How do I make my wedding business website gender-neutral?

The wedding industry is saturated with images and language that depict how “the big day” is only important to one person: the bride. But what about the other half of the happy couple (assuming it’s just a couple in the first place)?  And what about relationships that have no brides at all?

Women understand what it’s like to be excluded. So it baffles us that the wedding industry, which is often dominated by women, typically exclude men from playing more active roles in the wedding-planning process. This is preventing grooms, best men, fathers, brothers, and LGBTQ+ couples from truly feeling included in this heartfelt and significant life step. (Plus we’re hitting women over the head with feminine gender roles.) Which sucks!

As a wedding vendor, you know the assumption that men are uninterested in their wedding day is false. Your clients often both want to take active roles in deciding what their special day will be like and ensuring that it reflects their unique style.

By swapping out exclusive and bride-centric language with inclusive language on your website, you are subtly signaling that all members of the wedding party matter to you and your business regardless of their gender. 

Ways to Make Your Website Less Bride-Centric

If you’re looking to make the website for your wedding business appeal to more men, consider changing the following: 

• Audit your website and look for all mentions of “bride.” Then, replace the word with gender-neutral terms like fiance, partner, significant other, or lovebirds.

• Diversify your photography to portray men, including photos of men by themselves, clients where both parties are men/masculine, images of groomsmen, and more. 

• Write about the gender-neutral aspects of wedding planning, such as choosing a DJ or selecting the menu, instead of focusing on wedding dress shopping and makeup styles. 

• In the same light, don’t assume that men aren’t interested in stereotypically feminine aspects of wedding planning such as decor and flowers. 

• Tell the story of a man’s emotions on their wedding day.

• Write marketing assets specifically for men, such as blogs with tips for the groom/best man/man of honor/father of the bride or groom, etc.  

If you’re even more committed to making your wedding company gender-neutral, consider going through a rebrand and updating your business name and/or logo and/or color palette to include less feminine elements.