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My new book Here Comes the Drama: A Ferris and Sloan Story is live!

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She booked the wedding date, only the whole month is included.

I am joined by Samantha Blake to share how her love for dramatizing everyday absurdities turned into viral content, starting with her Coldplay CEO satirical video. Together we dive into the world of mothers and the weird assumptions strangers make on them and their kids.

Samantha then shares her own wedding photography nightmare, where it unleashed harassment of a maid of honor, leading to legal threats, and a mother-in-law who completely hijacked her wedding cake.

To top off more wedding dramas, we read a listener’s submission about two brides whose wedding dates turned an entire friend group upside down. Sparking questions about entitlement, and whether anyone can really claim a wedding season.

Is wedding planning bringing out the worst in people, or simply revealing who they really are?

Join me on Patreon and get bonus content every month! 

Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments

• Dibs on a Wedding Month – Christa reads a listener submission where two brides, one wedding season, and mutual friends create a friendship showdown.
• Main Character Syndrome – Christa and Samantha debate whether wedding planning is bringing out the worst in some brides, or simply revealing who they really are.
• Pregnancy Doesn’t Erase Boundaries – With strangers rubbing baby bumps and making bizarre assumptions, they unpack the entitlement pregnant women often face.
• Wedding Client From Hell – An overbearing mother of the bride crosses every professional boundary, pushing Samantha to involve lawyers.
• From Viral Joke to Viral Creator – Samantha shares how one satirical Coldplay CEO TikTok unexpectedly launched her storytelling career.
• Coffee Thrown While Pregnant – A customer wrongly assumes Samantha is using drugs, then throws hot coffee at her after learning the bruises were actually from blood work.
• One-Take Storytelling – Samantha reveals the simple routine behind her viral storytelling style and why authenticity beats perfection every time.

Words of Wisdom: Standout Quotes from This Episode

• “There’s truth to every story, but there’s also some exaggeration.” – Christa Innis
• “You have to go no contact with someone that risks your mental health.” – Christa Innis
• “We’re gonna have our thing that when they’re older they’re gonna complain about.” – Christa Innis
• “Different people want different vibes for weddings.” – Christa Innis
• “We always have to take with a grain of salt when we get stories and when we share them” – Christa Innis
• “I see what you can do to people you care about, so I’m not letting you close to me.” – Samantha Blake
• “It’s okay to realize that people are different..” – Samantha Blake
• “Just because you would have kids at your wedding doesn’t mean that they should also feel that way.” – Samantha Blake
• “When you’re willing to speak your mind, you tend to piss people off a lot because they’re not used to being called out on their behavior”  – Samantha Blake
• “Sometimes you watch the bride walking down the aisle, and everybody’s staring at their screen. The event is happening in front of you, and you’re missing it.” – Samantha Blake

*This conversation is for entertainment and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please seek a licensed professional for your specific situation.

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Your stories make Here Comes the Drama what it is! Share your unforgettable wedding tales, hilarious mishaps, or unbelievable moments with us. Whether it’s a wild confession or a story worth a skit, we can’t wait to hear it.

Submit your story today: Story Submission Form

Follow us on social media for updates and sneak peeks at upcoming episodes. Your stories inspire the drama, the laughs, and the lessons we love to share!

A Team Dklutr Production

Blog Transcript:

Note: We use AI transcription so there may be some inaccuracies

Christa Innis: Hi, Sam. Thank you for being here. 

Samantha Blake: Of course. I’m happy to be here. I’m nervous a little bit, too. 

Christa Innis: Don’t worry. I always tell people, I’m this is, a good, first podcast, Mm-hmm. We just, like, hang out. It’s nothing, I don’t know. I don’t consider myself super, like, professional when it comes to podcasts.

I’m just like, hang out and tell some wild stories, and I know you have your fair share. but before we get to that, can you kind of start talking about how you got into storytelling, and just a little bit about you? 

The Love for Dramatic Story Telling

Samantha Blake: okay. I have been… I love telling stories. I think that I’m very, like, charismatic and over the top, and I’ve always been accused of being, like, dramatic, you know?

But it’s just because you have to put emphasis on things. Like, the story’s boring if somebody’s talking in monotone. so even from a young age, I would, like, write books, telling stories, all that stuff. The content creation portion of it came during, I don’t know, probably, like, the end of COVID, where I was just bored and I started telling stuff about, experiences as a bartender or as a server, and it kind of just, like, slowly built up.

And 

 Coldplay was doing a concert and then the couple was, I think… I might lose you. It says my Internet’s unstable, but it’s storming here. 

Christa Innis: Okay. You froze for, like, a second, but now you’re back. 

Samantha Blake: Okay. but when that whole thing with, like, the couple and the Coldplay jumbotron went viral- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: I posted a video just being like, as the wife of somebody married to the CEO,” right?

And I worded it in a way that people would think that I was also married to this man. I wasn’t, I was just talking about narcissists. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: That’s when it blew up and people just finally found my page and started following me and stuff. But, I do it for fun. I do it as, like, a little side gig.

Just something where people write in and they tell me their crazy stories and I tell them, so. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. And you talk about working- Yeah … in the restaurant industry. I worked in the restaurant industry years ago when I was in college, and I think my, first job ever when I was 16 was in the restaurant industry.

I feel like that alone you could probably tell stories for, like, days on end. Forever. … people are wild in the rest- like, you have to deal with so much working- 

Samantha Blake: Yes … in a restaurant. Yeah. And that’s like, it’s so funny to me ’cause people are like, “This isn’t real. It’s gotta be made up.”

And I’m like, ” No.” Like, “This person really did throw their coffee at me while I was pregnant.” Like, these are real stories. Oh 

Christa Innis: my gosh. People are crazy. Do you tell a lot of your own stories or do you get, like, a mix of, your stories and then people send you stories? 

Samantha Blake: mostly my own. I won’t lie, I’m running out, because, yes, 

I just turned 39 the other day, and I started working in the industry when I was 15, so forever essentially. Mm-hmm. So a lot of them are my own. maybe about 25% come from followers, and then the rest are just mine. Or, I’ll write stories, and then I’ll, hashtag skit so people know that it’s made up.

Christa Innis: Yeah. But- Oh my gosh … 

Samantha Blake: yep. 

Christa Innis: It’s funny, we were just talking about before recording how, like, we’ll post a story and people are like, “There’s no way this could happen,” you know? And, like, wondering, like, if we know it’s true. And I always like to say, too, it’s like when someone sends in a story, you’re only getting, like, their perspective.

So it’s like- 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm … 

Christa Innis: I could go to the store and a woman could look at me, and in my mind I’m like, “Oh, she’s giving me a weird look.” But then in that lady’s mind, she’s like, “Oh, well, that woman’s looking at me…” You know, like, everyone has their own perspective- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: of, like, based on their own experience or how their day is going.

Yeah. So I’m like, if we get a story from a bride, she could tell us, you know, ” Oh, all these people were horrible to me.” But then we could get a story from, someone was at the wedding and they’re like, “No, this bride was super weird.” 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: So- Yeah … I feel like we always have to take with a grain of salt when we get stories and when we share them, ’cause it’s like, yeah, there’s truth to every story, but there’s also, like, some exaggeration or something- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah

Christa Innis: good, making it a more interesting story of course. But yeah, it’s just interesting. 

Samantha Blake: But that’s the fun of it all- Mm … in my opinion, ’cause, like, you can hear the story where the bride was awful, and maybe she wasn’t that bad, but maybe to some people she was. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: So I like the more, exciting stories.

Like, if that bride was crazy and she was cussing people out, I’m gonna tell it in that version. Like- Yes … I’m gonna cuss with everyone else too. 

Christa Innis: Exactly, yes. you had someone throw a cup of coffee at you when you were pregnant. Working? 

Samantha Blake: Yes. Okay, so I had gone in, 

Do you have kids? 

Christa Innis: Yeah, I do. I have one toddler. Yep. 

Samantha Blake: You know how they do the glucose testing and you have to drink the orange, like, ugh? 

Christa Innis: Yes. 

Motherships and Strangers

Samantha Blake: So I failed my glucose test, so then I had to go in for a three-hour one. And when you go in for a three-hour one, they poke you every- They do that too … I think it’s, like, every hour or something.

Yeah. Yes. So, yeah. So then I had to go in for that, and I have, there are, like, surface veins, and they roll really easily, so when they try to poke me they’re boiling veins. I’ll leave a room, this is graphic, but it looks like a CSI crime scene ‘I’m just, like, bleeding everywhere. Mm-hmm. So I’ll bruise horrifically. And I was at work the following day, and this lady, I was taking her coffee order, and I rolled up my sleeve ’cause it was hot, and she saw my bruises. And she grabs my wrist and pulls my arm towards her, and she’s like, “No, no, no, honey. You can’t be doing this, not when you have God’s gift growing in your belly,” and all this stuff.

And I’m confused what she’s talking about. Mm. And then I looked down at my arm and I notice she’s talking about my bruises. And there are two paths I could have taken. One could have been, “Hey, no, that’s actually from blood work,” and then the other is, ” Okay, you’re gonna assume that I’m using- Right so I’m gonna play up on that.”

So I was like, “Oh, it’s the only way I can forget how horrible my husband is to me,” and all this stuff, and just playing along with it because you’re being judgemental in my opinion. Yeah. So you’re gonna learn a lesson really quick. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: I bring her out. She’s like, “I’m gonna pray for you,” and, “God loves you,” all this stuff.

