Destination I Do

In this episode, our host, Jennifer Stein is joined by bride and travel influencer, Hali Oduor, as they discuss Hali's upcoming destination wedding events. She's planning four total celebrations, three in Kenya and one in the United States. Jennifer and Hali talk about why she decided to do more than one event, the biggest surprises she's encountered during her planning and the ways she's sourcing all of her vendors for her upcoming weddings. They also talk about the fashion side of Hali's planning and what personal detail she's weaving into her events to make it even more personal. Stay tuned for a follow up episode with Hali Oduor in the coming months. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:Iberostar Beachfront Resorts: https://www.iberostar.com/en/weddings/About Hali Oduor: Hali Oduor is a globally recognized Gen Z influencer, known for her captivating content and passion for travel, fashion, and sustainability. Recently engaged, Hali is in the midst of planning four distinct wedding ceremonies, including a destination wedding weekend in June 2025 at The Beach Palace in Kenya. This stunning villa on the East African coast highlights Kenya's growing reputation as a premier luxury wedding destination. Hali currently has over 120K followers on Instagram alone and 1.72K followers on her Youtube channel. Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/halioduor/ or Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@HaliOduorAbout Destination I Do:Destination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home online or on the airwaves. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

As fun and exciting as wedding planning can be, conflicts can arise and things can get heated despite your best efforts. Our host, Jennifer Stein, is joined by conflict negotiator and mediator, Damali Peterman, to discuss ways to handle these flare ups. Damali's expert advice includes everything from little disputes that start to add up, to bigger issues like getting push back on your budget, or trying to navigate firing a person from your wedding party. This heavy hitting episode is packed with helpful tips on best practices for effective communication with your spouse, your family and your friends. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: Honeymoons.com - https://honeymoons.com/podcastHyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun - https://www.resortsbyhyatt.com/ziva-riviera-cancunAbout Damali Peterman: Damali Peterman is a highly regarded and sought-after lawyer, mediator, negotiator, educator, and speaker with nearly 20 years of experience in the alternative dispute resolution field. She believes that we are ALL negotiators, whether we realize it or not. Whether you're asking for a raise, navigating a challenging relationship, we are negotiating all day, every day. She is the founder and CEO of two successful, award-winning companies—Breakthrough ADR, and Damali Law. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Cheddar, In Touch, Fast Company, PIX Morning News, Essence, Madame Noire, The Black News Channel, Medium, New York Post, SiriusXM, CBS, FOX, ABC and affiliates across the country. Order her new book Negotiating While Black: Be Who You Are to Get What You Want published by Penguin Random House here! Follow Damali on social: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter YoutubeAbout Destination I Do: Destination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

Selecting the perfect venue for your destination wedding is one of the most important choices you'll make. In this episode, our host, Jennifer Stein, discusses the benefits of finding a hotel venue with a loyalty program for your wedding away. She's joined by Laura Fox, Senior Catering Sales Executive at Boston Marriott Long Wharf, part of Marriott Bonvoy Weddings and Events. They cover everything from how best to earn and spend loyalty points, tips on maximizing those points and the perks of hosting a wedding or event at a Marriott Bonvoy property. About Marriott Bonvoy Weddings and Events: At Marriott Bonvoy, we take every event “a step beyond.” Our events let you break away from the traditional toward meaningful experiences for guests. Our hotels and resorts reframe events as high-impact getaways hosted at incredible indoor and outdoor spaces, with catering menus that leave a lasting impression and local flavors inspired by the destination – while keeping sustainability in mind at each venue.Marriott Bonvoy hotel and resort teams help to reimagine the complete event experience with personalized service for seamless celebrations that spark genuine connections among guests. There are countless benefits of hosting your wedding and honeymoon at Marriott Bonvoy Hotels. Among them are room upgrades, resort credits and special promotions for your honeymoon when you plan your wedding at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel, plus earn bonus points on member-exclusive deals. Join Marriott Bonvoy to start earning, redeeming and reaping the benefits of membership.For more about Marriott Bonvoy Weddings and Events, log on to https://experiencemarriott.com/weddings or follow @marriottbonvoyMore about Destination I DoDestination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

