Five years ago Obergefell v. Hodges, the historic Supreme Court decision affirming the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwideand ensured marriage equality in all 50 states! Before the ruling, 36 states and the District of Columbia recognized same-sex marriage in some form. But with the historic 5-4 vote, the highest court in the nation ruled that same-sex marriage should be recognized under federal law.
Today's LGBTQIA+ Couples
LGBTQIA+ couples on average are getting married at 36, having around 115 guests, engaged an average of 20 months, and have an average of 8 people in their wedding parties.
Over the past year, engaged LGBTQIA+ couples have been significantly more likely to share their big news on social media - 71% shared their news in 2019 versus only 37% did in 2015. Additionally, in regards to social media announcements, couples who both identify as females are more likely to share their news than couples who both identify as male (74% vs. 63%). This major shift has helped people become more supportive of them. Since then, now 61% of Americans support gay marriage.
LQBTQIA+ Couples Lead in Personalized Celebrations
There have been many traditions that LGBTQIA+ couples have been leading the way to make their own traditions and personalized details, that are now done by other couples too. From having mixed gender wedding parties so that each loved one can be included in the vows, these couples are crafting their weddings to make them uniquely their own.
In the past 5 years, LQBTGIA+ couples have had their weddings in backyards/private gardens (15%), or barns/ranches (14%). They also choose to walk down the aisle with non-classical music unique to them!
One thing they are also doing is writing their own vows. In 2015, 59% of couples wrote their own vows, then in 2019 70% of them wrote their own vows. This is even more than all couples at 44%!
Looking Forward
LQBTQIA+ couples have a lot to celebrate about, but the community still has some things to overcome. Though their are non-discrimination policies in place for all wedding companies, there still seem to be some stories about these couples getting turned away by companies.
We, as wedding vendors, continue to educate ourselves and not discriminate. We need to continue to make all couples feel loved and welcomed no matter what because love is love!
To find out more about this study, take a look here.
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