It started with a
desire to end
boring weddings
Brian & Nicole Franklin co-founded Vows & Speeches because it seemed that every wedding they went to, the speeches dragged. Sometimes, they were downright cringy. Despite the significant expenses and time devoted to the overall wedding production, it seemed these moments were being left up to chance, without professional oversight and guidance.
As a political consultant who trained people how to make very boring topics interesting to audiences, Brian knew they could help. In mid-2021, he brought up the idea in a wedding planner discussion group on an app called Clubhouse, and it was suggested to add custom vows and ceremony scripts (for the Internet-ordained friends and family officiants). Within hours (really!), Vows & Speeches was born and the next day they had their first client.
Since 2021, Vows & Speeches has worked on hundreds of weddings and other events—everything from charity event speeches to eulogies. Covered in the New York Times, Brides, Bridal Guide, The Knot, and leading podcasts, Vows & Speeches is establishing itself as a trusted, high-touch resource for anyone who is running into difficulty saying what they want to say, is running out of time, and/or has a significant fear of public speaking.
Our Approach
Our approach is to make the entire process easy for our clients. We don't ask you to fill out a questionaire... we interview you over the phone. It usually takes about an hour, and from that conversation, we distill it down to wedding vows that are 1-2 minutes each, wedding speeches that are 3-4 minutes each, or an 8-10 minute ceremony narrative that tells your love story and gets people laughing and dabbing their eyes with tissues.
As part of our packages, we provide delivery coaching, which goes a long way towards alleiviating public speaking fears, building confidence, and maximizing the impact of what you're saying.
OUR SERVICES
- Brian & Nicole were long-distance (FL-CA) for 9 years prior to finally living together full time in 2019. Richard Branson even wrote a post about their relationship (Brian was a Virgin America loyalist).
- Brian is a singer-songwriter & lead guitarist, was once spotlighted in Billboard Magazine, signed to Polygram Music, and has co-written a post-punk rock opera, ("Hearing Damage: The Rat Opera) described by the Miami Herald as "Tommy meets the Pixies."
- Nicole is a native Angeleno and life-long Valley girl, and both she and Brian like to tease each other about their respective accents.
- Brian taught AP Government at what was at the time the largest high school in the country. He once was recognized as having the highest Latino pass rate in the country, until he left teaching, and his successor did way better.
- Brian's two favorite movies are The Big Lebowski and Hot Rod
- Nicole & Brian both bowl in a bowling league called "The Big Lebrewskis." Brian tore his shoulder in an unfortunate fall off a golf cart, and since mid-2024, has switched to bowling with his left hand. He recently scored a 170 with his left.
- As a media buyer, Nicole has bought over $150 million dollars in television, radio, print, and online advertising
- Nicole is a breast cancer survivor. Get your mammograms and colonoscopies!
- They now have three cats, two dogs, and a lot of guitars
- Vows & Speeches has now been seen in The New York Times, AP News, ABC News, Yahoo, Brides, Bridal Guide, the New York Post, The Knot, Southern Bride, and has been nominated twice for Best Statewide Product or Service by California Wedding Day
- Vows & Speeches is the best thing they've ever done.
Co-Founder/
Director of Entertainment
Nicole oversees all aspects of Vows & Speeches backend operations as well as much of its sales outreach, while working with Brian on the larger business strategy.
Nicole has almost 20 years of advertising and marketing experience, mostly as a media buyer and Chief Operating Officer of a political consulting firm. As a media buyer, she has bought over $150 million in television, radio, print, and outdoor advertising. As COO, she managed all administrative and accounting aspects of the business.
She can also play a mean tamborine.
Nicole FRANKLIN
"i absolutely adore this job. every day, we get to help people find words for their love of someone, and do it in a fun, entertaining, and moving way. it's so much better than working in politics!
-Brian franklin
He has been quoted/featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Miami Herald, Dallas Morning News, The New York Post, Brides, Bridal Guide, The Miami Herald, Politico, and more.
Before working in politics or weddings, Brian taught AP Government in what was the largest high school in the country, worked as a freelance advertising creative director and marketing consultant, and even wrote Sunday car ads for newspapers back when they had such a thing. In his early 20's Brian had long hair and had a really brief career as a signed singer-songwriter. (Which included a smattering of love songs, bringing this story full circle.)
Brian still plays guitar and thinks a lot of about cars, and lives in Los Angeles with Nicole, two dogs, three cats, and sometimes kids.
For more on Brian, visit BrianFranklin.com
Brian Franklin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vows & Speeches, which he founded in mid-2021 with his wife and business partner, Nicole Franklin. Prior to 2023, Brian was the founder and President of an award-winning political consulting firm, where he oversaw messaging, communications (including speechwriting), and advertising for state and federal campaigns nationwide. He also served for 10 years as board member for the bipartisan trade association, American Association of Political Consultants.
Co-Founder
Meet BRIAN FRANKLIN
FUN FACTS ABOUT BRIAN, Nicole,
AND VOWS & SPEECHES
So, a smashing success.
It went great—it was sweet, funny, and I did get a little teary, but didn't completely lose it which I was grateful for. People loved it and I got a zillion compliments afterwards.
Thanks again for you help to make it so!"
- Alison a.
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