Dressing Up with Sarah Kolis

Planning your dream wedding can feel overwhelming—but what if you had an insider's perspective on how to make it all come together beautifully?  
In this episode, Sarah sits down with Jennie Wiegand, owner of Beautiful Day Planning, one of metro Detroit's premier wedding planning companies. With over 17 years in the industry and a team of seven coordinators handling 60-70+ weddings annually, Jennie shares the secrets to creating a stress-free, personalized wedding day!
From her unexpected career pivot from the automotive industry to wedding planning during the 2008 recession, to managing emergency situations with grace, Jennie offers honest, practical adv...

We’re back with a special edition of the Real Bride Series.
Instead of sitting down with three brides, we paused the series to feature one bride and her mother for a meaningful, full-circle conversation about weddings, family, and the power of thoughtful design!

You’ll hear from Sue Cronizer (Mother of the Bride) and Emily Barto (the Bride) as we walk through every layer of their wedding journey—from a custom, couture-level mother-of-the-bride gown to a multi-generation vintage dress redesign worn straight onto the dance floor, and everything in between!


In this episode:
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Ever wondered what really goes on in a bridal studio? All your burning questions, answered.In this episode, Sarah Kolis answers the real-life, just-for-fun FAQs she hears every single day inside the bridal studio.

From the story behind the space itself to her sewing journey, business beginnings, favorite details, and heartfelt moments with brides, this episode is a behind-the-scenes tour you won’t want to miss!

In this episode:
How a former garage became a private bridal studioThe design inspiration behind the space and its mo...

We’re back for another episode of the Real Bride Series: catching up with past-season brides and hearing how their wedding days actually unfolded, plus the lessons they’re taking with them now that it’s all said and done! In this episode, we sit down with Kimmy Youngman, Jenna Magbitang, and Julia Offner for three mini-interviews full of the fun details, the behind-the-scenes realities, and must-hear bridal advice!

In this episode:
Kimmy shares the sweetest story of how she and her husband met, the emotional moment she’d relive forever, and the hilarious “unexpected” mishap that proves you c...

Three real brides. Three totally different weddings. One episode packed with the honest takeaways brides actually need—what mattered, what surprised them, and what they’d stop stressing about if they could do it again.

We’re kicking off the Real Bride Series for winter by catching up with three brides from the past season and hearing how their wedding days truly unfolded—plus the lessons they’re taking with them now that it’s all said and done. In this episode, we sit down with Isabelle O’Neil, Rachel Long, and Natalie Hether for three mini-interviews filled with real-life...

Founder of Beautini and Beia, Brittany Lo, joins the podcast to share how she built a luxury bridal beauty brand based in NYC, the biggest shifts in wedding trends, and what it’s like to plan her own wedding after a decade behind the scenes!

We discuss how bridal beauty has evolved over the past decade, tips for the skincare timeline every bride should know, the reality of wedding costs, and how to stay grounded through it all.

In this episode:
How bridal beauty has evolved — natural, glowy, and skin-first
The one skincare rule ever...

Maximalism is having a moment!I am joined by Kelsey McDonagh from Magnolia Laine Detroit, part of the White Magnolia Collection to unpack what she saw at Chicago Bridal Market and what Midwest brides are loving right now. 

We get into sizing strapless ballgowns so they stay put, the veil (or no-veil) debate, why detachable-everything is tricky in alterations, how Magnolia Laine curates a calm, private shopping experience, and the brand’s Detroit story, including its October breast-cancer initiative.

In this episode:Trend shift: Minimalist to maximalistWhy more crinoline and ful...

I’m joined by Jeannene from Jeannene Lillie Events, a Metro Detroit wedding planner known for her calm, thoughtful, and storytelling-driven approach to planning events!

Jeannene shares how she made the leap from designing multicultural spaces at the University of Michigan to launching her own wedding planning company in 2020, and what it’s been like to build a business around creating elevated and approachable celebrations!

We talk about:
Why weddings are about more than logistics, and how weaving in storytelling details makes each celebration feel unique.Creative ways couples can carry traditions forward long after the...

What happens when you take floral design to the next level? Kevin Miller, president of Stem Event Design in Metro Detroit, has built a business turning weddings, showers, birthdays, and corporate events into fully immersive works of art!
From hanging lamps and French country fringe to refined garden parties and themed dinners, Kevin shares how he creates atmosphere from floor to ceiling, and why your next event should be as personal as your favorite outfit.
We cover how to work seamlessly with planners, where to splurge for maximum impact, and why trends are overrated when you’re designing fr...

My sister, Angela, just got married recently, and I thought it would be the perfect time to show you everything about how to preserve your wedding dress! Preserving your gown essentially means cleaning and boxing up your gown nicely after the wedding!
In this episode, I walk you through the full process of using a wedding dress preservation kit—what it is, how it works, and why it matters. If you're unsure how to properly store your gown after your wedding, or you're helping a friend or family member do it while they're on their honeymoon, this is a gr...

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of creating my sister Angela’s custom couture wedding gown—from our initial mock dress in December to the final fittings and bridal photo shoot in May! You'll hear about the design decisions, unexpected fabric challenges, and emotional breakthroughs that brought her dream dress to life. Plus, I share details about bridesmaid dresses, our New York fabric hunt, and the purse artistry that went into the veil. This episode captures the full journey of creating a truly personal wedding gown!
 
This is a great one to watch on YouTube! https...

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Griselda Mucollari (Ella), Metro Detroit’s go-to wedding and event content creator. With a background in international advertising and a passion for storytelling, Ella captures the candid, emotional, and joy-filled moments to fill the gaps that traditional vendors often miss. We talk about her unique path from corporate America to content creation, how she built a business that blends iPhone footage with intentionality, and why wedding content creators are becoming a highly desired want-to-have vendor for modern couples!

In this episode:What a wedding content creator actually does—and how...

In this episode, I'm joined by Gray Ellender of Go With Gray Travel, a luxury travel advisor and honeymoon specialist who helps couples plan seamless, stress-free trips! Gray shares her unique journey from healthcare to launching her own travel brand and breaks down what it's really like to work with a travel advisor—hint: it's not as expensive as you might think!

In this episode:The surprising perks of using a travel advisor (even if you already booked!)The three types of travel planning Gray offersWhy the honeymoon isn’t the time to DIY logisticsHow Gray buil...

Creating a custom couture wedding gown is more than just designing a dress—it’s about crafting a once-in-a-lifetime experience! In this episode, Sarah Kolis takes you behind the scenes of my bridal design process, sharing everything from the initial consultation to the final fitting. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to create a truly one-of-a-kind wedding dress, this episode is for you!

I also chat with bride, Ashley Rozek, who struggled to find the perfect gown in stores and chose a custom design route instead. She shares her experience, from choosi...