And my coworker calls out her coffee and she hands it over, and the lady’s like, “Oh, please take care of Samantha over there. she needs help and she needs somebody who’s gonna bring her to rehab,” all this stuff, like, going off. And my coworker, her name’s Amanda, Amanda’s like, ” Sam?” Like, “Oh, no, she had blood work done yesterday.

 that girl could not get blood drawn to save her life. She bruises like crazy.” This woman’s personality switched like that. She was just like, ” F you.” Like- Oh … “What a horrible person I am.” And I’m sitting there, I’m like, ” You assumed.” Mm. You’re the one. Like, I just kind of… Right. This is your fault. And she ended up throwing her hot coffee at me-

like, while yelling at me about the fact that I shouldn’t have made her feel that way. I should have let her know immediately- Oh my- … that it wasn’t. I was like, ” you should have just known that’s what it was.” 

Christa Innis: And why was that her first thought? 

Samantha Blake: Like- I don’t know. That- 

Christa Innis: go, I’m like, it-

is a wild assumption. 

I would never see that on someone’s arm and be like, “Oh my gosh, they must be using.” that would- Right … never be my first thought. 

Samantha Blake: Mm-mm. 

Christa Innis: And so- 

Samantha Blake: No, and even if it was, I don’t think I would say it 

Christa Innis: And I would ne- yes, I would not say… But, like, in general too, I was just talking to someone about how people, when you’re pregnant and when you have kids, the things they say that’s just like- Maybe not.

Like, no joke Mm-hmm … this just happened yesterday. I was outside the library with a friend of mine, and our daughters are around the same age. They’re just running in the yard, whatever. This older couple is walking by, and this lady turns and she goes, “Oh, there’s her mother.” She’s like, “I thought she was alone for a second.

I got excited.” No joke, said, “I got excited. I thought she was alone.” Oh, really? Yes, ’cause we’re standing there talking and our kids are, like, kinda up in the field. and my friend just kinda, like, looked, and she just smiled. She’s like, “Yeah, she likes running off.” And then she walked away, and I go, “What?

What did she just say?” And she’s like, ” I didn’t know how to respond to it ’cause it happened so quickly.” Mm-hmm. And then this older- they’re walking by, and they keep looking over at her. not like I think they’re actually gonna do something, but why say something so… Like, you’re gonna kidnap her because she was 11?

Samantha Blake: Like- Right. What does I got excited mean? 

Christa Innis: Like, it was 

Samantha Blake: the weirdest thing. Oh, kids are so freaking weird. 

Christa Innis: Yes. So weird. I 

Samantha Blake: when I was, super pregnant, like, 800 years essentially is what it felt like- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: I was at the grocery store with my dad, and this lady came up and she starts rubbing my belly.

That’s another thing I don’t understand- No … is like, this is still my body. Like, you can’t- Yeah … just touch it because there’s a baby in there. 

Christa Innis: It’s such a weird concept. And- Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: it is. And she’s, like, rubbing my belly, and She looks at my dad, “Oh, you must be so excited. You must be so excited for this baby.”

Again, two paths I could choose. One, I could say, this is my dad, or two, I could play up on this. And I’ve worked on it. I didn’t have a verbal filter when this was happening. I was only 21. And I was like, “Yeah.” But I’m like, “I just don’t know if I get to be the mom or the sister this time.” And she goes on, I’m like, “This is my dad.”

And she lost it on me. Like, “I can’t believe that you wouldn’t tell me this is your dad.” I’m like, “I can’t believe you came up here touching my belly and then just assumed that this 50-year-old man I’m with is, is the dad.” Like, it’s so weird to me the things that people just say. 

I just look younger for my age. I don’t know if that’s the case now, but when I was 21, I definitely didn’t look 21. So when I had my son, everybody’s like, ” Oh, you must be the babysitter. You must be the nanny.” I’m like, “No, this is my kid.” And there was a time where I was grocery shopping and he was in the cart, like, I don’t know, from me, two feet away, and I was grabbing something off of one of the bottom shelves.

This woman starts freaking out. ” Where is this kid’s mother? He’s here alone.” He’s, like, maybe eight or nine months, and she’s, ” Where is…” And I’m like, again, I could say That’s my baby,” or I could go off with this. And I was just like, “Oh my God. Somebody left their baby here unattended.” And this woman and I walked around the, grocery store looking for the mother of this baby until

Until he ran into my mom, ’cause I was grocery shopping with my mom, and she’s like, ” Samantha Anne, you tell this woman right now that this is your son, and stop it.” Oh. She got mad at me too, but I don’t know. I’m a firm believer that if you’re gonna make stupid assumptions, I’m just gonna play along, and- 

Christa Innis: That’s kind of-

Samantha Blake: you’re gonna leave feeling dumb … a 

Christa Innis: good idea. See, I would… And that, it’s funny. I was saying to my friend yesterday, I always, like, when things happen, after the fact, I’m thinking of all these things I could have said or done. In the moment- Mm-hmm … I’m so bad about, thinking quickly. ‘ Cause I would- Mm-hmm

always have the, comment of, like, ” Are you sure it’s not twins? You sure it’s not twins?” 

Samantha Blake: 

Christa Innis: I had, like, close, family members that would say it here and there, but I’d just, like, let it slide. But then I remember getting my, pedicure, the week before. I was 10 days past my due date.

Samantha Blake: That’s horrible … 

Christa Innis: yeah, and they were like, “No, you’re definitely having twins. Like, you’re huge. You’re definitely having twins.” And I’m like, I’m short. I got a short torso. I assumed I was gonna get pretty, big, but it’s just wild the things that people will say.

And they’re like, “No, there’s has to be twins in there.” Yeah. And I was like, “Well, I guess if I have two, I’ll be double the joy in there. I don’t know.” Right. But I’m like, They’ve checked multiple times. I’m pretty sure it’s just 

Samantha Blake: I don’t understand, the audacity.

I’m like, where are people finding all of this? 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: You know what I… Like, where do you find the audacity that you have? I need to know. I need some more. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: So 

Christa Innis: I don’t know if I have, like, RBF or something, Luckily, I never had anyone come up… I think one time I had someone come up and touch my daughter’s foot when she was really little, and I kind of just, like, moved the stroller.

I’m like, “Hey.” But for the most part, I got no one that I didn’t know touch, my belly. Mm-hmm. And I’m like, I don’t know if I was just like, don’t come near me.” ‘ Cause I don’t know, it is such a weird thing that people just feel okay to touch someone else’s body. Yeah.

Like, that’s just so odd to me. 

Samantha Blake: I always say it’s probably where I grew up, because, my hometown, it was questionable where we grew up. So- 

even, like, when I tell the stories about the restaurants and the bars, people are like, ” That’s not true.” I’m like, Go visit, okay?

And then you’re gonna see it is true.” Like- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: but I don’t know. 

Christa Innis: So you said when you, started to go viral when you shared p- pretending to be like Coldplay, 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: debacle, the wife of the CEO. 

Samantha Blake: yeah. It was just the way… I, did, like, a little, wording. I said, “As somebody who was married to the CEO of whatever.”

Yeah.actually, you know what? I said just the CEO. ” As somebody who was married to the CEO, kudos to her for getting out.” Something like… Or, “Coldplay did her a favor.” 

Christa Innis: Yes. 

Samantha Blake: So this was a year ago. And I had been making content for a while, but never with the intent to actually have a following and, I would just talk about my time at the gym.

It was more like a diary than anything. And then maybe a few- Mid-July, ’cause I posted it on my birthday too, so it was July 18th of last year- 

Christa Innis: Funny … 

Samantha Blake: that I posted the whole Coldplay thing. But maybe, like, end of June, early July, I started using the format that I do now, where I’m just talking to my camera, telling stories. but that one with the Coldplay, I think I got, 10,000 followers off of it. It was just a quick little two-second thing. I took my camera, set it up on my car, so it was just me, for a quick second showing my face. And It was so funny, because people were like, ” You weren’t really married to the CEO.

Like, you weren’t his real life, or his real wife.” And I’m like, ” I know 

Christa Innis: this,” like. But- Some people do not get satire, no matter how much you put- Mm-hmm … hashtag satire, this is satire, like anything. ‘ Cause I even did, you know that, like, current trend where it’s, five things worth the money? 

Samantha Blake: Yes. And someone- I saw your video.

Christa Innis: Did y- Okay. Yeah, where I just, like, for anyone listening that hasn’t seen it, it’s like, “Oh, it’d be so funny ‘Cause I’ve seen a s- few influencers do it, where it’s, like, so out of touch. Yeah. Like, they’re like, ” Oh, this…” And I’m like, The things they mention cost thousands of dollars.

That’s not relatable to people. So I was like, “Oh, it’d be really funny to do it as, like, an out-of-touch bride,” and I just had a bride story about this bridezilla that wants, these outrageous things. So I was like, “Oh, it’d be really funny just to, like, Oh, a helicopter ride to your reception.'”

And I had people that were like, You know what? You’re focusing way too much on things that don’t matter. You should focus on the marriage.” And someone else was like, “This is just ridiculous.” And I had to reply, I was like, “This is satire. I- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … don’t 

Christa Innis: recommend any of these things.” Yeah.

“I can’t afford any of these things.” so it was just kind of funny how, like, people take things very seriously when it comes before reading the caption or just, “Wait a second, would someone actually come on and say you should do this?” I don’t know. 

Samantha Blake: Right.

Yeah. And it’s like I’m sure that you probably have followers who are like, “Hey, this is actually just a joke. this isn’t something she believes,” and stuff like that, and they comment back for you in a way. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: I’ve found that upsets the original commenter more. 

