Wedding planning sounds like fun when you’re just daydreaming about the perfect venue, who you’ll invite, the dance list the DJ will play and, of course, the food and drink you’ll share with all your nearest and dearest as you celebrate. In reality, however, it’s one of the most adult things you’ll ever do. You’re essentially planning a huge party so you have to deal with a million details that never cross your mind during those fun stress-free daydreams.
There’s a reason why the word Bridezilla made its way into the Oxford English Dictionary back in 1995. The truth is that the stress and pressure of planning a wedding can be simply overwhelming and that’s also why wedding planners can be found in every city. But what about when your budget simply doesn’t stretch far enough to hire someone to deal with the headaches? Then it’s time to turn to the internet.
We’ve gathered together 10 of the best gay wedding websites and blogs to help you navigate through every decision without losing your sanity or driving you to divorce court before you’ve even walked down the aisle. These resources can help with everything from budgeting and learning how to find the best deals to inspiration on decorating, invitations and wedding party fashion.
Equalli Blog
As if we could start the list with anything else. Not to toot our own horn but …. Toot! At Equalli we’ve got you covered in terms of inspiration and plenty of resources to help make your special day one to remember. We may be known for our amazing collection of Pride Jewelry and gay wedding sets, but we’ve also got enough diversions to keep you entertained when wedding planning becomes too much. Once you’ve gone through articles on how to choose a gay friendly venue or the best honeymoon locations for LGBT couples, take some time to check out news on LGBT focused comics and artists instead.
The Knot
The Knot is one of the oldest and most established wedding websites out there. While not exclusive LGBT oriented they were one of the first to begin including LGBT related content and they continue to address the unique challenges faced by those in the LGBT community. Their resources are second to none and their advice has the backing of years of experience. Not all of their planning sheets and downloadable resources are geared for LGBT couples (something we all hope they are working on!) but it’s easy enough to customize them to fit your own situation and the principles are still the same.
The Budget Savvy Bride
The Budget Savvy Bride is another website that isn’t promoted as LGBT but they’re focused on how to create your dream wedding without breaking the bank, no matter who’s involved. They offer access to special deals, tips and advice from brides, grooms and others who have been through the process.
Offbeat Bride
At Offbeat Bride they pride themselves on catering to “couples who dare to walk off the beaten aisle”. They cater to all kinds of couples and they have a robust number of posts that am to help LGBT couples with everything from super hero themed weddings to dealing with potentially homophobic guests.
Purple Roofs
When it’s time to plan your honeymoon or even finalize details for a destination wedding, the people over at Purple Roofs can help you find the perfect destination. They specialize in highlighting LGBT friendly hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, travel agents and tour operators.
Wedding Lovely
You might not be able to afford a dedicated wedding planner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get access to wedding planner level resources and advice. Wedding Lovely has been featured in Tech Crunch, Forbes and Venture beat thanks to its comprehensive offerings. They give users access to printable checklists, local vendor information, collaboration tools and even one-on-one wedding advice all in one easy website and all for free.
Green Bride Guide
Green Bride Guide doesn’t focus on sexuality or gender (though most – if not all – of their photos are of bride/groom pairings) but their message is clear – if you want to make your wedding day special, reduce the impact it has on the environment. Couples who are passionate about nature will be spoiled for choice in terms of resources and stores this guide can connect you with.
Find Law
Getting married is a heady mix of romance, party planning and legal issues, especially for couples who have been together for a long time but who haven’t been able to cement their partnership legally. LGBT couples often have a complex issues to deal with during their wedding, including finalizing custody for their children. The website Find Law helps people navigate their way through the legal issues whether they want to eventually retain an attorney or go through the process themselves.
Gay Weddings by WeddingWire
Wedding Wire is another well-established wedding resource and they’ve now devoted a new website entirely to LGBT wedding issues, inspiration, tips and advice. Gay Weddings offers information on planning, etiquette, budgeting, choosing a vendor and inspiration on various themes as well as LGBT news and a growing forum.
Rainbow Wedding Network
The Rainbow Wedding Network has been around since 2000, making it one of the most well-established and historically significant LGBT wedding resources around. The people who work on this website have a wealth of experience and information that can be of help and comfort to LGBT couples who feel a bit lost. They have resources for local vendors and registries as well coordinating regular LGBT wedding expos all over the country.
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