Give It To Me Straight — Episode 67 Summary

Episode Title: Giving you weddings, plus ones, and distant friends
Release Date: September 2, 2025
Hosts: Alex and Jon
Theme: Unfiltered relationship advice, with a focus on weddings, plus-ones, and complicated friendships

Episode Overview

Alex and Jon, the candid husband-and-wife hosts, dive headfirst into all things wedding-related, from planning stress and vendor horror stories to navigating tricky etiquette situations with plus-ones, gifts, and evolving friendships. The duo, both former wedding filmmakers, leverage their firsthand and professional expertise throughout, bringing their signature banter and honest perspective to listener questions and personal stories.

Key Discussion Points

Setting the Scene: Stress, Sleep, and Snippy Moments

• The episode kicks off with banter about stress and sleep deprivation as the couple prepares for a baby and juggles their workload.
• Alex humorously describes the love-hate flux of long-term relationships:

  “Sometimes I look at you and I'm like, God, I want to punch you in the fucking face... But then 20 minutes later, I'll be like, wow, I love this person so much, but you just ruined that.” — Alex (00:00–04:14)

• They reflect on how impending parenthood and busy schedules exacerbate everyday irritations and arguments.

Marriage, Babies, and the “Enemy”

• Jon advocates for preventative health screening after a quick sidebar about his colonoscopy:

  "Guys, get your buttholes checked. I am serious. I am an advocate for colonoscopies." — Jon (08:27)

• Alex shares advice she’s encountered about post-baby relationship stress:

  “When we're arguing... we look at the baby and we go, she's the enemy. The baby is the enemy. And it's like... that's what changed in your relationship.” — Alex (10:20)

Wedding Planning: Personal Regrets, Lessons, and Vendor Dramas

• The couple answers listener questions and recounts their own wedding experiences, emphasizing the importance of certain splurges (like music and photography) and missteps (problematic vendors).
• Jon’s biggest wedding regret: hiring a flaky florist from Alex’s high school, who was late and failed to deliver as contracted:

  “I hope [her business] went into the ground because you're the worst.” — Jon (25:01)

• Alex’s biggest regret: opting for a big wedding rather than something more intimate, and skipping the “first look,” which cut into time spent with guests.
• Discussion of professional vendor recommendations, with a shout-out to 31 Films for their exceptional wedding videography (66:27).

Listener Q&A: Real-Life Wedding Dilemmas

1. Where to Save and Splurge (37:34):

• Save: Invitations, over-the-top florals.
• Splurge: Food, music, alcohol, photography, videography.

2. Gifts and Canceled Weddings (42:17):

• If you buy someone a wedding dress as a gift and the wedding is canceled, you shouldn’t expect anything back. “Once you give the gift, it’s out of your hands.” — Alex
• Spirited debate about whether to give another wedding gift if/when the recipient remarries.

3. Pregnant and Kicked from the Wedding Party (47:37):

• A listener is removed from a friend’s bridal party after revealing her pregnancy.
  • Alex: “This says more about her than it does about you. She might have saved you money, and years of a friendship that maybe wasn’t genuine.” (50:16)

4. Plus-Ones for Long-Term (But On-the-Rocks) Couples (51:28):

• Small wedding, unsure about inviting a best friend’s longtime boyfriend whom she’s thinking about breaking up with.
  • Verdict: Don't make exclusionary or arbitrary rules. “Tacky, immature... Let her bring her boyfriend.” — Jon (53:05)

5. No-Kids Weddings and Family Pushback (54:27):

• Striking a balance between cost, guest list, and child policies.
  • Alex: “You have to decide on the vibe of your wedding... It’s not about numbers. Kids vs. no kids makes for very different wedding vibes.” (56:23)
  • Jon: “You do what you want, but don’t let guests use their children as bargaining chips.”

6. Fading Friendships & Pulling Groomsmen Offers (59:21):

• Hosts agree it’s fine to withdraw a wedding party spot if the friendship has faded and efforts to reconnect go unreciprocated. “If he didn’t care, you’re fine.” — Jon (60:53)

7. Conflicting Family Events (61:39):

• Best man at a father’s fourth wedding vs. cousin’s family celebration on the same date.
  • Jon: “You already made your bed, lay in it... commit to what you agreed upon first.” (62:54)
  • Alex: “It’s important to him, you committed... the celebration with the cousin can happen another time.” (64:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On relationship volatility:

  “You’re so literally dramatic… Sometimes I look at you and I’m like, God, I want to punch you in the face. And other times… I love this person so much, but you just ruin that.” — Alex (03:49)

• On vendor horror stories:

  “How do you run a business?... She was starting out. But I mean, again, her florals that she did do, we fucked up.” — Jon & Alex (26:31)

• On band vs. DJ:

  “If you have a good budget for a really good band — a really good band will dominate. The thing is you need a band that's also playing modern music.” — Jon (38:53)

• On exclusion of plus-ones:

  “When people start cutting people out because of arbitrary reasons ‘not engaged yet,’ it just feels immature.” — Alex (52:57)

• On wedding day priorities:

  “You want people to be happy: good food, good drinks, good music. Everything else can be adjusted down.” — Alex (39:26)

• On friend drama over being pregnant:

  “This person is actually not your friend, so jealous. I would take inventory of my friendship with her.” — Alex (50:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–04:14 | Unfiltered marital bickering and daily stress | | 10:20 | Navigating stress as new parents — “baby is the enemy” | | 18:02 | Alex’s Invisalign saga | | 19:36 | Professional wedding filmmaking stories | | 24:25 | Wedding regrets — florists, big weddings, first look debate | | 37:34 | Wedding Q&A begins: Splurges and savings | | 42:17 | Gifts and canceled weddings debate | | 47:37 | Pregnancy and bridal party drama | | 51:28 | Plus-one etiquette for questionable relationships | | 54:27 | Kid-free weddings vs. family pressure | | 59:21 | Distant friends and rescinding wedding party invites | | 61:39 | Conflicting major family events: best man vs. cousin’s celebration | | 66:27 | Wedding vendor recommendation: 31 Films | | 67:10 | Alex’s “unexpected” wedding rec: Rosemary Parmesan bread from Costco |

Recommendations & Recap

• Top wedding vendor: 31 Films, for truly cinematic wedding videography (66:27)
• Best hot tip: Rosemary Parmesan bread from Costco is “life-changing” (67:10)
• Relationship takeaway: Communication, flexibility, and not being afraid to re-evaluate who’s worth investing energy in — whether family, friends, or vendors.
• Wedding planning wisdom: Focus on what lasts (photos, video, memories with guests) over fleeting details, and make choices true to your priorities, not others’ expectations.

TL;DR

Alex and Jon tackle the messiest, most sentimental, and most contentious pieces of wedding planning and relationships, mixing humor and experience. The recurring message: your wedding (and life!) should reflect what you value most — and don’t be afraid to set boundaries, let go of fading relationships, and enjoy the ride (and the bread).

For more, follow Give It To Me Straight Podcast on all platforms, or submit your own anonymous questions for Alex and Jon’s straight-shooting advice!