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Why Choose an All-Inclusive Wedding Package? with Cherri Maley
Episode 4325th November 2025 • Now That I'm Engaged, How Do I Get Married • Kevin Dennis
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In this episode of Now That I’m Engaged, How Do I Get Married?, Kevin and August sit down with Cherri Maley, General Manager of Messina Inn in Texas Hill Country. As a Certified Meeting and Event Planner and Certified Wedding Coordinator, Cherri brings a rare combination of logistical expertise, hospitality leadership, and heartfelt dedication to every celebration. Beyond running one of Wimberley’s most loved wedding destinations, she also serves as Chair of the Lodging & Event Section for the Wimberley Valley Chamber of Commerce—leading the region’s annual Venue Crawl, the largest wedding venue showcase of its kind in Texas.

Drawing on years of experience guiding couples through the all-inclusive planning process, Cherri breaks down what these packages actually include, why they’re so appealing to today’s engaged couples, and how to personalize them so your day still feels uniquely you. She shares how to spot hidden costs in contracts, work effectively with a venue’s preferred vendor team, and understand seasonal considerations—especially in Texas, where weather can determine everything from availability to ceremony timing.

Whether you’re overwhelmed by vendor research, trying to compare packages “apples to apples,” or simply craving a stress-free planning experience, Cherri offers practical, clear-eyed guidance that helps couples prioritize what truly matters.

Highlights

  • Convenience meets clarity: Why couples love the simplicity of having lodging, catering, décor, and vendor coordination bundled in one place.
  • Who it’s right for: Understanding the ideal client for an all-inclusive venue—especially couples craving ease, structure, and less decision fatigue.
  • Customization matters: How to personalize packages with meaningful details, even when many services are included.
  • Knowing what you’re signing: Contract tips to avoid hidden fees, unexpected upgrades, or mismatched expectations.
  • Texas timing: How seasonal weather patterns affect dates, availability, and what’s realistically possible outdoors.
  • Vendor harmony: Why a cohesive, venue-curated vendor team can make or break the guest experience.
  • Budget confidence: How all-inclusive packages simplify financial planning and help couples stay within budget.
  • Misconceptions debunked: What couples often get wrong about all-inclusive venues—and how to compare packages fairly.

No matter where you are in your planning journey, Cherri’s blend of professional insight and genuine hospitality will help you understand the true value of all-inclusive wedding packages. Her advice empowers couples to make confident decisions, avoid stress, and design a celebration that reflects their priorities—without getting lost in the details.


Connect with Cherri:

Website

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Connect with Kevin and August:

Website

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LinkedIn

Transcripts

Kevin Dennis (:

All right, folks, welcome to another episode of Now That I'm Engaged, How Do I Get Married? And today, we are obviously joined with August, who's always here with us. But we have Cherie Maylie. ⁓ She's the general manager at Messina Inn. And we're going to be talking about all-inclusive weddings. But Cherie, before we jump in, tell us a little bit about yourself and how we got you here today.

Cherri Maley (:

Hey, thanks for having me. ⁓ Yeah, so I have been in the hospitality industry for a little bit over 13 years now ⁓ in different aspects. So we have done and are still doing vacation rentals. We have had catering businesses and currently have a catering business. ⁓ And we ⁓ are currently owning and managing a

Kevin Dennis (:

Of course.

you

Cherri Maley (:

small boutique inn and wedding venue. So we do that here in Texas. ⁓ We are on 13 acres on the Cypress Creek in Wimberley and we have 11 suites and two cottages and we've been doing this for about eight years now.

Kevin Dennis (:

awesome.

fun. We have a little area in our place called Purple Orchid Inn, and it's very similar with a bunch of cottages and wedding venue and whatnot. when you were explaining it, I immediately thought of them in our little market. All right, so we're here to talk about all-inclusive weddings. And so can you explain to the listeners what is an all-inclusive wedding package venue? What's it all about?

August Yocher (:

Wow!

Cherri Maley (:

Bye.

