How to Become an Inclusive Wedding Supplier
- Lauren Depass
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
For most, wedding planning consists of picking flowers and sampling wedding cakes. However, for LGBTQ+ to-be-weds, there’s so much more to consider. The typical cis-het world of weddings is littered with triggers, discrimination, and stereotypes, making it impossible for LGBTQ+ lovers to navigate without feeling rejected and deflated. Let’s dive into some of the reasons LGBTQ+ to-be-weds need inclusive wedding suppliers and what you can do to become one.
Safety First
Despite the progress in LGBTQ+ rights over the decades, it’s no secret that the UK and the world in general seem to have taken a “cha cha slide” to the right (wing) in recent months. The world is becoming increasingly unsafe for the LGBTQ+ community, which is why it's more crucial than ever to ensure LGBTQ+ folk are positively represented throughout the media and cis-het facing industries. Access to a vetted, inclusive wedding directory allows LGBTQ+ lovers to choose suppliers they know will honour not only their queer vision, but also their safety.
Celebrate Freely & Authentically
Someone's wedding day should be a celebration, not an inclusivity lesson. The last thing anyone wants or should be expected to do on their wedding day is spend time correcting and educating suppliers on their pronouns, identity or relationship. Being able to choose inclusive wedding suppliers gives newlyweds and their guests the chance to celebrate queer love authentically and without fear of judgement.
They CAN Choose Their Family
Family dynamics during wedding planning and on the day itself can be, well…complicated. Add in a sprinkle of queer magic and you’ve got yourself one awkward family bash. Nobody wants to hear ‘Uncle Steve’ spouting on about how things have gotten too ‘woke’ over canapes. Planning their wedding with inclusive suppliers and a community that actually gets it, may just give them the confidence to invite the people that truly love them for who they are - their chosen family. And for those that don’t feel they have the choice but to invite those problematic family members, you as an inclusive supplier will be there to support and hold space for them throughout their day.
Things You Can Do as a Wedding Supplier to Be More Inclusive
Display Your Pronouns Proudly
Having your pronouns visible on your website, email signature, and socials instantly makes LGBTQ+ to-be-weds and suppliers feel a little more at ease. We also urge you to ask all potential and current clients their pronouns to avoid misgendering. These simple acts show that you not only acknowledge and respect gender identity, they also make LGBTQ+ individuals and lovers feel more welcome.
Platform Queer Love All Year Round
We’ll keep shouting this until it sinks in: QUEER FOLK EXIST OUTSIDE OF JUNE! Rainbow-washing and performative allyship, quite frankly, suck! We’re tired of businesses using pride as nothing more than a PR move. Rainbow coloured logos and a pride quote or two simply aren’t going to cut it. To be a true inclusive ally, you need to be celebrating LGBTQ+ folk all year round, online and offline. Ask yourself: “’What LGBTQ+ charities could I donate to?”, “Do I actively and positively champion LGBTQ+ folk within my business?”, “When was the last time I educated myself?”
Educate Yourself
That last question leads us perfectly to our final point…KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Are you educated in LGBTQ+ history, current laws and statistics, LGBTQ+/inclusive terminology? If not, we highly recommend attending one of our Rebel Love Education sessions. These sessions not only dive into the history of LGBTQ+ lives and rights but also provide you with the tools to become an inclusive (and therefore, totally awesome) wedding supplier.
Why Rebel Love Directory?
Rebel Love Collective are committed to platforming LGBTQ+ voices, suppliers and the inclusive community within the wedding industry. Wedding photographer and videographer duo, Steff (she/they) and Ells (they/them), often witnessed LGBTQ+ to-be-weds feel unseen, unsafe, or misunderstood. What started off as a simple pdf sheet with recommended suppliers, is now the UK’s first fully-vetted inclusive wedding directory with over 125+ sensational wedding suppliers.
“The Rebel Love Directory solves a problem we kept seeing: queer couples/lovers spending countless hours hunting for inclusive suppliers or settling for less-than-affirming experiences because they didn’t know where else to turn. This is about more than just visibility. It’s about safety, joy, and being fully celebrated in one of life’s most intimate and public milestones” - Steff (she/they) & Ells (they/them), Founders of Rebel Love Collective.
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