Shoot the Vows

Caitlyn Roberts and Kalee Draper

Just engaged? 🥂 You're in the right place! Shoot the Vows is the podcast for couples who want fun, helpful wedding planning advice without the overwhelm. We bring stories, pro tips, and lots of laughs every week — because planning should be enjoyable, not stressful! New episodes every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. ET. Hit subscribe and plan with personality. 💍✨

  1. Aug 27

    Everything No One Tells You About Your Wedding Ceremony

    Your ceremony is not just the part before dinner. It is the part that actually makes the whole thing official. In this episode of Shoot the Vows, we sit down with Dre from Profound Ceremonies, a wedding officiant and planner who recently moved to Syracuse from Las Vegas and is currently focused on officiant services. We're talking about: 💍 What an officiant actually does, including the legal side of confirming you are both choosing marriage of your own free will. 📝 How Dre customizes each ceremony through questionnaires and real conversations about your love story, style, and vibe. 🎤 Why the ceremony should actually sound like the couple getting married, not a copy and paste script. 🤍 Private vows, elopements, and why some couples want to keep the most personal part of the day more intimate. 🎉 How a ceremony can be fun, upbeat, traditional, intimate, or straight to the point depending on what fits the couple best. 🧠 Why wedding planning does not have to be chaos when you have experienced pros in your corner. If you are planning your wedding and trying to figure out how to make the ceremony feel like you instead of just something to get through, this episode will help. 📍 Connect with Profound Ceremonies: Website: https://www.profoundceremonies.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profoundceremonies/ 📍 Connect with Shoot the Vows: Website: https://shootthevows.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shootthevows 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-vows/id1850468898 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gdQT05rvXeV4dc9cUBSaz

  2. Aug 13

    Bridal Makeup, Mindfulness & Wedding Day Advice with Christy Monti

    Makeup can set the tone for your whole wedding morning, and the person you hire matters more than people think.  In this episode of Shoot the Vows, we sit down with Christy Monti of Monti Makeup and Mindfulness, a makeup artist, esthetician, and yoga teacher with a studio in Camillus, New York. We talk about how wedding day makeup affects the energy of the morning, why the right vendor fit matters, and what couples should actually pay attention to when they are booking beauty services.  We're talking about: 💄 Christy's background in the beauty industry, including the fact that she started her makeup career in 2008. 🧘 Why calm vendor energy and personality fit matter so much on a wedding day. ⏰ How makeup is one of the first parts of the day and can really set the tone for everything that follows.  👯 How couples can choose between booking Christy solo or adding an assistant based on timeline and bridal party size. ❄️ Touch-up kits, mineral powder, and what actually helps when cold weather starts messing with your makeup. 👁️ False lash trials, eye shape, and making sure the final look matches what the bride actually wants. 📝 Why a bridal trial is basically part beauty preview, part investigation, and a chance to ask a lot of questions. If you are planning your wedding and trying to figure out how to choose a makeup artist who is talented, calm, and actually listens, this episode will help.  📍 Connect with Monti Makeup and Mindfulness: Website: http://www.montimakeup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christy.monti/ 📍 Connect with Shoot the Vows: Website: https://shootthevows.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shootthevows 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-vows/id1850468898 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gdQT05rvXeV4dc9cUBSaz

  3. Jul 30

    Behind the Bar: Mobile Wedding Bartending with Maebell's

    Wedding bar planning gets confusing fast, especially when you are trying to figure out what you actually need and what you can skip.  In this episode of Shoot the Vows, we sit down with Jen and Molly from Maebell's Mobile Bartending, a mother-daughter mobile bartending team serving the Syracuse area. We talk through how their dry hire model works in New York, how they help couples plan bar service without overcomplicating it, and why simpler usually works better.  We're talking about: 🍸 What Maebell's actually offers, including a customizable package built around each couple's vision  🧾 How dry hire works in New York, and why couples need to handle the alcohol and liquor license 🥂 How they help couples figure out what to buy and how much to bring  🍧 Mocktails, slushies, and fun custom drink ideas for weddings  🍷 Why keeping the drink menu simple usually makes more sense than offering a ton of options  💡 Their best advice for couples, including not overthinking signature drinks  ⏰ Why you do not want to wait until the last minute on your liquor license  If you're planning a New York wedding and trying to make bar service make sense before it turns into a spreadsheet spiral, this episode is worth the listen.  📍 Connect with Maebell's Bartending Service: Website: https://maebellesmobilebartending.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maebellesmobilebartending 📍 Connect with Shoot the Vows: Website: https://shootthevows.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shootthevows 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-vows/id1850468898 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gdQT05rvXeV4dc9cUBSaz

