Gay marriage planning

Whether it's helping with the catering, decorations, or just offering moral support, lean on your loved ones to make the process a little easier.

Food and catering

Miniature food has become increasingly popular at weddings, as it allows guests to sample a variety of dishes without feeling too full to dance and mingle.

Check out these beautiful gay-friendly wedding venues: 

• Vellano Estate in Chino Hills, CA
  Conveniently located just outside of Los Angeles, Vellano Estate is a sprawling hilltop wedding venue surrounded by sweeping views of lush green fields and dramatic mountains. Think of it as an arc. If you have multiple parties willing to contribute, you could split the costs or have each party pay for what they're most interested in.

  Wedding attire

  If you're having a backyard campout weekend with a specific aesthetic, you might want to thrift your wedding attire.

  From selecting an inclusive wedding venue you love to nailing the walk-out dance, your special day will be a joy. Build your budget around securing them early.

• Representation in styling: Pride-inspired details, a drag MC, hiring queer artists, they all tell your story and deserve budget space.
  Legal & admin costs: If you’re updating documents, adding parental rights, or making name changes, factor those fees in.
• Community impact: Some couples donate a percentage to LGBTQ+ orgs or prioritise queer-owned businesses even if they’re not the cheapest option.

Real wedding inspo: WhenSophia & Johana planned their snowy-to-sunset day, they prioritised a photographer they trusted and kept the reception simple with a laid-back mountain picnic – a perfect example of spending where it counts and saving where it doesn’t.

This Tuscan-style villa hosts various indoor and outdoor locations for your wedding reception and ceremony. 

Wedgewood Weddings is home to 50+ all-inclusive wedding venues across the United States. Lighting and power for entertainment, a quiet room for sensory breaks, and kid friendly zones if families are invited.

Privacy.

This Mediterranean-style estate features a grand entrance complete with a palatial staircase–making for swoon-worthy photo opportunities.

Black Forest in Colorado Springs, CO
If tall trees, wide-open skies, and breathtaking mountain views are your style - look no further than Black Forest. For others, it’s investing in an all-queer vendor team so you can relax knowing every interaction will be affirming.

Start with your values, not the spreadsheet.

Before you touch numbers, sit down together and talk about what’s truly important:

• Is it having every guest well-fed and dancing until sunrise?
• Capturing the day in photographs you’ll love forever?
• Being surrounded only by people who love and respect you?

Once you know your priorities, you can funnel your budget into what matters most and cut back where it doesn’t.

• Vendor choice: Affirming vendors are worth their weight in gold, and often book out quickly.

  Some couples opt for a hyphenated last name, while others choose to keep their own last names or adopt their partner’s last name. It can be a weekend campout, a long lunch that finishes at sunset, or a rooftop party that feels like your favorite night out.

  Design for comfort and consent

  Tell guests what kind of night they are walking into.

  Capacity, accessibility, budget, ceremony flow, and how safe and celebrated you feel all live here. Every decision from here can be sanity checked against them.

  Step Two: Budget for What Matters

  Every couple has to think about budgets – but queer couples often have extra layers that don’t get talked about in mainstream guides.

  Keep what feels good, adapt what needs a tweak, and skip what does not fit. If a classic entrance feels right, decide who walks first and why that matters to you. For example, one set of parents might pay for the food and drink, while the other set of parents pays for the venue and entertainment.

  If you're looking to save some money, you could opt to rent your wedding attire instead of buying it.

  Whether you identify as lesbian, bi, gay, trans, nonbinary, or none of the above, you will find clear, respectful advice to plan a celebration that feels like you. Filter options here:Venues.

  What to look for

  • Staff culture. After the signing, decide how you want to handle names.