🌈 Designed exclusively for LGBTQ+ couples

The Foundation LabPrepared Hearts Program

A research-grounded 3–6 month premarital coaching experience built from the ground up for LGBTQ+ couples — where your love is not the exception. It's the entire point.

Apply for the Program → See What's Included

Coaching Phases

Live Sessions

15+

Couple Activities

Assessment Domains

7+Years Serving Couples

Why This Program Exists

Your love deserves preparation built for you

Most premarital programs were built with heterosexual couples in mind. The questions, the assumptions, the frameworks — none of it accounts for the lived reality of LGBTQ+ love. The Foundation Lab changes that.

🔬
Rooted in real researchBuilt on Gottman Method, Minority Stress Theory, Attachment Theory, and LGBTQ+-specific relationship research.
🌈
LGBTQ+ affirming at every levelEvery question, activity, and conversation was designed with queer couples at the center — not as an afterthought.
❤️
Joyful, not clinicalSerious work done with warmth, celebration, and a genuine love for love. This isn't therapy — it's a launch pad.
✨
From your officiantWhen your coach is also your officiant, your ceremony becomes the culmination of everything you built together.

The Program

Six phases. One extraordinary foundation.

A structured 3–6 month journey with live coaching sessions and self-paced couple activities at every stage.

Weeks 1–3

Foundations & Assessment

Take the Prepared Hearts Assessment, review your results, and set the roadmap for your entire coaching journey.

2 Live Sessions + 3 Activities

Weeks 4–6

Identity, Values & Chosen Family

Explore your LGBTQ+ identities, map your core values, and define the role of chosen family in your marriage.

2 Live Sessions + 3 Activities

Weeks 7–9

Communication & Conflict

Master Gottman-based communication tools, identify your patterns, and design a repair ritual that works for your relationship.

2 Live Sessions + 3 Activities

Weeks 10–14

Life by Design

Align on finances, parenting, household roles, and the everyday architecture of your shared life — without heteronormative defaults.

3 Live Sessions + 4 Activities

Weeks 15–18

LGBTQ+ Realities & Resilience

Navigate the legal landscape, honor your resilience as queer partners, and build a plan to protect your family.

2 Live Sessions + 2 Activities

Weeks 19–24

Ceremony Prep & Vow Work ✨

Your coach becomes your officiant. Write vows that mean something. Build a ceremony that is fully, unapologetically yours.

Included in 6-Month Program

What You Get

Everything you need — nothing you don't

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The Prepared Hearts Assessment

A proprietary 70-question LGBTQ+-affirming intake assessment covering 10 relationship domains. Completed individually so your answers stay honest. Reviewed together with your coach in Session 2.

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The Couple Workbook

13 individual reflection activities + 9 together activities across all 5 phases. Works digitally or printed. Yours to keep forever as a record of the work you did before your wedding day.

🎙️

Live Coaching Sessions

Up to 12 private 60–75 minute video coaching sessions with Cheri. Structured with clear session guides but warm and conversational. You will actually enjoy them.

⚖️

LGBTQ+ Legal Checklist

A comprehensive review of the legal and financial protections every LGBTQ+ married couple needs — estate planning, healthcare directives, parentage documentation, and more.

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Vow Writing Support

In the 6-month program, your coach works directly with you to write vows that are personal, meaningful, and ceremony-ready. No template. No generic language. Just your words.

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Completion Certificate

At your final session, you receive a formal Foundation Lab Completion Certificate — a tangible recognition of the intentional work you did before saying "I do."

The Assessment

The Prepared Hearts Assessment

Before your first coaching session, each partner completes our proprietary 70-question LGBTQ+-affirming assessment privately. Your coach identifies your top 3 strengths and top 3 growth opportunities, then guides a personalized debrief in Session 2.

10 Research-Based Domains:

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Communication Styles

💞

Attachment & Intimacy

🌈

Identity & Authenticity

👨‍👩‍👧

Family of Origin

🧭

Values & Beliefs

🔭

Life Vision & Goals

💰

Financial Philosophy

👶

Parenting & Family Planning

🧠

Stress & Mental Health

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Relationship Readiness

Ready to see where you stand?