Yeah, well, so first off, let me just say that no matter where you're at in our market, and I'm assuming it's the same in your market, that one package is not the same as another. So even though ⁓ it may say it's all inclusive at one venue, it may mean something totally different at another. And so that can be really tricky for clients in trying to figure that out. The baseline of an all inclusive means that it includes

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

much of the things, sorry Emily, it includes as much of the things that that venue offers. sometimes it's simply just like the venue tables and chairs, linens, napkins, and maybe a few decor pieces. ⁓ And then other times it can grow from there and so I've seen them be literally every single vendor from photography, efficient,

Kevin Dennis (:

No.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Wow.

Cherri Maley (:

invitations, DJ, all of that stuff. And we're kind of a blend. we do, we have everything that we offer in-house. So we have lodging, so we include all of our lodging. ⁓ And then we include decor, linens, catering. And then we actually contract with some of our favorite vendors for DJ, hair and makeup.

August Yocher (:

if but I do think we can just tie it and basically just look at their research and see what they're

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm.

Cherri Maley (:

No, not hair and makeup, I'm sorry.

August Yocher (:

Hehehehe

Cherri Maley (:

We partner with DJ Florals and Cake. So we do not include photographer, hair and makeup, and officiant, which are three key vendors, just because we feel like those are super specialized. I don't wanna choose, you your photographer and you wanted this style and mine doesn't do that. Or, you know, hair and makeup, you you airbrush and mine does traditional, you know.

Kevin Dennis (:

nice.

August Yocher (:

⁓ great.

Totally.

Kevin Dennis (:

Yeah.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

So

those are vendors that I don't include and that's why, but ⁓ we find that our couples really love not having to go and search for those extra vendors.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (:

Yeah,

and I love the part where you brought up and you were explaining that not everything is the same when you're saying all inclusive because I think that can be said for a lot of things in the wedding industry. It's like, you know, even like, you know, for photographers, you're saying, you know, how you guys don't include those. like comparing a photographer is not comparing apples to apples. It's apples to oranges to bananas to pineapples to every unit. You know, it's like that everyone is different. So, I mean, so I was I really like that you brought that up because

Cherri Maley (:

Okay.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

I'm sure it's the same with all inclusive NUs as well.

Cherri Maley (:

In our market, it's true across the board, whether it's all inclusive or just a venue package. For example, we have somebody in our market that is the same price as us, but they don't include tables and chairs. yeah, so, I do my market research and A, it's extremely hard to sometimes

Kevin Dennis (:

geez, that's important. ⁓

August Yocher (:

Wow, so that

sets you guys apart for sure.

Cherri Maley (:

figure out what the venue includes unless you go on a tour and actually get that physical communication from them. ⁓ But also just even when you can figure it out, you're never comparing apples to apples. I've yet to find any two venues that literally offer the exact same package.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

No, we have like venues in our market that are owned by the same people and it's still a little different at both properties.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

Mm-hmm.

August Yocher (:

Yeah, but I love the idea of including vendors too. I used to work at a venue and they were considered all inclusive and essentially what they covered was like catering, coordination, tables and chairs, linens, napkins, bar. That was kind of the main and the venue, of course. That was kind of the main offering. But I love the idea of doing vendors because we would get asked all the time like, oh, do you have an in-house DJ? Do you have this? Do you have that? And it's like, well, no, we have a

Cherri Maley (:

Yes.

August Yocher (:

very lovely preferred partner list that we can reference you to, because we have a lot of talented people in the area. But I like that, because I think it's overwhelming when you first start the process and you're like, my God, I have to research this, research that. And there's so much into it that you just don't understand. So just showing up and them being able to just show you everything and give you everything, I'm sure that's a huge weight off of a lot of couples' shoulders.

Cherri Maley (:

Absolutely, I would agree. Yeah, so my vendors are people that I've been working with for about four years before I launched my all-inclusive package. And so I went with very specific vendors that A, I knew could do the job, but B, also had the ability to say, yes, I can do this package. So I didn't pick a DJ who was a one-man show. I didn't pick a small floor shop that can't do multiple weddings in a weekend.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mmm.

August Yocher (:

Yes. Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm.

