Becoming Gold
45 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 months ago -Ever wanted to take a married couple out for coffee to hear their story, wisdom, and advice? You've come to the right place.
Listen in as married couples retell their love story, reveal their own journey of refinement as they help each other get to heaven, and share personal relationship advice for others navigating the fire and beauty of marriage, too. This is becoming gold.
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
44: What Our Wedding Photos Mean to Us Now
May 03, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 76.8 MBYour wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye. After the cake's eaten and your guests go home, the only things you really have to remember the first day of your marriage are the memories of the day and the photos to back them up. Join us on a walk down memory lane where Kathleen and I talk about what it was like getting our photos soon after our wedding days, how the photos have helped our marriages, and what they mean to us now years later. This is an especially great listen if you're...
43: What Makes a Good Date?
April 19, 2023 09:07 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBWhat's the hallmark of a good date? What does dating in marriage look like? What does dating DO for your marriage? Kathleen and I explore all these things and more in this episode. I've looked up to Kathleen as a date-your-spouse pro and loved hearing her insights into what being pursued by her husband and showing interest in him on a regular basis has done for her marriage. After all, The Catholic Date Night was born out of their natural desire to see spouses enjoy each other's company an...
42: Cultivating Friendship with Your Spouse
March 22, 2023 21:47 - 1 hour - 90.3 MBFriendship includes shared hobbies and interests, but it goes much deeper than that. What does friendship in marriage actually mean? What do you do if you don’t feel like you’re friends with your spouse? There’s definitely work required to cultivate true friendship with each other, but that effort leads to joy and intimacy — and who doesn’t want that in their marriage?? Kathleen and I explore what it means to see your spouse as a mystery, the special access you have to your spouse that...
41: When You're the First Ones Married with Jason & Laura Smith
March 15, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 116 MBFrom meeting as teenagers on a NET team to now almost 15 years of marriage, Jason & Laura Smith have really grown up together. They were the first of their friends to get married and figure out what “building a life together” really meant. In this episode, Jason & Laura share about how they started dating the day NET ended (literally), the long-distance challenges they faced as they dated, and what being newlyweds and university students at the same time was like — and that’s just the fi...
40: 7 Things We'd Tell Our 22-Year-Old Selves About Relationships
March 08, 2023 10:00 - 57 minutes - 78.9 MBKathleen and I became friends in our early twenties and saw each other go THROUGH IT with dating relationships, y’all. With a decade in between our meeting and now, it seemed fitting to look back and reflect on what we’ve learned about relationships and how we’d share those lessons with our 22-year-old selves. And if you hear a baby while you listen that’s just our tiny third host of the show, Mary ♥️ This episode is brought to you by The Catholic Date Night. Find out more at thecat...
39: Through the Highs & Lows — 33 Years of Marriage! with Marnie & Glenn Wynans
March 01, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 89.6 MBMarnie & Glenn Wynans share the story of their 33-year-long marriage, a relationship tested through fire after being thrown into the depths of their vows right away. From a wedding day they wanted to redo, to living in a tiny trailer as newlyweds, to learning what it meant to rely on God wholeheartedly, these two have been through the highs and lows of life together. Marnie & Glenn talk about what it was like walking through multiple miscarriages, the longing to fill their home with ch...
38: Growing in Faith with Your Spouse
February 22, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBI’m joined by Kathleen LeBlanc from The Catholic Date Night to chat through the ever-changing and ongoing adventure of growing in faith with your spouse. It’s easy to pigeonhole spiritual growth into one area, but the journey to heaven involves every part of ourselves integrating and becoming whole. We share our experiences focusing on our own path to holiness, how we’re living that out in each of our marriages, as well as how we encourage our spouses in their relationships with Christ a...
37: An Irish-Canadian Long-Distance Love Story with Shane & Sarah Fitzsimons
February 15, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 84.3 MBIn a long-distance relationship? You’re gonna want to listen to this. In this episode, Shane & Sarah Fitzsimons share the grand adventures God invited them into as individuals and the truly incredible way those journeys had them cross paths. From a first meeting that one of them hardly remembers to essentially swapping places in their respective home countries, Shane & Sarah learned a lot about themselves and how to make long-distance love work. This Irish-Canadian romance shows how much b...
36: Ready for Valentine's Day?
February 08, 2023 10:00 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBI'm joined by Kathleen LeBlanc from The Catholic Date Night to chat all about the occasion coming up: Valentine's Day. Should it be a big deal? Does it get a bad rap sometimes? Do we even do anything for it anymore?? With just under a week to go until Valentine's Day, now's the time to check in with your significant other about what you're both expecting (or not expecting) for the festivities and we share why we want to manage expectations for the well-being of our marriages. And in ca...
