Planning a wedding is fun. But it can also be, challenging and a bit stressful. Trying to figure out what’s appropriate and what’s not can sometimes be overwhelming. And when most wedding advice columns are geared toward a female bride and a male groom, they make little sense for same sex couples.
Here are the top tips A Beautiful Florida Wedding offers from years of helping same-sex couples plan their perfect wedding:
1. Your wedding, your way. It’s your wedding. That means you can do it your way… if you want a more traditional wedding with dad(s) giving one or both of you away, do it! If, on the other hand, you prefer to have a wedding that is more “your style”, do it. It’s your wedding.
Today when people attend a wedding, they rarely have the same expectations about what’s traditional, normal, and what’s proper. In fact, today most people expect weddings to be more entertaining, fun and filled with the personal touches that make each one unique.
2. Choosing your Wedding Party. Instead of the maids of honor or best men of, wedding attendants can be anyone you want. A man-of-honor or best-woman is something that happens all the time. If you are a groom and you want your best friend to be your attendant – and your best friend also happens to be a woman – shouldn’t she be by your side to hold the rings on your special occasion? Of course! If you prefer, you can even opt to not have attendants. After all, it’s your big day.
3. Planning your Wedding Attire. For guys it’s probably simpler. Getting married in a more formal setting, tuxedos and suits are perfectly fine. Getting married on the beach? Then tropical shirts and light colored slacks work. For gals, it gets more complicated. Often, both brides want to wear a wedding gown. In which case, going dress shopping can be fun, but a little complex. Usually, brides don’t want one another to see their dress. That’s why it’s important to have a third party there, such as a mom or a sister or trusted friend who have some fashion sense. They can help you find dresses that complement each other. No dress? Then it gets even more complicated. You might opt for something custom-made that reflects your taste and personality.
4. Creating your vision board. Create your own wedding vision boards with ideas you like. Go Online… Follow wedding guides on Instagram… Check out Pinterest, the Knot or other online resource for ideas. Some wedding planners offer online budgeting tools, ask yours for one. The bigger challenge will be in what not to include when the time comes.
5. Walking down the aisle. Who goes first? Who waits at the top of the aisle? These are questions for any same-sex couples. If you want to walk down the aisle together, do it. If you want to walk down separate aisles, do it. If you want someone to walk you down the aisle decide who will go first and so on.
6. Finding the right Wedding Planner. Just because it’s legal to get married in all 50 states, does not mean that all wedding planners support same sex weddings. Do your homework. Check out your planner’s social media posts. See if she or he has worked with same-sex couples before. Interview wedding planners to find out what their beliefs are and if they are well suited to help you plan your big day. Let potential planners know your partner is of the same sex. It is better to work with wedding planners who don’t have personal biases or don’t let those biases interfere with your wedding plans.
From the time we established Holistic Counseling Centers many years ago, we have held the belief that marriage is a partnership between two people who love and respect each other. We are delighted to have this belief now become the law of the land and welcome inquiries about our planning and officiating services to support marriages between equals. A Beautiful Florida Wedding would be honored to help you plan your big day! Learn more at www.ABeautifulFloridaWedding.com.
