Kindred Collective is a traveling retreat series for wedding professionals, capped at 100 attendees and split roughly 50/50 between planners and designers on one side and photographers and cinematographers on the other. Each event pairs hand-matched one-on-one introductions with small group discussions and multi-course meals at properties chosen for their architectural character and sense of place. Attendees are personally vetted and invited. There are no keynote speakers. Every person at the table is considered qualified to lead and to learn. Past locations include El Encanto Belmond in Santa Barbara (April 2024), the Thompson Palm Springs (January 2025), Juniper Preserve in Bend, Oregon (June 2025), and the St. Regis Punta Mita in Mexico (January 2026). The next confirmed event runs April 6–8, 2026, at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, California. Applications are accepted via the Kindred Collective interest list at kindredcollectivewed.com.

Upcoming Event

April 6–8, 2026 | The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, California

The Laguna Niguel gathering brings Kindred's format to a coastal resort perched above the Pacific in Southern California. Spanish-inspired architecture and direct beach access anchor three days of structured connection.

Attendees can fly into Orange County's John Wayne Airport (SNA), approximately 30 minutes away, or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), roughly 90 minutes out. A room block at the Ritz-Carlton is available to registered attendees at a group rate.

Itinerary highlights:

• April 6: Separate cocktail hours for planners/designers (5:00 pm) and photographers/videographers (5:30 pm)
• April 7: Breakfast, three rounds of one-on-one breakouts and small group discussions, lunch, an evening cocktail hour, plated dinner, and an after party
• April 8: Grab-and-go breakfast, followed by optional add-on excursions including a surfing outing, an oceanside art experience, a coastal e-bike tour, and a pickleball tournament

Discussion leaders confirmed for the Laguna Niguel event include Mindy Weiss, Lisa Vorce, Norman & Blake, Joel & Justyna, Christine Ferguson, Andre Wells, Julian Leaver, Alison Hotchkiss, Barbi Walters, Thomas Bui, Brooke Keegan, Shannon Wellington, James x Schulze, Akeshi Akinseye, and Jason Rhee.

Event sponsors include the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Wedaways, Masterfully Managed, Dryden & Emily, Karima Creative, Flowers By Edgar, Found Rentals, Paper Tree Studio, Backup Backdrops, Jacob Co Creative, In Good Company PR, Forma Management, Page Beauty, and Jordan Kahn Music Company.

Register or join the interest list at kindredcollectivewed.com/apply (kindredcollectivewed.com/apply)

Past Events

June 2025 | Juniper Preserve, Bend, Oregon

Kindred's most recent domestic retreat brought wedding professionals to the high desert of Central Oregon. The event opened with welcome cocktails before moving into structured one-on-one conversations and group discussions. Dinner was served inside a cave formed by prehistoric lava formations and lit by candlelight. Day three offered optional excursions including a mindfulness walk, a round of golf, and an herbal cocktail experience.

Key attendees included Alison Hotchkiss, Bryan Rafanelli, Shannon Leahy, Joy Proctor, Nirav Patel, Erich McVey, Lauren Fair, Tyler Speier, James and Schulze, Michelle Norwood, Heather Dwight, Jeannie Young, Anni Graham, Andrew Roby, Rene Zadori, Bash Please, Stephanie Cole, Jennifer and Sarah, and Emma Burke.

Photographer Lauren Fair described the gathering: "Absolutely loved the relationship building and community you have fostered."

January 2026 | St. Regis Punta Mita, Mexico

Kindred's first international event moved the retreat format to a 22-acre, five-star resort on the Pacific coast in Punta Mita, Riviera Nayarit, accessible via Puerto Vallarta's international airport. Mornings began with intention-setting rituals. Days filled with one-on-one breakout sessions beneath the palms and communal lunches framed by tropical florals and local artisan design. A beachside sunset dinner closed the event, and optional excursions (zip-lining, a cooking class, a boat tour, and horseback riding) extended the stay for those who remained.

Discussion leaders at Punta Mita included KT Merry, Greg Finck, Steve Moore, Akeshi Akinseye, Bryan Rafanelli, Amrit Dhillon-Bains, Tracy Taylor Ward, Jove Meyer, Calder Clark, Erich McVey, Danilo & Sharon, Manda Worthington, Tory Smith, Josh Spiegel, Lauren Grech, and Callista Osborn.

January 2025 | Thompson Palm Springs, California

Vintage glamor and California warmth defined Kindred's Palm Springs edition, held at the Thompson Palm Springs, a mid-century modern property framed by the San Jacinto Mountains. A citrus-inspired cocktail hour on the pool terrace launched the gathering, followed by a full day of networking sessions set against swaying palms, including a synchronized swimming performance. Evening brought a black-and-white dinner surrounded by floor-to-ceiling drapery, live music, and projections of classic Hollywood films, with candlelit tables arranged beneath the open desert sky. Day three offered a sun-soaked hike through the Indian Canyons, a mid-century celebrity house tour, or a cocktail venue tour and fundraiser benefiting the SEARCH Foundation.

Key attendees included Christine Ferguson, Amrit Dhillon-Bains, Michelle Gainey, Sarah Falugo, Amy Anaiz, Charley King, Peyton Frank, Barbi Walters, Brooke Keegan, Akeshi Akinseye, Josh Spiegel, KT Merry, Jove Meyer, Thomas Bui, Tory Smith, Cordès Studio, Greg Finck, and Lorie Lau.

April 2024 | El Encanto Belmond, Santa Barbara, California

The first Kindred gathering took place at El Encanto Belmond in Santa Barbara, a hillside estate overlooking the American Riviera with tile-roofed bungalows, terraced gardens, and views stretching to the Channel Islands. The inaugural event opened with a morning meditation and sound bath on the garden lawn before moving into structured one-on-one introductions and group meals served on the covered loggia. Vineyard tours through the Santa Ynez Valley and horseback trail rides along the coastal ridge closed out the final day.

Key attendees included Christine Ferguson, Joy Proctor, Amrit Dhillon-Bains, Erich McVey, KT Merry, Jen Huang Bogan, Alison Hotchkiss, Lynn Easton, Valorie Darling, Thomas Bui, Tyler Speier, Norman & Blake, Barbi Walters, Brooke Keegan, Tory Smith, Peyton Frank, Sarah Falugo, Amy Anaiz, Charley King, Lorie Lau, Jennifer and Sarrah, and Catherine Mead.

Attendee Mashaida reflected: "It was evident that Kindred was meant to build real relationships free of ego or feeling of imposter syndrome."

How to Attend

Kindred Collective is invite-only and capped at 100 attendees per event. Wedding planners, designers, photographers, and cinematographers may submit their information to the interest list for review. Invitations are typically sent in late summer for events the following year. Past attendees are welcome to reapply between January and June.

Every seating arrangement, one-on-one pairing, and small group discussion is organized around each attendee's business focus and aesthetic. The format prioritizes depth over volume: three days of curated introductions rather than a convention floor.

Apply or join the interest list (kindredcollectivewed.com/apply) · View archives (kindredcollectivewed.com/archives) · Event FAQ (kindredcollectivewed.com/events)