Wed Altered Issue 2 - June 2018

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vs. Intention and Inclusivity Tokenism and Appropriation What you need to know... by Brittny Drye
T oday’s couples plan their weddings on social media. They look for inspiration, answers to burning questions, and for leads to help them find the creative professionals they will ultimately hire to bring their dreams to life. Your social media identity is determined by your content and your commentary. It is often the first encounter a prospective client has with your brand. Visual social media content includes photos and videos of your work from inspiration shoots to real weddings to the work of colleagues you admire and share. If you welcome and serve a diverse population of couples regardless of race, size, orientation, your images will reflect that authentically and attract more of the same. Inclusivity Inclusivity isn’t only about language or images, it is a mindset that is engrained in you — an eagerness to work with all couples because doing so matches your values. You don’t see a plus-size bride, you see a beaming woman who is a knockout in her Ines Di Santo dress. You don’t see a same-sex couple, you see two women in love and the excitement on their faces in the photo when they slip into the gorgeous gowns that you sold them. When inclusivity is a value you embrace every day, it effortlessly shines through in your visual content on social media. Greed is an enemy to authentic inclusivity. If you only add images of different types of couples so you can grow a new revenue stream, and not because you truly accept the values of a niche market, it will show. Your efforts to attract certain clients will be transparent and will more likely drive them away. Inclusivity Isn’t Tokenism Tokenism is marketing to specialty subgroups without being genuine by using a limited number of couples from a subgroup to represent a larger trend. You are guilty of tokenism when you luck into serving two brides, for example, and you use their images everywhere to attempt to give the impression that you work with same-gender couples all the time. Being truly equality-minded means that your inclusivity is evidenced throughout everything you do — your marketing verbiage, your social media presence, your communication with couples. If you throw up a photo of a same-sex couple simply for the sake of appearing like you are open to working with them, but your staff asks every new consult what her “future husband’s” name is during a fitting, you are guilty of tokenism. Nurture an Inclusive Culture There can be growing pains when you try to become more inclusive. Many wedding professionals make assumptions and end up putting their feet in their mouths. Assuming that all prospects are cisgender in hetero relationships has been a common mistake for years. The gender and orientation spectrums are fluid, so you can’t put anyone in a box. You have to approach every new client consultation as an opportunity to learn more. Practice using open-ended questions and building on information that your clients provide you. Avoid Appropriation Accepting all couples regardless of the race, gender, orientation, size or other characteristics is one (noble and desirable) thing. Claiming elements of the minority culture as your own is considered appropriation because it represents an imbalance. A straight wedding professional can alienate a LGBTQ couple by saying something like, “oh, I have a cousin who is gay – I love gay weddings!” This doesn’t make you more relatable, instead it confirms that you are singularly focused on how different your prospect or client is. Instead of forcing the relationship, Dresses in this picture by Pure Magnolia Photo by Stacie Carr www.wedaltered.com 26
Page 1 and 2: ISSUE 02 send your message The Busi
Page 3 and 4: EDITOR Christen Schneider CONTRIBUT
Page 6 and 7: Endless Content: Create Once and Re
Page 8 and 9: 1. How am I supposed to find the ti
Page 10 and 11: TREND REPORT: ruffles ruffles -on-
Page 12 and 13: You Can Make Videos now That GET AT
Page 14 and 15: Lighten Up! Memorized or obviously
Page 16 and 17: DO YOU SPEAK BRIDE PRESENTS LAUNCH
Page 18 and 19: MEET RAMONA Owner of Love and Lace
Page 20 and 21: What's a really special story about
Page 22 and 23: THE ALGORITHM An algorithm is a set
Page 24 and 25: wed altered Are you still looking f
Page 28 and 29: practice the art of listening. Ask
Page 30 and 31: Sleeves with some oomph Not only ar
Page 32 and 33: MEET STEFANIE Designer of Stefanie
Page 34 and 35: What has made you who you are today
Page 36 and 37: Surround yourself with the believer
Page 38 and 39: y Christen Schneider social media H
Page 40: Have a long term formula. Instagram
Page 43 and 44: Y our website has less than half a
Page 45: 5Not Using a Blog The Right Way Blo
Page 48 and 49: it's not just the camera... Smartph
Page 50 and 51: Tip #4: Lower The Phone If you watc
Page 52 and 53: Publish OR PERISH Dress by Nuorikko
Page 54 and 55: e-applying as we paid attention to
Page 56 and 57: No one ever made a difference by be
Page 58: THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MAGAZINE M

Wed Altered Issue 2 - June 2018

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