The Wedding Where...

Amanda Walck Ottinger
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  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

Join me, Amanda, owner of Officiating by Amanda, as I share stories of weddings I've officiated and lessons I've learned, advice for the dating, engaged or married, reactions to wedding ceremonies in movies and TV shows, special guests from the wedding industry sharing their stories, behind the scenes interviews with some of my couples, and the answers to your questions.   With 10 years under my belt, I've got many, many tales to tell!

  1. We got Back into the Swing of Things

    3 DAYS AGO

    We got Back into the Swing of Things

    Send me a message or any questions! Coming back after a break feels weirdly like walking into school mid-year. You’re excited, you’re rusty, and you’re not totally sure where your rhythm went. That’s where I’m at right now, stepping back into podcasting while stepping into a packed wedding season as an officiant in Northeast Pennsylvania, with maternity leave planning in the background and a calendar that suddenly has zero empty space.  I share what “wedding season” really looks like from the vendor side, including why fall is the true peak here, why spring is a close second, and why July weddings often get skipped. We talk about the whiplash between the slow season and the moment wedding expos hit, when consult calls and last-minute elopement requests stack up fast. If you’re planning a ceremony, work in events, or you’re just curious about the behind-the-scenes pace, this is a real look at how quickly the workload ramps.  Then we get practical: how I balance quick sign-and-go paperwork ceremonies with longer, more personal wedding ceremonies that need real lead time. I walk through the systems that keep me sane, like a heavily labeled Google Calendar, task timelines for script writing and reminders, and tools like Motion AI to prioritize what actually needs doing first. I also talk about learning to say no, building recovery time, and leaning on a trusted referral network so couples still get someone who can show up fully present.  If you’re in your own restart season, I hope this gives you momentum and a little calm. Subscribe to The Wedding Where, share the show with a friend who loves weddings, and leave a review so more listeners can find the stories and the planning advice. Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    21 min
  2. I Almost Quit

    19 FEB

    I Almost Quit

    Send me a message or any questions! A fever, a delayed start, and a flying pair of slippers push Amanda to the edge, then sharpen her standards. We share the red flags, the chaos, and the exact boundaries that turned a near-quit into better work and clearer contracts. • the difference between normal stress and cruelty • early red flags and why cancellations matter • rehearsal missteps and payment/license issues • timeline collapse and ceremony tech gaps • the slippers incident as a boundary line • compressing a 30-minute script to 10 • vendor coordination, meals, and respect • contracts, clauses, and clear scope of work • office hours, arrival windows, and audio requirements • lessons for couples and vendors to protect the day If you haven't already, please subscribe, like, comment, and share to help us reach even more listeners who might laugh a little at the wedding wear For the links referenced in the show, visit Linktree at OfficiatingByAmanda If you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast, just send an email to theweddingwear podcast at gmail.com If you're ready to inquire about officiating services for your own big day, you can reach me at officiatingbyamanda at gmail.com Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    22 min
  3. They Had Been Together Forever

    12 FEB

    They Had Been Together Forever

    Send me a message or any questions! The love story you rarely see on TV is often the one that endures: two people who build a life first, then choose the moment that truly fits to say I do. We open up about couples who didn’t rush—some waited through degrees and residencies, some raised kids and paid mortgages, and others navigated health realities and insurance choices before making it legal. Along the way, we unpack how pop culture’s whirlwind romances can distort expectations, and why the slower path can be just as passionate, more grounded, and often more joyful. I share favorite ceremonies that prove time is a powerful witness. You’ll meet second-grade sweethearts who honored a playground promise as adults, a pair who turned twenty years of “someday” into a celebration of everything they’d already built, and college friends who reconnected after other marriages and timed their wedding to gather kids, aging parents, and even early grandkids in one room. We also talk candidly about COVID’s hard lessons: in states without common law protections, legal marriage can unlock hospital access and decision-making rights when it matters most. If you’re feeling pressure to follow someone else’s timeline, breathe. There’s no deadline on commitment, and no single script for a meaningful ceremony. Long-term couples bring humor, calm, and deep knowing to their vows—not as a beginning, but as a continuation. Whether you’re newly smitten or decades in, you get to choose the moment that makes sense for your life, your family, and your values. If this resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs permission to wait, and leave a review with your own slow-burn love story—we might feature it next. Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    24 min
  4. One Year Of Wedding Stories

