Our first wedding in Portland, Oregon

Warning: Vulnerable Post Below!

One of my very first weddings is one that I think about often. For a couple different reasons. First off, the outfits, the dances, the guests. Everything about the day was so dreamy, very well thought out and it flowed easily. The second being because I learned a whole lot about my developing processes, about myself and the way I wanted to be showing up for my clients. This was the day that solidified for me that I wanted more weddings like this. Through a truly humbling experience, it sparked in me that I wanted to start my own business and make this industry better.

When I took on Keili and Cori as clients, I didn’t have a lot of experience, but I really enjoyed them and the vibe they were hoping to create for their guests. They chose to trust me with their day and that felt like such an honor. As an LGBTQ+ friendly wedding planner, having these two as some of my first clients was a joy. I learned a humbling lesson one day as I was sitting with them and asking questions from a form template I had pulled off the internet. I hadn’t taken the time to comb through these items to make them friendly for all couples. I felt awful, they deserved better from me.

I made it a point from that day to be sure to understand how they identified in the process of getting married and to honor that in my verbiage. The wedding industry is evolving, but it also comes with some antiquated ideas and traditions. It is taking the industry a while to catch up. Attaching gender specific fields into forms was all of a sudden something that I was seeing everywhere. I grew more aware of how Keili and Cori must have felt as an LGBTQ+ wedding couple. I hope to create a space for couples that feels inviting. I look forward to working with couples of all kinds and creating an experience that feels personalized and for them. Making them feel welcomed with open arms. All love is something to be celebrated.

This was not my proudest moment. As someone who identifies as an ally, I felt I had let my clients and the LGBTQ community down. This lesson has made me a more thoughtful planner, so in the grand scheme of things, I feel like it was a necessary experience.

Whoever you are, whoever you want to be, my arms are open to you. Let’s plan an epic event!