Whether you’re planning a wedding or working a wedding, I want you to feel joy, and it’s much easier to feel joy when we also feel safe. This is why the no. 1 goal in my work as a wedding coordinator and consultant is to prioritize your safety by valuing and respecting your lived experience.
To help signal what I have and continue to do in honor of this mission, I feature several badges in the footer of my website. These badges are not me saying my work is done — far from it. The badges are simply different landmarks on my ongoing journey to fight the wedding industrial complex.
I also adhere to a code of conduct in all I do as a live events professional and as a writer who covers the wedding industrial complex.
I am a work-in-progress and thus remain open to feedback. Please visit this page to contact me.
What each badge represents
Vaccinated Vendor
This badge signals that I am fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. The badge itself was created by Bramble & Blossom, a florist in Pennsylvania, whom I know through my work with Altared.
If you want to download the badge yourself, use this shared Google Drive link. Please credit Bramble & Blossom wherever you use the badge.
I am fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of June 5, 2021. I received a booster shot on November 22, 2021; September 19, 2022; and September 21, 2023.
Unity Through Community
Unity Through Community was a badge created by a group of wedding vendors in summer 2020. It shows my commitment to make the wedding industry more diverse and inclusive. The badge was created by Terrica, Bron Hansboro, CeCe Todd, and Tammy Fleuch. Learn more here.
Terrica and I also discuss Unity Through Community in this episode of my podcast.
I took the pledge!
This badge was created by radical joy coach Jordan Maney. The pledge recognizes my ongoing work to dismantle my internal racism and inherent bias and so help #ChangeTheWeddingIndustry.
This badge and Unity Through Community also have value to me as I believe Black Lives Matter.
Jordan and I discuss her work in this episode of my podcast. Jordan has also been an Altared Educator.
Dash of Pride
This company offers a wedding vendor directory with a specific focus on long-term accountability. The level of membership I purchased included an hour-long conversation with Dash of Pride team members to assess what I have done and continue to do to make my work inclusive to members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
In order to keep this badge, I must have an annual conversation with the Dash of Pride team. My current version of this badge has “2022” on it as, unfortunately, Dash of Pride isn’t currently doing renewals (I’ve asked several times for how I can pay for a 2023 membership and so far, no dice).
Equally Wed Pro
I received this badge after completing a paid one-hour training on LGBTQIA+ inclusivity through Equally Wed.
Altared
I am a co-founder of Altared, a space for wedding vendors who want to change the wedding industry. Altared does this in a number of ways including by offering free, virtual programming about diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and sustainability in the wedding industry, for wedding vendors.
To learn more about Altared, please visit altaredpdx.com.
Past membership: Wedding & Event Vendor Alliance (WEVA)
WEVA is an organization based in Vermont that helps wedding professionals become better allies by creating safe, inclusive, anti-racist event spaces through self-education and community development.
I was a member of WEVA from 2020 to 2023 and annually committed to completing at least eight hours of continued learning — self-education, workshops, or events — that address racism, anti-racism, and/or diversity and inclusion.
I continue to do this education but ended my membership with WEVA in 2023 as I could no longer afford the annual fee.