When was the last time you reflected on how accessible your wedding business is? In today's episode I am chatting with Ceilidh caller Lisa Heywood about how she's ensuring her wedding business is making strides to being truly accessible to all. In today's episode Lisa shares her insights and challenges us all to think more about what we are doing to be truly inclusive.

Find out more about Lisa

Follow Lisa on Instagram

Lisa has also provided some great resources to help you:

10min video about the social model of Disability

Understanding Disability blog series

Disabled Eliza talking about planning a wedding as a wheelchair user 

Lucy Edwards talks about planning as a blind bride-to-be 

Celebrant Kathryn talks about planning her accessible wedding

Time stamps:

Starting the Conversation (00:00:00)

Becca discusses the importance of asking about access requirements on booking forms.

Introduction of Guests (00:00:25)

Becca introduces herself and Lisa, highlighting Lisa's expertise in accessible barn dances.

Lisa's Background (00:01:41)

Lisa shares her journey into the barn dance business, influenced by her family's ceilidh band.

Difference Between Barn Dances and Ceilidhs (00:02:35)

Lisa explains the distinctions and similarities between barn dances and ceilidhs.

What a Barn Dance Involves (00:03:32)

Lisa describes the setup and flow of a typical barn dance event.

Lisa's Day Job (00:04:58)

Lisa discusses her work with Drake Music, focusing on accessibility in the music industry.

Understanding Disability (00:06:20)

Lisa introduces the social model of disability, emphasizing societal barriers over individual impairments.

Defining Accessibility (00:07:51)

Lisa explains accessibility as the removal of barriers for disabled individuals to access services.

Making Wedding Businesses Accessible (00:09:27)

Lisa shares practical steps for wedding businesses to enhance accessibility.

Booking Form Questions (00:11:26)

Lisa discusses the importance of including access requirement questions on booking forms.

Starting the Conversation (00:12:43)

Lisa emphasizes the need for open communication about access needs with clients.

Overcoming Fears in Conversations (00:14:25)

Lisa advises on avoiding assumptions and using respectful language when discussing disability.

Language and Terminology (00:15:42)

Lisa provides guidance on using appropriate language regarding disability.

Avoiding Tokenism (00:18:06)

Becca shares an experience at a theme park, highlighting the pitfalls of superficial accessibility measures.

User Experience in Accessibility (00:21:44)

Discussion on providing an equal experience for disabled individuals in the wedding industry.

Planning for Accessibility (00:22:21)

Importance of considering customer journeys and accessible entrances in event planning.

Disability Admin Challenges (00:23:28)

Challenges faced by wheelchair users when accessing venues and transportation.

Tokenism vs. Genuine Accessibility (00:24:32)

Need for authentic accessibility measures before marketing services as inclusive.

Examples of Accessible Weddings (00:25:53)

Sharing experiences of making adjustments for wheelchair users at weddings.

Excitement in Accessibility (00:28:12)

Encouraging a positive outlook on making events inclusive for everyone.

Learning About the Social Model (00:29:25)

Importance of understanding the social model of disability for better accessibility.

Anticipatory vs. Bespoke Access (00:31:19)

Distinction between general accessibility measures and tailored solutions for specific needs.

Asking the Right Questions (00:32:12)

Importance of including accessibility questions on booking forms to tailor services.

Representation vs. Tokenism (00:34:01)

Discussion on the importance of genuine representation in marketing without falling into tokenism.

Final Takeaway on Conversations (00:37:36)

Encouragement to start conversations about accessibility and make disabled individuals feel special.

Resources for Learning (00:38:49)

Mention of various resources for further learning about accessibility and disability inclusion.

Personal Insights on Business (00:39:40)

Reflection on the importance of individuality and values in the wedding business.

Mentioned in this episode:

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