Christa Innis: Yes. I have noticed that.

 it doesn’t make sense to me, ’cause, somebody will be like, There’s no way this story is real,” and it will be some crazy thing. I’ll hashtag the word skit or story time or something like that and it’s, like, known on my page that’s a fake story. 

Samantha Blake: and they’ll be like, “This isn’t real.

There’s no way.” And they’re going off on me about, I don’t know, they’ll just name call or say something stupid. And then people, like my original followers, will be like, ” Actually, she hashtagged the word skit And then they’re mean back, and I’m like, ” We’re not gonna be mean to each other.

 we’re just gonna delete these comments.” I feel like a moderator for my comments section sometimes. Yeah. And I just don’t wanna deal with it. … my page, I want it to be, like, happy and fun. I don’t want people being mean to each other. Yeah. So I’m always, like, removing stuff where people are being mean or commenting negatively.

Christa Innis: I was just gonna say that. ‘Cause sometimes I’m, like, the mom in the comments or, like, the moderator, too, ’cause, there was one time where someone commented something, and I don’t think they meant harm by it. They were just like, “Wait a second.” And I felt like people were, like, dog piling on them. So then I went in- Oh

and I was like, “Oh, I totally understand what you meant here.” ‘ Cause I felt bad. I was like… ‘Cause you could tell then she was, like, trying to, like, ” No, I didn’t mean it like that.” ‘Cause I think she was, like- Yeah … trying to play into the satire or something. And I was like, “Hey, guys. It’s all good here. We’re f- just having fun.

Like- Yeah … it’s not 

Samantha Blake: that serious.” 

Christa Innis: You know? Like, why are we getting mad at people in the comments? 

Samantha Blake: Right. And on top of that, I feel like if people follow you enough, they understand that you have a personality and that you wouldn’t appreciate somebody being mean- Yeah … on your behalf. 

Christa Innis: Yeah.

Samantha Blake: You know what I mean? Exactly. 

But- Yeah … but anyway, yeah. 

Christa Innis: But I have to say, you have such a, captivating way of telling stories. I remember the first, like- Oh, thank you … time I saw your video, like, do you memorize these stories or do you kind of just, like, go with the flow and see what happens?

 you just pull people in. Like, it’s almost, mid-sentence. So then people are like, “Oh my gosh- Yeah … what is she gonna say?” and you, speak at such a good pace, where I feel people are like, “I don’t wanna miss anything.” You just do such a good job of, like- Oh, well-

telling these stories. 

Samantha Blake: I appreciate that. You’re making me blush over here. 

Christa Innis: So do you, like- 

Samantha Blake: I, um- … 

Christa Innis: do you practice what’s, your, set up for doing that? 

Samantha Blake: So I’ll wake up in the morning and I’ll go have coffee with my partner and I’ll be like, “This is the story I’m gonna tell.” And I’ll, tell him in detail, so that way it’s kind of, like, in my brain all the key points that I want to have- like, in my story. there are some of them where I’ll put the bloopers at the end, ‘ cause I try, doing it all in one take. I hate pausing it. I hate doing all of that. But I’ll get through, half of a story, like 30 seconds in, and I’ll be like, “I really hate the way I sound right now.”

Restart the video. Or I’ll get the full way through the story and be like, “I just feel like I wasn’t energetic enough. I feel like I didn’t emphasize these points enough.” And it usually takes about one to two takes for me to get it all the way through to the point where I really enjoy it myself. if I were to see it, I’d be like, “Okay, cool.

I’m stopping to watch this.” the story I posted, the bride one that you messaged me about- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: that was my first take on that one. But it was easy because I had the email pulled up on my screen to read. and then the one I told today, I, posted one right before hopping on this, that one I just did in the one take ‘ cause I was like, boom, I knew it.

Because once I read the story, I was like, there’s no fricking way this happened. But I had to get through it so that I could be like… My genuine reaction to reading it I would’ve gone to jail. Like, if this were like me, I would’ve gone to jail. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Okay. So I know you said before coming on that you had a story that you wanted to share.

You get tons of stories. so let’s just jump into that story you wanted to share. 

Samantha Blake: which one? The photography one? 

Christa Innis: Yeah, let’s do the photography one. 

Wedding Photography Nightmares

Samantha Blake: okay. So feel free to stop me and ask any questions and- Okay … just because I’m sure that there are gonna be parts where you need clarifying. I had a couple contact me.

They lived three hours from me, and they wanted me to do their engagement photos. They came to me to do their engagement photos. They loved them. They hired me as their wedding photographer. So they wanted me at their wedding area. am I frozen? 

Christa Innis: You’re kind of freezing right now, yeah. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. I’m stopping.

Christa Innis: Okay. You’re back now. 

Samantha Blake: It’s storming here so bad. I had a feeling this was gonna happen with, the internet and stuff, so I’m sorry. 

Christa Innis: No, it’s okay. But- Ours is the same way anytime it storms. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. so they hired me to do their wedding, and we signed a contract to be there from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

 and again, three hours away, so I wake up at, like, 4:00 AM, drive there, start the whole, taking photos of the bride getting ready, the groom getting ready. It’s just craziness. At the reception, I ended up staying until 11, because it was just such a fun wedding, and I loved the bride. She was so sweet, so kind.

Same for the groom. He was, very chill, down to earth. at 11:00 PM I couldn’t find the bride. I could only find the maid of honor, and I let her know, like, “Hey, I’m wrapping it up. I gotta go. Like, I have all the photos I need.” ‘Cause at this point people are just drunk and dancing. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: There’s not much you can capture in these moments.

 and she’s like, “No, no, no.” Like, “She wanted to talk to you really quick. Let me go find her.” So the bride comes over and she’s like, “We just want you to stay for a couple more hours.” And she’s like, “We’ll pay you extra, and we’ll pay for a hotel room, so you can spend the night. You don’t have to drive home.”

So I quickly revised a quick little contract for an extra two hours, had her sign it. she said she was gonna pay me the two-hour fee and then do a hotel room. At 1:00 AM I leave, and I decide I don’t actually wanna spend the night. I just wanna go home to my family, wake up with my family, not have to deal with this.

It was, 8:00 o’clock in the morning, the bride calls me. She’s like, “Hey, we’re all down in the lobby. Can you come down here with your equipment and meet us so that you can take pictures of my husband and I because it’s our first day married?” And I’m like, no, because I’m home. I’m three hours away now.”

She, like, started yelling at me, cussing me out, demanding a money back. she didn’t even pay me yet. She, we just signed a contract that she was gonna pay me extra. Demanding that I give her the two-hour fee back, demanding the, extra money for the hotel room back, and I was like, “I’m so confused what’s going on.”

She’s like, “Well, we got you a hotel room so that you could be here in the morning to take photos of all of us.” it wasn’t specified that if she had been like, “Hey, we’re gonna pay you for a hotel room and then give you extra so you can come down in the morning”- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … sure. 

Samantha Blake: I would’ve put that in the contract.

But she lost her ever-loving mind. The maid of honor kept calling and texting and calling and texting because she was so pissed off. She couldn’t believe that I left. Like, how dare you? And I had a baby at home. I think my son was, like, maybe a year at this point. Like, I didn’t wanna stay- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: three hours away.

But yeah, it was bad. It was to the point where, my lawyer was involved, and my lawyer was trying to get a, restraining order. so the cops were gonna be involved to get the maid of honor to stop contacting me. 

Christa Innis: ‘

Samantha Blake: Cause I had, my work line and she had my personal number, and she was calling me.

It’s wild that she just flipped from, like, super nice, super kind bride, and then was like, “Wait, Cause that doesn’t even make sense. I would never think that all of a sudden, they own your time then. It’s like- No … no, you paid for two more hours at night, not anything- Mm-hmm

Christa Innis: in the morning, and just because you got a hotel room from me doesn’t mean you, again… cause it’s like, what? If you stayed in the hotel room at 3:00 in the morning, does that mean she could call you to take photos at 3:00 in the morning? that doesn’t even make sense. 

Samantha Blake: Didn’t make sense.

And I will say they tried to contact me to do their maternity photos. Like, two years later. I was like, “No.”

Christa Innis: No, 

Samantha Blake: I don’t wanna deal with the hormonal you. What? I said I don’t wanna deal with, like, a hormonal version of her. Like, 

Christa Innis: No. And wouldn’t she think, that’s weird?

 after how she- Fine … treated you 

Samantha Blake: You would think 

Christa Innis: Yeah But- But I also wouldn’t show up for something like that, ’cause what if it was, her just to, like, yell at you or be like, “Try to get for free”? 

Samantha Blake: Oh, for sure. “

Christa Innis: Oh, you owe me for my wedding.” 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

 people are wild.

 the things that, even within the wedding photography that I’ve experienced, like the moms of the brides, you would think the bride would be the worst, but it’s actually the moms- Mm-hmm … that are the worst, and it’s like I had one mom, She had me sit with her. So it was, like, the bride’s mom and dad, and then the groom’s mom and dad, and then the grandparents.

I’m a photographer. I usually just sit over in a corner if I’m eating something or taking a drink. I’m not with people. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: And she had me sit at the table with them, and she would, like, bark demands at me. Like, ” Go take a, go take photos of Uncle Tim,” and who the fuck is Uncle Tim? I don’t even know who Uncle Tim is.

 I’m not a part of your family. I don’t know- Yeah … what’s going on. And the, same mom would, like, pick up my camera and start going through the photos. No. And be like, I don’t like this one. You need to redo it. go get this.” And like, they were children, I think they were, like, 18 or 19, so they’re absolutely, like, shit-faced, and they’re like, ” Get them together and take photos of them all.”