  4. Jul 16

    Wedding Venue Spotlight The Manor House

    A wedding venue can shape your entire day, but the best ones actually ask what you need. In this episode of Shoot the Vows, we sit down with Carl Smith, venue manager of The Manor House in Pierpont Manor, NY. From the venue's 1823 origins as a National Historic Site to the 30,000+ sq ft gardens that make it their biggest draw, Carl walks us through what it takes to run a venue that actually listens to the vendors and couples who use it. We're talking about: 🏡 The Manor House's history, from a fishing camp to a National Historic Site 🌿 How the 30,000 sq ft gardens came together over decades 🏛️ Why they added a chapel across the street as a rain plan option 🍽️ Their open vendor policy, and why they also keep a blacklist ❄️ Why AC matters more than couples think for summer weddings 🛏️ Future plans to renovate for on-site lodging 🤝 Why Carl asks vendors for feedback instead of assuming he has it all figured out Whether you're planning your wedding in Upstate New York or just love hearing what goes on behind the scenes at a venue, this episode has something for you. 📍 Connect with The Manor House: Website: https://manorhouse1.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themanorhouseny 📍 Connect with Shoot the Vows: Website: https://shootthevows.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shootthevows 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-vows/id1850468898 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gdQT05rvXeV4dc9cUBSaz

  5. Jul 2

    What Makes a Wedding Ceremony Actually Memorable

    Your ceremony isn't just a formality, it's the actual heart of your wedding day. In this episode of Shoot the Vows, we sit down with Keri Klein of Flower City Ceremonies to talk all things wedding officiating. Keri shares how she custom writes every single ceremony from scratch, what makes a ceremony truly memorable, and why your wedding day is just a really expensive party without one. We're talking about: 💍 What questions an officiant should be asking you before they write your ceremony 💍 Why choosing a friend or family member to officiate isn't always the move 💍 Real officiant horror stories (yes, including lost vows and a no-show) 💍 Unique ceremony traditions you've probably never heard of, like sand ceremonies, hand fasting, jumping the broom, and even a margarita ceremony 💍 Why private vows are such a growing trend right now 💍 How to find a great officiant if you're not getting married locally 💍 The "social media minute" trick that keeps guests happy without phones blocking the aisle Whether you're planning a traditional ceremony or want to throw the rulebook out completely, this episode will help you build a ceremony that actually feels like you. 💐 Connect with Keri & Flower City Ceremonies: Website: https://www.flowercityceremonies.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowercityceremonies/ 🎙 Connect with Shoot the Vows: Website: https://shootthevows.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shootthevows 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-vows/id1850468898 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gdQT05rvXeV4dc9cUBSaz

  6. Jun 18

    Trust Your Vendors The Insider Secrets to Perfect Wedding Photos & Video

    Your wedding photos and video don't have to be a gamble — promise. In this episode of Shoot the Vows, we are breaking down exactly what couples can do (and what to avoid) to make sure their wedding photos and video come out as good as possible. From lighting and location choices to getting ready spaces and timeline planning, they're sharing the real behind-the-scenes stuff your photographer and videographer wish you already knew. We're talking about: 📷 Why your location matters more than you think — and what "bad lighting" actually looks like 📷 The truth about patchy light, cluttered backgrounds, and yes, trash cans 📷 How to build a timeline that gives your photographer and videographer enough time for couple portraits 📷 Why first looks might actually be your best friend 📷 What to do (and not do) in the getting ready space before your team arrives 📷 Why trusting your vendors is the single most important thing you can do Whether you're deep in wedding planning or just starting out, this episode will help you go into your wedding day with a game plan that sets your whole creative team up to do their best work. 🎙 Connect with Shoot the Vows: Website: https://shootthevows.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shootthevows 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shoot-the-vows/id1850468898 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gdQT05rvXeV4dc9cUBSaz

About

Just engaged? 🥂 You're in the right place! Shoot the Vows is the podcast for couples who want fun, helpful wedding planning advice without the overwhelm. We bring stories, pro tips, and lots of laughs every week — because planning should be enjoyable, not stressful! New episodes every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. ET. Hit subscribe and plan with personality. 💍✨