Weddings Redefined

In between weddings on Cape Cod last week, I dashed off to a luxury wedding industry summit in the Cayman Islands.  It was an incredible way to meet some legends of the industry and have complete access to brilliant minds more than happy to share their experiences.  Every attendee at this conference was there to kick their business into high gear and poised to push themselves to the next level.  I was the only person at the conference in the business of gay weddings.


photo by Jasmine Star.  Left to right, Millie Bratten from Brides magazine; Sylvia Weinstock; and Marcy Blum

And what a business it is...  Late one night, on his terrace, I shared a drink with Colin Cowie, David Berke (the President of Colin's company) and Rosalind from Two Bright Lights.  We talked about many things but then the topic of gay weddings came up and I was asked (as I often am), what's the difference between a straight wedding and a gay wedding?  

As I began to talk through the differences, Colin's eyes opened wide and it was clear I was sharing some new insight he had never previously considered. And just like that, the roles were reversed and I was educating an industry legend.  

Our company, 14 Stories, was the first of its kind in the U.S. and we are still leading the way with research, data and insight into the engaged LGBT couple.  I have the most exhilarating career, coming into the lives of the sweetest couples ever and producing them magnificent weddings - and then sharing the information I gather with the wedding industry at large to ultimately reduce homophobia and heterosexism.  

It doesn't get any better than this...

If you're trying to reach me (Bernadette) this week, I'm actually at a wedding industry conference in the Cayman Islands.  Tough life, I know!  It's a great event and I'm excited to catch up with some of my wedding pals from across the country and hopefully make some cool new friends - and hopefully bring back some fabulous ideas for our clients!

We have a plan to deal with urgent matters, though, so please feel free to still call or email if necessary.  I'll be fully back in the loop on June 14.

It's a busy time in the office - we had one fabulous gay wedding in Provincetown this past Saturday and three more big ones (including this upcoming Saturday) before the month is through.  We're really proud of our weddings and will be sharing some photos in the blog so please stay tuned!

Hello and happy belated Valentine's Day.  I'm excited for all of you who are recently engaged and planning yourself a wonderful gay wedding.  It's an exciting time, isn't it?  I'm really happy for you.

For years I've cared about the environment and my company has been purposefully built with this in mind.  To see some of our green policies, please click here.

Our company is turning 6 and we have a new name.  It's definitely time to party!

The states of New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa all legalized gay marriage in 2009.  DC is probably coming next.  Despite some setbacks, there are many reasons I find hope as I reflect this holiday season.

I know a lot of people liked the name It's About Time.  And it was a cool and catchy name and it worked great for almost six years.  I receive a lot of compliments on that name.