EnGAYgement: Queer Wedding Advice. No BS | Sat, Feb 1

10C Shared Space, 42 Carden St
2pm to 4pm. $10/PWYC

Queer partners who want to celebrate their partnership on their own terms can feel pressured in to expectations and norms that feel like hard no’s! In part because the wedding industry is built around assumptions of heterosexuality and normative gender identities. It can be intimidating to wade through the BS in order to discover what is actually a good fit for how you want to celebrate. But never fear, your friendly local queer wedding professionals are here to help!

Wedding planner Danielle Deebank of Dreamstyle Weddings and Life-Cycle Celebrant Christine Lafazanos of Woven Threads - Handcrafted Ceremonies, have years of experience helping LGBTQ folks of all stripes navigate the sometimes tricky waters of wedding-land. There are as many ways to create a wedding or commitment ceremony as there are people choosing celebrate partnership. Tradition and convention can be entered into mindfully and consciously—or they can be reframed, subverted or torn to beautiful shreds. Weddings can look like five people having a picnic at the side of the river, a surprise-wedding backyard potluck, or a grand affair for all your friends and family (including all your cousins!). 

In this two hour workshop Danielle and Christine will introduce you to the broad set of options available to you in planning your celebration, including how to handle the hetero norms and expectations, navigating tricky family dynamics, outfit options for all genders,  thinking about how many loved ones you want to attend, what location options you have, what look and feel you want for the gathering, all the ways ceremony can look, and deciding what other professionals you want helping you out.

This workshop will be helpful if you’re just at the beginning stages of exploring whether a wedding or commitment ceremony is something you want, or if you have a date picked and are already starting to work out the details. You’ll see from the other people in the room that you’re definitely not alone in this. There will also be plenty of time for you to ask questions.

If you feel drawn to attend this workshop then know you are most welcome! No one’s identity will be policed, no assumptions will be made. Welcoming to folks of any non-religious or religious beliefs. Inclusive of non-monogamous and poly identities. 

The workshop takes place at 10C Shared Space, 4th floor, at 42 Carden St, from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, February 1. Closest bus stops are at Guelph City Hall and Guelph Central Station. Free two hour downtown parking is available. 10C is physically accessible and gender neutral accessible washrooms are available. Refreshments will be available suited to a variety of dietary needs.

Spaces are limited, so please register at Eventbrite. Fees are $10 per person or pay what you can, no one turned away. Fees can be paid by Interac e-Transfer ahead of time or day-of by cash. To arrange to pay by Interac contact Christine at [email protected].
​
This event is proudly part of Guelph Winter Pride, which is happening Thursday, January 30 to Saturday, February 8. For a full list of events, head to https://www.guelphpride.com/. 

For more information contact either Danielle at [email protected] or Christine at [email protected].  Or connect with the event on Facebook.