Cherri Maley (:

⁓ and things like that. So I was very A, like I vetted them, I'd been working with them for about four years, but then also I wanted to pick people who I knew could ⁓ take on such a client list.

Kevin Dennis (:

I'm probably people that represent you well, do a good job of representing you. ⁓

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And I do find, you know, the one unique thing I do think I find is that when you're, when you're getting vetted by a venue as a vendor, like that means something to the, to the vendor. And so they're going to be even kinder to, you know, maybe jump through more hoops or, or maybe offer special things that they wouldn't offer their normal clients because they're your

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm-hmm.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

because you work with them so much.

Kevin Dennis (:

Yeah, I agree.

August Yocher (:

Yeah, and you're

not just representing yourself, you're running, representing an entire extension of another team. yeah, absolutely.

Cherri Maley (:

Yes, yes.

Kevin Dennis (:

All right, Shuri, what do you find couples love the most about an all-inclusive package?

Cherri Maley (:

Well, I feel like a lot of people are so busy in their life nowadays that, like we were saying, not having to go out and search for these vendors. If you're doing your due diligence and wedding planning, you should be interviewing a minimum of two of each type of vendor, right? And so this alleviates them having to go out and do that. Wait for them to reply.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

you know, listen to their stuff or watch their socials or whatever the case may be, depending on the type of vendor, and then having to deal with all the contracts and the different payments. So it really comes down to time for my clients. That's why my clients like this package. ⁓ so they, I take care of all of that. You know, I sign their contract with the,

August Yocher (:

That too.

Cherri Maley (:

Vendors, I also make all the payments to the vendors. So they just make me one payment, you know, over the course of our payment plan, because we haven't divided out. ⁓ But they're not having to like keep up with, okay, well, I owe the venue and now I owe the DJ and I own the florist and now I own the cake. Like, it's all one package.

Kevin Dennis (:

makes life easier.

August Yocher (:

So what would you say is like your guys's ideal type of client? So what type of engaged couple would benefit from an all-inclusive package with a venue?

Cherri Maley (:

So for us, we are probably a little bit different than some venues because we have our lodging. So our all-inclusive package, like I mentioned earlier, includes the lodging. And with that comes mostly couples who are looking for a place that has lodging. So that kind of sets us apart, right? They're not usually looking at an all-inclusive venue that doesn't offer lodging. ⁓

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

But what we found is most of our couples, either one of them is not from Texas originally, right? Or they don't currently, neither one of them currently live in Texas, but Texas was their home or holds a special place in their heart. And so they are looking for a place for everybody to gather. We also get people that like are meeting in the middle. And so they want a place to gather. And so our clients are usually somebody who really

Kevin Dennis (:

⁓ okay.

August Yocher (:

Hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

wants the ability to spend time with their people, right? So that sets us apart from like just a traditional venue that may offer all-inclusive. Those are the things that I think the two things that are ideal clients are people who are looking for a full weekend experience and then also just not having all the stress of having to keep up with all the different vendors and the payment plans and what all that entails.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mmm. Yeah.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

When I probably feel like the vendor team is probably extremely cohesive in their work as well, right? If they're working together all the time, they've developed a rhythm. I'm sure they can anticipate certain things from each other. So I mean, I feel like that would give me even more peace of mind as well. But that's I love the idea of a full weekend. That's super fun. Do they typically do rehearsal dinner and rehearsal on the property as well?

Cherri Maley (:

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, so for us, we kind of played off as like, you know, come spend the weekend with us. So they check in at noon on Friday, and all of their guests can, you we can sleep 37. So not all of their guests, shouldn't say all of their guests, but the guests are staying on Friday. Yeah, and so they can sleep here. They check in on Friday, we usually will have rehearsal on Friday.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

I like

that.

