This is a pretty fun episode to listen to because of all of the mutual "fan-girling" going on in the studio!! Ashley is away this week (she'll chat about where she is and what she's doing in a future episode!) so Julie & Kate held down the fort! They're both HUGE fans of San Diego officiant Bethel Nathan, and she's a huge fan and listener of Photospark, so it ended up being an AWESOMELY fun time!! Bethel is a wedding officiant here in San Diego (Ceremonies By Bethel), as well as a business coach (Elevate by Bethel), and just overall awesome presence here in the San Diego wedding industry! She dropped by the studio to chat with us about weddings & the modern couple. She's super inclusive and loves ALL types of weddings! Photospark definitely supports marriage equality, so we wanted to have Bethel in the studio because she's basically an expert in this area, and she gave us some awesome tips we can use when working with modern weddings! Key Takeaways:

1. Make Your Support Clear: If you support marriage equality (and we REALLY hope you do!), make it clear on your website. Include photos of same-sex couples & testimonials from their weddings. If you haven't had the opportunity to photograph a same-sex wedding, put out a free offer on your Facebook page or Instagram & try to build your portfolio. Bethel mentions that over HALF of same-sex couples express having fear about contacting potential vendors because they aren't always sure they'll be accepted. So the more clear you can be about your support of LGBT couples, the better!! If you lose clients over this expression of support, they weren't your ideal client anyway!
2. Don't Make Assumptions: We make assumptions ALL the time. Couples planning modern weddings are looking for a ceremony and rituals that fit THEIR unique situations. This isn't just an LGBT issue either; there are plenty of straight couples who have unique family dynamics that might make them rethink traditional wedding ceremonies. Don't assume that the bride's father will walk her down the aisle. Don't assume that there will automatically be a mother/son dance at the reception. Modern weddings are awesome in that couples don't feel the need to carry on traditions JUST for traditions' sake. They're looking for vendors who support a wide range of ideas & uniqueness. The more support & validation you can give to these couples, the better!
3. Watch your Verbiage: This is a HUGE thing that changed when marriage equality became present. Pre-marriage equality, most of our contracts had a spot for a bride and a spot for a groom to fill out their information. Now, it's a great idea to keep the verbiage neutral so everyone feels included when filling out an inquiry form or a contract for their wedding. Small changes like this are actually HUGE in making couples planning modern weddings feel comfortable!
4. Check your Preferred Vendors: When dealing with a modern wedding (especially for LGBT couples), it's important to know that anyone you could potentially refer to your couple will also support them and their marriage. If it's not clear on their website & marketing materials, it's important to ask them. Don't assume your favorite vendors support marriage equality & modern weddings because you might be shocked to find out they don't. Only refer your couples to vendors who have the same mindset as you and will be happy and supportive toward your couple!
5. Modern Couples are NOT just same-sex Couples: It's important to remember that this topic isn't JUST about marriage equality for LGBT couples. Interracial couples also deal with discrimination when planning their wedding. Make sure you have imagery to show support of their union as well! And again, if you haven't shot an interracial wedding, make it a point to find a couple to photograph! Couples want to see themselves in your marketing materials. It makes them feel included & lets them know you are 100% supportive of their union.

There are SOOO many more tips from Bethel in this episode, but you'll have to listen to find out what they are! We were so flattered that she was excited to join us in studio for this chat, and we hope you love everything she has to say as much as we did! Stay tuned because we KNOW Bethel will be back on Photospark to share even more knowledge about another topic soon! Relavent Links:

• The Gay Wedding Institute
• Elevate by Bethel
• Ceremonies by Bethel
• Asked to Officiate
• Bethel on Twitter
• Bethel on Instagram

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