This week on What Couples Want, we’re bringing you a rapid-fire rundown of the actual shifts that hit the wedding world in the first week of January 2026. From social media algorithm chaos to AI tool launches, this isn’t your average trends recap.

Whether you're a wedding planner, photographer, florist, or creative vendor, this episode is essential for keeping up with the current consumer market trends.

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Website: northandsouthagency.com

Leave a review or DM us what trend shocked you most!

Source List:

The Knot Worldwide – 2026 Trends to Watch

CNN Business – TikTok will split algorithm in US deal

Vogue – Would You Hire a Content Creator for Your Wedding?

WTOP News – Gen Z Changes the Wedding Game

Business Insider – The Wedding-Industrial Complex Is Under Pressure

The Knot 2026 Trends Report

PR Newswire – Shane Co. Survey: The Swift Effect

Easy Weddings – January Engagement Boom

Easy Weddings – January Engagement Boom

Harper’s Bazaar – Engagements Aren’t a Surprise Anymore

WWD – David’s Bridal Launches Pearl AI Wedding Planner

The Knot – AI Wedding Planning Tools Announcement

The Tulsa Wedding Show – KnotBot.ai Debut

White Glove Wedding Guide – Official Site

You’re setting goals. You’re building a vision board. You’re planning the year ahead.

But before you do any of that, there’s one thing that matters more than every resolution combined.

Couples aren’t searching the way they used to. They’re opening ChatGPT and asking who they should book. And if AI can’t understand your business, it can’t recommend you.

In this episode of What Couples Want, we are joined by special guest Jon Mest from ChatRank and Just Reach Out to break down why PR looks different in 2026, how AI decides which wedding vendors show up, and why visibility needs to come before goals, content calendars, or shiny new strategies.

This is the episode to listen to before you plan your year.

ChatRank can be found here : chatrank.ai

Just Reach Out can be found here : justreachout.io

Why this episode matters right now Engagement season is at its peak, couples are actively planning, and more of them are using AI tools like ChatGPT to decide who to book.

This episode breaks down what wedding vendors need to prioritize before setting goals, launching new offers, or building content plans for the year ahead.

This episode is for you if:

– You’re a wedding creative planning your goals for the year

– You’ve invested in marketing but still feel invisible

– You’re curious how ChatGPT and AI tools recommend vendors

– You want to focus on what actually moves the needle before setting resolutions

Before you plan your year: Ask the AI Wedding Vendor Assistant how it would describe your business. If the answer feels unclear, generic, or wrong, this episode explains why and what to do next.

What Couples Want explores how modern couples discover, evaluate, and book wedding vendors in a changing digital landscape.

Powered by: North + South Agency

North + South Agency is a marketing and AI visibility studio helping wedding vendors understand how couples discover and choose vendors in a changing search landscape.

Through education, content, and research-driven insights, we explore how tools like ChatGPT, search engines, and emerging AI platforms influence visibility, authority, and decision-making during the wedding planning process.

What does it actually take to get published as a wedding photographer?

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Hensley Phillips, an Atlanta-based wedding photographer whose work has been featured everywhere from Green Wedding Shoes to British Vogue.

British Vogue was the highlight. The grind was the story.

Kate breaks down the raw, behind-the-scenes journey. The rejection emails. The unpaid work. The years of submitting. The moment she changed her mind about paid features. And the systems, strategy, and business decisions that ultimately led to high-end clients and almost five-figure starting packages.

What We Cover:

• Why getting published is a system, not luck
• The truth about paid vs unpaid features (and why transparency matters)
• How cultural relevance (Little Women, Barbie, trend timing) impacts editorial decisions
• What editors actually look for in submissions
• How rejection played a role in long-term growth
• The uncomfortable 4–6K pricing phase nobody talks about
• How Kate transitioned from volume bookings to high-end, intentional work
• Why preferred vendor lists still matter
• What photographers should focus on early vs later in their careers

Guest Spotlight Kate Hensley Phillips

Kate is an Atlanta-based wedding photographer known for her film-inspired, documentary-forward approach. Her work emphasizes authentic moments, timeless imagery, and intentional storytelling. After eight years in the industry, Kate has built a business rooted in clarity, strategy, and sustainability.

Connect with Kate:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katehensphillips
• Website: https://katehensleyphillips.com

Hosted By North + South Agency

North + South Agency is a marketing agency specializing in AI visibility for wedding professionals. They help creatives move beyond Instagram-only marketing and build sustainable, search-driven visibility that attracts aligned, high-value clients.

Connect with North + South Agency:

• Website: https://northandsouthagency.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northandsouthagency
• AI Visibility Report: https://northandsouthagency.com/ai-visibility-report

If you’ve ever thought, “Who even am I to be published?” this episode is your reminder that success in this industry is built, not handed out.

The work matters. The strategy matters. And none of it happens overnight.