August Yocher (:

I think that's a good amount, yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

rehearsal dinner. have like our conference room that we use as our rehearsal dinner space and our breakfast space. And so they'll have rehearsal dinner on site. Sometimes they'll go to town and do things too, just if they want to get experience. Wimberley is a very little special town here in the Hill Country. ⁓ And so sometimes they will want to get out and kind of get their people out in the town. But then they can come, we're just two miles from the square, so they can come back here.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

and spend the night and then we have breakfast the next morning for everybody and they can start decorating and getting hair and makeup done. There's no traveling from the hair and makeup studio back to the venue and all of that stuff because they're already here. ⁓ And then we usually do ceremony and reception here on our property. have ⁓

multiple spots that they can choose from along the Cypress Creek. And then they spend the night again, Saturday night, wake up the next morning, have breakfast again, and then work on getting their things gathered and checking out. So it's really, it's a three day event.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (:

That's a lot of work for you guys.

Cherri Maley (:

It is. is.

August Yocher (:

gonna say. You guys have to be on all the time, yeah.

But I love that. It's like you're home away from home for the weekend. You just have one home base. Like you said, you're not having to move around unless you want to, so totally optional. I feel like all that travel back and forth probably takes a lot of stress out of the weekend as well, so...

Cherri Maley (:

Thank you.

Kevin Dennis (:

I love it.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah,

and not having to like have such strict time restraints too. So like I've done some venue, I've done some weddings back in just my coordinating days that you you had, you know, eight hours total to get everything in and out and done. And so with us, you know, they're here the whole weekend. So.

August Yocher (:

Totally.

Cherri Maley (:

They can start, you know, we are an outdoor venue, so they can't start decorating outdoors necessarily, but they can start decorating, you like the ⁓ welcome area is indoors, so they can start putting their guest book and things like that up and, you know, sorting through their boxes and figuring out where they want stuff. then we include decor so they can start, you know, take a sample set up and get that set up and take pictures for their people who are decorating if it's not the florist and things like that.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

I love it. So you said since everything's outdoors, is there a season that you guys go to? I don't know. We're California. We're weird. We do weddings year round. you know.

August Yocher (:

We do, yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah,

well in Texas, being an out in the ⁓

Kevin Dennis (:

That's

what I was thinking. was like, it's got to be miserable in the summer.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah, so we are we are completely covered. So if it does rain, you know, we can we can transition under the covered area for ceremony and still hold the reception. But there are weather considerations. So we do close our weddings from mid June to mid September. And then we're just open as a as a boutique hotel during those times. And we'll do like family reunions and things like that.

And then we also close our weddings again from mid December to mid March because of the colder weather here. ⁓ Texans don't really know what cold is. even though I'm born and raised, but I've had people, know, like in November, it's not even that cold. And they're like, are we moving this inside?

August Yocher (:

Well, you guys have two sides of the extreme of weather out there. Like I have an aunt who lives in two, no, she was living in Tucson. She lives in Fort Worth now. But ⁓ she's like, it's snowing, it's hot. And I'm like, that's a lot for you guys to just transition between that so quickly. it must be nice to have those two little breaks in the year too, because you guys can just really devote your time during the months you're open and.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah.

Okay, yeah.

August Yocher (:

take a well-deserved break during those other months, so.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah, it is kind of nice to be able to take a breather and not every weekend is such a push, but.

Kevin Dennis (:

All right, I love it. All right, are there any types of stipulations a couple would expect with an all-inclusive wedding package?

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah, so for us, the smallest all inclusive package that we offer is 50 guests. Some venues I have seen do have like 100 guests minimum ⁓ and then others just have like a minimum spend. So it just depends. Ours is, you know, we can go down to 50. We like to be around the 100 just because that's more what we're about. ⁓ But

Kevin Dennis (:

Hmm.

August Yocher (:

Mmm.

Cherri Maley (:

We don't do really, really big. I think the largest that we've done is 250. ⁓ That's big, yeah. I did an internship that did 400 guests. I was like, my goodness. ⁓

Kevin Dennis (:

wow, that's big. Yeah.

Yeah, we

have a wedding we're talking to a couple. We're just involved in their lunch portion that's 300, but then their dinner is going to be 600 people. I'm like, that's what I said. I'm like, how do you even know that many people?

Cherri Maley (:

my goodness.

August Yocher (:

I know like five

people, yeah, I don't know, 600!

