Podcast Transcript:

When thinking about what kind of podcast I wanted to do, I was looking for podcasts covering topics that aren't discussed a lot in the wedding industry, and I found one podcast episode of an interview, and that was it.

I realized that there is a huge gap in the conversation around weddings, and I know that couples either have questions, don't know where to ask, or what to ask. Or don't even know that they need the answers to the questions that they are going to have until it's too late.

That's when the idea for The Wedding Gap Podcast was born.

In this episode, I'm going to give a behind-the-scenes look into the production of this podcast and everything that needed to take place to make it happen. So let's get started.

Intro: You're listening to The Wedding Gap Podcast with your host, Annie Shannon. If you're looking for conversations that deep dive into topics that aren't discussed when it comes to weddings and marriage, such as accessibility, cost, cultural shindigs, and everything in between. then this podcast is for you. Now let's bridge the wedding gap together and get on with the show.

Transcript: As mentioned in the show intro, and if you skipped it, I understand, but you're missing key information, people. HAHA. I don't care if you miss it, it's fine. I knew I wanted to start a podcast and I didn't know what I wanted to cover so I started googling accessibility podcasts, and wedding accessibility podcasts, and I didn't find anything but one episode. It was VERY niche, not necessarily covering what everyone needs and that was it. So I thought about it and I realized, you know, the best place to make a change is with you. And if I were to start a podcast, I could go ahead and do it myself, and talk about the conversations that I would love to be out in the world, start them, and then hopefully it will be a snowball effect. Right?

Now I have been on a few podcasts before. I have a mic, I have headphones, and I am such a nerd that I grew up playing with Audacity. Now I was singing, so there's a little bit of a difference. I wanted to have a radio show as a kid. In creative writing, that's what I would do. I would perform it for my classmates. When my teacher gave us the option to read what we wrote and Mrs., you are currently listening to the radio show that I wanted to do. Thank you if you are listening to this, thank you for the creative writing. It prepared me for preparing episodes for my podcast.

I did have to ask friends to help me brainstorm a name. I was throwing random things out there, and it just didn't stick. I kept telling my friends my podcast was to bridge the gap between things that aren't talked about in the wedding industry and the wedding industry. Well, I had mentioned this to my friend Ellie, and she came up with the name, The Wedding Gap Podcast. Is that perfect? It's got a little bit of a hook, kind of gives you an idea as to what it is about but also makes you curious, and that's what I want. Now I had the name and everything and it was time to write down what topics I wanted to cover, and which guests I wanted to have the on the podcast. And I spent some time praying about that.

One day I woke up and I had Jess and Jay Norman on my mind. They are the hosts of The Moving on Again Podcast. They are past clients of mine we have worked together multiple occasions.

They were on my heart, so I went ahead and took a leap of faith and wrote down all the questions I had for the podcast. Before I even texted Jess, and then when I texted Jess. I sent her a voice message explaining what was on my heart, and I get a text back while voice message back saying, “Annie Shannon, I just spoke your name!” She had been talking to her daughter about scheduling a session with me so I could redo their branding photos for their podcast, and that's when I texted. So it was the exact note moment that needed to happen, confirmation that she was supposed to be my first guest.

We nailed down the date and time I signed up for the recording software that I wanted to use because when you're recording remotely, you kind of have to have separate recording software

After recording that episode, I realized that I needed more episodes. I had been advised by multiple people to drop at least three episodes. Y'all you're getting 2 right now, unless by some miracle I can record a third today and post it tomorrow.

At the very beginning, I knew my capacity was very low because I am just starting out and I don't want to scare myself. I didn't want to overload myself with tasks and everything for the podcast when I'm just starting out, because that is the quickest way for a podcast to die as if is if you are overloaded. I have a deadline before April 11th to get this podcast up and running because another podcast that I was a guest on is releasing an episode on that day. So I wanted to make sure that that's out there because I'm advertising the podcast on that episode.

I edited Jess's episode. I'm going to be editing this right after I finish recording it and we'll see what else I can get done before I have to share, but you'll at least get two, and every month after that, you're going to get one episode a month on the last day of the month, if all goes according to plan. Then all the episodes after that are going to be considered bonus episodes. If I feel like I have the capacity to do it, I will continue to do that, but for now, it's just one podcast a month now.

Here's where I get a little nerdy because of the marketing of it.