The Prepared Hearts Assessment is included with every program package. When you enroll, you'll receive a secure link to complete your individual assessment before Session 2.

Completed individually30–45 minutes ~70 questions4 question formats LGBTQ+ affirmingNo right or wrong answers

Start Your Application →

Results are reviewed privately by your coach before your Session 2 debrief.

Investment

Choose your path

Every package includes the Prepared Hearts Assessment, the Couple Workbook, and live coaching with Cheri.

Starter

Digital Only

$397 one time

Self-paced — work on your own timeline

The Prepared Hearts Assessment (both partners)
Full Couple Workbook (digital, all 5 phases)
Phase-by-phase activity guides
LGBTQ+ Legal Protection Checklist
Email support from Cheri

Get Started →

Add-On Services

Officiant Bundle (Program + Ceremony)10% Off

Vow Writing Intensive (2 sessions)$350

6-Month Post-Wedding Check-In$175

Group Cohort (3–4 couples together)Ask About Rates

Couples Say

Real love. Real results.

Add testimonials from real couples once your beta cohort is complete.

★★★★★

[Add testimonial from a real couple here — how did this change them? 2–4 sentences.]

👫

Partner & Partner Name

Program graduates · Atlanta, GA

★★★★★

[Add testimonial here — what would they tell another LGBTQ+ couple considering this program?]

🏳️‍🌈

Partner & Partner Name

Program graduates · Georgia

★★★★★

[Add testimonial here — a breakthrough moment, a hard conversation, a vow from the coaching work.]

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Partner & Partner Name

Program graduates · Atlanta, GA

Cheri BlackmonLead Officiant & Premarital Coach

Your Coach & Officiant

Hi, I'm Cheri.

I've spent 7+ years as a wedding officiant, standing at the front of ceremonies and watching couples speak their love out loud. And I kept noticing the same thing: the couples who walked away with the most joy weren't just the ones with the most beautiful weddings. They were the ones who had done the work before.

I built The Foundation Lab: Prepared Hearts Program because LGBTQ+ couples deserve premarital preparation that actually sees them. Every question in this program, every activity in the workbook, every conversation we'll have — it was all built with your love as the standard. Not the exception.

I'm also a community organizer, nonprofit founder, and relentless advocate for people who have been underserved by systems that weren't built for them. That work lives in this program. So does my joy.

— Cheri Blackmon

Questions

You probably have a few

Do we have to be LGBTQ+ to enroll?

This program was built specifically for LGBTQ+ couples and every element reflects that. If you identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community in any way, you are exactly who this was made for.

What if we're not engaged yet?

Absolutely fine. Many couples begin premarital work before a formal proposal. The Foundation Lab works just as well as a pre-engagement program. Starting early means more time to do the work without pressure.

Is this therapy?

No. The Foundation Lab is a coaching program, not therapy. Coaching is future-focused, action-oriented, and celebratory. If either partner is navigating significant mental health challenges, Cheri may recommend working with a therapist in addition to this program.

How are the sessions delivered?

All live coaching sessions are conducted via Zoom or Google Meet. Sessions are 60–75 minutes. The program is fully remote — you can be anywhere in the world.

What if one of us is more skeptical?

Totally normal. The skeptical partner often gets the most out of the program. The Foundation Lab is not about uncovering problems — it's about getting so clear on who you are and what you want that you walk into your wedding with zero questions.

Can Cheri also officiate our wedding?

Yes — and it's one of the most beautiful parts of this program. When your coach is also your officiant, your ceremony becomes the living expression of everything you worked through together. Ask about the Officiant Bundle discount.

What if we need more time?

Life happens. Cheri builds flexibility into every program. If you need to pause, extend your timeline, or adjust the pacing — just reach out. The goal is that you finish, not that you finish fast.

Your love is ready for this.

Take the first step. Apply for The Foundation Lab: Prepared Hearts Program and Cheri will reach out within 48 hours to schedule your complimentary discovery call.

Apply for the Program

Tell us a little about your relationship and which program interests you most.

Partner 1 Name

Partner 2 Name

Email Address

Wedding / Target Date

Program Interest

Tell Cheri about your relationship

Cheri personally reviews every application and responds within 48 hours. Your information is confidential and never shared.