27: Money Moves, Wedding Scams & Saying No with Financial Expert Tori Dunlap

27: Money Moves, Wedding Scams & Saying No with Financial Expert Tori Dunlap

Author: Party Planning by Christa July 24, 2025 Duration: 48:26
What would you do if your dream wedding turned into a financial nightmare overnight?

In this jaw-dropping episode, Christa and financial expert, bestselling author of Financial Feminist, host of the #1 financial podcast for women, and founder of Her First $100K Tori Dunlap (@herfirst100k) dive into a listener’s wild story about ghosted coordinators, surprise charges, and maxed-out credit cards — all on the big day. You’ll learn exactly how to fight back when a venue drops the ball and your wallet pays the price.

Grab your notebook, because you’ll want to keep these must-know negotiation strategies in your back pocket for any big event.

My new book Here Comes the Drama: A Ferris and Sloan Story is live!

Get the book!

Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments

  • Wedding Venue Gone Wrong – Hear how one couple’s fairytale venue turned into a triple-coordinator fiasco.
  • Ghosted Before “I Do” – The shocking story of unanswered emails, no-shows, and last-minute coordinator swaps.
  • Surprise Costs & Credit Card Stress – Learn what happens when unexpected charges hit your wedding budget.
  • What You Can Actually Dispute – Tori explains how to use your credit card company as your best wedding ally.
  • Gather That Paper Trail – Christa and Tori share why documentation is the real wedding day MVP.
  • Negotiation is NOT “Being a Karen” – The difference between advocating for yourself vs. just complaining.
  • Know Your Rights as a Bride – Actionable advice on contracts, refunds, and holding vendors accountable.

About Tori:
Tori Dunlap is an internationally-recognized money and career expert, New York Times bestselling author, and podcast host. After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded Her First $100K to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money. She has helped over five million women negotiate salary, pay off debt, build savings, and invest. Author of the instant New York Times bestselling book “Financial Feminist”; host of the #1 Business Podcast, Financial Feminist; a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree; and co-creator of Treasury, an investing education platform that has over $100M invested (featured on New York Times Business front page), Tori's work has been featured on Good Morning America, TODAY, the New York Times, CNN, BBC and more. Tori now travels the world writing and speaking about personal finance, online businesses, and confidence for women.

*This conversation is for entertainment and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please seek a licensed professional for your specific situation.

Follow Tori Dunlap:


Join the Drama with Christa Innis:

Got Wedding Drama? We Want to Hear It!

Your stories make Here Comes the Drama what it is! Share your unforgettable wedding tales, hilarious mishaps, or unbelievable moments with us. Whether it’s a wild confession or a story worth a skit, we can’t wait to hear it.

Submit your story today: Story Submission Form

Follow us on social media for updates and sneak peeks at upcoming episodes. Your stories inspire the drama, the laughs, and the lessons we love to share!

A Team Dklutr Production

Ever feel like you're just one awkward family gathering or bizarre social encounter away from a full-blown story? That's the territory explored in Here Comes the Drama with Christa Innis. Hosted by Christa from Party Planning by Christa, this isn't your standard advice show. Instead, it's a deep and often hilarious dive into the messy, relatable, and downright strange situations that define our interactions with others. Each episode feels like a conversation with a clever friend who’s dissecting the latest spectacle, whether it’s sourced from real life, pop culture, or a memorable guest's personal archives. You’ll hear unfiltered discussions that blur the lines between leisure and social commentary, all delivered with a comedic touch that never shies away from the absurd. The charm of this podcast lies in its ability to find the universal thread in our most specific dramas-from relationship quirks and cultural obsessions to the simple comedy of trying to get through the day without a minor catastrophe. Tune in for a mix of solo reflections and interviews that are less about finding solutions and more about celebrating the glorious, complicated theater of everyday life. It’s the perfect companion for anyone who appreciates a good story and the shared laugh that comes from recognizing a piece of themselves in the chaos.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 67

Here Comes the Drama with Christa Innis
Podcast Episodes
22: Dress Codes, Divided Families & Day-Of Disasters With Lisa P. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:54
What happens when a dream wedding breaks more than just budgets?In this episode, Lisa Pontius shares how her whirlwind romance turned into a wedding that fractured friendships—literally.From unexpected parent fallout to…
21: Book Launch Day + A Wedding Party Meltdown You Won’t Believe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:39
What happens when a bride hates planning her own wedding, but demands a Vegas blowout and expects everyone else to make it magical?In this episode, I share my biggest milestone yet: the official launch of my debut book H…
18: Follow-up Story: My Future MIL Confronted Me in a Pantry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:07
What happens when your future mother-in-law corners you in the pantry to accuse you of ruining her son’s life? That’s exactly what went down in today’s jaw-dropping episode.We reconnect with an anonymous guest, who now r…
17: Baby Bumps, Brawls & Breaking the System with Payal Desai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:26
She wore the same color as the bride—intentionally. Payal Desai joins Christa for a no-holds-barred conversation on gender expectations, cultural clashes, and the wild moments that weddings bring out in people.From viral…
16: My Book Is Here! Q&A, Chapter Sneak Peek, & Wild Storytime [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:59
This week, Christa Innis takes the mic solo to share the exciting launch of her debut novel, Here Comes the Drama: A Ferris and Sloan Story. Based on her most viral wedding story skits, this book dives into the emotional…