And she’s yelling at me and cussing me out, and I’m like, “First of all, stop touching my stuff.” 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: Second, the, the bride didn’t even want me taking photos. She literally, the bride, I’m gonna call her Allie. She’s like, “Can you please just leave me alone? Like, let my mother know that I’m done with photos.

I don’t want any more. Just leave me alone.” But I’m like, “Okay.” Yeah. 

Christa Innis: That’s 

Samantha Blake: wild, 

Christa Innis: 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: I don’t even get that, because it’s like you are interrupting, what the photographer does for their business, for their job. Mm-hmm. And like you’re trying to, like, overstep as if, they don’t know what they’re doing, and it’s like you’re actually just making it worse and, 

just trust that they know what they’re doing. I don’t know. Yeah. I don’t get that. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: That’s- 

Samantha Blake: Leave them alone. I will say, that was my very first ever wedding, and I told them repetitively. I didn’t even wanna do it. I had done their engagement photos, the mom loved the engagement photos, so she wanted me to do the wedding.

And I was like, I don’t do indoor photography. You don’t want me doing this.” Yeah. Like, “Don’t hire me.” And, it went back to wanting an expensive wedding, but a cheap photographer. 

Christa Innis: Mm. 

Samantha Blake: So since I had never done a wedding, I didn’t know what to charge her. And she’s like, “I’ll give you $500 for two hours.”

And I’m like, “Okay, whatever.” She calls me at 8:00 AM the morning of the wedding, yelling at me, asking where I am, why I’m not there yet to take pictures of everybody. And I’m thinking to myself, like, “You hired me for the ceremony. You didn’t hire me for all day.” 

Christa Innis: Getting ready. 

Samantha Blake: And I ended up being with them from probably 9:00 AM till, I wanna say, 9:00 PM, when I finally was like, ” I’m leaving.

I am so done with this. I can’t do it anymore.” But- 

Christa Innis: So do they only pay you for two hours, but then they wanted you extra time? 

Yeah. And then I ended up giving them the money back, and I had to get a restraining order against the mom. And my, lawyer had to- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah 

Christa Innis: What? 

Samantha Blake: she was wild, because the mom lost her shit.

So, am I allowed to swear? I don’t know if you have, You’re fine. You’re fine, yeah. Edit that out. Okay. she hired me for the wedding. I, even in the contract, I said, I’m not a wedding photographer. I’ve never done this.” You don’t want me,” is essentially, like, what I kept saying. 

Christa Innis: And she was like, “No, what my sweet daughter wants, my sweet daughter gets.”

Samantha Blake: It was awful. And after all was said and done, because the bride and groom were like, “No, we’re done,” like, “You don’t need to take any more photos.” it was like this, like the doom and gloom outside. It was so dark, and when I get to where the ceremony was, the priest, pastor, Father, whatever it was, came up to me and he’s like, “No flash and no external light in here.”

 “You can’t use anything. You just have to use natural lighting.” Oh. And it’s, like, one of those, dark buildings with, like, the big, tall painted windows, and the chandeliers are- Mm … nine million feet in the air. There’s no light for me to work with, and I told the mom right then and there, “These photos are not gonna look good.

 I can’t use the lighting, and I don’t have enough light coming in.” And she was just like, “Oh, no. We love you. We love your work.” that flip again, where they love you so much while you’re, like, kissing ass, trying to be nice, and trying to be patient, and the moment you stand up for yourself, they’re like, “Oh, we don’t like you anymore.”

Yeah. it was like that. I wanna say it was a solid year of being harassed by this mother before I finally, got the cops involved and had to have a restraining order against her. What 

Christa Innis: was she trying to like… She just kept, bugging you for more stuff? Or just trying to like- 

Samantha Blake: Well, as, like, a thank you to the couple, I did photo books.

Like, I printed photo books, and it wasn’t a part of the contract. It wasn’t anything that we agreed on. I just, as a gift to the couple- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: I printed a photo book, and I put a photo of them kissing at the altar, just really cute photos throughout, little quotes about love, all this stuff. 

The mom contacted me, and she didn’t like the cover image I chose.

She didn’t like the big pictures I chose. she wanted me to put, inserts from their vows and I’m like, “This was just, like, a gift.” Yeah. Like, this is a free gift. Make 

Christa Innis: your own if you don’t like it. 

Samantha Blake: Right. Right. God. So then, she was mad about how warm and grainy the photos of the ceremony were.

 there’s no way around it. the photo’s gonna have, like, that pixelated texture look to it- Yeah … because of how dark it is. my camera’s trying to absorb light, which is gonna cause a yellow, grainy-ish look, especially with, the stained glass. she was like, “You need to edit this.

You need to change this. This is the photo I want for the layout.” And just as, like, a way to appease her, ’cause at this point, I do outdoor photography, and I don’t want something indoor to ruin my business over here. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: I’m going with it. I get her another set of, picture books, send them over.

She hates them. And then she starts demanding, like, the raw photos so that she can edit She wants, every single photo I took of the wedding day. She doesn’t want just the ones that I picked to edit. She wants all of them, and I was like, “No. It’s just not gonna happen.” It works. No. And then, yep, nope.

Christa Innis: Gosh, 

Samantha Blake: that- And the company I used for the books, they bound them themselves, so it wasn’t, like, a mass production thing. It was, like, a very, intricately done, beautifully pieced together book. And again, just a gift, which was probably, like, 100 bucks, honestly. Yeah. So out of the 500 you gave me, I gave you a $100 book, and then I ended up giving them all the money back.

I was like, “Stop contacting me.” Like- 

Christa Innis: Please … “

Samantha Blake: Here’s your 500. Leave me alone.” 

Christa Innis: That’s, like, someone that doesn’t understand photography either, ’cause it’s like where it starts off is she’s like, “Oh, will you take photos? And you’re a photographer, so you can do wedding photography.” It’s like, wedding photography is very different than, maternity- Mm-hmm

or engagement or still shots. they’re all different- Yeah … skillsets. And yes, while some people do all of them or eventually get there, it’s doesn’t necessarily mean you have the equipment for a wedding when it’s- Right … like, in a darker church or That’s someone that just- Yeah

you said, like earlier, like they just want it, they just saw like a price tag and they’re like, “Well, let’s just do this price tag.” And it’s like- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: well, you’re paying for the equipment, you’re paying for the ti- you know, all that stuff 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. And then the time to edit the photos too. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. ‘

Samantha Blake: Cause like these beautiful photos you see, before they go into, production or editing, they don’t look like that.

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: They look like a photo that you would take with, just your camera and your lighting. these effects of like sun rays and stuff like that, that’s done post. that’s done in the production process, but people don’t see that. People don’t understand that. They just think that’s how it came out of the camera I wanna live in that level of delusion, honestly.

The Cake That Broke Boundaries

Christa Innis: Yeah, that is wild. Okay, one more story before we get to this week’s story submission that someone sent. you said you have a story from your own wedding with your- Yes … mother-in-law that you wanna share. 

Samantha Blake: Oh, my… First of all, this woman, she’s not my mother-in-law anymore. obviously,

 I’ve been divorced for 12 years, 13 years. But I went no contact with her four years before I even left him, ’cause it was awful. First of all, her dress to wear as the, groom’s mom was a very pale champagney color. 

Christa Innis: Okay. I 

Samantha Blake: was like- I 

Christa Innis: knew that was coming … “

Samantha Blake: pretty much white there, babe.”

Mm-hmm. this isn’t okay with me. I grew up on a big property, like a farmhouse type deal, so we had a big yard, which is where we were gonna have the wedding. I’m like, “We’ll just have it on my parents’ property,” and that was, like, my parents’ contribution to it. So my mother-in-law was like, “Well, I wanna contribute.

 what can I do?” And I’m like, “Honestly, I can’t think of anything you can do. We’re good.” At this point, I had already hired a baker. I already had everything, like catering and stuff, ready. We were set. And she contacted my ex-husband, threatening to, self-harm herself if I did not allow her to make the wedding cake, and I was like…

 “Okay, well, I don’t want that to happen, so she can make the wedding cake.” I canceled with the baker. I’m like, … “My mother-in-law is gonna make it,” all this stuff. And I go to my mother-in-law with, my vision board of what I wanted, which was just very basic cake, naked cake with, fall decor, ’cause it was a fall wedding.

 and you know, like, the naked where it’s like the frosting is on it but scraped off- Mm-hmm … so it’s very, very, very, like, not really there? 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: That’s what I wanted, and I just wanted it simple. I wanted a chocolate layer, a vanilla layer, and then carrot cake for the one year. you know how you have your cake in the, one-year anniversary.

 I wanna say it was maybe a week before the wedding. She calls me and she’s like, “Hey, do you wanna come try the cake? Like, I have it ready.” And I was like, “Sure, yeah. Oh, d- Back, rewind. She wanted to make a marble cake. She thought it would just look so divine if she had pitchers with one that had chocolate, one that had vanilla, and then you pour it in at the same time so it swirls together.

And I was like, “Cute idea, don’t want that. I want it to just be very specific, one that’s one and whatever.” And she’s just like, ” Well, I mean, it would just look really cool and all this stuff.” And I was like, “I don’t want it.” And I was, like, very adamant. Boundaries, right? Mm-hmm. So I go to sample the cake, try it out, and of course it’s this pitcher idea that she had where it was all marbled together.

