Where real love
meets real talk.
You’re building a life together—and it all starts here.
Workshops + expert panels to help engaged couples plan smarter + love stronger.
Planning a wedding is exciting—but let’s be real, it can also be overwhelming. And what about planning for your marriage? That part matters, too.
At Ever After Academy, we bring top wedding and relationship experts together in one place to help wedding couples navigate both. From photography to finances, prenups to planning, from zeal to zen, we host honest, real-talk events where you can learn, ask questions, and feel totally seen. Whether you're planning your wedding, your marriage, or just trying to keep your sanity—this is where the prep gets real.
Think of it as your one-stop confidence boost for the journey ahead. Once you attend a panel or a workshop, you will be ready for your next steps.
You're newly engaged? That's awesome! Now what?
Are you looking for some advice on how to start planning your wedding? Great! We’ve got you.
Don’t stop there. Your marriage deserves planning, too.
OUR SIGNATURE
Wedding & Marriage Panels
Ever After Academy brings NYC’s top pros into one room—for panel discussions that cut the fluff and give you what you actually need: advice, insight, and a no-judgment space to ask all the questions.
All Wedding 101 Panels will include those vendors usually contacted at the beginning of your wedding planning journey.
Wedding Planner or Coordinator
Venue Manager or Head of Sales
Caterer
Photographer
Founder Hope Mirlis will moderate and offer the Officiant perspective.
All Marriage 101 Panels will include professionals that couples may need as they plan their marriage-to-be. Yes, we are looking at the “taboo” topics!
Sex Therapist
Financial Advisor
Matrimonial Attorney
Home Organizer
Founder Hope Mirlis will guide the discussion as a Premarital Counselor.
You will have the attention of amazing professionals. This is your #AMA (as me anything) moment!
THE NEXT PANEL IS:
Wedding 101
Tuesday, September 16
6-7:30pm
Zoom
Are you going through bridal anxiety?
Would it be nice to have some camaraderie as you plan your wedding?
OUR POPULAR
The Zen Bride
Hey ladies, along with your partner, you are planning one of the biggest days of your life! Things are going to get emotional.
You are going through a life-changing experience, therefore you need to be PRESENT for it. Allow yourself to step back and take a breath. Heck, take three. Put on your comfy pants, embrace your feminine power, cue the calming music and get ready to not only accept, but CELEBRATE the amazing changes going on in your life!
The Zen Bride gives brides-to-be an opportunity to breathe and recognize the amazing rite of passage from engagement day to wedding day. Together we will:
De-stress with mediation and yoga
Share our stories
Validate our feelings and emotions
Discuss our changes of identity
With strength and confidence, we will then create and perform a meaningful ritual leaving you relaxed and refreshed and ready to complete the journey towards wedded bliss.
Founder Hope Mirlis will guide you through the session, either one-on-one or with your bridesmaids or close friends, virtual or in-person in the New York area. It’s a time to celebrate YOU.
There is also a Quarterly In-person Workshop where brides-to-be can share and celebrate with a group of women going through the exact same thing at the exact same time!
It’s time to embrace calm and build community. Over 4 hours, you’ll share your stories with other women, validate the vast range of emotions we’re all experiencing, witness others and be witnessed and celebrate wherever you are on the journey. Let’s get excited for the road ahead… uncertainty and all!
*While this workshop is called The Zen Bride and was originally created with brides in mind, you don’t have to identify as a bride in order to participate. Whether you’re non-binary, gender fluid, gender non-conforming, or simply don’t identify with the label “bride,” you are still absolutely welcome!
THE NEXT QUARTERLY WORKSHOP IS:
The Zen Bride Workshop
Sunday, August 17th
10am - 2pm
FiDi, NYC
“Hope is a treasure trove of information, tools, and resources for successful marriages, which is exactly what we were looking for.”
— Kristyn B.
Meet Hope, our Founder & Facilitator.
Hope Mirlis is a registered NYC Wedding Officiant, an Ordained Interfaith Minister, a Certified Yoga Instructor and has been working with couples across the country since 2009. Her goal is to bring balance and inspiration into marriage preparation as you plan your wedding and not only honor, but strengthen your relationship. It can be a daunting task, but doesn’t have to be – and you certainly don’t need to do it alone.
Hope is an excellent tour guide as you travel from engagement to wedding day. She's also an amazing connector. After years in the industry, she knows a plethora of talented wedding professionals, as well as tons of referral partners. Hope founded A More Perfect Union in 2012 and Ever After Academy in 2025.
FAQs
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Ever After Academy offers expert-led panel discussions and interactive workshops designed to help engaged and committed couples prepare for both their wedding day and their marriage. From the Zen Bride series to real-talk panels with wedding pros, we’re here to give you the tools, clarity, and confidence to create your happily ever after.
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Our events are designed for engaged or committed individual and couples. We know you need more than just Pinterest boards and vendor lists. If you're looking for real advice, calming practices, and expert insight into weddings and marriage, you're in the right place.
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We host two main types of events:
Panel Discussions featuring rotating wedding professionals and experts who guide couples before marriage. Everyone will share advice, stories, and tips - and be prepared to answer your questions live.
Zen Bride Workshops, designed to help brides-to-be stay grounded, centered, and joyful leading up to the big day.
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Both! We offer a mix of in-person events in New York City and virtual experiences so you can join from wherever you are.
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Tickets are available right here on our website and on Eventbrite. Each event listing includes details on location, format, and pricing.
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Yes! If you can’t make it live, we’ve got you covered. Registrants receive access to recordings after the event.
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Our panelists are seasoned wedding and marriage professionals — from planners and photographers to sex therapists and financial advisors. They change from month to month, so each panel offers something new. Scroll back to see who will be featured in upcoming panels.
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Absolutely! If you're looking for something more tailored — whether it's a one-on-one session, a group experience, or something just for your bridal party — we offer custom workshops, by request.