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lizraeweddings

It's the last day of Pride Month. Where did June g

It's the last day of Pride Month. Where did June go?! ⁠
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Sometimes the wedding industry forgets how deep of a privilege it is to marry. We focus on the design of a wedding, the party, the florals, the dress, but not the marriage itself. Isn't that what matters most?⁠
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For decades upon decades, multiracial couples were not able to marry one another. Couples identifying as anything other than straight were not allowed to marry. We are hardly scratching the surface of diversity and inclusion and yet as an industry, we still don't celebrate the actual marriage - a right many haven't had for years- as much as we should. ⁠
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I love writing wedding ceremonies because I believe stories are important. I believe that knowing where two people have come from, the journey they endured, is important. I believe sharing stories of love, of past heartbreaks, of overcoming, help create a better future (and marriage) for other couples. ⁠
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I believe that love truly can change the world, and marriage is important - for all. ⁠
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In my dream world, there would be more focus on the marriage from other vendors, more focus on the couple's story, to inspire us all to love who we want to love. ⁠
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I'll be changing our donation and volunteering strategy soon to reflect this and push for progressive change in the industry, but until then, enjoy this wonderful photo of Terri and Michelle. They still inspire me to be kind, loving, and true to who I am. I hope they inspire you, too. ⁠
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Venue: Trellis Outdoor Weddings⁠
Photographer: Charnell Timms Photography⁠
Officiant: Liz from Liz Rae Weddings

Over the past few days, I've spent a lot of time t

Over the past few days, I've spent a lot of time thinking about wedding officiating and weddings in general. ⁠
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Particularly, why aren't wedding officiants and good writing given credit? Why isn't the ceremony the first thing a couple plans rather than the last? Why isn't the industry more diverse and giving? Why don't more vendors provide a service which also gives back to the community? ⁠
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Why isn't the ceremony writing process more holistic rather than a one and done deal? How do we care for couples after the wedding and continue bringing out the creativity in them? ⁠
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How can we make the ceremony planning a process people love rather than loathe? More inviting? More exciting? More creative? ⁠
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All of these questions have been circling around in my head, and I've planned a few items I hope brings the focus back to the ceremony and the marriage rather than items that aren't necessarily what help a marriage last during the wedding planning process. ⁠
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Keep an eye out soon, world!⁠
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I've been a little quiet on posting while I work t

I’ve really tried to hold off from being “that

I’ve really tried to hold off from being “that angry wedding vendor,” but I’m seeing the passion from last week die. And that hurts. (And I think we ALL know I’m no stranger to calling out unfairness, mistreatment and lack of representation in this industry.) I can’t go back to posting normal wedding photos. I just can’t.
To pretend like nothing is happening in the world would be a let down.
Today kicked off Wordly Exchanges, and while I’m obviously not the person to be teaching these matters, I hope these conversations help us learn together through words and speakers. I hope I can create a safe space for others to change.
Wedding vendors, where we at? What’s our next steps? How are we feeling? How are we going to create a space for all to feel welcome and represented?
I don’t know the answers, but I do know we need to keep this conversation moving, publicly. We can’t stay silent because this has gone on long enough, especially in weddings.

Today is the LAST day to sign up for June - July's

Today is the LAST day to sign up for June - July's book reading for Wordly Exchanges. ⁠
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If you want to read, learn, and grow with a group of other like-minded people, sign up in the link in bio. ⁠
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Next month's book will be "No Ashes in the Fire" by Darnell L. Moore. ⁠
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Thanks to Wikipedia's fantastic description, No Ashes in the Fire "follows Moore's early life, growing up black and queer, born to teenage parents and living in poverty in Camden, New Jersey. It explores Moore's struggle with his racial identity against the popular expectation of 'little more than anger from black boys', and his sexual identity in against the popular notion of 'black men as symbols of hyper-heterosexuality'"⁠
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If you've already signed up, you'll automatically be added to next month and/or you can follow along with the discussions. ⁠
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Eventually, I'll be back to posting wedding content again, but to me, it's important to keep these conversations moving forward. ⁠
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Signup for this month is in the bio link. ⁠

The week of silence and listening might be over, b

The week of silence and listening might be over, but returning back to the normal world of weddings just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. ⁠
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The best way we can change the wedding industry is by holding one another accountable for how we change moving forward. For those of you unsure what to do next, join Wordly Exchanges with me. ⁠
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These conversations we have are crucial and need to keep happening longer than one week. Wordly Exchanges is a safe space to learn, grow, and reflect on what to do next in life and business to make all feel welcome. ⁠
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This will be the first book we'll read this month. To help keep conversations intimate and reading on track, signups close Wednesday. ⁠
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Next month's book, in honor of both Pride and BLM, will be announced Wednesday. ⁠
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If you're a couple looking to book a wedding with us or already have, your first book is on me, and I'll also cover the cost of another member when you signup. ⁠
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Link in bio.

It's been two days since Black Out Tuesday. ⁠
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And already, most of the feeds I'm seeing have returned back to normal wedding content. ⁠
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But is the world really normal right now? Isn't it a bit insensitive of our industry, an industry dedicated to promoting love and acceptance, to continue as if nothing has changed? ⁠
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It scares me a bit to say it so bluntly, but come on, wedding industry. You can do better. ⁠
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I know plenty of you are listening, learning, but if you don't know what to do to create change and want a simple, effective way to learn with others, here's how. ⁠
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I'd love to see more of you join the conversation. Change begins with education and conversation, so join fellow learners in developing a better future. ⁠
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Link in bio. ⁠
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Words have an immense power to change the world. ⁠
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Many of you have mentioned you'll be educating yourselves through reading books, and that's fantastic. But what do you do with the information after you've closed the book? How do you hold yourself accountable for that knowledge? How do you know what actions to take next? How do you create change in the world?⁠
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A few months earlier than planned, I'm launching Wordly Exchanges, a group dedicated to creating actionable change, understanding, and growth based on words, Wordly Exchanges will host a virtual monthly bookclub based on educational focus areas. ⁠
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If you'd like to join the conversation, the signup is below. You'll see the book for this month and future plans for Wordly Exchanges including a writing workshop series and speakers. (And yes, I am in the process of filing this as a nonprofit.)⁠
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It's not enough just to donate. It's not enough just to read a book. It's not enough just to post a black square one day. This is how change begins, but continuing requires pushing conversation into actions. ⁠
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For each wedding booked after today, I'll purchase one book for a member in need. And if you decide to join, too, I'll purchase your book and donate one as well. ⁠
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Registration closes June 10th. ⁠
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Signup here: https://bit.ly/3eOi1Mq⁠
or find the link in bio.

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