Wedding Day Podcast Episode 100: Jennifer Stein with Destination I Do
November 6, 2026Streaming Platforms
Topics
Wedding Day Podcast, Destination I Do, Iron Diamond Media, 100th Episode, Podcast Anniversary, Wedding Media, Wedding Publications, Bridal Magazines, Destination Weddings, Destination Elopements, Hawaii Weddings, Cabo Weddings, Travel Weddings, Wedding Planning, Event Planning, Wedding Vendors, Wedding Professionals, Creative Partners, Wedding Inspiration, Print Media, Digital Media, Social Media Trends, Pinterest Weddings, Entrepreneurship, Female Founders, Women in Business, Media Acquisition, Brand Merger
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The Wedding Day Podcast recently hit a massive milestone, releasing its 100th episode in a fun virtual format. Host Sonja Babich, CEO of Iron Diamond Media, traded her usual on-the-go studio setup for a cozy home broadcast to celebrate a trifecta of exciting news, with co-host Dan Riggs joining from the road. Along with the 100th episode, the team announced Iron Diamond Media's official acquisition of Destination I Do, bringing the beloved brand into their growing wedding media family. To mark this big episode, Babich welcomed Jennifer Stein, the founder of Destination I Do, to look back on her 20-plus years in the wedding media world.
Stein launched the publication in 2004 at the age of 27 alongside her mother, who is a serial entrepreneur. However, the seed for the brand was planted when she was just 14 years old. While traveling in Hawaii, she saw a beautifully romantic elopement on Kaanapali Beach. That magical sunset moment was so different from the repetitive ballroom weddings she later helped coordinate as an assistant wedding planner at a golf course, and it really sparked her passion for destination celebrations.
After falling in love with print media while working for a business-to-business publication, Jennifer took a leap of faith to start Destination I Do. Running an independent business often felt a little isolating, but one amazing encounter proved her hard work was paying off. During a 2017 airport layover, Stein met a bride whose original wedding venue had been destroyed by a hurricane. Feeling totally crushed, the bride picked up an issue of Destination I Do at an airport newsstand, spotted a featured real wedding in Cabo, and hired the exact vendors listed in the credits to save her big day. It was a great reminder that the publication was truly helping couples.
That beautiful story of impact resonated with Babich. She added the sentiment that, just as planners and florists live for that gratifying "wedding day hug" from a happy couple, media professionals have their own version of that feeling. For Babich, her ultimate reward happens at issue release parties when she sees creative partners glowing with pride over having their hard work published and knowing they are connecting with great clients.
The episode wrapped up with a great chat about how wedding media has changed since 2004. Stein recalled the early days when brides would buy multiple magazines, tear out pages, and organize them into physical planning binders. As the industry shifted, those binders were replaced by digital websites and eventually social media apps like Pinterest, which is basically today's digital clipboard. While the formats have changed a lot over the years, the core mission is exactly the same. Both Iron Diamond Media and Destination I Do share a strong passion for guiding couples through their planning journeys, exemplifying that this exciting new merger is the perfect match.