35: Can You Use Your Wedding to Evangelize? with Real Bride Phylicia Aalbers
June 28, 2022 09:30 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBSpoiler alert: the answer is YES. There is so much beauty, truth, and goodness in a wedding day and you can absolutely use this occasion to share that in an intentional way with not only your non-Catholic guests, but *everyone* involved in the day! Listen to my chat with recently married bride Phylicia Aalbers and hear all about how she and her now-husband started thinking about this exact thing from the beginning of their engagement. WANT A SIMPLE WAY TO EVANGELIZE AT YOUR WEDDING...
34: The BEST Birthday Tradition + ANNOUNCEMENT
June 07, 2022 23:02 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBThis is my FAVOURITE way to reflect on my birthday: the Birthday 3-2-1. In this episode, I share where I learned about it, what it is exactly, and my actual 3-2-1 from my recent birthday. I also make an ANNOUNCEMENT that if you're reading this description you can just glance down below and see what it is... but you'll have to listen to hear about why I'm doing it :) I'm Laura-Anne Smid and I simplify engagement so Catholic brides can focus on preparing for marriage instead of being overwhe...
33: Creating an Experience for Your Guests
June 02, 2022 09:00 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBYou know you've got to plan the logistical things, like what time you're getting married at and when your dress alterations need to be done by, but what about planning for your guests? Have you thought about what they're going to experience from the invitation through to last call? Taking care of your loved ones is part of planning a wedding feast! In this video from the Becoming Gold community archives, I talk about my experience planning the experience for the retreat I help with each ye...
32: What does it mean to be a wife?
May 17, 2022 09:30 - 9 minutes - 8.77 MBThere's a lot out there about what a wife does or should do, but what does it mean to actually BE a wife? In this episode, I share what I believe is one of the main things to focus on in your preparation to be a wife. This was originally recorded for the Becoming Gold community back in March and it was such a great conversation that I wanted to share it with you, too! I'm Laura-Anne Smid and I simplify engagement so Catholic brides can focus on preparing for marriage instead of being ove...
31: Surrendering Your Wedding with Real Bride Danica McKinnon
May 11, 2022 17:48 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBIn this episode, Danica shares her experience of planning the wedding of her dreams... and then giving up every single expectation she had along the way. Her wedding happened in the midst of the pandemic, but the lessons she learned about surrendering her plans apply to every bride. If you're feeling frustrated that plans have had to change or you just want everything to go as perfectly as you've always envisioned for your wedding, listen in. The Surrender Novena: https://catholicexchan...
30: Preparing for a New Life Together
April 19, 2022 23:42 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBHappy Easter!! And what a better time than this season of new life to talk about preparing for a new life together as you get ready to enter into marriage. In this episode, I share 3 ways to help you do exactly that in your final stretch of engagement. I’m Laura-Anne Smid and I help Catholic couples navigate engagement so they are present & prepared for their wedding day and life as newlyweds. WEBSITE: https://laura-anne.ca/ FREE DOWNLOAD: SETTING EXPECTATIONS https://view.flodesk.com/...
29: Life Chat with Laura-Anne
March 23, 2022 01:30 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBIt's been a hot MINUTE since I just got to chat with you so today's episode is exactly that, a life chat. I talk about something Brandon and I are doing for Lent and how it's going, the women's gathering I'm helping with in April, and how my BG community is lighting up my life right now. Register for Graves into Gardens (closes Friday March 25 2022): https://www.liferestoration.ca/womensgathering Abiding Together Podcast: https://www.abidingtogetherpodcast.com/ Email me to tell me what...
28: What You SHOULD Spend Money On for Your Wedding with Real Bride Risabella McCormack
March 17, 2022 09:30 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBMy friend Risa & I chat about all the things you SHOULD spend money on for your wedding. Spoiler alert: your priorities are really the best way to determine what those things are ;) FREE DOWNLOAD: Setting Expectations GET THE WEDDING GUIDE: https://laura-anne.ca/the-wedding-guide Get a FREE MONTH of YNAB (You Need a Budget App) Want to see Risa's backyard wedding? Click here. CONTACT LAURA: https://laura-anne.ca/
27: Wedding Timeline Walkthrough
March 09, 2022 01:58 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBThere's more to a wedding day than showing up at your ceremony. You need to plan everything that's happening! Of course, you don't need to run the show — in fact, you should *definitely* have someone helping (like a wedding planner, co-ordinator, or a friend who's job is exactly that) — but you do need to know where you need to be and when. In this episode I walk you through a generic timeline for a wedding day that has a 1pm Catholic wedding mass. GET THREE CATHOLIC WEDDING TIMELINE T...
