The word luxury is used constantly in the wedding industry, but rarely with clarity.

In this episode, Jessie Khaira unpacks what luxury actually means in the context of South Asian weddings and why a higher budget or beautiful aesthetics alone do not guarantee a better experience. Drawing from decades in the industry and real-world examples across weddings, hospitality, and travel, Jessie reframes luxury as something that is felt long before it is seen.

This conversation explores the difference between branding and experience, why systems matter more than price tags, and how true luxury is created behind the scenes through anticipation, consistency, and care. Jessie speaks candidly to planners, vendors, and couples alike about where the industry gets this wrong and what needs to shift.

If you’ve ever felt like something looked impressive on paper but didn’t feel supported in real life, this episode will give you a clearer lens for evaluating services, setting expectations, and defining what an elevated experience actually looks like.

Chapters
00:00 – Why the word “luxury” has lost clarity
02:15 – Why budget and aesthetics do not define luxury
04:45 – Luxury as an emotional experience, not a label
06:30 – A real-world example of luxury versus sales pressure
08:15 – Why systems and anticipation create ease
10:30 – Hospitality as the foundation of luxury
13:15 – What planners often miss behind the scenes
15:30 – Redefining luxury within your own business
18:45 – What couples should understand when they say “luxury wedding”
22:30 – Quiet confidence versus performative luxury
25:00 – Final reflections on what truly makes a wedding feel elevated

Connect with Jessie

Website: www.jessiekhaira.com

Instagram: @jessiekhaira

If you are planning a South Asian wedding, supporting someone who is, or working in this space as a planner, this podcast was created for you. Hit subscribe and join the conversation as we plan with clarity, confidence, and perspective.

Wedding budgets don’t fall apart because of numbers. They fall apart because of pressure, unclear priorities, and decisions made without structure.

In this episode, Jessie Khaira walks couples and planners through a more grounded way to think about wedding budgets, especially for South Asian and Indian weddings with multiple events, family involvement, and cultural expectations layered into every decision.

Rather than focusing on cutting costs or following formulas, Jessie explains how to build a budget with intention by starting with structure, values, and clarity. From common budgeting mistakes to the emotional weight tied to spending, this conversation reframes the budget as a tool for confidence instead of a source of stress.

If you’re planning a multi-day wedding week, feeling overwhelmed by where the money is going, or worried you’ll look back with regret, this episode will help you slow down, refocus, and make decisions that actually feel right.

Chapters

00:00 – Why budgets create stress regardless of how much you spend

01:30 – Common budgeting beliefs that lead to regret

03:45 – Why structure matters more than numbers

05:15 – Defining priorities before allocating money

07:00 – Spending based on values, not expectations

09:00 – Trade-offs that create confidence instead of guilt

11:30 – Budget clarity as a foundation for future conversations

Connect with Jessie

Website: www.jessiekhaira.com

Instagram: @jessiekhaira

If you are planning a South Asian wedding, supporting someone who is, or working in this space as a planner, this podcast was created for you. Hit subscribe and join the conversation as we plan with clarity, confidence, and perspective.

Taking on your first South Asian wedding can feel exciting, intimidating, and full of opportunity. But too often, planners say yes without fully understanding the scope, expectations, and cultural responsibility that come with the work.

In this episode, Jessie Khaira speaks directly to wedding planners who are considering their first South Asian wedding, or who have already booked one and are feeling unsure. Drawing from her own experience, Jessie breaks down the three biggest mistakes planners tend to make and why those mistakes can lead to burnout, resentment, and damaged trust.

This is not an episode meant to scare planners away. It is meant to prepare them. South Asian weddings can be deeply rewarding to plan, but only when planners respect the complexity, the culture, and their own capacity.

If you are a planner who wants to show up confidently, price appropriately, and protect your reputation while doing meaningful work, this episode is essential listening.

