Why being an inclusive wedding supplier is so important
Being inclusive is something I am incredibly passionate about. Everyone is valuable and should be treated as such. Growing up in a rural area, I saw people I cared about be treated awfully for being different which made me passionate about inclusivity. When getting married, you should be able to be your authentic self and have your love celebrated. You shouldn’t have to feel on edge with suppliers, not knowing if they will be accepting or not. As a proudly inclusive wedding supplier, I promise to be a non-judgemental, safe space and help you celebrate your love for the best day of your life!
Why inclusivity matters to me
A little background for you. I grew up in rural Gloucestershire - it’s a place that is very white, very straight and very traditional. So growing up queer, quirky and fat was not easy. I was bullied, just for being me. In secondary school, I was bullied mercilessly for being queer. I grew up with family members who were incredibly homophobic all our lives and had no queer role models. The only gay person I knew was our mechanic. I come from an area that, even now, has very few queer people. I was also fat and a bit different, and that came with its own barrage of bullying. Even as an adult, I have been judged for my size, my queerness has been subject to questioning, people essentially telling me I must be straight because I ‘don’t look queer’.
While I was never good at standing up for myself, seeing people I loved be bullied and treated as less than set a fire in me. I had neurodivergent friends and BAME friends who were bullied for being different too. My brother was bullied really horrifically for being gay too. All these experiences have made me extremely passionate about providing a safe space for people, one in which they will not be judged for who they are, but celebrated for it. I am passionate about diversity, ensuring inclusivity, and not just accepting but celebrating and embracing our differences.
Your wedding
Everyone should be loved and accepted as they are. Not questioned or harassed because they don’t conform to societies expectations.
Inclusivity isn’t just about accepting and celebrating everyone as they are, but also ensuring you work to accommodate differences too so that everyone can access what I am offering.Some couples are happy to just chat once before the wedding briefly, but some want to be in touch much more than that and I will tailor the level of support and communication to this. There is always more to learn, but I work hard to educate myself and improve as much as I can - for example, starting to add captions to posts to make them more accessible.
It’s a common courtesy to anyone to accommodate their needs and ensure you act inclusively, but when running a business as a wedding supplier it is truly integral. You shouldn’t feel the need to mask, explain yourself or your love on your day. Unfortunately, that’s not the reality. Many suppliers still using gendered language as standard, presume pronouns and aren’t working to become more inclusive. Suppliers should be reassuring and make you feel excited, not anxious or uncomfortable. Everyone deserves to feel safe, celebrated as their authentic selves, and totally listened to; both on their wedding day and in the planning process.
My commitments to you
So it is my promise to all nearlyweds that this is a judgement free zone that is welcoming and inclusive. I will celebrate you and your love, supporting you as much as you need during the planning process and be your biggest cheerleader on your day. I promise to be a calm and reassuring presence on your wedding day. I love being a part of every wedding, but there is something extra special about being part of queer weddings or weddings that aren’t of cis-white-thin-able bodied couples. It feels so special to be a safe space for those newlyweds and celebrate their joy.
I will:
Always ensure my pronouns are visible to show I am a safe and welcoming space
Be a visible ally - I will not shy away from awkward conversations and will actively educate myself - for example, reading non-fiction books on the LGBTQ+ community, race, neurodiversity etc
Tailor my communication and support based on your needs. For example, checking pronouns or giving information in a different format for someone neurodivergent so they can process the information.
Tailor song lyrics to fit you - as well as tailoring the songs, I love tailoring lyrics so the language represents you as nearlyweds.
Celebrate the authentic you and your love, with no judgement. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader to help you make your day exactly like you envision it!
If this resonates with you, get in touch to start planning a wedding where you can feel completely yourself