26: How to Make Your Guest List + WHY it's important!
March 01, 2022 10:30 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBWhere do you even START when it comes to making the list of who's gonna be at your wedding?? Here, that's where ;) I share why having guests is important at your wedding and then practical tips about how to get that list to a number you're happy with. Please note, I shared this to help people who are getting married everywhere, not just where I live, which currently has restrictions on weddings because of the situation the last two years, so I feel it's important to add this: The cel...
25: Real Married Couple Christina & Brad Burt
February 22, 2022 10:45 - 1 hour - 64.1 MBEver wanted to take a married couple out for coffee to hear their story, wisdom, and advice? Listen in as Christina & Brad retell their love story, reveal their own journey of refinement as they help each other get to heaven, and share what they've learned for others navigating the fire and beauty of marriage, too. #thisisbecominggold I’m Laura-Anne Smid and I help Catholic couples navigate engagement so they are present & prepared for their wedding day and life as newlyweds. Websi...
24: 3 Tips to Manage Family's Expectations for Your Wedding
February 16, 2022 01:45 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBI'm sharing 3 tips to manage family's expectations for your wedding and the first one doesn't even include them 🙃 I know family can be complicated, but these tips will help you get ahead of common frustrations that come up so you can reach your wedding day at peace with each other! FREE DOWNLOAD: SETTING EXPECTATIONS I’m Laura-Anne Smid and I help Catholic couples navigate engagement so they are present & prepared for their wedding day and life as newlyweds. Website: https://laura-anne....
23: Prepare for Marriage by Doing THIS
February 08, 2022 10:30 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBAre you overwhelmed by all the things you need to do for your wedding day? Do you feel like planning your wedding is distracting you from preparing for marriage? Are you tired of planning and just want to be married already? Those are normal things to feel. But it doesn’t have to be this way! I’m going to show you how the thing you’re spending so much time on can actually help you prepare for marriage, which is the thing you probably want to do more of right now, anyway. Mentioned: T...
22: The Beauty of the Season You're In
July 28, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBIn this episode, I read a blog post from November of 2016 about being single, just weeks before being invited to move back to Langley... and meeting my husband. Focusing on the beauty of the season I'm currently in has been a big part of my prayer life lately and this flashback to what life was like as I waited on the season I'm in now was WILD. A definitely must-listen if you're single, but really if you're waiting on anything coming next in life, this is for you. On a side note, I'm star...
21: A Pre-Wedding Pep Talk
July 14, 2021 09:30 - 9 minutes - 8.76 MBThis episode is full of encouragement for engaged couples in that last week before you say your vows. I share some practical advice for the lead-up to the wedding day, as well as some inspiration for when the enemy might try getcha down - because he doesn't like marriage and you're in his line of fire right now. I'm praying for you! Find me on Instagram over @lauraannesmid And check out my blog for more stories of generation changers like yourself: https://laura-anne.ca/blog/
20: 8 Tips for Your First Year of Marriage
July 07, 2021 09:00 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MBIn this episode, I’m giving you 8 tips for your first year of marriage. A lot of these are based on things Brandon and I did, aaaand a few of them are based on things we did not and wish we had done, so learn from our mistakes and take these and apply them to your relationship! Mentioned in the show: The Marriage Journal from Beating 50 Percent. Episode 18 for budgeting, and I accidentally said 18 again but I meant episode 17 if you want to hear about our weekly check in! Liturgy of ...
19: Being Your Spouse's Biggest Cheerleader with Jesse & Kathleen LeBlanc
June 30, 2021 21:38 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBDoes the love of your life know you support their dreams? Do they even know what your dreams are?? In this episode I chat with Jesse & Kathleen LeBlanc from Found Together about what it looks like to dream with your spouse and be the best cheerleader for their dreams, too. These two have hands-on experience as they've just released their first single, Home, and will be releasing the rest of their EP later this year; a long-time dream come true. You can find Jesse & Kathleen over on their...
18: Our Journey to Budgeting Bliss
June 23, 2021 08:30 - 21 minutes - 31.8 MBMoney used to be one of the most difficult subjects for me to talk about, so the fact that I'm doing a podcast on it is WILD to me. In this episode, I share about my relationship with money, how I avoided looking at my finances to my own detriment, and what I did to finally have a healthy understanding of money and get out of debt. I use an app called You Need a Budget and if you click that link you'll get a free month trial as well as an additional free month if you sign up (and I get on...
