The Curve

Over 50% of US couples go into debt paying for their wedding, and 1 in 3 regret how much they spent. So what's actually driving the cost up, and what do people wish they'd spent their money on instead? Sophie sits down with Margie Riddiford, co-founder of wedding platform Veil, to unpack the results of The Curve's own audience survey alongside global spending data from New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and the US. They get into the "wedding tax," and why spending money on preserving memories is the one investment that pays off every time. Also, don’t miss the unspoken reality of family financial contributions and the strings that can come attached. Whether you have your special day coming up or love being nosey about wedding mishaps, this episode has you covered.

Check out the Weddings Survey results here …

https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/p/the-true-cost-of-weddings

Margie’s links …

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/margieriddiford)

Massive thanks to our sponsors for this episode; VEIL Magazine and Milkbooks.

🕊️ VEIL is this gorgeous print mag all about real romance, ritual and modern matrimony - definitely worth a browse at https://www.veil-magazine.com/

📸 Milkbooks make photo albums you'll actually want to keep forever, not just shove in a drawer, check them out at https://www.milkbooks.com/

Credits:

Host: Sophie Hallwright

Guest: Margie Riddiford

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Kate Callaghan

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/the-curve-hotline)

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in this episode …
00:01:03 An introduction to Margie & Veil
00:08:40 How did weddings get so expensive
00:13:36 The influence of social media
00:16:21 “The wedding tax”
00:19:20 Margie’s own wedding
00:23:03 What the community do and don’t value spending money on
00:38:55 Family contributions to weddings
00:41:45 The trade off between your wedding vs your future
00:46:09 Final thoughts
00:49:10 Thanks for listening!
00:49:38 Financial disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is freezing her eggs and sharing every part of the process with her 6 million+ followers; the hormone injections, the bloating, the uncertainty, and it's got Soph and Emma asking what egg freezing actually costs. In this episode, we cover the real price of freezing your eggs (upfront costs plus the ongoing storage fees nobody mentions), why only 6% of women who freeze their eggs ever go on to use them, why 35-37 (not your 20s) is when most women can actually afford to do it, the booming $129 billion surrogacy industry sparked by the backlash to Cameron Diaz's third child, and why so many fertility decisions; whether to freeze eggs, use a surrogate, or have kids at all, come down to money rather than choice.

Content warning: this episode contains strong language and discusses fertility struggles and reproductive health candidly.

Read the full New York Times story on the global surrogacy industry in Ukraine, including how the war affected surrogate mothers: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/03/magazine/surrogates-ukraine.html

Catch our full conversation with Deirdre from Hertility on fertility testing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmi_ba-58nQ

Thanks so much to Generate for making The Curve Weekly possible. Generate has a really impressive 10-year track record, to find out more about their performance click here: generatekiwisaver.co.nz/performance. But remember, a great track record doesn’t guarantee future returns! If you’d like to speak to an advisor, to see if Generate is right for you, you can book time with someone here: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/curve

Credits:

Hosts: Sophie Hallwright & Vic Harris

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Kate Callaghan

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/the-curve-hotline)

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in this episode…
00:01:10 Generate x The Curve
00:01:29 Catching up: Edinburgh Fringe and financial confessions
00:06:57 AOC's public egg-freezing journey sparks a bigger question
00:12:37 The affordability of egg freezing
00:26:39 The real numbers
00:42:40 Generate x The Curve
00:43:18 Inside the booming surrogacy industry
01:00:00 The dating crisis, and why it changes everything
01:11:50 Thank you for listening!
01:12:30 Financial disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Generate’s Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Advice Provider License can be found here: GenerateKiwiSaver.co.nz/disclosures.

*Morningstar KiwiSaver Survey March Quarter End 2026. The Generate Focused Growth Fund returns have ranked in the top three of NZ Multi Sector Aggressive Category Funds for 10 year returns every quarter since becoming eligible in June 2023. Most recently the fund ranked 2nd out of 10 funds for 10 year returns to 31 March 2026.

Sophie and Vic get into why Alix Earle might be one of the smartest businesswomen on the internet right now, quietly building her own VC firm off the back of her TikTok reach. They put her playbook up against Alex Cooper's, whose media company Unwell just hit a $500 million valuation, and break down who's actually building the bigger empire. Plus, El Niño is compounding the global warming effects we’re already witnessing, and it's about to hit your coffee and chocolate. But first, Spotify could soon be revealing your favourite artist is secretly AI … 

Submit your money and morals question to The Ethical Hotline: https://form.typeform.com/to/BZHujjGM and if you want to check out any of the questions we've already answered you can find them here! (https://pathfinder.kiwi/pathfinder-x-the-curve/)

WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:

VC (venture capital) Money invested in early-stage companies with high growth potential.
Cap table The list of who owns what in a private company.
Valuation What a business is worth on paper, not what's in the bank.
Private equity Investment firms that buy stakes in more established companies.
Return on investment What you get back compared to what you put in.
Angel investing Early money from friends, family or individuals before VCs get involved.

Credits:

Hosts: Sophie Hallwright & Vic Harris

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Kate Callaghan

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in today’s episode …
00:00:55 Pathfinder x The Curve
00:01:25 Vic has betrayed us
00:10:00 Spotify’s new AI badges
00:17:16 Alix Earle’s new VC firm
00:28:11 Alex Cooper’s media empire
00:34:00 Pathfinder x The Curve
00:35:01 El niño and Global warming
00:36:15 Community Question
00:50:35 Thanks for listening
00:51:45 Financial disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

When you look at a big financial goal, it’s easy to get overwhelmed before you even start. You know you need a buffer for when life goes wrong, and you know you want to save for the things that actually bring you joy, but staring at a massive target number can make you want to give up entirely. That’s when you need to change how you map out your money. Financial literacy powerhouse Hannah Hart (formerly Koumakis) is back on the mic, and this time she’s breaking down how to conquer short-term savings goals, build an airtight emergency fund, and find the sweet spot between protecting your present and investing in your future. 