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

You

Cherri Maley (:

I mean, I know your guest count can creep up on you. When I got married, was like, no way am I going to have more than 50. And then we ended at 77 and there still was people that were not invited. We just couldn't fit them. but yeah, so it really depends. know, lot of venues have in our area have minimum spends. So that's a really common thing. You could really go down to as small of a guest count as you wanted, but you would have to spend.

Kevin Dennis (:

Hmm.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

their minimum. We do not have a minimum spend. Ours is just based on your guest count is what your all inclusive package is going

Kevin Dennis (:

Love it.

Cherri Maley (:

Thanks.

August Yocher (:

I

love that. That's really nice, actually.

⁓ Okay, so how do you make couples feel like their all-inclusive wedding is unique and personal to them?

Cherri Maley (:

⁓ So first of all, I tell this whether it's an all-inclusive or not. I can definitely see how a venue that does like you get these three centerpieces choices, you know, there is an all-inclusive that does it like that. Right, I can definitely see how that could become cookie cutter. ⁓ But honestly,

Kevin Dennis (:

The blue one, the green one, the orange one. Pick. Yeah.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

I tell this no matter whether they're all inclusive or not. When people ask me what my favorite part of wedding is, I tell them anything that is true to you. So in the wedding industry, we see the same centerpieces, the same linens, the same flowers, you know, ⁓ all the time. And so I think what really makes something special is when they bring in elements that, you know, speak to them. you know, we've had times where it was a cultural fact, you know, where

Kevin Dennis (:

Mmm.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (:

Hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

We had an Asian bride who we did Asian appetizers for their wedding. That's not traditional, you know. We had one where they had a family like, Chex Mix type situation that they made every year. And so they had jars of that on every table. Yeah, we had a client who they were big bikers, like,

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm-hmm.

that's cool.

August Yocher (:

That's cute.

Cherri Maley (:

they liked to mountain bike and did lots of trails and stuff like that. And so they had every table named after a different trail they had been on. And they had bicycle wheels with their table, know, they're, sorry, Emily. They had wheels, bicycle wheels with their seating chart on them.

Kevin Dennis (:

that's cool.

August Yocher (:

Okay, yeah, that's super cool.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah. you know, the ways that you can apply things, even having, you know, pictures of you or your family. We had a blended family here earlier this month, and we put pictures of the entire family on every cocktail table, you know. ⁓ So anything that you can do to make it unique to you and true to you as a couple, that's where I feel like you're not going to get the

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, it's all in the details really. like the couples I see were like, you know, I'm setting stuff out and like the bar had like, you know, the cocktail, the specialty cocktails are like named different. They have basically something on every surface. Like the favors are something you've never seen before. I love when people like the bicycle wheels you're saying do something super unique with their seating chart. Like the more times I see couples just go crazy with every single detail, the more fun I'm having too as a vendor.

Kevin Dennis (:

I love it.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

August Yocher (:

I just can't imagine how much fun the guests are having, right? Like they have an intimate relationship with the couple and they come in, they see their personality shine. And it's just really fun for everyone when a couple puts that much effort into showcasing themselves.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah, also our all-inclusive is not like you get these set flowers and this set cake. Our flowers, we give them a dollar amount that they can spend with the florist. Of course they can exceed that if they want, but they take that and they tell them we want these colors and these flowers and things like that. So we don't see the same flowers every weekend or the same cake. We've had fondant cakes, we've had...

August Yocher (:

Hmm.

Totally.

Cherri Maley (:

⁓ Longhorn cakes, you know, ⁓ All different kinds. So those are kind of just different ways that, you know, we feel like makes ours unique compared to some of the other all-inclusive wedding venue packages.

Kevin Dennis (:

well.

Love it. Are there any big misconceptions about an all-inclusive venue?

Cherri Maley (:

just say that goes back to the type of package that you're looking at. It also depends on like who you've been talking to when it comes to all inclusive because if you like like August you were saying you worked at one that had you know and so if you've ever had somebody who had an experience with an all inclusive package and they're sharing their experience you're like that's a great idea then you're only following that person's you know

August Yocher (:

bright.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

version of it. So knowing the different packages and knowing that you can make it less cookie cutter just by adding customization, even if it's in, you know, even if you have only the three choices, maybe you can add some personal touches to it.