And I tried the cake. I was like, “This cake is really good. on the wedding day though, I don’t want it like this. I want it chocolate vanilla carrot cake.” I can’t even tell you how many times I said that. Like, I literally for the longest time didn’t even wanna eat cake because of how, stupid I sounded telling this.

So I was like, ” This is what I wanted.” And she’s just like, “Well, if you want it that way, you’re gonna have to buy me the ingredients to remake this cake.” So now this thing that’s meant to be a gift is causing me stress and anxiety. Days before my wedding I’m running around, getting all the stuff that she needs to remake this cake.

The day of the wedding comes. she pulls out the cake, and, I wanted a circular cake, but it was this big, rectangular, like, giant freaking thing. I have tried so hard to find photos of this, but one of the things I did when I left, I was, like, deleting that from my memory. I was like, “No wedding photos anywhere.

Nothing. Everything…” so it’s a big rectangular cake that has so much frosting on it. I’m talking, like, an inch of frosting and- Oh my gosh … piping and swirly things, and she has red ribbon piping. I don’t know what it’s called. And then there’s, like, this blue color. It’s a fall wedding. I felt like it was a Fourth of July cake, honestly.

And I was like, thank you for doing this for me. This isn’t what I wanted.” She lost her mind, started scraping the cake off, because I asked for a naked cake. She’s like, ” You want a naked cake? You’re gonna get a naked cake,” yelling at me. I’m, like, about to get married. I’m pregnant, so I can’t go inside and take a drink.

Like, I have to just sit here and, like- Oh 

Christa Innis: my 

Samantha Blake: gosh … deal with it, you know? 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: So she’s scraping my cake off. My poor mom is, walking around the yard, picking up actual leaves to make it fall. She’s, she’s putting, like, for real leaves on the cake, and I’m like, “We don’t, we don’t need to do this.” anyways, I end up trying to cut the cake, sorry.

The bottom layer, the chocolate, is styrofoam. And I was like- 

Christa Innis: Oh … 

Samantha Blake: I’m like, “Oh.” And I’m like, “What is this?” And she’s just like, “Oh, you know, I thought about what you said about wanting chocolate and vanilla, and that really didn’t make sense, so I just used the cake I made the other day, so you’re gonna have to cut the middle layer.”

So she used the marble cake, which begs the question, where did all the extra ingredients I bought you- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: what were those for if this is the same cake that you had me test a week ago? 

Christa Innis: Oh- 

Samantha Blake: Anyways … 

Christa Innis: my gosh. 

Samantha Blake: So we cut the middle layer. it was the marble thing, and I’m like, whatever. we’re gonna let it go.

I’m just not, I’m in a noncon- confrontational mood. And then she comes over to cut the top layer because my husband’s, well, husband at the time, little brother wanted carrot cake. He didn’t want, the other cake. So she cut the top layer, which is meant for the one-year anniversary layer. Mm-hmm. And she cuts it, and she gives the kid a piece of it, and she’s just like, “Well, that’s what he wanted.”

And I’m like If that’s any idea what my relationship was like. 

Christa Innis: Yes, I can only imagine how the rest of the y- many years went. Yeah, that is wild. That’s like one of the things, too, like I have so many stories where like family members insist on like taking photos, or they insist on being the DJ, or they insist on- 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm

things. 

Christa Innis: Like, “Oh, it’s not hard,” and when like maybe they don’t have a legitimate business, or they like have only done it one other time for a birthday party- 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm … 

Christa Innis: or something. And so many times it just goes bad because- 

Samantha Blake: Yes … 

Christa Innis: they don’t have the experience, or for example, if they’re like a photographer for a wedding when they’re not an actual photographer, then it’s like they- Mm-hmm

lose photos, or they don’t have a backup drive, all these things where it’s like- Yep … so hard when they, especially if the mother-in-law is like threatening, “Well, if you don’t let me do this,” that’s 

Samantha Blake: scary. It, it was that, that was her threat for everything. Imagine how much like 

It’s like a heightened state of anxiety- Mm-hmm … all the time because she wanted to be in the delivery room, which I ended up having an emergency C-section, so nobody was in the room, thank God. But not like… You know what I mean. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: But she was threatening self-harm because she wasn’t in the room, 

Yeah. And then she shows up maybe an hour or two after I had him, and I’m still out. I’m still under anesthesia, and she’s like trying to hold the baby, but my mom won’t let her. She’s like, “No. No, you’re not holding him before Sam can hold him.” Yeah. Like, that doesn’t make any logical sense. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: And honestly, that’s why I went no contact with her.

 I was actually pregnant with my middle when I went no contact with her. I was like, “I I can’t do this.” It’s like an emotional like rollercoaster. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: And you’re under… It’s like a constant, almost like you’re in a vice grip. Yeah, like you’re stuck. Mm-hmm. And I was like, “I can’t do it anymore.

Christa Innis: I can’t do it.” Can’t do anything right, can’t do anything like, everything’s just wrong probably. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: you can’t win with someone like that ’cause it’s all based- Mm-mm … on control. It’s like if they don’t have it their way at their time, then, you know, you’re- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: yeah, you have to go no contact with someone like that.

I can’t even- Yeah … imagine, especially when it comes to having kids around someone like that. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. Oh- … you 

Christa Innis: made the right choice … yeah, I 

Samantha Blake: just don’t feel safe with it. Yeah. Yeah, she used to, go off on me because I would let my mom take my son, but I wouldn’t let her take my son. And I’m like- 

Christa Innis: Big difference

Samantha Blake: like, honestly. Like- 

Christa Innis: It is … 

Samantha Blake: I heard about my husband’s childhood. Like I don’t, don’t wanna give you my kid. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. You’re like, “No, thank you.” 

Samantha Blake: But- Wow … oh, she tried suing me for grandparents’ rights after I left him and everything. Like, she genuinely… It was, it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare. But yeah. Oh 

Christa Innis: my gosh.

Samantha Blake: She’s, we have a whole- Can’t believe she did 

Christa Innis: that … 

Samantha Blake: I know. I know. In, in the, I think it’s been 17 years since I talked to her, and in that time, like, she’s reached out here and there, like asking how the kids are and asking for photos of the kids, and I’m just like, “Nah. No.” 

Christa Innis: Someone that- 

Samantha Blake: But- … 

Christa Innis: like that, you just don’t even wanna give them access because it’s gonna just- 

Samantha Blake: No

explode No. And my, my, like, for real socials, like, I don’t post my kids on TikTok or anything like that, but on my, my personal Facebook page, it is so locked down that you’re not gonna find anything on there anyways. Like, good luck. And if you do find a picture of them, I’m proud of you because that shit is so private.

Christa Innis: Yes. Oh my gosh. Okay. All right, let’s 

Samantha Blake: hear this one. 

Christa Innis: Let’s get to this week’s story submission. Give me one second here. Um- Hold on one sec

Spring Showdown: When Months Collide

Okay, let’s get to this week’s story submission. Here we go. Two of my best friends got engaged around the same time. Emma was my maid of honor when I got married and is truly my best friend in the world. Lily is also a close friend and was a bridesmaid in my wedding. We all share the same friend group, but Emma and Lily were never especially close.

In fact, Lily wasn’t even sure if Emma would make her guest list since her fiancé and Emma had butted heads in the past. Emma and her fiancé, Ryan, are a bit older and got engaged about a year and a half- about a year of dating. Lily and her fiancé, Noah, had been together since college and got engaged after five years, about six months before Emma.

After Lily got engaged, she started asking me questions about Emma’s proposal and her dream wedding. I told her Emma was hoping for a fall wedding later that year As wedding planning began, Emily’s uncle became terminally, terminally ill, which delayed things while her family focused on him. Once his condition stabilized enough for her to step away, Emma and Ryan found a venue they loved.

However, they had to shift their timeline to the following spring because Emma works in sales, and fall was both too busy and too soon to book. Meanwhile, Lily secured her venue for April 18th. Emma later told me she was considering April 2nd … Oh gosh, I know where this is going. There’s gonna be some- I’m waiting for 

Samantha Blake: it

friend beef. 

Christa Innis: Yes. Uh, she was considering April 2nd or the end of May, depending on venue availability. She asked if I thought April 2nd, just three weeks before Lily’s wedding, was too close since there were mutual friends in both weddings. I told her it would be fine. Both weddings were local, and from my own experience as a bride, I knew how limited venue availability can be.

Sometimes you just have to do what works. A few weeks later, I saw Lily at another friend’s party. She asked how Emma’s planning was going. Since I was Emma’s maid of honor, I casually mentioned the dates Emma was considering. Lily immediately made a scene. She said it was incredibly disrespectful for Emma to even consider a date less than a month before hers without asking permission.

Like you own the whole month. Like- 

Samantha Blake: But also, wasn’t she not even sure if she was gonna be a guest at the wedding anyways? 

Christa Innis: Yeah. She said she wasn’t even 

Samantha Blake: sure- How 

Christa Innis: odd … she was gonna … Who was it? Um- Invite them … Lily didn’t even think Emma was gonna be a guest at her wedding. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. Okay, sorry. 

Christa Innis: So I feel like it has to do with her competing with this friend and thinking like, “Well, I don’t want my same friend that’s gonna be a bridesmaid in my wedding to like have to worry about hers first.”

You know, like that competition or something. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. Y- your attention belongs to me, no one else type deal. 

Christa Innis: Yes. Yeah. Ugh. So 

Samantha Blake: gross 

Christa Innis: Oh my gosh. I calmly explained that I didn’t think it was a big deal, especially since both weddings were local and wouldn’t create a burden for shared guests. She snapped back, accusing me of only taking Emma’s side because I was her maid of honor.

