Backyard Bridal Retreats
Soul-led, co-created retreats brought to you — and the loved ones who walk beside you.
Whether you’re a bride, groom, or couple preparing for your big day, these soulful retreats offer a meaningful pause to ground, connect, and celebrate love.
In the whirlwind of wedding planning, it’s easy to lose touch with the deeper meaning behind the celebration. Backyard Bridal Retreats invite you — and those closest to you — to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with what truly matters.
Designed for couples and their wedding circles who value meaning over mayhem, these experiences offer an alternative to the traditional stag or stagette — creating memories that nourish the heart and soul long after the wedding day.
Retreat Options
🌿 The Grounded Wedding Circle
A pre-wedding retreat for the couple, their bridal party, and family members — ideally 6–8 weeks before the big day.
A beautiful opportunity to gather your closest people and ground yourselves in gratitude before the celebrations begin. Through gentle mindfulness practices, reflective conversation, and simple rituals of appreciation, this retreat deepens connection within the group and reminds everyone of the love that brought you all together.
Perfect for: Couples who want their wedding circle to feel united, calm, and centred before the festivities begin.
🌸 The Bridal Circle
A soulful twist on the traditional stagette — best held 1–2 weeks before the wedding.
Celebrate in a way that nourishes the heart. The Bridal Circle is a joyful, spirit-filled gathering for the bride and her closest friends — filled with laughter, reflection, and blessing rituals. It’s a time to honour friendship, release pre-wedding stress, and step into the celebration feeling radiant and deeply supported.
Perfect for: Brides and friends seeking a meaningful, heartfelt celebration of love and sisterhood.
💫 The Connected Couple Retreat
An intimate retreat for the soon-to-be-married pair — ideally 2–3 months before the wedding.
A sacred pause to connect with each other before the busy months ahead. This retreat invites you to reflect on your shared journey, explore your hopes for the future, and ground yourselves in presence and love. Gentle mindfulness and co-created rituals make this a beautiful foundation for the life you’re building together.
Perfect for: Couples who want to be intentional about how they enter marriage — grounded, aligned, and connected.
What to Expect
Each Backyard Bridal Retreat is crafted around your unique needs, timing, and intentions. Whether held in your backyard, a garden, or another meaningful space, these retreats weave together mindfulness, reflection, and connection to create a memorable and grounding pause before the wedding.
Expect a thoughtful blend of guided meditation or gentle movement, heartfelt sharing, journaling, and simple rituals that honour love, gratitude, and new beginnings. And because nature is such a powerful ally in slowing down and finding clarity, many retreats include simple nature-based practices — moments to breathe with the trees, connect with the land beneath your feet, or step into quiet reflection outdoors.
Every element is designed to help you slow down, be present, and connect more deeply — with yourself, your partner, and the people walking beside you into this next chapter of life.
Let’s Co-Create Your Retreat
These aren’t one-size-fits-all experiences. Each retreat is designed with care, reflecting the energy, needs, and intentions of the couple and their loved ones.
Half-day, full-day, and multi-day options available
All materials provided — simply bring your open heart, a gathering space, and any personal items that make the experience meaningful (like a yoga mat for gentle movement, if that’s part of your journey).
Your Role as Co-Creator
Collaborating to Create Something Truly Meaningful
As the hosts, you help shape the vision for your retreat — while I handle the logistics, guidance, and flow to ensure everything unfolds with ease. Together, we’ll design an experience that reflects what you want to create for your circle: connection, celebration, grounding, or reflection.
We’ll decide on the location — your backyard, garden, a local park, or a rented space — and if a facility needs to be booked, I’ll take care of the arrangements. All you need to do is show up ready to share the experience with your loved ones.
Meet Your Facilitator
I’m Anita Adams, a bestselling author, life coach, and guide for soulful, heart-centred experiences. I help people reconnect with their inner wisdom, create meaningful life experiences, and move forward with clarity and purpose.
Having met my husband out of high school and now sharing nearly 40 years together, I’ve lived the lessons of connection, patience, and intention that make relationships strong and lasting. This experience informs how I guide couples and their loved ones during Backyard Bridal Retreats — creating moments of calm, reflection, and connection as they prepare for one of life’s most joyful milestones.
Your retreat will be guided with care, presence, and intention — co-created to honour your story, your relationships, and the love you’re celebrating.
FAQs
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I love bringing these soulful experiences to communities near and far. Most retreats take place in British Columbia, but I occasionally travel for special gatherings. If you’re outside the area, reach out — we can explore what’s possible together.
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Each retreat is lovingly co-created around your group’s size, goals, and desired experience. While every retreat is customized, here’s a rough starting point to give you a sense of investment:
The Grounded Wedding Circle (couple + wedding party): Full-day retreat starting at $800, with additional days at $400/day for multi-day experiences.
The Bridal Circle (bride + closest friends): Full-day retreat starting at $800, with additional days at $400/day if desired.
The Connected Couple Retreat (just the couple): Full-day retreat starting at $500. Half-day retreats are also available starting at $350
Every retreat includes thoughtfully planned activities, materials, and guidance. Travel costs are additional if the retreat is held outside my local area. Once we connect, I’ll work with you to create a personalized quote that fits your vision, your group, and your budget.
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Not at all! Backyard Bridal Retreats can take place in any meaningful space — your garden, backyard, living room, rented space, or even a nearby park. The focus is on connection, reflection, and celebration, not the size of the space. We’ll work together to create a comfortable, beautiful setting that feels intimate and special for your group.
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Your role is simply to provide a welcoming space — and enjoy the experience alongside your guests! I’ll handle the retreat facilitation, flow, and setup, while we co-create a soulful, stress-free gathering.
Joyful Journey Backyard Bridal Retreats is proud to collaborate with our valued partner, Wasteknot Weddings & Events.
Looking for a wedding planner? Learn more at Wasteknot Weddings & Events
Let’s Create Your Retreat.
Every love story is unique — your pre-wedding experience should be too. Whether you’re envisioning a soulful circle with your closest friends, a grounding retreat for your wedding party, or an intimate pause for two, we’ll co-create something that feels deeply meaningful for you.
I’d love to hear about your wedding plans and explore how we can create a Backyard Bridal Retreat that feels aligned with your heart. Please fill out the form below, and we’ll schedule a time to connect..
Testimonials