August Yocher (:

Right.

Kevin Dennis (:

I love that.

August Yocher (:

Yeah, and I feel like it's like never assuming right like never assuming there is something or there isn't something it's like Making sure that you're reading your contract correctly and understanding everything that you're going to receive the day of because we had a lot of miscommunications with that too, even though You know, the paperwork was very clear. The contract was very clear it does get confusing for couples because like you were saying like if you're talking to a bunch of different venues at once and maybe some of them have

Cherri Maley (:

Right.

August Yocher (:

all-inclusive packages and some of them don't, like that can get a little bit scrambled in your mind, I'm sure, when you're deciding at the end of the day which vendor you're going to go with. So I think it's just reading, being very clear and not assuming one way or the other on anything.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah, I highly recommend to my couples if it's coming down to like two to three venues that you're trying to decide that, you you really make a list of your priorities and then look at what each venue offers so that you can make sure that your priorities are met with those packages. ⁓ Because like I said, you know, if this sunset

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (:

Hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

backdrop is more important to you than having tables and chairs and I'm the same price as that venue that doesn't include tables and chairs then but I don't have that sunset ceremony site then maybe you need to go with the one that has a sunset and you'll just rent tables and chairs you know so you know and other times like you're like I want to have the freedom of bringing in my own alcohol I don't have to buy alcohol from you you know that's another factor to consider because some venues have their own bar and some of them

Kevin Dennis (:

Yeah.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

bring in your own alcohol. So that's where I say like really looking at your priorities and seeing what the best package to match your priorities is.

Kevin Dennis (:

Yeah.

I love that.

August Yocher (:

Yeah, it's

funny you say that because, sorry, Kevin, because we just had a couple on the podcast and we do this like mini series on the podcast where we host past couples that we had and we asked them like, OK, now that you're done, you made it to the end of the race, like, what are your thoughts? Like, how was the entire planning process? And I'll shout them out again. But DJ and Jacob, one of the big nuggets that I got from that podcast episode was exactly what you said.

Kevin Dennis (:

No.

Cherri Maley (:

One.

August Yocher (:

was they didn't really start planning until they nailed down what their priorities were and what their non-negotiables were and they let that drive the entire planning process. So I think that's great advice because like you really can't make an educated or like you know firm decision or a comfortable decision until you know what's going to make you happiest at the end of the day and you have to have those priorities lined up.

Cherri Maley (:

Thank you.

Yeah, for sure.

Kevin Dennis (:

Perfect. All right. What are some of the biggest perks couples notice when planning an all-inclusive, at an all-inclusive venue?

Cherri Maley (:

Thank

I just checking things off your list, right? So when you're planning a wedding, your to-do list is a million items long. And so I think the biggest perk is just being able to check off like, okay, now I don't have to go find this linen and I don't have to go find this napkin and I don't have to choose.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

all of those details. Like yes, you still want to customize your song list. You still want to, you know, Pinterest out your flowers and your cake and things like that. But I think that that's probably the biggest thing is just being able to check some items off your to-do list because that list is long.

August Yocher (:

Yes,

more like a thousand and five things. Yep. It is crazy. No, that's such a good point. ⁓ Yeah. And it's just a huge chunk, right? Like those are some of the biggest things to start with and maybe the not so fun things because I feel like nailing down vendors is probably one of the first things you got to do. And it's all the fun little details after. So if that's one big check mark, you can get done. That just makes the whole rest of the planning a whole lot easier.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah.

Yeah, for sure.

August Yocher (:

Okay, so think, let's see, I think we have a couple more questions for you. How does an all-inclusive package help couples manage their budget or avoid hidden costs?

Cherri Maley (:

Thank

I feel like you have more of the costs upfront to plug into your budget so that you can make sure that you are applying the correct allocations to the other things. you know, it also depends on your venue, but like for us, we line item everything else so that if our client is going and they're searching, like they know how much they're paying for the DJ, they know how much they're paying.

