Wedding planners in New England are noticing a marked increase among same-sex couples moving their nuptial dates forward to the end of 2024 in response to the recent election, according to a report in The Boston Globe. In response, many planners are partnering to offer discounted rates prior to the coming year’s Presidential inauguration.
Reports the Globe:
While the incoming administration’s impact (if any) on gay marriage is unknown, the fears are real and feel imminent. Clients told [wedding photographer Lensy Michelle] they were trading their planned celebrations for City Hall ceremonies or other faster or less-expensive routes to marriage. Michelle, frustrated by the current political climate, wanted to take action and help couples in a tangible way.
“Some of them fear they won’t be able to get married legally, some fear their marriage won’t be recognized federally,” explained Michelle.
Potential financial challenges also stood in the way of some couples’ plans; the often extravagant cost of a wedding made it no longer a priority.
“Others want to start the family planning process and [want or] need to be legally married before [starting a family],” she said. “I don’t ever want the cost of a wedding to impede a couple from being able to solidify their union.”
Michelle began to call her industry friends and peers. Together, on Instagram, they announced an initiative seeking fellow New England-based wedding professionals and vendors to offer their services to “LGBTQ & non-citizen marriers” at a discounted rate. The services would be offered until Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2025.
The list, which is organized on a Google Sheets spreadsheet, now features more than 110 wedding pros who have agreed to offer their services at discounted rates. The suppliers include officiants, floral designers, photographers, and more with fees that range from a sliding scale to no cost. Factors such as the vendor’s availability and the couple’s location may impede a match, and inquiries are considered on a case by case basis.
Michelle adds the disclaimer she has not vetted every vendor, but the professionals individually opted in, each hoping to offset wedding costs for LGBTQ+ and non-citizen partners who had to quickly readjust or organize their plans for marriage.
Read the complete Boston Globe story here.
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