Gay Weddings are Good for Business

Research, data, advice and tips on the business of same-sex weddings from Bernadette Coveney Smith, the nation's leading gay wedding expert. In 2004, Bernadette opened 14 Stories, the first company in the U.S. to specialize in planning legal same-sex weddings.

Separating Your Website for Straight and Gay Clients

Bernadette Coveney Smith - Monday, December 14, 2009
When I was speaking about gay weddings to a group of wedding professionals recently, one of the questions I was asked was whether vendors should create one website targeting engaged straight couples and another website targeting engaged gay and lesbian couples.

I strongly advise you not to do this.

Despite your best intentions, this will make you inauthentic:

  • Your straight clients will find the gay website and the more open-minded of those couples won't respect you because you're afraid to be openly inclusive.  The less open-minded ones will also find your alternate site and may be offended.
  • And I promise you that the gay clients will find the straight website and will think you're afraid to indicate your support of gay couples on your regular site.
There's no reason you can't have one smartly written site with inclusive photos, assembled in a way as to not offend straight or gay couples.  I know this is a delicate act - but it can be done.

Have you considered having two websites targeting each the straight wedding and the gay wedding market?



Comment (0) | Subscribe to this Blog | Contact Us | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink | Copyright 2012 14 Stories


Bookmark and Share
Comments
Post has no comments.
Post a Comment




Captcha Image

Online Gay Wedding Directories

Bernadette Coveney Smith - Friday, November 27, 2009
I'm sure many of my Tweeps and followers are wonderful people and completely LGBT friendly.  If you are looking to advertise on gay wedding directory websites, here are my top suggestions - and most of these offer a free basic listing:

  • GayWeddings.com:  the first and pioneering gay wedding directory, resource guide and boutique (founded by a straight mom helping with her lesbian daughter's wedding).  Now linked with WeddingWire.
  • SoYoureEnGAYged.com: features real gay weddings, gay and lesbian bloggers, a free vendor directory (note: vendors are heavily vetted for inclusion)
  • QueerlyWed.com: features real gay weddings, articles, news stories and a vendor directory
  • PurpleUnions: a vendor directory only (has been great for me for referrals)
  • GayRites.net:  vendor directory (free), store, resources and wedding tips
You may find a few others in a google search but in my experience, these are the best places on the net.

Have you had luck with any of these directories, or others?



Comment (1) | Subscribe to this Blog | Contact Us | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink | Copyright 2012 14 Stories


Bookmark and Share
Comments
David commented on 05-Dec-2009 08:30 AM
Thanks for your shout-out for GayRites.NET! Thought your Tweeps would like to know that we've found the easiest way (for us and for advertisers) to place ads on sites like ours is through the gay and lesbian "channels" of the Adify Ad network. (www.Adify.com.) It's a great way to focus advertising dollars very precisely on our visitors. Thanks again -- and follow us on Twitter @gayritesnet!
Post a Comment




Captcha Image

An Introduction

Bernadette Coveney Smith - Tuesday, November 17, 2009
I wanted to introduce this site since I'll be doing most of my blogging over here now.  I've been planning gay weddings for 5 1/2 years, since they were first legalized in Massachusetts six years ago.  Back then lots of people thought I was crazy and advised that having such a specific niche would limit my market.

One of the first things I did when I started my company is put together a list of screened gay-friendly and gay-owned businesses to whom I would feel comfortable referring my clients.  I wrote up questions for each category of wedding vendor: caterer, florist, jeweler, etc - and then cold called a whole bunch of people.  I started my list of places to call based on Pink Pages and Bay Windows advertisers.  

I quickly found out that even though a business advertised in Bay Windows, that did not guarantee that they were gay-friendly.  I had many uncomfortable conversations in those early days and many since.  My goal was to always make sure my clients felt protected from having those conversations themselves.

And that's the goal of this website - to support wedding industry businesses who want to do the right thing and be inclusive of all couples.  I can show you how.



Comment (0) | Subscribe to this Blog | Contact Us | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink | Copyright 2012 14 Stories


Bookmark and Share
Comments
Post has no comments.
Post a Comment




Captcha Image

Gay Wedding Glossary: Gay Wedding Directories

Bernadette Coveney Smith - Sunday, September 23, 2007
Gay Wedding Glossary

Gay Wedding Directories:  Online gay wedding directories are one way that same-sex couples identify businesses in their community who claim to be gay-friendly.  Most of the vendors in those directories are gay-friendly but still heterosexist.  

You can use gay wedding directories in a few different ways:  you can create a free or buy a paid listing for your own business; and you can use them to build your own list of gay-friendly vendors.  If you use the directories to build your own list of gay-friendly vendors, you should still call each one to personally screen those vendors for your clients.

There are many gay wedding directories but the ones personally endorsed by the 14 Stories Gay Wedding Institute are:  GayWeddings.com, SoYoureEnGAYged.com, EquallyWed.com, AVoteandaVow.com
and PurpleUnions.com

Comment (0) | Subscribe to this Blog | Contact Us | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink | Copyright 2012 14 Stories


Bookmark and Share
Comments
Post has no comments.
Post a Comment




Captcha Image

Previous 1 2