I stayed calm, but I definitely was frustrated. I gently pointed out that Lily wasn’t even sure she was inviting Emma to her wedding. Oh, gosh, here we go. She was? So at this point, Emma didn’t know. So she, it didn’t make sense to expect Emma to check in, um, with her about dates. That didn’t go over well. She started asking random people at the party for her, for their opinions, but only sharing selective details to make herself look better.

This is just what we were talking about before recording, how when people share a story, they, they’re always, they’re naturally gonna do it to make themselves look better. Yep. Yep. And take out some details. 

Samantha Blake: And then they do the thing where, “Oh, well, so and so agrees with me. They feel the same way I do,” and then they kinda like pit people against you.

Christa Innis: Yes. Oh my gosh. 

Samantha Blake: Every time. 

Christa Innis: And I always like to think too, I’m like, so if, if Lily would’ve sent this story in, you know, like how she would- Mm … angle it versus this person- Yep … you know, everyone’s gonna change things. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: Um, I tried to deescalate the situation and show empathy, and eventually things settled down.

In the end, Emma chose Memorial Day weekend, five weeks after Lily’s wedding. Oh, wonder if that was okay. I let Lily know, thinking the issue was resolved. 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm. 

Christa Innis: But I could tell something was off A few weeks later, she asked to talk. During the call she said it felt like a slap in the face that we had even considered a date close to hers.

For one, it’s not even though her friend considering it, it’s the other girl. Like, me, she’s a maid of honor. She’s not on part of picking a date. Like, why is she getting mad at 

Samantha Blake: her? So- so, that’s … Why, why does she feel like she just owns, like, that six-month block? Like- She n- she thought she was planning a fall wedding, so that’s the only time she’s allowed to plan it?

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: So weird how entitled people become. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. I just like, I think people get in their minds, like, yes, like, your wedding is this great event and it’s fun, but I feel like with, like, social media and, like, Pinterest, they’re like, “Oh my gosh, it’s, my wedding’s the wedding of the year- Yeah … and everyone else lives stop when they’re in my wedding or a part of it.”

And so I think she’s- 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm … 

Christa Innis: thinking like, “Oh, my maid of, like, my friend that’s in the wedding, you know, should be, like, focusing on me and me only.” Mm-hmm. And it’s like, no. Like, yes, it’s the most important thing for you and your partner- 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm … 

Christa Innis: but everyone else, their lives move on. Like, they still have to work.

Right. They still have kids, they still have fam- you know, whatever that is. 

Samantha Blake: Yep. 

Christa Innis: They can’t just stop. So if they have another wedding to go to, that’s okay. 

Samantha Blake: That’s okay. Yeah. Exactly, it’s okay. 

Christa Innis: It’s like I always tell people, like, two of my best friends got married the same year as me. One was two months before me, and one was- Ooh

the, like, I don’t know, six, no, eight months after me, and I was the maid of honor in one wedding, I was a bridesmaid in the other. Ooh. So all of our wedding events overlapped, and it was so fun. Like, we did so many different things. Yeah. Like, we had a bachelorette party one weekend, we had a shower, and I loved it.

Like, I’m as happy- Yeah … for my friends as you, you should be. Like 

Samantha Blake: And I feel like you can also bounce ideas off each other, ’cause maybe you like the idea of a bubble machine, and the other person’s like, “No, that’s stupid,” but that’s cool for you. You know what I mean? Or maybe they see something cool that they like, but they don’t want at their wedding- Mm-hmm

but then they share the idea with you- 

Christa Innis: Oh, yeah … 

Samantha Blake: and you like it. 

Christa Innis: We all, we all shared so many different things, like, um, different decorative things from our weddings, ’cause we all had a little bit- Yeah … of gold accent. One of my fr- my friend’s little sister got married six months before me, and I was able to use her fake flowers.

Like, we all- Oh, nice … like, shared each other’s stuff, and I’m like, I saved money. Like, it was actually, like, nice, but- 

Samantha Blake: Sisterhood of the, uh, wedding decor instead of the traveling pants. 

Christa Innis: Yeah, exactly. Yes. Oh my gosh, I know. People spend so much money on that stuff. I’m just like, I went to, like, Goodwill. I, like, borrowed some stuff from friends.

Yeah. I’m like, it’s fine. Um- Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: And I bet it was beautiful, too. 

Christa Innis: Yes, exactly. Um, she said, okay, so she said, I, “And then I tried to explain that my opinion wasn’t biased, but that only made her more upset. She said she talked to other people who agreed with her. I mentioned,” like you just said, “I mentioned that I had also spoken to my mom and my sister who had been in multiple weddings close together, and they felt that brides don’t need permission from others, especially if they’re not even in the wedding party.

That’s when she lost it. She accused me of airing out her business-” Oh, God “… even though she had just told me she did the same thing.” Right. Total hypocrisy. Because again, she’s al- she is seeing herself as the main character. She’s the bride. It’s only about her. Yep. Everyone else’s- Yep … opinion doesn’t matter 

Samantha Blake: Wild.

The Bridesmaid Ultimatum

Christa Innis: Then it got worse. She told me that I was clearly siding with Emma. Maybe I should step down as her bridesmaid because she didn’t think I’d have time for her. 

Samantha Blake: Okay. 

Christa Innis: Wow. I’d be like, “Okay, well, you made it y- your choice.” Thanks for bringing all that up. Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: Thank you, but thank you. Saving money on that dress.

Christa Innis: Now I can really focus on her thank you. I was worried about it. 

Samantha Blake: Yes, thank you. I did feel like I was pulled in opposite directions, so- Yeah … 

Christa Innis: that’s wild. That’s wild. And that just tells me that this person, like, always had some kind of… I don’t know. To eas- to that easily drop you from the wedding- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah, yeah

Christa Innis: tells me that they already ha- always had some kind of like animosity. I 

Samantha Blake: wonder if she was, like, an extra body. So she’s like kind of a friend, and her fiancé had like seven groomsmen, so she just- Mm-hmm … needed an extra. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: You know what I mean? ‘Cause you don’t, you don’t drop a friend from a wedding. I’m saying that as somebody who was dropped from a wedding- Oh

but then re-in the wedding. Oh. It was wild. That’s like a whole different story. Anyways, it- that’s what it sounds like to me, is like that person was an extra body. Like, that person was just there to fill the shoes- Mm-hmm … because there were too many groomsmen in comparison to the bride, bridesmaids. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. So it’s like not gonna like affect her day, so she’s like, “Whatever, just-” 

Samantha Blake: Yeah

Christa Innis: “At this point, don’t.” That’s wild. I reminded her of all the ways I had supported her and made sure she felt celebrated, but she was too angry to hear it. Eventually, I was able to calm her down, and she brushed the whole thing off like it wasn’t a big deal. But it honestly shook me. I tried to move past it, telling myself that the wedding stress can make people act out, but it still felt like a lot.

Thankfully, everything eventually worked itself out. We are on good terms now, and ironically, Emma and Lily are actually closer than ever. But being stuck in the middle of that situation, absolutely wild. Gosh, what do you make of all that? 

Samantha Blake: So unfair. Like, okay, so for me, that’s so unfair for, for Emma Just because she has…

They’re all in a friend group, and she’s close to both people, that’s so unfair to make her feel like she has to choose one or the other. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: It was 

Christa Innis: like- Emma, Emma’s the friend. Emma and Lily are the- Yeah … friends, and then the OP is… We don’t have a name, I guess, for her. 

Samantha Blake: Oh, okay, okay. Yeah I thought Emma was…

Okay. So whomever… We’ll get- we’ll say her name is Lauren. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: Lauren- Perfect … feel like she’s choosing between the two, that’s so unfair to her. 

Christa Innis: Yes. 

Samantha Blake: Like, because- Why 

Christa Innis: can’t it be yes … 

Samantha Blake: the 

Christa Innis: honor 

Samantha Blake: over here, obviously, like, that would indicate to me that she’s closer to this person. Mm-hmm. Which could potentially make Lily upset because, like, how dare you have a bester friend than me?

Mm-hmm. A besterest, bester best. 

Christa Innis: Besterest, yeah. Bestest friend, yeah. When- But 

Samantha Blake: yeah … 

Christa Innis: yeah. When I think Lily, um, got- Who got engaged first? It was like… Oh, they got engaged around the same time, and then, but Emma was her maid of honor, so then, so then Lauren would’ve been Emma’s maid of honor. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: And then- Yeah

Samantha Blake: yeah. And Emma was gonna originally be married in September or fall-ish, and then uncle had health problems, Lily. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Like, I can understand it because Lily asked when is she getting married. She knew it was fall, so then she planned for spring. 

Christa Innis: Right. 

Samantha Blake: But you can’t, like, plan if a family member’s sick.

Christa Innis: Yeah. Sorry, I feel a sneeze coming on. It looks like I’m crying. I swear it’s allergies. 

Samantha Blake: I’m like, I swear to you, the story’s not that bad. 

Christa Innis: Like, it’s okay. It’s not your friends that are getting 

Samantha Blake: married. 

Christa Innis: No. No, like, my allergies are so bad since, like, the wildfires and stuff. But anyway- Right … um, yeah, no. It’s…

That’s, like, hard, and I feel like it’s, like, this, like, friend competition and, like- Mm-hmm … I guess it’s that they’re friends now, but I would still, I feel like, hold a little bit of resentment for how the girl- Oh, 

Samantha Blake: for sure … how she treated her ‘

Christa Innis: cause I’d be like, “Dude, you put me in a odd spot. Like, I’m not controlling their wedding over here.

