A Letter to the Woman Overwhelmed by Wedding Planning // Mary Beth Giltner and Rebecca Martin

When you start planning a wedding, it’s crazy how the tiny to-dos you never knew were even a thing start to take over your life. The nitty-gritty of guest lists, venues, and the schedule of the big day itself stack up and pretty quickly, those tiny to-dos seem like an insurmountable mountain. 

It’s been five years since Joseph and I entered into the vocation of marriage, but I bet that if you’re tuning in and it’s been years since your own wedding, you can still recall that feeling. And if you’re in the season of engagement, you know exactly what I’m talking about. What’s a couple to do? Is it possible to arrive at the wedding altar and not be totally stressed out by what has to be done? Is there a way to prepare for a marriage and plan for a wedding that leaves you more joyful than when you started? 

ln today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Mary Beth Giltner and Rebecca Martin. We’re about a brand new Catholic wedding planner that they’ve created. The planner was born out of their experience planning a wedding in the middle of a pandemic, and they’ve truly created something that helps engaged couples keep track of all those little details without losing sight of what truly matters in this season.

We’re talking about everything from mental and physical health during a season of engagement to the subjects to discuss together around intimacy and sexuality before the big day. But we’re also going to be chatting about life AFTER the wedding and the advice both women would give couples just starting out into their new vocation. 

So, if you’re in the middle of planning a wedding (or you know and love someone who is in that season!) and you want to both be intentional with your wedding to-do list AND prepare for a lifelong marriage, sister, this letter is for you. 

Topics we talked about in this episode:

• What sets “The Catholic Wedding Planner” apart and makes it the perfect resource for engaged couples

• The four Fs needed for a sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church

• Why to focus on values in conversations about money

• How (and why!) to talk about sex before (and after!!) your wedding day

• The importance of physical and mental health during a season of engagement

Resources you should check out after listening to this episode:

• The Catholic Wedding Planner, published by Our Sunday Visitor

• Created for Love: Reflections for the Catholic Bride-to-Be, by first book, published by Our Sunday Visitor

• It’s OK to Start With You, a fantastic book on self-care by our friend Julia Marie Hogan-Werner

• Rebecca’s article on Dr. Alice von Hildebrand over at Radiant Magazine

• “What to Include in a Catholic Wedding Program,” an article I recently contributed to over at Brides.com

• Arise: Catholic Young Adult Women’s Conference in Kansas City on March 5, 2022

• Check out The Little Catholic Box and access the exclusive bonuses for LTW listeners

• Pick up a copy of the new Letters to Women book today!

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