Music can set the tone for your event, especially when it comes to a destination wedding. That's why our host, Jennifer Stein invited live guitarist, Moses Lin, to come on the podcast as her guest. They talk about how Moses is able to not just perform songs by memory, but engages with guests as he walks around performing personal serenades. They talk about his artistic process, how he works with both couples and planners in the planning stage, and what events he is (and isn't) right for. They even dish on what his experience was like performing on Netflix's Bling Empire. If you're thinking about hiring a live musician for your destination wedding, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: Weddings by Palladium - https://www.palladiumweddings.com/en/Honeymoons.com - https://honeymoons.com/podcastAbout Moses Lin:Moses Lin is an award winning destination wedding guitarist that specializes in instrumental covers of popular songs. His unique style of music, engaging live performances and effortless sophistication have made him the most highly sought after live musician in Southern California.Featured on Netflix, CNBC, and virtually every major wedding publication, Moses is an industry leader, coaching wedding musicians in countries all around the world, and raising the standard for live music at luxury events. With over a decade of experience as a full-time musician. Moses has performed over 1,000 weddings and events and his clients include Hollywood celebrities, Grammy-winning artists, Fortune 50 CEO's, Reality TV stars, Olympic gold-medalists, politicians, and many more. To learn more about Moses, log on to moseslinmusic.com, follow him on Instagram at @moseslinmusic, TikTok at @Theweddingguitarist or on Spotify or Apple Music.More about Destination I DoDestination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

One of our host's biggest regrets after her own destination wedding was not hiring a professional wedding film maker. So you don't make the same mistake, we uncover all you need to know about hiring the right person to film your destination wedding in this episode. Our host and Editor in Chief of Destinationido.com, Jennifer Stein, is joined by co-owner of Royal Films, Richard Saenz, and they talk about red flags to look out for, mistakes to avoid, what you're missing out on if you don't hire a wedding videographer, how to fit it into your overall budget and so many more helpful tips. About Royal Films: Husband and wife team Richard and Tracy Saenz strive to capture authentic moments without much directing. You won’t have to worry about acting or posing towards the camera but simply enjoying your wedding day and living in the moment. They film couples in real­ life situations and capture the milestones in an artistic manner. Their cinematic side comes from how they approach the day as they want you to feel like you are watching a Hollywood movie of your wedding. They accomplish this by using Hollywood-approved cameras, using the same filming and editing techniques they use to produce romantic feature films. In the end, they want to create a visual masterpiece of a wedding film that will be timeless.To learn more about Royal Films, log on to https://royalfilms.net/ and follow them on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royalfilms/ or check out their videos on vimeo: https://vimeo.com/royalfilmsMore about Destination I Do:Destination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

Our host, Jennifer Stein, is joined by two professional destination wedding photographers - Ash Baumgartner and Kristine Herman - to discuss what couples should look for in a wedding photographer, how to best work with them from afar and some easy to spot red flags to safeguard your special day away. About Ashley Baumgartner: Raised by her grandparents and married to her college sweetheart, Ashley has always been an old soul and a romantic at heart. In fact, she might have been the only eleven-year-old in her neighborhood with a subscription to Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. There was something about the attention to detail, the stories behind a celebration, and the natural elegance of every event that captured Ashley’s spirit and swept her off her feet. It didn’t take long for Ashley to turn her love of weddings into a career. Now, there is nothing she loves more than connecting with clients over the story of their own wedding day. When she’s not behind the camera, you can find Ashley spinning her heart out on the Peloton bike, cheering hard for her favorite sports teams, or raising a little gentleman of her own. And, of course, there’s nothing like dancing the night away to make her feel alive. You can find Ashley on social media @ashbaumgartner or on her website: https://ashbaumgartner.com/About Kristine Herman:Blending a documentary and editorial flair, Kristine crafts authentic images and lets the emotions draw you into her photography. Storytelling and her love of travel is the heart behind who she is as an artist. She has been able to help her clients feel incredibly at ease behind the camera as well as capture the details throughout the day. She focuses on providing an elevated experience through digital and film. Kristine is based in Northern California and has traveled worldwide for weddings.When she is not photographing weddings, you will find her hanging out with her husband and two dogs, traveling the world, snowboarding or finding her new favorite fashion piece. You can find Kristine on social media: @kristineherman_ or on her website: https://www.kristineherman.com/More about Destination I Do:Destination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