August Yocher (:

Mm-hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

flowers, how much they're paying for the lodging and all of that. And so that way they can plug those things into their budget. And then they actually have a realistic number for how much they have left to spend. As well when you're trying to do that all at once and you're getting all these different prices from different people and what's the final numbers and you know, an all inclusive package should be pretty much all inclusive in price as well as what it includes.

And so there shouldn't be a whole lot of hidden costs as where when you're booking a package that doesn't have that, they're gonna charge you maybe, I don't know, some ballrooms charge for like lighting, right? That should be included in an all-inclusive package. If it's all-inclusive, it should be pretty much everything that the venue offers. So that should help with some of that hidden things in addition to just knowing more upfront of what you already have spent.

Kevin Dennis (:

Mmm.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

Yeah, it goes back to that video we were talking about on a previous podcast that ⁓ the comedian makes fun of venue tours and going, that's an upcharge and that's an upcharge and that's this and yeah. So yeah, know it. Yeah.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Cherri Maley (:

Bye!

August Yocher (:

not included. Yeah, yeah.

No, but it's so true. I think, and I assume with you guys, it's just one contract. The couple is signing, right? It's not multiple. So I think that's probably easier to like, I'm just reading one contract. I'm not reading six, right for all my vendors and everybody coming in. So that would make me feel more comfortable to like, I'm not missing anything. I fully understand what I'm getting myself into.

Cherri Maley (:

Mm-hmm. Great.

Yeah, yeah. I do think that there is a slight thing as far as contracts go is like, if you didn't read the florists contract, you may not know certain things. But I mean, as the venue, that's my job to know what those ins and outs are and help answer questions.

Kevin Dennis (:

Hmm.

August Yocher (:

Right.

Kevin Dennis (:

Well,

and you end up managing the florist a little bit for them as well. So yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, so as we wrap up here, how can couples decide if an all-inclusive wedding is truly right for them?

Cherri Maley (:

Yes, I do.

So the two factors that I find most common in all-inclusive versus a regular package is going to be a couple things. One is going to be, do you know any vendors that you're wanting to utilize already? So sometimes somebody might already have a family member who does cakes, or they really wanted this uncle to cook for their wedding.

August Yocher (:

Hmm.

Cherri Maley (:

or they already had a DJ that did this great wedding they went to last year and they already wanted to use him. And so if you already have some vendors in mind, then probably an all-inclusive package is not.

Kevin Dennis (:

I like that.

Cherri Maley (:

The other thing that I would say is that some people want a really bonded vendor team. So they want to have that connection the second they talk to you, right? So they are interviewing you as a florist and they feel like you get my vision 100 % and we just clicked and you knew what I was thinking before I said it, right? Those kinds of things. so sometimes

those kinds of clients that want that special connection and are very well to bond with their vendor team, then an all-inclusive package may not be for you. It still could, but it may not be because you'll get to know them, but after you've already signed them. So it's not something that's like a predetermined thing.

August Yocher (:

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (:

I love it. All right. Sheree, thank you for enlightening our ⁓ audience all about inclusive weddings. We've never talked about inclusive weddings on the podcast. So thank you for being our first person to take our listeners through this. Yeah, it was great. So we always like to let all of your information known in the show notes, but how can folks get in contact with you?

Cherri Maley (:

Yes.

August Yocher (:

Yeah, good topic.

Cherri Maley (:

Yeah, so we are in Wimberley, Texas and so our website is missinaintx.com and you can find all of our packaging and pricing on our website.

Kevin Dennis (:

All right. I love it. All right, Sheree, thank you for being here for another episode of Now That I'm Engaged, How Do We Get Married? I'll get it out. It's hard when you have two podcasts. I know. always say it's very normal for me to say the wrong podcast on the wrong one. anyway. All right. Well, Sheree, thank you. It's been a pleasure having you. And we look forward, folks, to seeing you next time. Thanks. Bye. OK.

August Yocher (:

Heh.

You got it, don't worry, it's all you.

Thank you.

Cherri Maley (:

Thank you for having me, bye.

August Yocher (:

Bye!

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