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This week's topics: custom wedding signage, wedding installations, wedding welcome signs, wedding seating charts, wedding guest experience, wedding design, wedding décor, Seattle wedding vendors, On the Wall Design Studio, Wedding Day Podcast
On the latest episode of Wedding Day Podcast, Iron Diamond Media CEO Sonja Babich and Washington Wedding Day Editorial Director Alexis Sanabria sat down with Tamara Berndt, owner of Seattle-based On the Wall Design Studio, to discuss how her handcrafted installations blend artistry, engineering and logistics to bring couples' visions to life.
Berndt shared the unexpected path that led her into the wedding industry, explaining how a lifelong passion for crafting evolved from handmade wooden name signs into a thriving business specializing in custom installations. After demand quickly outgrew her side hustle, she officially launched On the Wall Design Studio in 2022, teaching herself everything from woodworking techniques to Adobe Illustrator along the way while continually refining her creative process.
Throughout the conversation, Berndt offered listeners a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create one-of-a-kind installations. Every project begins with inspiration boards, color palettes and conversations about a couple's vision before moving into research, material sourcing, engineering and detailed planning. She explained that every design must balance beauty with practical considerations like transportation, venue access, guest counts and installation logistics long before wedding day arrives.
The episode also highlighted the countless challenges couples rarely see. Berndt recounted moments that required quick thinking—from redesigning installations to fit unexpected venue constraints to transforming a private elevator into a champagne wall experience after discovering ceiling heights wouldn't accommodate the original design. Those pivots, she said, underscore the collaboration and problem-solving that define the wedding industry behind the scenes.
Beyond the craftsmanship, the conversation explored the realities of entrepreneurship and motherhood. Berndt reflected on balancing a growing business with raising three children, sharing how Seattle's condensed wedding season often means sacrificing weekends and summers with her family. Babich and Sanabria emphasized the importance of building a supportive team, finding balance where possible and leaning on the close-knit community of wedding professionals who understand those unique demands.
Closing the episode, Berndt reflected on the fulfillment that comes from transforming a couple's vision into reality and creating pieces designed exclusively for one celebration. While every project presents new lessons, she said some of her proudest moments come when fellow wedding professionals trust On the Wall Design Studio with their own personal events—a meaningful testament to the relationships, craftsmanship and care that define her work.
This episode is powered by Dan Riggs Films, On the Wall Design Studio and Washington Wedding Day.
Photo by Citizen of Earth
Photo by Janet Lin Andersen
Photo by Janet Lin Andersen
Photo by Janet Lin Andersen
Photo by Julie Bulanov Photo
Photo by Ridgewood Films