Best Practices for LGBTQ2IA+ Weddings and Clients
If you know me, you know I am a huge supporter and advocate for the LGBTQ2IA+ community. I have always believed that marriage is based on love, not gender. I am using this platform to help influence other wedding businesses to market and be inclusive of this community. We have lots to learn, but I think we can start by changing the language we use.
When couples are booking a wedding, there are often wedding packages that use the terminology "bride" and "groom". This may include destination wedding suites, bridal parties, photography packages, or buying wedding bands. The wedding industry is so used to categorizing what is for the bride (feminine) and what is for the groom (masculine). I personally find it very refreshing when a local photographer takes engagement photos of a same-sex couple. There is just something about it that makes my heart melt. Perhaps it's because it doesn't feel too staged, practiced, or glamorized. It's authentic, true love that makes me so proud and happy that those two people found each other.
My advice for wedding vendors and venues is to use more gender-neutral vocabulary in your marketing. You don't have to change anything about your business model, but starting with something as simple as the wording on your website or social media is a good start. Here are some examples:
Use MARRIER instead of BRIDE or GROOM
Use PARTNERS instead of COUPLE
Use WEDDING SUITE instead of BRIDAL SUITE
Use WEDDING PARTY instead of BRIDAL PARTY
Use ATTENDANTS instead of BRIDESMAIDS or GROOMSMEN
Those are just a few examples.... check out this blog HERE to learn more gender-neutral terminology!
I would also advertise on your platforms that you support all marriages regardless of race, sexuality, gender, and ethnicity. We need to cultivate purposeful weddings for equality-minded couples, because they are out there and they are looking for wedding businesses that want to host and support their special day.
Lastly, here are some other resources to help you create a more inclusive platform for your wedding business.
Thank you to my friends Grayson, Janel, and Julisa for allowing me to feature their photos, aren't they precious!
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| "Marriage is commitment, patience, and kindness. It's being with someone you know you can trust wholeheartedly and grow with, who will love and accept you for who you are. To put it simply, it's spending every day with your best friend who will forever have a sparkle in their eye and a smile on their lips for you"- Janel and Julisa |
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| Photographer: Tkshotz Venue: Cornerstone Theatre |
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| "Marriage is often an oppressive institution rooted in colonialism, especially for folks facing marginalization. For so long, getting married as a queer person was not legal. Now that many queer people are able to be married, it can be a form of recognition and validation of our queerness and our relationships." -Grayson |
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| Photographer: Tanasha Dortch Rings: Ashhiltonjewellery |
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