We were lucky to catch up with Tirzah Stein recently and have shared our conversation below.
Tirzah , appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I spent my entire career as a Social Worker, supporting folks impacted by trauma and violence, managing domestic violence shelters. After a decade of dedicating myself to this very emotionally draining work, I decided it was time to make a change. I knew I wanted to take the skills I had developed as a Social Worker, but be involved in the joy and light of peoples lives instead of the darkness and their lowest moments.
After getting married myself in 2019, I realized how insanely stressful and frustrating at times the process of planning a wedding was. I found myself wishing we had more emotional support to navigate all of the mountain sized pile of stressors we were dealing with (as most couples do). It was then that I had the idea of what if there was someone who could support the couple not just plan their wedding, but how to make intentional decisions, get clear on what they really want, connect as couple, and navigate stressors and expectations/opinions of others etc.? And why no the the person I wish I had when planning wedding?
NearlyWed Coaching was born to support couples from the emotional side of the wedding planning process. Something all couples go through, but no one is really talking about and there is no real current support for.
I knew this was going to be an uphill climb, simply because wedding coaching is something that barely exists. It is not something couples are budgeting for or thinking they need until they are in the thick of it. But I also knew that even with the challenges of bringing something new to the wedding industry, it was going to be a worthwhile endeavor because every single couple needs this support! Wedding Coaching is changing how couples are getting married because it helps them slow down, make intentional and thought out decisions and create a wedding that is an authentic reflection of what they truly want!
Wedding Coaching is absolutely solving a problem that no one else is solving. Wedding planning is overwhelming and stressful and can cause arguments between the couple and also frustration with family when there are differences in opinions, wants and needs. This is most likely the first time a couple is navigating an event in which they are both the guests of honor and the hosts, it is a lot to manage and get on the same page about. Wedding Coaching is unbiased, therapeutic support that they would not be getting otherwise.
Since the creation of NearlyWed Coaching, Officiating and Premarital Coaching services has also been added to support the couple from a holistic approach. Premarital Coaching focuses on the relationship outside just the umbrella of wedding planning to strengthen their relationship before marriage. This added service is meaningful and important because typically this service comes from a religious institution which is not a comfortable fit for all couples. Premarital Coaching is support for couples of all identities and does not push an agenda, It is goal oriented and guided by where the couple is currently at and where they would like to go. Officiating service is a perfect addition because who better to support the couple create an intentional ceremony than the person that is already supporting them through coaching?
Lastly, NearlyWed Coaching provides Inclusivity Consulting for Wedding Pro’s who would like to authentically increase their inclusivity efforts to better welcome, affirm and celebrate queer couples navigating a very heteronormative industry. As a queer owned business, NearlyWed Coaching supports couples of all identities, and also wants to be known as a safe, supportive and affirming space for Queer couples who do not always feel seen, valued and welcomed within the wedding industry.
Tirzah , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Tirzah (Tear- Zah) Most people have a hard time saying my name, so here is a trick- my middle name is Joy, so say it all together and my name is Tears of Joy. I was born and raised in Boulder, Co, moved to NYC for a decade and then came back to Colorado currently residing in Denver.
The answer of how I got into the wedding industry is depicted in the previous question.
I provide 3 services for couples navigating the wedding industry.
1. Wedding Coaching: Wedding Coaching is an unbiased support system to help you navigate the wedding planning process, with a special focus on the emotional dynamics that often show up throughout the process (stress, anxiety, opinions of other’s etc.) Wedding Coaching helps you get clear on what you want, how to make intentional decisions and create a wedding that is authentic to your love and relationship.
2. Premarital Coaching:Premarital Coaching is short-term goal oriented coaching to help you strengthen and LEVEL-UP your relationship as you enter into marriage. Session are completely guided by your personal goals and the areas you would like to focus on.
3. Officiating Service: Officiating service for your wedding or elopement plus ceremony creation sessions. I believe in the importance of getting to know you as a couple and what makes your relationship and love unlike any other. We will work together in collaboration to create an intentional ceremony that is aligned with your belief system and is authentic to who you are as a couple.
I also provide inclusivity consulting for wedding professionals to help them increase their inclusivity efforts to authentically welcome, affirm and celebrate queer couples.
What sets me apart from other vendors in the wedding industry is I am one of very few people who are offering Wedding Coaching to couples navigating the wedding industry. This is a service that most couples could benefit from as getting married and planning a wedding can be a very overwhelming experience.
I also consider myself an Officiant who is unique in the sense that my packages include multiple ceremony creation sessions with the couple. This approach is to build genuine connections so that I can really know the couple I am officiating for and they get to know me and feel comfortable with me so I am not a stranger on their day. We work together to create an intentional and authentic ceremony. It is a true collaboration between the three of us! I help couples really put intention into the ceremony, instead of it being an after thought or quickly thrown together. The ceremony is the heart and soul of a wedding and help couples think through their options and explore outside of the traditional confines of what society says a ceremony “should be.”
I am most proud of bringing something new to the wedding industry and to remind couples that they have the freedom to make their wedding whatever they want it to be, outside of the traditional blueprint that society says a wedding should loo like . I am also very proud to be a Queer owned business in an industry that has a very long history of exclusion and has room to grow to be more inclusive of couples who do not fit into the heteronormative box. I am honored so support and create a safe and affirming space for queer couples who want to work with someone who is also within the queer community and has an understanding of what makes them unique and the different challenges they have to navigate.
I want folks looking at my business to know that what I am offering is worth the investment because it will help them create the wedding they actually want, strengthen their relationship before marriage and create a ceremony that a true reflection of their one of a kind love. These supportive services will help couples look back on their wedding and have no regrets, knowing they did not sacrifice making this special day their own, and can say, “Our wedding was exactly what we wanted! We loved every moment”
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I had to pivot in my business when I knew i was going to be a trailblazer bringing something that doesn’t really exist to an already very established industry. When I decided to add Primatial Coaching and Officiating services to my business, I really hit the ground running. This does not mean I have given up on Wedding Coaching, It is still very much a part of my business model. It is through providing the other more established services that I am able to share more about Wedding Coaching and connect with couples to help them understand how this service can help them. It has helped me tremendously and has given me a gateway to couples to help them in two other meaningful ways while also being to share what wedding coaching is all about.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think building relationships has been such a benefit to building a positive reputation within the wedding industry. I believe in the power of connection and vendors supporting one another. By putting myself out there and wanting to meet other folks in this industry, I have made invaluable and meaningful connections that have helped me grow my business. It is the support and belief in what I am doing that other vendors have shown to me, that has made me feel confident that I am on the right track. I think it is the mentality of how can we support and build one another up that has really helped. Other vendors have my back and are sharing my business and giving me as a referral to their clients and I am also doing the same for them. If we share the same goals and approach with couples, then why not support one another to reach our potential and goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nearlywedcoaching.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/nearlywedcoaching
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/nearlywedcoaching
Image Credits
The head shots-Jay Begay photography The first couple- Sam and Will Photographer is Jennie Crate Photography The second couple- Diana and Laura- Photographer is Tiny House Photo