    4 FEB

    One Year Of Wedding Stories

    Send me a message or any questions! A year ago I hit record with one simple goal: save the wedding stories I’d been telling in kitchens, cars, and green rooms for years. Twelve months later, we’re celebrating a wild first season filled with real ceremony chaos, heartfelt wins, and the kind of lessons only learned when microphones, timelines, and emotions meet. This anniversary special blends gratitude with good data, spotlighting the moments you loved most and the surprises I never saw coming. We walk through the numbers that actually matter: 1,313 plays, a catalog that stretched from regular episodes to a vow mini‑series, and streams from 19 countries with unexpected momentum in Japan and the Netherlands. I revisit the gateway episodes—yes, the infamous prison bra story—and unpack why listeners keep returning to candid takes on timelines, vendor boundaries, and designing ceremonies that feel like you rather than a Pinterest board. Along the way, I recap standout interviews: a first bride’s behind‑the‑scenes honesty, an officiant’s hard‑won pet peeves, a photographer’s art-versus-wrangling balancing act, and a counselor’s pre‑“I do” checklist that saves couples stress. Then we look ahead. Season two keeps the heart and raises the bar with more reaction episodes, smarter planning insights, and fresh guest voices from across the wedding ecosystem. I share realistic scheduling gaps, why the show’s name leaves room for guest hosts, and tease new stories like forgetting to write the script, doing a ceremony backwards, and the clause you inspired in my contract. If you’re a vendor, a past couple, or someone with a wedding tale that deserves the mic, consider this your open invite to join the conversation. If these honest, unvarnished wedding stories make you laugh, nod, or rethink your plan, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more people find the real side of weddings—and gives us more reasons to keep telling these stories. Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    24 min
  5. We Chased Waterfalls

    22 JAN

    We Chased Waterfalls

    Send me a message or any questions! Waterfall ceremonies surged for us this year, from hidden Poconos drops to popular park spillways, and each one taught us how to balance beauty with access, rules, and sound. We share real venues, what worked, what failed, and the simple choices that keep vows audible and guests safe. • why spring flow and fall color create different risks and rewards • managing sound near loud water without overpacking tech • permit rules, deposits, and venues that ban weddings • accessibility, footwear, and realistic guest planning • when to step back for vows and move close for photos • lessons from Marshall’s Falls, Illick’s Mill, Nolde Forest, Hawk Falls, Dry Run Falls, Sweet Arrow Lake • backup plans for no cell service and limited parking • nearby dream locations to consider across the region • concise ceremony pacing to respect public spaces If you haven't already, please subscribe, like, comment, and share to help us reach even more listeners who might laugh a little at the wedding wear For the links referenced in the show, visit Linktree at OfficiatingByamanda If you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast, just send an email to theweddingwear podcast at gmail.com If you're ready to inquire about officiating services for your own big day, you can reach me at officiatingbyamanda at gmail.com Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    30 min
  6. I Had to be a Bartender

    16 JAN

    I Had to be a Bartender

    Send me a message or any questions! A creekside ceremony. A missing bartender. A bar cart staffed by two kind owners who had never poured a drink. I walked into a spiraling setup and turned it around with calm, clarity, and a stripped-down playbook that kept the couple smiling and the guests safe. Welcome back for 2026 - a candid reset for the new year and a reminder of our no-judgment ethos. Then the story takes off: a Facebook Marketplace bar cart changes hands, the promised mentor vanishes, and cocktail hour looms. With the venue coordinator juggling fires, we jump in, cut the chaos, and teach a crash course in service basics—ice-first, portion control, and a radically simple menu. One person batches the signature cocktail, another handles two-ingredient orders, and we set up visual guides to prevent over-pours and mystery mixes. The result: steadier lines, fewer mistakes, and a couple blissfully unaware that anything had gone sideways. Beyond the drama, we dig into the practical playbook couples actually need. Learn how to vet vendors when a deal looks too good to be true, what to ask if a contract transfers to new owners, and why preferred vendor lists are about reliability, not kickbacks. We share checklists for bar service that work under pressure—short posted menus, cold mixers, batching the signature, clear roles—and talk about building teams who default to solutions. Experience costs a bit more, but it buys calm, speed, and fewer surprises when the room gets loud and the timeline tightens. If you’re planning a wedding, you’ll walk away with real questions to ask, red flags to avoid, and smart safeguards that turn potential chaos into smooth celebration. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s planning, and leave a review with your best “you’re not going to believe this” wedding story—we might feature it next. Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    27 min
  7. 84 Weddings, 13,587 Miles, And A Growing Officiant Network