Do you find yourself utterly confused about what the roles are for a wedding planner versus an event designer and a wedding coordinator at your venue? It may feel like your on-site wedding planner at your venue isn't doing their job - but IS it their job? Listen to this super informative episode to get to the bottom of things. Our host, Jennifer Stein, dives into this subject with master destination wedding planner JoAnn Gregoli from Elegant Occasions by JoAnn Gregoli. She's been planning weddings for 30+ years and had a lot to say about what each person does and (more importantly) doesn't do. She gives us the details on the differences of a wedding planner/coordinator at a venue and what their job responsibilities are compared to a hired outside wedding planner. She also discusses what an event or wedding designer will and won't handle for your celebration. By the end of the episode, you'll be totally informed and a lot less frustrated! Plus you'll hear some war stories from the OG destination planner herself. More about JoAnn Gregoli:Planning social events was a big part of JoAnn Gregoli’s life upon graduation from college. After receiving her degree in Public Relations, she joined a PR firm where she planned events for many major corporations, as well as private events for corporate clients. By far, one of her most memorable and touching projects was assisting brides who lost wedding venues after the attacks on NYC on 9/11. With the assistance of The Knot and Brides magazine, she was able to relocate over 200 brides to new venues around the city.The Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) awarded JoAnn the title of Professional Wedding Planner and she was appointed the New Jersey State Coordinator of ABC. She completed the ABC’s Course and earned the distinction of Master Wedding Planner. She was also appointed the New York Metro Coordinator for the Association. Visit JoAnn's website by visiting: https://elegantoccasionsbyjoanngregoli.com/ or follow her at @joann_gregoliDuring the Covid pandemic, JoAnn created a non profit Sewing Angels to help the front line workers and battered women’s shelters with making and distributing much needed PPE!More about Destination I Do: Destination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.

Beth Helmstetter has been designing and planning weddings around the world for over 15 years. From Italy and Bali to Paris and locations all over Mexico, Beth knows the ins and outs of planning destination weddings that create wonderful memories for guests and stress-free experiences for couples. Beth is joined by host Jennifer Stein as they talk about keeping wedding budgets on track, what guests are expecting from your wedding away and why hiring a wedding planner is the best decision you'll make. More about Beth Helmstetter:Beth Helmstetter Events is a full-service event design and production studio specializing in multi-day weddings and celebrations throughout the world. Beth’s discerning clients have hosted friends and family in some of the most beautiful places throughout the world including Italy, Paris, Bali, Philippines, Costa Rica, Mexico, Korea and all over the United States. With over 15+ years of experience, Beth Helmstetter and her team are sought after for creating memorable multi-day events that are filled with meaning. She is also the founder behind The Good Beginning, a wedding registry for conscious couples. More about Beth can be found on her website at https://www.bethhelmstetter.com/ and you can follow her on social media @bethhelmstetter and more about The Good Beginning at https://thegoodbeginning.com/. More about Destination I DoDestination I Do was established in 2004 and has been publishing real destination weddings, helpful content about planning your wedding away (or honeymoon) and giving advice and inspiration for every couple who is dreaming of their perfect celebration away from home. To learn more about Destination I Do, log on to https://destinationido.com/ and follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationido/ or @destinationido on any other social media platform.