I’m just the maid of honor- Right … and I’m supporting my friend. Don’t come at me. Like, I’m the one.” 

Samantha Blake: But also, I feel like as, as Emma to now be friends with Lily, if I were Emma, I would l- I would think that she was really fake, and I would… It would be a very superficial friendship for me. Like, one of those, like, surface level where you know enough to feel like we’re friends, but at the same time, I see what you can do to people you care about, so I’m not letting you close to me.

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: That’s how I would handle it. Like, there’s no way that you caused my best friend so much, like, grief- 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm … 

Samantha Blake: and then I’m gonna be friends. And- I, I can- can’t … 

Christa Innis: yeah, it makes me wonder if, um, the OP, like Lauren that we’re calling, I wonder if- Uh-huh … she told Emma everything. You know? 

Samantha Blake: Oh, same. Mm-hmm. ‘

Christa Innis: Cause maybe she’s thinking, like, I’m thinking, like, if I were in two weddings at the same time and that happened, I’m like, I don’t think I’d wanna stress out this bride- Yeah

and be like, “Oh,” you know? Or make them feel like they have to change their date. So I’m wondering- Yeah … if she didn’t tell her or maybe waited to tell her until later. 

Samantha Blake: Later. 

Christa Innis: I’d almost hope she wouldn’t tell her ’cause then I’m like, don’t put that on her ’cause if Emma’s like- No … a really nice people pleaser, then maybe she’s like, “Oh, okay, I don’t wanna…”

But it sound- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: it sounded like Emma was actually concerned. She was like, “Oh, do you think it’s okay?” Or would she be upset? 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. Yeah. She 

Christa Innis: had a feeling, like, you know, ’cause I think it would probably cross everyone’s mind, like, you know, if- If maybe I knew someone was getting married, ’cause I got married in March, like if I knew someone close to another friend was getting married in April, I’d be like, “Oh, is that too close?”

But I mean, I don’t know. Like- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: for the most part, if you have different friend groups and, you know, it doesn’t really matter. Like- 

Samantha Blake: No … 

Christa Innis: only 12 months in a year 

Samantha Blake: And on top of that, like… Right, and it’s just like I would, I actually think that I would like having weddings back to back because you get to celebrate.

I’m, I- I’m like, w- don’t wanna get remarried, but I love weddings, and I always get emotional. Like, I was, like, as a photographer, I’m, like, crying behind my lens for somebody I don’t even freaking know. But I love weddings. I love love, you know what I mean? 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: So I think that I would love it if it was, like, back-to-back weddings where I get to celebrate people that I’m close to.

Christa Innis: Yeah. I 

Samantha Blake: was- So it’s just, it’s weird to me that people would be like, no. Like, the one story you shared where, like, the person couldn’t get married in their wedding year. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: What are we talking about? Like, what? Ugh. 

Christa Innis: Don’t you wanna be happy- Like, what the hell? … and celebrate other people? Like, I, I’m the same way.

Like, I love weddings. Would I wanna plan another one for myself? No. I had so much fun with it, but I love weddings. I love going to them. Mm-hmm. Like, I just found out two of my f- two of my friends just got engaged, and they’re getting married next year, and I’m like, “Yes.” We haven’t had a wedding, a year with two weddings in a long time.

Yeah. I can’t wait. 

Samantha Blake: That’s so exciting. 

Christa Innis: Um, yeah, and it’s like it, and it’s been a while ’cause, like, my, my age group, my friends group are all married, so it’s like younger… It’s like siblings, younger siblings- Yeah … and, like, uh- Yeah … you know, stuff like that. But, um, yeah, and so I’m just like, I can’t wait ’cause I love going to weddings.

Yeah. It’s just such a fun event- It’s exciting … to go to, and it’s exciting and, um… So yeah, it’s just, that does… You can, you know, maybe you can excuse some wacky behavior around weddings. Yeah. Like, okay, they’re stressed. But things like that, I would be like, I would remember how someone treated me. Going off on me- Yeah

at someone else’s wedding, like, I’d be like, “Eh, that’s a bit odd.” 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. I think, like, if Emma was like, “Okay, so this girl’s wedding is on the 2nd. I actually want mine on the 3rd.” Like, sure, be a little bit, like, peeved about that, but if it’s, like, a couple weeks after- Right … really no point in being upset.

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: It, it, unless you guys are in each other’s wedding and getting married on the exact same day- 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm … 

Samantha Blake: it’s really, it’s really not that deep. Like, we- Yeah … can just calm down. Like- 

Christa Innis: Like, it’ll 

Samantha Blake: be- I always tell people like that need to eat a Snickers. Like, you know the commercials where they’re, like- Yes

hangry? Yeah. Go eat a Snickers. Go eat a Snickers. 

Christa Innis: Go chill out for a bit. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah, relax. 

Christa Innis: Calm down. You’ll be fine. Yeah. Um- 

Samantha Blake: I used to, when I was a server, completely unrelated, I carried fun-size Snickers around in my, um, apron. So when people would give me attitude, I’d be like, “Oh, you little, little snacky over here.”

Uh, 

Christa Innis: have a Snickers. You, you need something to hold you off before, uh- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. … 

Christa Innis: your fumes. Yeah. That’s a good idea. People do need that. 

Samantha Blake: Okay. No, that’s wild, you know? 

Confessions, Mom Villages and Setting Boundaries 

Christa Innis: I always like to end these episodes with confessions. 

Samantha Blake: Ooh. 

Christa Innis: So here is, um, here’s what people said. We said, “What’s…” We asked, “What’s something you wish people understood more of?”

Um, this person said, “How you treat people is how they’ll treat you. If you don’t give more, don’t expect more.” I actually love- Mm … this because I’ve been thinking a lot about, like, mom villages lately, and how everyone’s like, you know, “Where’s my village?” And it’s hard to find a village. But I feel like to have a village you have to kind of be the village.

Yep. And that goes for, like, when you’re a bride, too. Like, we wanna relate it back to weddings. It’s like these brides that maybe weren’t there for their friends when it was their time, and then they’re like, “Where is everybody?” And it’s like, well, you- Right, right … weren’t a good friend to them. You know? 

Samantha Blake: Yep, yep.

It’s the energy you put out is what you get back- 

Christa Innis: Mm … 

Samantha Blake: is how I always look at it. So the effort you put in is the effort that comes back to you as well. 

Christa Innis: Yes, absolutely. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: Um, not being able to do things because you have kids. That’s what… Okay, she wish- wishes people, more people would understand that.

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm. Okay. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: I can get that one. I understand that one. 

Christa Innis: Yes. Um, let’s see. I can fix them is not true. They have to put in the work. You can’t make them see their flaws. Yeah, I think that’s- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: mostly true, yeah. 

Samantha Blake: I hear it. Yeah. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. Um, this person just says, “No, I don’t want kids there.” So I don’t know if they’re talking about weddings or s- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah.

I always struggle with that because I’ve been to weddings where kids were in attendance, and it was totally fine. Like, you would’ve never known. But then I’ve been at weddings where, like, there’s a screaming toddler just running amok, and you’re just like, like, “Why is it running across the altar right now?”

Like, while they’re doing their vows. Right. Like, so I understand not wanting that. 

Christa Innis: Yes. 

Samantha Blake: But at the same time, like- If, if you want to invite a person and the person has kids but they can’t make it ’cause kids aren’t allowed, then you have to be understanding of the fact that they are not there because of that.

It’s, it doesn’t mean that they don’t like you, it doesn’t mean they’re a bad friend, it just means that they can’t go. 

Christa Innis: Right. 

Samantha Blake: Does that- No, totally. 

Christa Innis: So, 

Samantha Blake: like, yeah, when my cousin got married it was no kids, and my son was, like, I don’t know, two months old, three months old. So I had a babysitter for him. ‘Cause it was m- like, everybody was going.

It was my cousin, so like my mom was there, my dad was there, my sisters, everything. So I had a sitter for a couple of hours, and she was so upset that I didn’t stay for everything. And I’m like, “I can’t.” Like- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: this thing is nursing. Yes. It’s like, looking for me. I gotta go. Like- Yes … but. 

Christa Innis: I know. 

Samantha Blake: I don’t know.

But- 

Christa Innis: Yeah, that’s hard. It’s hard, like, people need to like understand, like, once you have kids, like things, things change a little bit. Yeah. And I, and I total- again, I totally understand people not wanting kids there. Like, I don’t get- Mm-hmm … offended if people don’t invite my daughter. Like, I get it. 

Samantha Blake: Right.

Christa Innis: And I think, I think it’s just people want different vibes for weddings. Sometimes they just don’t want kids there. Other times it’s like just immediate family members. Um- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: and I think a lot of times too, like, if… Or if they don’t know your kid, they’re not gonna invite your kid. Like, like we have like- Yeah

friends that invite us to a wedding before they even knew, before we had kids. I’m like, I wouldn’t expect them to just, you know, add her on the list. Um- Right … but yeah, I know. I think it’s, I think it’s interesting. People get like very offended over it, both sides. People get offended- Yeah … if you have to leave early if you have kids, and people get offended if you say, um, if you invite no kids.

And I’m like- 

Samantha Blake: Right. Right … 

Christa Innis: people are gonna do what they want. It’s okay. Like- 

Samantha Blake: Right … 

Christa Innis: you can’t get up in arms about 

Samantha Blake: it. And it’s okay to realize that people are different. Just because you would have kids at your wedding doesn’t mean that they should also feel that way. 

