How to Plan a Truly Inclusive Wedding: Accessibility, LGBTQ+ Inclusion & Beyond
Planning a wedding that genuinely includes everyone - not just as an afterthought, not as a tick-box exercise - takes a bit more thought than the average wedding blog will tell you. As a disabled, queer wedding photographer who's spent years working in this industry, here's what I actually look for and recommend.
I believe that weddings don’t have to be done in a specific way and definitely not in a way that isn’t accessible and considerate to ALL the people attending. After all, celebrating such a big life event should have everyone involved feeling valued and comfortable. So of course some of these suggestions may not apply to your specific case, but we can always strive to learn more about accessibility and incluaicity.
So let’s look at how to make your unique wedding day inclusive!
Pick an Accessible Wedding Venue
This is a big one and of course, depends on the needs of you and your guests.
Remember that not all disabilities are visible, so it might be a good idea to ask if your guests have any needs you should take into account to make their experience enjoyable.
The obvious one for people using mobility aids or who have difficulties moving around is accessible routes all around. Some wheelchair-friendly wedding venues may have ramps that can be installed on the day.
Make sure there is an accessible restroom (that is large enough!) close to where all the action will be happening.
Finding an accessible venue is harder than it should be. Many venues tick "accessible" on a directory listing when in reality the bridal suite is up three flights of stairs and the accessible toilet is a cupboard. Here's what to actually ask when you enquire:
Is the entire venue accessible, or just the ceremony room?
Are there step-free routes between all areas couples and guests will use?
Is the accessible toilet large enough and close to the main spaces?
Is there a quiet room available? Not a parents' room, but a genuinely calm sensory retreat?
Can you provide a site map in advance so guests can plan their movements?
Accessible Wedding Venues in Kent
My top accessible wedding venues in Kent from personal experience: Winters Barns in Canterbury (my first choice - the team genuinely get it), The Crown Lodge in Wye, and The Night Yard in Canterbury. I'll be adding to this list - if you're a venue that takes accessibility seriously, get in touch.
The Crown Lodge in Wye
For your neurodivergent attendees
You might want to consider a “quiet room”, a space where people, particularly those of us with neurodivergent brains, can come to whenever the party gets a bit too overwhelming.
Please note – that’s different from just a quiet room that people with small children might want to use, as those of us who are autistic or have ADHD can experience sensory overwhelm. It’s imperative to be able to retreat to a truly calm area.
In fact, having a separate nursing area/kids zone will definitely be appreciated by parents and children attending!
Keep in mind Dietary Requirements
Nothing makes me happier than a wide array of food available to suit different dietary requirements.
To accommodate all of your guests you could ask them to inform you of any dietary requirements on the wedding invite!
Whenever I choose a place to eat or recommend a venue, I make sure they cater to different diets, particularly vegan & gluten-free as those can often be overlooked. I find that venues that accommodate dietary preferences in a suitable manner and do not just serve chips or salad to tick the vegan box have better tastier dishes overall.
Maybe there’s more than just a correlation between prioritising a customer’s needs and finger-licking delicious food.
If a venue doesn’t offer in-house catering, to make your unique wedding inclusive, consider hiring a caterer specialising in accommodating dietary needs. Don’t forget to make sure food served is clearly labeled to things easier for your guests!
Here are a few caterers that can accommodate vegan catering requirements:
The Fat Carrot – a vegan catering business based in Kent.
The Good Grub – mobile vegan catering.
Cody’s Waffles – belgian waffles adapted to any dietary request.
Pro tip: ask venues whether the vegan/gluten-free option is genuinely thought through, or whether it's just "we can do a salad." The difference is immediately obvious and tells you a lot about how they approach guest needs generally.
Ditch Gender Norms!
This one can sometimes be tricky in such a gendered heteronormative industry, but it makes all the difference.
You don’t have to divide your wedding party into bridesmaids and groomsmen. And they don’t have to wear specific attire based on perceived gender either. Gender neutral wedding outfits are becoming much more of the norm these days!
There’s no rule saying you need to be called the bride or the groom. When designing your stationery skip using the gendered titles of Mr/Mrs/Miss etc.
Encourage the person performing the ceremony and anyone doing speeches to use inclusive language by avoiding gendered language and using gender-neutral pronouns. This will create a welcoming environment for all guests, regardless of their gender identity.
And when you're choosing your photographer ask them how they approach gendered traditions like the bouquet toss, garter removal, or "bride and groom" framing. A photographer who doesn't ask your pronouns before the day hasn't thought hard enough about inclusion.
Use Inclusive Wedding Suppliers
This is the biggest one yet!
By supporting businesses that are encouraging positive changes in the wedding industry, you are helping create a more inclusive future for other people who choose to get married.
These suppliers understand the importance of celebrating human nature in every shape or form or identity. So, to make your unique wedding inclusive, you can get help from inclusive wedding suppliers, like me - an inclusive photographer !
Here’s a small list of amazing inclusive suppliers:
Celebrant - Celebrant Kathryn, The Inclusive Celebrant
Stylist - 4yaparty
Florist - Faux Meadows
Wedding Cake - The Iced Vegan
Stationery - With Bells On
Wedding Planner - Jodie from Ellabella Weddings and Events, Lexie from Queer Weddings
Wedding Attire - Rasha Kashou Studio
Photographer - Nastia Photography - queer, disabled, documentary wedding photography in Kent & London
Ready to create your inclusive wedding?
Now you know how to make your unique wedding inclusive, you can go away and start wedding planning so you create the day that suits you and your guests perfectly!
There is no rule book to follow, so create a day that you love and that makes everyone feel included.
If you're planning a wedding that needs to work for everyone and you want a photographer who's thought seriously about accessibility and inclusion long before you had to ask - let's talk. I'm disabled and queer myself, so I don't approach this as a checklist. I approach it as someone who lives it.
