In the whimsical world of wedding inspo, styled shoots are like Pinterest boards come to life. But there's a big catch: when these shoots don't feature real LGBTQ+ couples, it's more than just a missed opportunity—it's a slap in the face. Let's talk about why authenticity matters and why pretending isn't cutting it.
Busting the Myth
Using straight folks to play pretend in "same-sex" relationships sends the wrong message. It's like saying LGBTQ+ love stories don't matter, and that's just not cool. Our love is real, and it deserves to be front and centre, not hidden behind a facade.
Allyship 101
Being an ally means more than just slapping a rainbow on everything. It means actually listening to LGBTQ+ voices and letting them take the lead. Styled shoots should be a collaboration, not a one-sided show. When you skip that step, it's not allyship—it's tokenism, plain and simple.
Getting Real
Styled shoots should be about celebrating love in all its messy, beautiful glory. But when you don't consult real LGBTQ+ couples, you miss out on the juicy stuff—the inside jokes, the shared glances, the little quirks that make their love story uniquely theirs. That's what real love looks like, and it's time we start showing it.
Breaking Down Barriers
By sticking to the same old heteronormative script, the wedding industry isn't just missing out on great stories—it's actively excluding LGBTQ+ voices. That's not just uncool; it's downright unfair. We deserve a seat at the table, not just a token gesture.
Let Love Lead
t's time for styled shoots to step up and do better. Let's ditch the stereotypes and embrace authenticity. By prioritising genuine representation and consultation with real LGBTQ+ couples, these shoots not only celebrate love authentically but also affirm the validity and importance of LGBTQ+ identities within the wedding community and beyond. It's time for the wedding industry to move beyond tokenism and embrace true allyship, ensuring that every love story is seen, heard, and celebrated with dignity and respect.
There are a number of Queer-led styled shoots out there, so if you feel like you need guidance before you jump into doing your own LGBTQ+ styled wedding shoot we highly recommend taking a look at these two;
In the end, styled shoots should be a celebration of love in all its forms. By keeping it real and putting LGBTQ+ couples in the spotlight, we're not just making pretty pictures—we're making a statement. And that's something we can all get behind.
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