know can I do this?
Speaker 2:Like I got the skills for this, and that sort of stuff, and that's where educating yourself for me, investing a stupid amount of money in educating myself has has really helped me in getting through that, and I've noticed that throughout the last couple of years, the, the volume of people who are educating themselves has dropped off a lot as well.
Speaker 2:So I'm curious to know whether that lack of education for people is equating to more anxiety in people because they're sitting there going, fuck, can I actually do this? I know through everything I've invested in and all the training that I've done, that I can do it. I just have to put one foot in front of the other and take the step to get out of the car and do it. Educating yourself is such an incredible way to alleviate that anxiety and make sure that you can step out of the car and feel confident and do it in an environment where the weather might be shit or it's challenging or it's new or something like that. Another aspect to this is I'm sure there's a lot of us out there that have ADHD or dyslexia or something like that. Like I, have galloping adhd and complex ptsd over here and I take meds to allow me to focus.
Speaker 2:If I don't kind of take what I normally take it to go to a wedding or to sit down and do book work or to edit or something like that, I'm fuck, look at the next shiny thing like I'm all over the place and and I just I go in and out and I'll sit there all day and get nothing done. And for creatives, there's so many of us out there that that are adhd, that are dyslexic or or both. A trait of of adhd is anxiety and depression and that sort of stuff. So I'm I'm sure that there's so many of us out there with ADHD and stuff that feel this even more strongly than what someone.
Speaker 2:I don't want to say someone's normal but someone that doesn't have that would be feeling.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or has those triggers, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know I have a Hayley has that and I'm sure she won't mind saying but she gets a lot of anxiety around a lot of different things and it takes a lot for her to work around that. And you know it's, I think, something that we all feel and it's not mainstream enough. I don't think the fact that there's people out there that are dealing with massive anxiety, to the point they can't even step out their front door, is something that's not mainstream enough, that not enough people are talking about.
Speaker 1:I certainly can't go to your client. Sorry, I'll be back in five. I just need a moment. I'm having a bit of a trigger.
Speaker 2:Step into the toilet, have a panic attack and snort a line or something while I'm in there.
Speaker 1:Sorry, just we've had a comment here. So many free ways to educate ourselves and work on mindset that don't cost anything or low cost. I listen to a lot of mindset, law of attraction and manifesting podcasts. I think that's a good thing to know and obviously setting yourself up for success for the day by getting a good night's sleep and making sure you eat enough and you take water and things like that. Go and listen to that episode of Hayley Robertson on our podcast. It's fantastic. She gave some. Really.
Speaker 1:I can't remember them all off the top of my head, but she did give some really great ideas on sort of when you're in that moment, you know some things that you can do to kind of get yourself out of it, talk yourself out of it, think yourself out of it and bring the heart rate down. She made some other really great recommendations around yoga and things like that.
Speaker 1:That just help. If you're in my age group and my gender, then you might. You know you need a bit of hrt. You go to talk to your cheek. I'm gonna report back on how that's going in a few weeks. Oh god help us.
Speaker 2:We're in a. We're in a full-on industry.
Speaker 1:It's um for the faint heart we are, we are.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, it is. It's, it's challenging. You know, I'm not gonna lie, it's's the last year for me. I was down probably 30% on the previous years and then this year it's about the same and you know, I've got a strong business model and that sort of stuff, so I'm not wildly concerned, but I know that there will be people out there that really are.
Speaker 2:So, guys, if you're sitting in your car and maybe not watching this, but the next time that you're going to a wedding, you're sitting in your car and you're struggling to get out because that anxiety has hit you and you're sitting there with overwhelming imposter syndrome going, you know, have I taken these people money and I'm not going to do the job properly? Can I do it? Am I good enough? Like, just remember that you are and rely on what you know and just take a breath and walk in there and just know that you can do it and rely on the education that you've invested in yourself with and that you've gotten yourself. And if you're a photographer, just look for the light and let that guide you. If you're a decorator, a planner, like, what do you do you do? What would you do?
Speaker 1:if I'm in that moment, I'll go to the car go to the car.
