Wedding planning is supposed to be joyful, but anyone who’s lived it knows it can also be overwhelming, emotional, and downright exhausting. Ishana gets into a conversation with two close friends, Rachel and Charlotte, who have already survived the wedding planning journey. From navigating cultural traditions and destination logistics to managing budgets, family expectations, and guest list drama, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to plan a wedding without losing yourself in the process. Whether you’re newly engaged, deep in planning mode, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes reality, this episode offers honest insights, practical lessons, and reassuring reminders that you’re not alone, and that it’s all worth it in the end.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Wedding planning realities

(03:00) - Cultural wedding decisions

(06:00) - Choosing wedding locations

(09:00) - Destination wedding logistics

(12:00) - Guest travel considerations

(15:00) - Picking wedding dates

(18:00) - Religious ceremony planning

(21:00) - Budget versus dream wedding

(24:00) - Vendor cost surprises

(27:00) - Food decor priorities

(30:00) - Guest list boundaries

(33:00) - Family expectations dynamics

(36:00) - Wedding planning stressors

(39:00) - What went wrong moments

(42:00) - Support systems advice

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, Wedding planning stress, destination wedding advice, managing wedding budgets, guest list boundaries, cultural wedding traditions

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

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Mona and Minali have a deeply honest and insightful conversation with Amy Van Dorp, Executive Director of WithIt. They explore the reality of caregiving, motherhood, and career decisions through the lived experience of Amy. From navigating multiple careers to raising three children, one with special needs, Amy shares what balance really looks like behind the scenes. This conversation dives into working motherhood, financial trade-offs, mom guilt, special needs advocacy, and the power of building strong support systems. With wisdom, vulnerability, and encouragement for new and seasoned parents alike, this episode reframes success, leadership, and self-care through the lens of caregiving. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to “do it all,” this episode will remind you that grace, not perfection, is the real goal.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – Why “balance” is a myth for working parents

(03:00) – Freelancing, childcare costs, and early career tradeoffs

(04:00) – Navigating special needs diagnoses and caregiving logistics

(09:00) – Social pressure, grief, and redefining success as a parent

(11:00) – Mom guilt, resilience, and giving kids individual attention

(13:00) – Self-care, support systems, and asking for help

(14:30) – Advice to younger parents: give yourself grace

(16:00) – Resources, employment programs, and advocacy for special needs adults

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, Caregiving and Career Decisions, Working Motherhood, Special Needs Parenting, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Women in Leadership, Mentorship for Women, WITHIT Organization, Freelancing as a Parent, Childcare Cost Tradeoffs, Mom Guilt, Parental Resilience, Servant Leadership, Self-Care for Caregivers, Parenting Through Life Stages, Support Systems for Families, Special Needs Resources, Project Search Program, Advocacy for Special Needs Adults, Leadership Lessons from Caregiving

Mentions:

Amy’s Website: https://withit.org/

Amy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyvandorp

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

Start a conversation at https://threetakes.com/

DM us on Instagram (@three.takes) at https://www.instagram.com/three.takes/

Mona, Minali and Ishana go deep into why rest feels so difficult, even when we desperately crave it. They unpack the guilt, pressure, and cultural conditioning that make slowing down feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. Through honest stories across three generations, they explore how productivity culture, comparison, and the fear of stillness shape our relationship with rest. You'll hear insights from Sandra Dalton-Smith’s seven types of rest, learn how play can be restorative, and reflect on the subtle ways burnout shows up in women’s lives. This episode challenges the myth that rest is laziness and instead reframes it as a vital, multidimensional form of self-preservation. By the end, you’ll feel empowered to rethink what rest looks like, and what it could look like for you.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Defining Generational Rest Attitudes

(06:00) - Seven Types Of Rest

(09:00) - Creative And Spiritual Rejuvenation

(12:00) - Confronting Stillness And Thoughts

(15:00) - Burnout Pressures On Women

(18:00) - Sensory Awareness During Downtime

(21:00) - Residency Struggles With Rest

(24:00) - Redefining Productivity Through Rest

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, rest guilt, women and burnout, seven types of rest, productivity culture, mental and emotional rest

Mentions:

Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton- Smith, MD

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

Start a conversation at https://threetakes.com/

DM us on Instagram (@three.takes) at https://www.instagram.com/three.takes/