Tips for updating your business to be inclusive of same-sex couples

Terminology
If your like most wedding businesses your materials probably refer to the bride and groom. Take a look at your website, your brochures, even your contract. It’s time to update if your materials aren’t gender neutral. Consider using the term couple or clients instead of bride and groom, or turn bride and groom to brides and grooms.

Imagery
A photo is worth 1000 words, so if all of your imagery is of heterosexual couples, you are sending a signal that you are not inclusive. Yes, there is stock photography for same-sex weddings just like there is for heterosexual weddings.

Interaction
Updating your materials will only go so far. The next step is changing your standard script. If you are likely to ask a woman inquiring about your services information on the groom, you’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. Consider gender neutral terms until you can determine if there are two brides, two grooms or a bride and a groom. Consider ‘tell me about your fiance’. This can be helpful at bridal shows, too. How often does your staff ask ‘who is the bride?’. Well, there might not be one, so use ‘who is getting married?’