17: Supporting a Spouse with Depression
June 16, 2021 07:30 - 22 minutes - 32.4 MBDepression has shown up for both myself and my husband, Brandon. In this episode, I share how he supported me when I was at my lowest a few years ago and what I've learned to do to best support him, too. I hope our personal experience with depression in our marriage is helpful; know that there is ALWAYS hope even on the darkest days. Got questions on this topic for me? Find me on Instagram @lauraannesmid and ask away.
16: Embracing the Beginning with Hailey McIlmoyle
June 09, 2021 09:30 - 39 minutes - 48.2 MBNo one starts their marriage as an expert in love. Hailey McIlmoyle and I chat about what being a beginner in love and married life looks like, how she's sharing her experience learning to make a home for her family along the way, and the need we all have for connection on the journey of life (aka putting the social back in social media). You can find Hailey over at @making.mcilmoyle on Instagram. PS. There's a bit of an audio quality issue in this episode thanks to the Zoom recording.....
15: The Biggest Lessons I've Learned from a Decade of Weddings
June 02, 2021 22:13 - 15 minutes - 26.2 MBAfter a year off from the show, I’m back and ready to see what God has in store! I can’t wait to get it started with a little walk down memory lane into the last decade of my life… my wedding photographer life, that is. I recently celebrated 10 years of documenting weddings and I'm sharing some of the biggest lessons I've learned thanks to the incredible couples I've been able to serve this past decade. Post a screen shot of you listening on social media and tag me @lauraannesmid so I can ...
14: Marriage & Motherhood with Sr Miriam James Heidland
June 23, 2020 08:30 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBIn this conversation with my friend Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, we talk about how we're ALL made for marriage with God. The goal in life is communion with God in heaven, so no matter our Vocation, we're made for marriage. That longing and desire for marriage is therefore good, keeping us looking at the eternal aspect of life while we live out our days on earth. One of those earthly things? Motherhood. Sr Miriam shares beautiful insight into what motherhood entails - and it's not just...
13: Dealing with Difficulty in Your Engagement
May 05, 2020 09:00 - 17 minutes - 22 MBWhen Brandon and I were engaged, a lot of things went sideways. We had work issues, mental health challenges, and needed a new wedding venue less than three months before our wedding. We dealt with a lot during our engagement and I know if you're engaged right now you're dealing with a lot WITHOUT a pandemic thrown in the mix - and now you're dealing with that, too. This episode is a bit of encouragement to keep going and some practical advice on how to deal with different difficulties that ...
12: Wedding Memories with Liz Hughes
April 28, 2020 09:30 - 50 minutes - 52.3 MBA walk down memory lane with my friend & assistant photographer of five years, Liz Hughes! We talk about how Liz began on my team as an intern, reminisce about our time travelling across the country together, and share how we've grown and what we've learned from photographing weddings over the years. Ways to Support the Show Check out the Becoming Gold Shop! Your purchase helps keep the podcast going ♥️ Leave a rating and a review to help get this show into more people’s lives! Take...
11: Phil & Amy Morin
April 21, 2020 09:30 - 54 minutes - 56.1 MBPhil & Amy Morin live in Calgary, AB with their four beautiful kids. I lived around the corner (and down a bit) from them when I was in Calgary and got to hear these stories for the first time at their dinner table! Hearing them retell how they met (and how Phil started dating someone else two weeks later), how they got to know each other in a very real friendship (including a summer-long mission!), and what being engaged was really like (as well as Phil's foiled proposal plan) was so much f...
BONUS: Your Wedding in a Pandemic
April 07, 2020 08:00 - 6 minutes - 11.9 MBEven if I’m not photographing your wedding, I’m praying for you as you prepare for marriage and now possibly navigate what to do about your wedding day if it’s falling on a date that makes a large gathering of people impossible. Or, potentially impossible. This bonus episode outlines the options you have as you figure out what to do. It's a lot to be thinking about and I couldn't possibly fit everything in, so if you need someone to talk to I'm happy to chat - send me a message on Instagra...
10: Your Relationship in a Pandemic
April 07, 2020 08:00 - 17 minutes - 21.9 MBNever thought that'd be the title of any episode! Instead of shying away from talking about COVID-19, I’m marking this unprecedented time on the podcast and wading through it with you, hoping that what I have to offer is helpful for you and your spouse - not just during quarantine but for the rest of your relationship, too. In this show I'm updating you on what life's like for Brandon & I these days as well as sharing questions you can be asking each other as you adjust to this new normal....
