How Your Venue Can Attract More LGBTQ+ Weddings

With the close of Pride month, attracting LGBTQ+ weddings may be top of mind for you. In fact, we get this question from venues all the time:

“I want to host more LGBT weddings, but how do I get started?”

We’re so glad that people marrying whoever they love has become mainstream in the wedding industry. #progress 🌈

Here are a few tips for getting more of this kind of business:

1. Add the LGBTQ+ Friendly designation to your Here Comes The Guide profile page.

This shows up on your profile and is also a searchable field on our website that helps couples easily find LGBTQ+ friendly wedding venues.

2. Change the wording about weddings on your website and social media channels to be inclusive.

Replace “brides and grooms” with “couples” and try to be gender-neutral everywhere. This small adjustment is a big indicator that you’re welcoming of all kinds of weddings.

3. Make sure every member of your wedding staff who deals with weddings knows that LGBTQ+ events are important to you.

You’d be surprised how that top-down messaging can have a big impact.

4. If you’ve hosted an LGBTQ+ wedding, use photos from it

in your marketing, mixed in with all your other gorgeous images.

5. If you haven’t hosted an LGBTQ+ wedding yet, consider a photo shoot.

Those visuals will go a long way to communicating your openness. In addition to posting them on your own website and social media, send updated images to any websites (ahem…like Here Comes The Guide) where you advertise.

6. Think about getting a profile on an LGBTQ+ focused website like Equally Wed.

(We have no connection with them at all—we just love what they’re doing over there!)

7. Optimize your website for LGBTQ+ wedding phrases.

Your SEO consultant can do some keyword research for you, but starting with the phrase “LGBTQ+ friendly wedding venues in [region]” is a good idea.

8. Use our LGBTQ+ Friendly Wedding Venue badge 

at the bottom of your wedding pages on your website or in your email signature. You can also include the expression “love is love” anywhere in your marketing.

These are just some of the ways you can attract more LGBTQ+ events.

We believe strongly that Love is Love and we’re so grateful for the inclusive, welcoming wedding community all over the country. We could not think of a better industry in which to work.