If you're looking to meet, mingle, and share with other wedding professionals in Chicago, look no further! Thursday Therapy provides the perfect agenda-free atmosphere for wedding pros to unwind and connect with friendors old and new.
SPONSORS
Venue: Catalyst Ranch
Food & Beverages: Tri-Star Catering
Photography: Wes Craft Photography
Beauty: Skinversity
Calligraphy: Nerissa B. Calligraphy
SAVE THE DATES FOR OUR FUTURE EVENTS!
APRIL 16, 2026 @ River Room at Burning Bush Brewery
MAY 21, 2026 @ Seven Star Venue
JUNE 18, 2026 @ The Guesthouse Hotel
JULY 16, 2026
AUGUST 20, 2026
We're taking a break in September!
OCTOBER 15, 2026
DECEMBER 3, 2026 (Nov+Dec Holiday Event)
JANUARY 21, 2027
FEBRUARY 18, 2027
MARCH 18, 2027
Do we have your updated/current contact info? If no, please share your info with us!
Thursday Therapy could not exist or be possible without the helping hand of a few good friends! Venues and vendors from all corners of the event industry interested in partnering with us for an upcoming event can fill out the form below.
Emmanuelle Escandar
eeeventco.com
@eeeventco
Emmanuelle Escandar has had the pleasure of planning these events since 2024! On the business side, Emmanuelle is the owner of EE Event Co. (Escandar Group, LLC), an event planning company focused on weddings, fundraisers, social, and corporate events who also provides event support staff. Emmanuelle is also one of the co-owners of Chicago Event Group, a venue operations, sales and management company. Emmanuelle has been planning and coordinating events ever since she could drive, so starting her own company was imminent! When Emmanuelle finally launched her event company, she loved attending Thursday Therapy each month. It allowed her to get to know new vendors, explore new venues and make lasting friendships and partnerships along the way. Today, she loves that she gets to be a part of the Thursday Therapy magic each month. Bringing professionals together and shifting the competitive event culture to a collaborative one has been motivational!
Norah Utley
modernlovedjs.com
@modernlovedjs
Norah Utley is the owner of Modern Love DJs, a mobile DJ company, specializing in weddings. An avid record collector and music aficionado, she launched Modern Love DJs in 2024, after nine years of DJing for the Chicago wedding industry, though she has been DJing for much, much, much longer. Norah found such support in events like Thursday Therapy as she was first starting out and is so excited to be a part of the team to help continue the mission of collaboration and camaraderie. She lives in Evanston with one husband, 2 children, 1 bassett hound, 1 cat, and 4 chickens.
Trevor Harris
totalharmonyent.com
@totalharmonyent
Trevor Harris is the Founder of Total Harmony Entertainment, a company built from my passion for music, people, and creating experiences that feel effortless and unforgettable. His passion for entertainment began long before weddings. He hosted his own radio show in college, where he discovered how music could connect and move people in powerful ways. Outside of DJing, Trevor is an avid sports fan and love the teamwork, energy, and excitement that come with collaboration and competition, values he brings into every event he's a part of. Trevor is also proud to serve as a board member for the Sustainable Events Collective, where he works with other professionals dedicated to building a more sustainable and community-focused wedding industry.
Ray Replogle they/them
replogle-studios.com
@reploglestudios
As an anti-capitalist lesbian, Ray Replogle loves to expand their world through consuming a wide variety of books, films, music, and art. Ray is ever learning about the nuances and complexities of our world, and ever determined to make this planet an easier place for future generations. They are a member of the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America, and a financial supporter of International Rescue Committee.
Ray received their degree in Video Production and Theatrical Directing from Ball State University. They are also a musician, a dog dad, and a huge fan of apple juice.
What is Thursday Therapy?
Thursday Therapy is a free monthly networking event for wedding professionals. It was founded over a decade ago by Michelle Loretta and, at one point, had chapters in multiple cities around the country. Over the years, various event and wedding professionals have had the honor of hosting these monthly events and many of them still attend the events today.
The goal of Thursday Therapy is to connect event and wedding professionals and encourage sharing, learning, and collaboration. Many attendees are regulars and have formed friendships by seeing each other at these events every month. Future business opportunities often occur as a result of meeting new vendors or connecting with the sponsors to work together on a future wedding.
It's important to note that Thursday Therapy is not a company or business. No money is exchanged or involved with these events and the hosts do not make money from these events. They wholeheartedly volunteer their time, energy, and resources to organize and execute the events, post on social media, and manage the newsletter.
When does Thursday Therapy happen?
Always on the third Thursday of every month from 5:30-8:30pm. Exceptions for dates that fall on holidays. We also take a break in September, the busiest month for events across Chicagoland. Our November and December events are combined into one Holiday celebration, usually the first Thursday of December. You can mark these events on your calendar ahead of time!
How does Thursday Therapy work?
Thursday Therapy is hosted at a different event venue each month and features a variety of event and wedding professionals as sponsors to provide services for the event. In exchange for their generous donation of services, we promote their companies on our social media accounts and in our newsletter surrounding the date of their involvement and as often as we can thereafter. All you have to do is register online or show up and sign-in at our registration table. Bring your business cards and marketing materials!
Who can attend these events?
Any event or wedding professional! It's free and we encourage everyone to register ahead of time using our posted links, but walk-ins are welcome. Please spread the word and invite your colleagues to come too, and make sure you are signed up for our email newsletter or you will miss out on important info and upcoming event announcements.
How can I become a vendor sponsor?
We would love to feature you as a vendor sponsor. Please visit our Vendor Sponsorship Info page to learn more and send us your info.