From the mindset shift of officially merging bank accounts after marriage to underestimating a home renovation budget, Hannah shares the exact strategies she uses to reverse-engineer her goals. Sophie and Hannah look at the numbers in granular detail, explaining how to split your accounts for "mini-goals" and why leaving too much cash on the sidelines can actually stall your long-term wealth. If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to balance the tension of saving for a holiday today versus growing your money for tomorrow, this episode is for you. 

Don’t forget our last IOU (Side Hustler episode): https://open.spotify.com/episode/5FDI0aPG5bzbriRooqXDWG?si=W4U4J7jVS_KxQ6bMQGda5A 

Hannah’s Links 

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hannahkoumakis/) 

TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahkoumakis) 

deartheseries.com 

dearcommunity.co.nz 

Seven Content & Dear Brides (http://sevencontentstudio.com) 

Check out IOU (The Practical Lessons) here: https://thecurveplatform.com/ 

We're proud to be partnering with BNZ. There's an art to starting something new, and like any art form, you need the right tools to make it work. Whether you're flatting, saving to travel, or making a career move, BNZ has the tools to help you master your money from the get-go. 

Credits:

Hosts: Sophie Hallwright

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Kate Callaghan

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/the-curve-hotline)

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in this episode…
00:01:21 BNZ x The Curve
00:01:48 Catch-up with Hannah
00:04:59 In the red or the green?
00:08:58 The importance of emergency funds
00:17:34 Saving for short term goals
00:22:20 The 50/30/20 rule
00:28:16 Going over budget
00:31:20 Visualising your financial goals
00:35:51 Cash and Burn
00:42:25 Extra Credit
00:44:45 Thank you for listening!
00:44:59 BNZ x The Curve
00:45:22 Financial disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Soph and Emma spring off the back of Margot's Got Money Troubles to unpack what's actually going on with OnlyFans. They investigate who's really making money on the platform, how the business model works, and why the numbers are nowhere near as glamorous as the headlines suggest. They also get into the darker side of the industry: the rise of exploitative "managers" who take control of creators' earnings, and why that's happening right under the platform's nose. Plus, why OnlyFans is one of the most profitable businesses but it's almost impossible for it to go public. The real story isn't how much you can make on OnlyFans, it's who ends up keeping it.

Sign up to our Substack, we’ve got even more to say topic (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Check out our episode with OnlyFans creator Grace Wears Lace (https://youtu.be/e7dVWOEBl5Y?si=TKZSyUjpEQapV8Pe)

If you were intrigued by the ‘Revenge of the Simps’ article (https://www.thecut.com/article/cam-girls-webcam-pimp.html)

Just in case you wanted to read the peer-reviewed paper (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12119-025-10389-2)

Emma’s Links
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/emmalouiseboynton)
Pleasure (https://geni.us/pleasureelboynton)
Sex Talks (https://www.sextalks.co.uk)
Substack: (https://emmalouiseboynton.substack.com/)

WTF does that mean? A guide to all the jargony bits:

Operating profit What's left after running costs. Before tax takes its cut.
Valuation What a business is worth on paper. Not what's in the bank.
IPO When a private company sells shares to the public for the first time.
External capital Outside money brought in to help a business grow.
Payment processing risk The chance your bank partners get cold feet and pull out.
Revenue split The cut a platform or manager takes before you see a penny.
Dividends Profit paid out to owners instead of reinvested in the business.

Thanks so much to Generate for making The Curve Weekly possible. Generate has a really impressive 10-year track record, to find out more about their performance click here: generatekiwisaver.co.nz/performance. But remember, a great track record doesn’t guarantee future returns! If you’d like to speak to an advisor, to see if Generate is right for you, you can book time with someone here: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/curve

Credits:

Hosts: Sophie Hallwright

Producer: Emily Rigby

Editor: Kate Callaghan

Social & Digital Manager: Lucy Munro

⁠⁠Leave us a message on The Curve Hotline 💌☎️⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/pages/the-curve-hotline)

For more from The Curve:⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ (https://thecurveplatform.com/)

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/thecurveplatform/)⁠⁠⁠

⁠YouTube⁠⁠ (https://youtube.com/@thecurveplatform?si=nlCWqqqySWOzYlj3)

⁠TikTok⁠⁠ (https://www.tiktok.com/@thecurveplatform)⁠⁠⁠

⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ (https://thecurve.co.nz/pages/sign-up-to-the-curve-weekly)

Substack (https://thecurveplatform.substack.com/)

Chapters

00:00:00 Coming up in today’s episode …
00:01:04 Generate x The Curve
00:01:02 Weekly catch up
00:05:14 Margo’s got money troubles review
00:13:20 The non-sexual side to OnlyFans
00:19:50 How much can you actually earn?
00:34:04 Generate x The Curve
00:34:41 The dark side of OnlyFans
00:44:10 Behind the business model
00:59:10 Key takeaways
01:01:20 Thanks for listening
01:02:04 Financial Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Raising The Curve has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes. Any information provided and serviced described in this website are intended to be of general nature and provide general information only. The opinions expressed by The Curve do not constitute investment advice.

Generate’s Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Advice Provider License can be found here: GenerateKiwiSaver.co.nz/disclosures.

*Morningstar KiwiSaver Survey March Quarter End 2026. The Generate Focused Growth Fund returns have ranked in the top three of NZ Multi Sector Aggressive Category Funds for 10 year returns every quarter since becoming eligible in June 2023. Most recently the fund ranked 2nd out of 10 funds for 10 year returns to 31 March 2026.