9: Gabe & Kaylene Dipple
March 31, 2020 08:00 - 58 minutes - 59.4 MBGabe and Kaylene Dipple met when they were just little kids and it was when Gabe barely hit puberty that he knew he loved her. Not so much for Kaylene, though, and their relationship took a few years - and a couple of years apart - to become official. Listen in on their retelling of the ups and downs along the way, the relationship they each cultivated with God before they got together, and how their faith has been the key to navigating infertility in their marriage now. WAYS TO SUPPORT T...
8: The 5 Love Languages
March 24, 2020 03:48 - 12 minutes - 17.4 MBI know life is very different these days. I’m doing my best to walk the line between talking about COVID-19 and connecting with you about something OTHER than COVID-19, so for this episode I’m going to talk about something that’s NOT coronavirus specific but might very well help you get through this time. I’m all for staying informed - as well as staying home - but a break from the constant stream of information is nice, so today I’m keeping things short to briefly introduce you to the five ...
7: How to Prepare to Meet Your Spouse
March 17, 2020 09:30 - 19 minutes - 24.1 MBToday I’m talking all about what I did to prepare to meet Brandon, even if I wasn’t fully aware that that was what I was doing. Before I get too much further I want to say this episode MIGHT sound like it’s just for single people, but if you’re married I think this is a great chance to reflect on what you did in life before meeting your spouse that helped you AND what you’d tell someone to do while they’re single, too. I’m sharing not just what I did, but the things I wish I’d done as well. ...
6: Benjamin & Megan Turland
March 09, 2020 22:24 - 39 minutes - 41.7 MBBenjamin and Megan Turland have been married for almost five years and have three kids under three and a half. Their marriage began with an adventure leading a mission in the Amazon and hasn’t slowed down since - except in the last six months. We talk about how they started reigning in the pace of life, what it’s been like becoming parents and navigating a pregnancy loss in the midst of everything, and how St Joseph played a pivotal role in their relationship right from the beginning. Hear...
5: Nathaniel & Drew Wynans
March 03, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 50 MBNathaniel & Drew Wynans hired me to photograph their wedding and we’re still friends two and a half years later! Nathaniel is a dispatcher for BC Ambulance and a volunteer firefighter, while Drew is on maternity leave from teaching. At the time of recording they were 37 weeks pregnant, but baby girl Avila has made her arrival since then and she is CUTE. In this episode we talk about how Drew & Nathaniel navigated dating and engagement at a young age, and what it was like being some of the ...
4: Joseph & Marion San Jose
February 24, 2020 21:19 - 52 minutes - 53.5 MBJoseph & Marion SanJose are an integral part of the Catholic Christian Outreach community, even if Joe’s the only one with an official job title there. I met them through CCO one way or another and they graciously said yes to leading worship at adoration the night before my wedding. This conversation had me bursting to share all the authentic and down to earth ways they shared themselves with me and I’m so glad you’re listening to it now. We talk about the beautiful, romantic, like somethi...
3: Date Yourself
February 24, 2020 21:15 - 17 minutes - 21.6 MBI’m getting real real here and telling you the story of my very first date and what that relationship from literally 10 years ago taught me. I didn’t know it at the time, and it took until after that relationship ended for me to really act on that lesson, but it shaped my life in a way that I know helped prepare me to meet Brandon, but also just helped me grow as a person in general. This episode also includes the story of my reversion to the Catholic faith, and while I’m a little nervous to...
2: Jesse & Kathleen LeBlanc
February 24, 2020 20:50 - 46 minutes - 48.8 MBJesse & Kathleen LeBlanc helped shape my view of relationships because I had a front row seat to their whole story. I knew Jesse before either of us knew Kathleen and I lived with Kathleen for a few years, so I figured they were a great first couple to have on the show. They’re also incredible worship leaders and have a band called A Guy and A Girl - check them out on instagram here. We talked about the early days when they met just as musician friends, how they ended up together, and the ...
1: This is Becoming Gold
February 24, 2020 20:15 - 12 minutes - 17.5 MBIt’s here, the very first episode of Becoming Gold! I’m Laura and in this episode I’m telling you a bit of my story; how I got started in wedding photography, why I changed how I did business, and how I knew I wanted to start this podcast. Let's go. Want to support this mission? Check out the Becoming Gold shop, full of reminders of the beauty in refinement on the road to heaven: http://laura-anne.ca/shop Find out more about me here: http://laura-anne.ca/ Follow along & say hey...