    10 JAN

    84 Weddings, 13,587 Miles, And A Growing Officiant Network

    Send me a message or any questions! Numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they make a great map. We just wrapped a year that stretched every muscle: 84 weddings booked from 98 quotes, 13,587 miles on the road, and a growing network of trusted officiants to keep quality high without burning out. What made it meaningful wasn’t the scale alone—it was the shift in how couples are designing ceremonies that feel like them, not just tradition on autopilot. Across Pennsylvania, we saw fall fully eclipse summer as the new prime season, with September and October turning into joyful marathons. Couples experimented with structure: fewer formal bridal parties, clearer unplugged guidelines that guests actually respected, and rehearsals replaced by focused Zoom run-throughs. Vow volleys emerged as a favorite for personal promises without stage fright, while unity ceremonies leveled up—from warming hands over hot coffee on a freezing day to crystal blends, family paintings, a 3D-printed heart, and yes, an unforgettable sword exchange. The classics stayed strong, with handfasting leading the pack for depth and symbolism. We share demographics that help shape tone and pacing, from first-time vows at 64 to blended families crafting rituals that include kids. We also dig into what makes venues a joy to return to—tight teams, clear timelines, and spaces that match a couple’s vision. Pricing and packages evolved to reflect that care: the most popular option balanced travel, custom scripting, and space for unity rituals without rushing the moment. If you’re planning for 2026, this is your field guide: what trends actually worked, which logistics saved the day, and how to design a ceremony that’s honest, warm, and fully yours. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s planning, and leave a review to tell us your favorite unity idea or vow style—what should lead the way next year? Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    38 min
  8. We Learned "Don't Do Drugs, Kids" featuring Jocelyn, Owner of Danie Mae Photography

    31/12/2025

    We Learned "Don't Do Drugs, Kids" featuring Jocelyn, Owner of Danie Mae Photography

    Send me a message or any questions! We bring back Jocelyn of Danny Mae Photography for a candid look at vendor chemistry, safety, pricing realities, and the art of keeping a wedding day calm. From an out-of-control bridesmaid to Pinterest expectations, we break down boundaries that protect joy and great photos. • setting harassment and safety clauses to protect vendors and couples • booking timelines, hot dates, and when to reserve early • what you actually pay for in photography rates • handling timeline shifts and family wrangling with calm leadership • translating Pinterest boards into your real style and venue • why vendor collaboration beats competition • how to choose vendors you genuinely vibe with • unspoken extras vendors do to keep the day smooth • when to say no and preserve safety and quality Follow Danie Mae Photographer at https://www.facebook.com/dmaephotography Please subscribe, like, comment, and share to help us reach even more listeners who might laugh a little at the wedding wear Support the show Thank you for sharing the podcast with others who may enjoy it!  Share your funny wedding stories with me at theweddingwherepodcast@gmail.com.  Any links referenced are on linktree.

    35 min
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About

Join me, Amanda, owner of Officiating by Amanda, as I share stories of weddings I've officiated and lessons I've learned, advice for the dating, engaged or married, reactions to wedding ceremonies in movies and TV shows, special guests from the wedding industry sharing their stories, behind the scenes interviews with some of my couples, and the answers to your questions.   With 10 years under my belt, I've got many, many tales to tell!

Information

  • Creator
    Amanda Walck Ottinger
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Wedding Where...
  • Show Website
    The Wedding Where...