4 Ways to Find LGBTQ-Friendly Wedding Vendors

Word of Mouth

Your personal network should be the first tool you pull out of your wedding planning toolkit, and, for some, might be the sharpest. Ask newly married LGBTQ friends and family members about their experiences with venues, planners, caterers, florists and wedding attire boutiques. This list is already vetted and LGBTQ-approved, so there will be less leg work for you if you can secure any of your vendors from this list. If you don’t have married friends in the community to approach, don’t be shy about asking straight friends or family about their experiences with certain vendors, as well. You’ll need to take the extra step of ensuring they’re comfortable with your relationship, but you’ll still secure valuable contacts this way.

Vendor Referrals

It’s quite common for a couple to secure their first vendor booking (often, this is the wedding venue, but not always), then ask them to refer additional vendors. Many vendors have informal networks and will readily offer up other wedding professionals they’ve successfully worked with in the past. Working with vendors who know each other and enjoy working together will go a long way to ensuring your wedding vision is realized with precious few hiccups. When you ask your vendor for referrals, be sure to mention how important it is to you that their referrals are LGBTQ-friendly. 

Search Online

Truly LGBTQ-friendly vendors will let themselves be known as such online. You might start with a wedding vendor directory dedicated to same-sex couples, like GayWeddings.com, or search mainstream wedding vendor listings. Regardless of the type of website you search, look for vendors who have photos of same-sex weddings they’ve worked with or signage indicating their acceptance of LGBTQ couples. Just because a vendor doesn’t have either of these indicators, it doesn’t mean they are not LGBTQ-friendly, but it will take some extra leg work—like reaching out to the vendor by phone or email—to determine their level of comfort.

Prepare for an Interview

By this, we mean you should be the interviewer. Don’t be shy about putting your potential wedding vendor in the hot seat, and getting to know them—particularly whether they’re experienced with LGBTQ clients. Ask directly if they’re comfortable with a same-sex couple, and, if so, how many same-sex couple clients they’ve worked with. Ask about their experiences with these couples, and what, if anything they’ve learned about potential special considerations.

Above all, don’t feel daunted by the task of finding accepting vendors. Lean on your network, do your research on the front-end and trust your instincts. Your efforts will be well worth it on your special day. 

{Photo Credit: Derek Chad Photography}