What if the most important thing you bring to your wedding day isn’t a seating chart or a shot list—but your nervous system? What if the secret to “perfect” is learning to breathe, release, and let the day love you back?Today I invited our producer—and dear friend—Asher James back to the pod. We know him as the one behind our edits, but he’s also a deeply heart-centered wedding photographer and filmmaker who sees a wedding the way I do: as a living, breathing story.Here’s the truth I’ve learned after 15 years: centerpieces don’t make memories—presence does. And presence is a practice. So in this episode, Asher, Desi, and I share how we each help couples prepare their hearts, regulate their bodies, and move through the day with more ease and meaning.Key Themes + TakeawaysVisualization before the day: Close your eyes and “walk” through your wedding—room by room, moment by moment. Let what you see guide what you plan (and what you release).Mindfulness during the day: Build tiny pockets of calm into the timeline—deep breaths before the dress, a pause at the aisle, five quiet minutes after the ceremony.Senses as grounding tools: Use what’s already there—hold your bouquet to your nose, feel the wind, notice the light. Let scent (and memory) anchor you.Release perfection (the 80/20 rule): 80% will go as planned. The other 20% is where delight lives. When you let go, the day can surprise you.Honor the full heart: Joy and grief can sit together. Plan small rituals to acknowledge who’s missing, and let real emotion be part of your story.Lead the room with your energy: When you go with the flow, your guests follow. Calm is contagious.Our Favorite Quotes“Time doesn’t exist outside of this moment—take what you need here.” —Asher“Ask yourself first: How do I want to feel on my wedding day? Then build from there.” —Asher“Centerpieces matter less if you can’t be present enough to enjoy them.” —Mariah“The 80% is the plan. The 20% is where the magic sneaks in.” —MariahChapter Markers02:43 — Who’s Asher? A producer, photographer, and why he chooses weddings over commercial filmmaking07:15 — Visualization 101 Walking the day in your mind (and why the answers are already in you)13:45 — Meditation vs. Mindfulness Tiny resets baked into the timeline (first look, getting dressed, post-ceremony)21:39 — Grounding with the Senses Bouquets, breeze, and perfume as instant anchors24:16 — The 80/20 Rule Releasing perfection so delight can find you26:35 — The Double Rainbow A five-minute miracle you can’t plan for31:27 — Holding Joy + Grief Designing space to honor who’s missing38:03 — Lake Superior Wisdom Riding the waves and leading the room’s energyYour TurnThis week’s gentle check-in: “Where can I trade control for presence?”Close your eyes for one minute. See yourself arriving at your ceremony. What do you feel in your body? Who’s beside you? What needs to shift—on the timeline or in your heart—to make room for that feeling?If this episode steadied your breath or gave you a new ritual to try, share it with a friend (or your vendor team). We’re building weddings that feel like you—from the inside out.Check out Asher’s Photography and Videography here____All Mariah's Details!Website: ⁠https://www.truenorthweddingsduluth.com/⁠Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie⁠Say hi to True North Weddings Duluth on Insta: ⁠@truenorthweddingsduluth⁠Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️MB01IF4JKSCHE25

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