Hey! These feelings weren’t on the seating chart!

Society tells you this is the happiest time of your life, but in reality sometimes the build-up to a wedding makes you want to run away and elope. You might have anticipated stressing over logistics and design details, but might not have pinned grief, overwhelm, family trauma, financial anxiety, or the management of expectations vs reality on your Pinterest board. It can be A LOT.

Things go great! Things get complicated. Vendors don't respond. Friends have a falling out. People you hoped would step up for you don't and people come out of nowhere to save the day. Details you didn't think mattered suddenly become make-or-break. Should I go on?

If you’re currently in the throes of planning a wedding (or "wedding," elopement, or otherwise) and feeling the weight of unexpected emotional side-effects, join us. This group is a soft place to land. It's a space to air out feelings, ask questions of other people going through similar strains, brainstorm solutions together, and know that you are not alone.

What to expect:

• A casual group hang - guided but not controlled or pre-determined - we go where the convo takes us
• A non-judgmental environment to process wedding-related stress and strain
• Support from people who are in the same boat and from industry professionals
• Special guests may be brought in based on specific group needs and asks
• Some alcoholic and non alcoholic beverage options

Facilitated by , with additional support from psychotherapist !

Kendall Rock is a wedding photographer with 10+ years industry experience who specializes in highly-person / DIY weddings. She's seen it all, and often guides her clients through some of the sticky parts of wedding planning.

Kate Dufek LMHC is a psychotherapist with a practice in Ballard. Her work focuses on guiding adult individuals and couples towards a more alive, connective and imaginative way of being. When not working with clients, she is most likely full body laughing, reading voraciously, or playing in and around the Puget Sound with friends (human, pinniped, etc). Also, she's getting married in August!

We hope to make this a reocurring event, and will chat at the end of the meetup with everyone to decide the best pacing / structure.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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