Christa Innis: Yeah, yeah. 

Samantha Blake: It’s like a chocolate versus vanilla.

Not everybody likes chocolate and not everybody likes vanilla. It’s okay. It’s okay. 

Christa Innis: Right. 

Samantha Blake: It’s okay. We can all get along. Yes. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. Um, this person says, “No phones at the wedding.” 

Samantha Blake: I agree with that I grew, as, as a photographer, as somebody… I think I did, like, 20-something weddings. The amount of times I would be taking a photo down the aisle of, like, the first kiss, and then you have, like, Aunt Susan leaning in with her camera taking photos.

So then you have to go through the hassle of either trying to edit her out completely or cropping the photo so it’s not as aesthetic, just to not have their phone in the, in the photo. And, like, sometimes you watch, uh, the bride walking down the aisle, and everybody’s like this, staring at their screen. Ah.

And, like, the event is happening in front of you, and you’re missing it. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: You’re… Like, it just, it, it’s frustrating. 

Christa Innis: That’s like concert video nows, v- videos now- … that, like, really bother me. And it’s like I get, like, filming your favorite song or here and there, but the people- Yeah … that the whole time at a concert are holding up, I’m like, “Be freaking present.

We have such a hard time- Be present … with that now.” It’s like- 

Samantha Blake: Yep, yep … 

Christa Innis: there’s nothing that will compete with your actual eyesight and your senses. And, and I feel like especially when you’re at a concert, how many times are you gonna go back and, like, watch it? Like, how- 

Samantha Blake: I know, I know. Or, like, 4th of July fireworks.

Yeah, when they 

Christa Innis: post it. 

Samantha Blake: Nobody cares. Nobody 

Christa Innis: cares. Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: Or, or even when you’re watching the concert videos back and you can hear yourself singing- I feel like that’s a reason enough to not do it. Like, listening to yourself shout the lyrics, like, no. Yes. 

Christa Innis: I know. I always like to remind people, it’s like, especially at a wedding, it’s like they paid good money for a great photographer.

Let them do that. Like, if you wanna get- Yes … like, a selfie of you and the bride later if she has time- Yeah … sure, do that. Yeah. But, you know, and like I- being involved in weddings, I ta- I love taking pictures of, like, little details and stuff. 

Samantha Blake: Mm-hmm. 

Christa Innis: But you better believe my phone is away. When I’m sitting- Yeah

in my chair and I’m watching, my phone’s away, ’cause I know I can’t do better than the photographer. I know that for a fact. Right. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: But yeah, like Uncle Bob over here, he thinks his iPad is better . 

Samantha Blake: Yes. Oh, I did one wedding one time, I think it was the grandpa or, like, a great uncle or something like that, was recording it with the flash on- 

Christa Innis: Ugh

Samantha Blake: the entire time. So, like, everybody’s trying to watch, and they’re, like, blinded if he’s, like, turning the iPad their way, and it’s just like, “Put it away, bro.” Yeah. So, like, I have all these people photos with this bright light out of nowhere over here, and I’m like, “This is fantastic. This is great.” Mm. “Love this.”

Christa Innis: Wild, wild, wild. 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: All right. Well, thank you so much for coming on. That was- 

Samantha Blake: Of course … it 

Christa Innis: was fun, like, going back and forth with different stories and stuff ’cause, like, I’m sure you have so many. We could probably do, like, a two-hour episode with different kinds of stories. 

Samantha Blake: I have so much, dude. I… That’s why when people are like, “These stories are made up,” and I’m like, “Mm, no.”

Not at 

Christa Innis: all. 

Samantha Blake: One thing I think it’s, is… Okay, so from, like, a young age to probably about 20 or 21, I was very meek, very quiet. Like, I was in an abusive relationship, so you, like, you kind of shrink yourself to be palatable to people. And when I left that I was like, “You’re, you’re all in for a treat now because I don’t have a verbal filter.”

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: So, like, when you’re willing to speak your mind, you tend to piss people off a lot because they’re not used to being called out on their behavior- 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm … 

Samantha Blake: which intensifies their behavior. So then you just… I end up with, like, crazy stories. Even, like, we were out to dinner the other day, um, and this mom was sitting there berating her daughter.

And of course, I’m at another table, I’m like, “Hey, you’re doing good over there. Love that you’re making her cry and that you guys are just sitting here eating.” And it’s just like, stop. Stop being shitty people. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: I don’t know. Yeah. But my mouth will get me in trouble eventually. It just hasn’t yet. 

Christa Innis: Oh, my gosh.

I love it. It’s so funny. Mm-hmm. Um, so where can everyone follow you for all your content and, and anything fun you’re working on? 

Samantha Blake: Um, so I, I recently started a Facebook. I don’t know why I was steering away from that, but Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are all the same. It’s the @miss.Samantha.bee, so missSamanthaBee.

But if you see any others without the little dots in between, it’s not me. It’s a fake person. We don’t like that. I love those fake people- … out there. 

Christa Innis: One thing I never thought I’d have to deal with. It’s wild, but… 

Samantha Blake: I have… So I don’t know why I was not on Facebook. I think it’s ’cause I have so many friends and family over there.

There’s still a part of me that’s, like, embarrassed that I make videos, and I don’t want people watching it. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: But I came across a page of, like, I think it was, like, 100 of my videos, and they had over 3,000 followers. And I’m like, “This isn’t me.” So then I had to start a Facebook, get it verified, like, in the Meta thingy, and now, like, I’ll report their videos ’cause mine will, mine will post first, then they’ll steal it, and then they post it.

Christa Innis: Yeah. 

Samantha Blake: So I’ve gotten, like, 20-something of their videos taken down, and just yesterday, they had my profile picture. They just removed the profile picture, so now it’s just, like, that little icon of, like, a silhouette of a person. 

Christa Innis: Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: Um, but I’m hoping that that means the entire page is being taken down ’cause- 

Christa Innis: Yeah

Samantha Blake: I will make time to get it taken down. Yeah. 

Christa Innis: Like, 

Samantha Blake: but- Like, you will 

Christa Innis: not be imitating me anymore, thank you. No. 

Samantha Blake: No, thank you. Also, I’m so terrified of, like, and I don’t know if you deal with this, like, somebody stealing all of your videos and posting like they’re you. What if they start commenting like they’re you, but commenting things you would never comment?

It, it’s like, to me, that’s like one of my biggest fears is like what if this person makes me seem like an awful person, and they’re just really mean? 

Christa Innis: Yeah. No, I had- Because someone- … someone that, I think it was on TikTok, was pretending to be me, and they like took my picture, and they messaged a follower like, “Oh, I’ll do like a reading for you,” which I was like, “I don’t do those, obviously, on my page- Right

or anything.” And she messaged me on Instagram, was like, “Hey, just so you know, this is what just happened to me.” She’s like, “I thought it was you at first, and I got all excited ’cause I’m a big fan.” And then we were like- Yeah … chatting, and then she like, “Then I like s- kinda like asked another question.” I was like, “That’s creepy.”

It’s so weird. We- I will never just message someone and say, “Hey, can I do a reading for you?” Or can I- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: And then, oh, and then the person tried charging. They’re like, “Here’s my… Oh, yeah, it’s, I’ll, I do this part for free, but then this is a v- here’s my Venmo.” And I was like, “Girl, I don’t even use Venmo.” 

Samantha Blake: No.

Christa Innis: So please don’t- 

Samantha Blake: Yeah … 

Christa Innis: ask me. 

Samantha Blake: How wild. 

Christa Innis: Yeah. It’s- 

Samantha Blake: But people will fall for it. People will do it. ‘Cause like- Mm … I hate using the term like parasocial relationship, but you do feel like you know these people, and you get excited to contact them. And- 

Christa Innis: Yeah … 

Samantha Blake: and they would do it. They would be like, “Oh, hell yeah, let me Venmo you for this.”

Yeah. And just like, “Oh, stop me.” 

Christa Innis: That’s why it’s so good to get verified on Instagram and Facebook because then people… I always tell people, I’m like, “If there’s no blue check mark, don’t… It’s not me.” Yeah. “It’s not me.” 

Samantha Blake: Yeah. 

Christa Innis: Which I always was like, “What’s the point of that?” But now I’m like, okay, now there, there is a point to it.

Samantha Blake: Now I get it. 

Christa Innis: Yeah, yeah. 

Samantha Blake: It’s impossible to get verified on TikTok too. So I had, um, I had another page that recently it got like flagged for impersonating a business. I’m like, “Bitch, do I look like a business?” Like I’m a person. Like- I’m a real person … but I got, I got flagged for impersonating a business, and I kept trying to appeal and trying to appeal and trying to appeal.

And it was like, um, like, uh, service error, temporarily unavailable, and maybe 10 days later my entire page was gone. So like- Wow … like all the followers I had built and stuff over there were now gone. So- Mm … I think I have like maybe 20,000 right now, but that’s not even a portion of what I had before it got removed.

So it’s like- Ugh. 

Christa Innis: Oh 

Samantha Blake: my God. 

Christa Innis: All that work, yeah. Like- That’s annoying. Mm-hmm. 

Samantha Blake: Well, 

Christa Innis: thank you so much for coming. It was so nice to meet you. But- I- Of 

Samantha Blake: course … 

Christa Innis: I love your content. Me too. You do great storytelling, so everyone needs to go check you out. And- Thank you … thanks for being here. 

Samantha Blake: Awesome, thank you. I really appreciate it.

It was nice to meet you. 

Christa Innis: You too.