Speaker 2:If you're in the car and you you're at a point where you have to get out, what do you do?
Speaker 1:what do you mean if I have to get out, if you're I, just, I just take a moment and and start focusing on my breathing and I'll I'll have like I'll try and finish my whole bottle of water and just read through my next tasks on my run sheet and just like cement them in my head. So it's kind of like my body's taking actions, do you?
Speaker 2:know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Like it's super clear and simplified what my next things are that I have to do so, have a plan. Yeah, that's what I do.
Speaker 2:Have a plan is fun, yeah, and just know that you can do it, know that the easiest way to get it done is to take a few deep breaths, know you can do it, open the door and go and do it.
Speaker 1:And for those of you that are at Wedding Academy, that is what the Facebook group for students is for Like if you're having one of those moments, absolutely write a post, say hey guys, I'm at a wedding, I'm feeling like this, you know, get some advice. You have over 1500 students that have all done the same courses as you. Absolutely, you know, more than likely had that experience or in that experience, and have something to offer. So that's what we're all here for as a community.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and not to take away from what you're feeling. We're not the only ones that feel that anxiety. There is a million other people that will be feeling the exact same way and having the exact same physiological effects. So don't be scared to talk about it. Don't be scared to share that with your partner or with someone you trust, or if you've got a second shooter or something like that, or if you've got an assistant on the day that you feel comfortable to go, put your hand on their shoulder and just go fuck. I need a minute.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But just guys, just know that you can do it and you're not an imposter and you have the skills and abilities to do it, because you've got the experience and you've invested in yourself in education and that sort of stuff. So just know that you can do it. Take one, take the next step, get out of the car.
Speaker 1:And have solace in the fact that this doesn't just happen to beginners that are finding their way. How many years have you been doing this?
Speaker 2:20 years, over a thousand weddings.
Speaker 1:Right Years and years and years of experience, but still has these moments. So I think if you're going to take anything out of this, that it should be, if you do face yourself in one of those moments, that it's normal. We all go through it and hopefully as a community we can kind of lean on each other and suggest different ways to help ourselves in those moments reem, our head of stylings, just commented, I would take a breath and have a walk before I decide anything Similar to mine.
Speaker 1:but mine's a walk to the car. But yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2:All right, I've got another really really good thing for anxiety Tell me, can I get it?
Speaker 1:What is?
Speaker 2:it. This is a really good thing for anxiety. So this is Monster Monster's a 13-year bulldog, little miniature aussie bulldog, but he is the best thing for anxiety. So, yeah, his breath is questionable, but the love is real now, just before we finish up, we've got one.
Speaker 1:Make one more comment here. You deserve to be in the room. The couple trusted in you above any other photographer or planner, so you deserve to be there. Yeah, that's a good thing to remember they booked you.
Speaker 2:Yes, they booked you because they saw something in you, and your personality, your style, your skills, everything about you resonated with them. So, you're there for a reason.
Speaker 1:Hopefully you asked that question on your questionnaire. Why don't you book me? Because then you'd have an actual sentence secret. Yeah Well, thanks guys. I know that it was not a lot of notice for a lot of you in America and in Europe and whatnot. Thanks to those of you who were able to join us. For those of you who weren't, please keep the conversation going. We'd love to see your comments. We're going to keep an eye on them for the next few days and respond as we can Also give us some feedback. Would you like us to do another one of these called what was it we Need to Talk? Can we just time it on a Friday, like when I'm ready for my wine? Yeah, because this is a bit cosy.
Speaker 2:For everyone in the US. It's like it's going to be 6 o'clock in the morning. How's that? She'll make it look like a coffee, yeah, yeah. But yeah, if you want us to do this again if you never want to see our faces again, whatever the feedback is, just let us know. Put a comment in there.
Speaker 1:Let us know. But other than that, have a fantastic weekend. We've got a few more episodes to go of Wedding Empires before we wrap up Season 4. A few exciting guests coming that we're recording in the next week, so those will be released over the next two or three weeks. And then we'll have a teeny-weeny break and you'll see us back for season five. But look, I hope everyone's well and keep the comments coming and we'll speak to you soon.
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