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lizraeweddings

Phase 1 of change is here!⁠ ⁠ I've been reflec

Phase 1 of change is here!⁠
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I've been reflecting on how to make the wedding industry a better place moving forward. When you book a wedding with us, we already donate to LGBTQ orgs and I volunteer an hour of time. But we can take this a step further.⁠
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Starting July 20th, if you book a wedding with us and volunteer one hour with one of our partner organizations, you'll receive $50 off your wedding or $100 off an elopement with us over at @vowswelltraveled.⁠
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If you don't think you can volunteer during a pandemic, think again! The Center on Halsted has wonderfully provided at least 10 easy, simple ways you can volunteer remotely. ⁠
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The list isn't fully finished - I'm still adding a few organizations that have active volunteer opportunities at the moment. I've chosen organizations that give back to the LGBTQ community, whether that's directly or indirectly, such as through food donations to homeless LGBTQ youth or adults. ⁠
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I truly believe your love can make this world a better place, and I hope that this program is the first step towards creating a more giving wedding industry and a safe space for love to shine.⁠
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Current Organizations: ⁠
@center_on_halsted⁠
@fooddepository⁠
@secondharvestheartland⁠

I've had some time the past month or so offline to

I've had some time the past month or so offline to think about my six years as an officiant in the wedding industry and if there's a space for me moving forward. I can't say I've missed social media this month or the role social media plays in weddings and wedding planning, but I did conclude with this: ⁠
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I want to work in a wedding industry where the ceremony is important and beautifully written. Where the wedding ceremony is the highlight and most crucial part of the day. Where the ceremony is the first item a couple thinks about (and is encouraged to think about from other vendors). Not the last. ⁠
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I want to work in a wedding industry where the love between couples inspires others in the world to open themselves to love, regardless of who they are or where they came from. Regardless of their race, sexuality, socio-economic status. ⁠
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I want to work in a wedding industry where weddings give back and where vendors focus on helping solve social issues, using their business as a way to drive change, to make the world a better place, to bring us all a little closer. ⁠
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I want to work in a wedding industry where wedding blogs focus on the marriage - not just the photos or the dress or the cake - and highlight the stories of couples. Highlight where the couple came from, the years they shared together, the love that built from their dedication. Highlight diversity amongst couples not because they're forced to or for marketing purposes or to 'look right' but because they truly believe that couples are not one race, sexuality, or class. ⁠
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I know I'm highly unrealistic in believing that the wedding industry can be better - truly better - but I do believe that someone needs to start inspiring change, drastically. ⁠
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I'll be releasing the first phase of changes this week, but in the meantime, I hope you ponder, too, what the wedding world could look like one day. ⁠

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.

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