Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 123: Crafting Enchanting Wedding Experiences With Ashley Smith

Think of the moment that you knew you wanted to do weddings. Do you still plan from that place of inspiration? Because this planner taps into that feeling to create enchanting experiences and challenges you to do the same.

Ashley Smith is the Principal of Ashley Smith Events, a team of experience-based designers specializing in destinations globally. With almost two decades of experience and a background in International Business and Hospitality, she brings out-of-the-box thinking to event planning and production. Known for creating magical dreamscapes, her work is featured in Carats & Cake, The Knot, Junebug Weddings, Ruffled, 100 Layer Cake, Green Wedding Shoes, Refinery 29, California Style & Culture, Bizbash, and other leading industry publications. Additionally, she has made the Best Planner list by BRIDES for the last five years (2017-2022).

In this episode, she recalls helping at a summer wedding in Spain and witnessing the father of the bride become overcome with emotion. Moved by the moment, she gained a new outlook on weddings and became passionate about cultivating unique and personalized events. In particular, she encourages you to embrace adventurous ideas and take risks in order to create authentic and memorable celebrations.

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Wedding Industry Insider Podcast

WII 105: Nikki Begg On Why You Should Be Kinder to Yourself

Where’s the whiskey? Where’s the Oreos? 

At the height of lockdown in Bermuda, Nikki Begg found herself refunding previously booked clients over a quarter of a million dollars when they canceled their destination weddings due to COVID-19. Cue skipping fresh produce in favor of liquor and cookies.

But, ultimately, that challenging time helped her discover what she wants moving forward. It includes a career change as well as prioritizing her own happiness.

Now, Nikki is the owner of The Intentional Coach, where she provides coaching services for women who want a reboot. She is also the founder of Bermuda Bride, the premier wedding planning company in Bermuda. With over 23 years of experience, she’s a renowned industry speaker and is featured as an A-List Planner by Destination Weddings & Honeymoons.

In this episode, Nikki talks about how she used her experience during the pandemic to launch a new chapter of her career. Specifically, she shares the lessons that help her not only achieve success but also feel content.

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