The Wedding Industrial Complex

The Wedding Industrial Complex

Author: Religion News Service May 14, 2026 Duration: 43:20
Were Weddings Always This...Extra?In our parents' generation, most weddings took place in a house of worship, followed by a cake and punch reception in the basement or a local VFW hall, and everyone was decked out in polyester. No one was going for a "viral moment," and videographers and photo booths weren't a thing. But something shifted in Roxy's and Katelyn's lifetimes: today, many couples feel every detail of their wedding needs to reflect their unique personalities, and the wedding industry has exploded, to the tune of $1 trillion globally in 2025. No wonder wedding planning feels by turns fun and exhausting. In this episode, as Katelyn prepares for her July wedding, and producer Jonathan prepares for his September one, we reflect on the pressures women, especially, face as they prepare; what values guide our planning; and how to stay present on the Big Day (pro tip: get a day-of coordinator if you can!).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Saved by the City, hosts Roxy and Katelyn explore a spiritual journey that defies expectations. Produced by Religion News Service, this podcast delves into their personal experiences of moving from the white evangelical heartland into the heart of a major metropolis, a transition they were told would threaten their faith. Instead of finding a spiritual wasteland, they discovered a complex, challenging, and ultimately enriching landscape that forced them to re-examine everything. Each episode is a conversation about navigating belief in a place where Sunday mornings look different and old certainties are constantly questioned. They talk about the surprising ways their faith has been both strengthened and stretched by urban life, confronting topics from community and service to doubt and belonging. This isn't a theoretical discussion; it's grounded in the real, sometimes messy, day-to-day life of seeking purpose and connection in a city that never sleeps. The podcast offers honest reflections for anyone who has ever felt their beliefs were too small for the world they inhabit, proving that sometimes faith doesn't need to be sheltered to survive-it needs to be tested to truly grow. Tune in for candid stories and insights that resonate far beyond city limits.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Saved by the City
Podcast Episodes
Truth or Dare: Evangelical Edition + Erin Hicks Moon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:22
Were you more of a truth person or a dare person? On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy revisit some of the Capital T-truths of their youth group days and dare to say "maybe I don't believe that anymore." From hell to dinosa…
Empathy Is Now a Sin? Really? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:51
It's toxic. It's sinful. It's compassion corrupted. It's ruining the world and is definitely at the root of all the bad things. What is this fresh evil? Empathy, of course! Or so says a growing faction of Christians with…
Can We Love the Bible Again? + Kaitlyn Schiess [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
Core memory: flipping the Bible open to a random page, pointing with eyes closed to a verse, and "claiming" that verse as God's answer to the particular problem of that day. Whew. Where did we get that idea? On this epis…
Our Roasts and Toasts of 2024 + Tiffany Bluhm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:40
Gather 'round with your marshmallows and cups of cheer, it's that time of year to send good tidings and spiced takes. No, that's not a typo, though maybe you can have your cake and eat it too with this year's roasts and…
Living in the Limbo (aka: Advent) + Stephanie Duncan Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:57
The days are getting short. The nights are getting long. Christ has come but he'll also come again. We're in the now and the not yet. We're waiting, preparing, standing guard. Y'all it's Advent. And this year, we are liv…
Ready or Not, Trump 2.0 + Tim Alberta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:52
Were you surprised by this year's presidential election results? On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy examine some of the major stories — religion and otherwise — to come out of exit polls. Hello rightward drifting young me…
Divorce and Remarriage + Melissa Moore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:33
And yet, there are so many of us who have gone through a divorce and found love again. This week, Roxy talks about the many jagged edges of divorce and the long healing process. Katelyn asks: How can you be a good friend…
Whoopsie-Daisy! Our Tales of Cringe & Regret [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:15
Life is no straight and narrow path and we've taken a few ill-advised turns. On this episode, Katelyn and Roxy reflect on our smallest and biggest whoopsie daisies. Well, not all of them. We have a few categories to guid…
Red Light, Green Light: Church Edition + Adelle M. Banks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:45
What's spookier than a coffee hour full of strangers? Katelyn is on the road toward the midwest and a new city means a new church. But how to find the perfect match? It's no easy task and Roxy is here to help — with a su…