I have outlined everything that I need to get done or needed to get done at the very beginning.

I needed photos of me recording the podcast for the thumbnail and for the marketing materials. And I also needed new fresh photos for my website for all the stuff that I sent my clients. So I posted on Instagram. “Does anyone have availability this month to do branding photos?” And my friend Emily from Emily Annette Photography reached out, and we did a branding photo swap so it only costs me half of the deposit for the studio that we rented to be able to pay for my branding photos, which is great because when you're starting a podcast, you really, really want to keep expenses low, just in case it doesn't work out. But I am very hopeful that this podcast is going to do well and that it's going to work out.

Also finances. I think we're at the beginning of a recession, I could be wrong, but inflation is really high, so I need to be saving as many pennies as I can so I can continue to invest in all my clients more and more now.

There was also the question of social media assets, and that's what you see when I release a podcast. The title name of the podcast, the audio that you're going to hear when you are on social media scrolling on stories on your feed. I'll hopefully have the carousel with the audio on one of the pages so that you can hear a clip templates for the quotes and where to listen to, etc etc. That needs to be made and so I'm making templates today, and then I will be able just to plug in information and run with it each month, and it won't take a lot of my time to do that. But at the forefront of starting a podcast, there is a lot of things you need to get done.

Now I just realized the other day that I need to create a separate blog for my podcast because I don't want people to get it confused with my photography blogs and I'm going to be transcribing all of my podcast episodes for my deaf friends so that they can enjoy it.

If you have not been following me on Instagram, I have been learning American Sign Language and it has been the biggest blessing, I am so thankful for the community that I have found that is teaching me and it's a whole new world. I want to honor them. I want to provide them a way to enjoy my content, so that's what I'm doing.

I also needed an intro song for my podcast, and this is a really cool story:

I had mentioned to my friend Thomas White that I was looking for an intro for my podcast. He is in the music industry, this man should know where to find public domain music that I can use for my podcast. The other week, he texts me to see if I had found it, and I said no, I hadn't. And then he told me I could write it and record it. Y’all, the man, is a genius with music. I am so excited for you guys to hear it. I mean, you have already heard it, but he took time out of his week to bless me, to bless this podcast, and I'm so thankful it was a gift. I am 100% telling the world that Thomas White made the music for my podcast and he said I didn't even have to put him in the credits, which is unheard of. I was going to put him in the show notes of everything I might still do, that I might just mention his name because he didn't give me any links. But I digress.

Now I'm having my husband record the intro voiceover tonight, because for the first season, I want his voice to be the intro, and then if we can get this podcast big enough, my dream would be to hire Michael Theo, AKA Mr. A+ to do the voiceover for my intro in the future. If you don't know him. He is absolutely amazing, he is one of he is one of the personalities on Love on the Spectrum, which is one of my favorite TV shows, and it is the only reality dating show that I watch. So in the meantime, this intro has been brought to you by Tom and Jerry, not the cartoon. I had to say that. I joke around like “Hey, Tom, there's Jerry. Hey, Jerry, there's Tom.” So funny

Now finally, I am going to have to throw everything together. So I can upload this podcast and get it published and wait for it to be approved by all the platforms. Because if you publish it on one, you can publish it on all, but all the platforms have to approve what you're talking about. I understand, making sure the Internet is a safe place. So I'll let that happen, and I'll share when this podcast is up. It may not be fully released on the last day of the month like I want, but it will be released, and then for next month, I'll know exactly what I need to do. So you can get your podcast at the end of the month.

Now, if you have been listening to this episode and you're thinking, Man, I have a topic that I have a desire to hear about or I have a topic that I want to talk about on this podcast. On my website annieshannon.co/theweddinggappodcast you can submit a form that explains everything that you're wanting to hear or to talk about, and I will be able to look at that. And as time goes by, I will be inviting more guests onto the podcast and you may be selected. It depends on what fits the podcast, what I have the capacity for to record, and everything like that. And so if you submit a form, know that I'll get it, and hopefully we can work together. If not, I will be covering different topics that are recommended and all that jazz.

Now we're at the end of the podcast, and if you want to follow me on Instagram, my Instagram is AnnieShannon.Co. It's the same as my website, so my website is annieshannon.co. And my Facebook I believe is theannieshannonco because Facebook is weird. Anyways, until next time, take care, be kind, and find ways to bridge the gap for others.