Chapters
00:00 – Why this episode is for planners considering their first South Asian wedding
00:45 – Mistake #1: Underestimating the scope of the work
01:45 – Why South Asian weddings require emotional stamina, not just logistics
02:45 – Hospitality expectations and why service matters more than you think
03:45 – Mistake #2: Relying on the couple to teach you the culture
04:45 – Why cultural awareness builds trust and protects your role
05:45 – Regional differences and why assumptions cause problems
06:30 – Mistake #3: Undercharging and learning at your own expense
07:45 – How underpricing leads to resentment and burnout
08:45 – Knowing when you’re not ready yet and why that’s okay
09:45 – Respecting the work, the culture, and yourself

Connect with Jessie

Website: www.jessiekhaira.com

Instagram: @jessiekhaira

If you are planning a South Asian wedding, supporting someone who is, or working in this space as a planner, this podcast was created for you. Hit subscribe and join the conversation as we plan with clarity, confidence, and perspective.

If wedding planning feels heavier than you expected, there’s a reason for that.

In this episode, Jessie Khaira breaks down why South Asian wedding planning often carries emotional weight long before logistics become complicated. From unspoken expectations and hidden decision-makers to guilt, obligation, and cultural pressure, this conversation explores what’s really happening beneath the surface.

This is not an episode about budgets or timelines. It’s about understanding the emotional dynamics that make planning feel overwhelming, especially for first-generation couples navigating tradition, family roles, and modern expectations at the same time.

Whether you’re a planner supporting South Asian clients or a couple wondering why this process feels harder than it “should,” this episode offers clarity, validation, and perspective.

Chapters

00:00 – Why South Asian wedding planning feels heavy early on
01:05 – The emotional layers behind family involvement
02:30 – Hidden decision-makers and unspoken influence
04:10 – Money as meaning, not numbers
05:45 – Gratitude, guilt, and conflicting emotions
07:15 – First-generation identity and cultural tension
08:50 – The role of partners in family communication
10:20 – Why feeling overwhelmed does not mean you’re failing

Connect with Jessie

Website: www.jessiekhaira.com

Instagram: @jessiekhaira

If you are planning a South Asian wedding, supporting someone who is, or working in this space as a planner, this podcast was created for you. Hit subscribe and join the conversation as we plan with clarity, confidence, and perspective.

South Asian weddings are often misunderstood, oversimplified, and planned using systems that were never built to support them.

In this opening episode, Jessie Khaira explains why this podcast exists and what’s missing from mainstream wedding planning advice when it comes to South Asian and Indian weddings. From multi-day events and layered family dynamics to money conversations, cultural expectations, and boundaries planners are rarely taught to navigate, this episode sets the foundation for everything to come.

Whether you are a South Asian couple planning your wedding or a wedding planner entering the South Asian market, this episode will help you understand the realities behind the beauty and why feeling overwhelmed is not a failure. It is often a systems problem.

This is where perspective begins.

Chapters

00:00 – Why this podcast exists and who it’s really for

00:45 – Why South Asian weddings feel overwhelming before planning even starts

01:30 – The problem with “one-size-fits-all” wedding advice

02:15 – Why South Asian weddings are never just one event

03:00 – Culture, religion, and regional differences that matter

03:45 – Family dynamics and layered decision-making

04:30 – Why budgets and timelines often break down

05:15 – The emotional weight couples and families carry

06:00 – Where planners struggle when systems aren’t built for this work

06:45 – Boundaries, burnout, and the planner’s role

07:30 – Why these conversations are rarely talked about publicly

08:15 – What this podcast is here to offer moving forward

Connect with Jessie

Website: www.jessiekhaira.com

Instagram: @jessiekhaira

If you are planning a South Asian wedding, supporting someone who is, or working in this space as a planner, this podcast was created for you. Hit subscribe and join the conversation as we plan with clarity, confidence, and perspective.

The Planner’s Perspective with Jessie Khaira is a podcast about South Asian / Indian weddings told from the inside.

Wedding planner and educator Jessie Khaira breaks down the cultural dynamics, design decisions, family expectations, and money conversations that planners and couples are rarely prepared for.

This show goes beyond timelines and aesthetics to explore what really happens behind the scenes of multi-day South Asian weddings.

Created for planners navigating Indian weddings and couples planning one, this podcast delivers clarity, honesty, and real-world perspective.

Subscribe now and start planning with perspective.

Connect with Jessie

Website: www.jessiekhaira.com

Instagram: @jessiekhaira

If you are planning a South Asian wedding, supporting someone who is, or working in this space as a planner, this podcast was created for you. Hit subscribe and join the conversation as we plan with clarity, confidence, and perspective.