Understand Your Guests' Needs

Take a look at your guest list and go through each person you’re inviting to the wedding. Write down any notes that you can about what their special, unique, or must-have needs will be at your celebration (whether it’s a venue that’s wheelchair accessible or hiring a caregiver to make sure they have someone there who can help them navigate the party without extra anxiety). Once you’ve compiled a list of needs, you can truly start making decisions about your celebration (from the venue to even what you put on the menu).

Ask Your Guests

Since the words inclusive and accessible can make a variety of different things, it’s always a good idea to ask your guests what you can do to fully accommodate them at your wedding. Place a line on the RSVP card or a form on your wedding website that lets guests share any special requests.

Pick a Fully Accessible Venue

Before you book the venue of your dreams, do a site visit or reach out to a manager there to assess how accessible the entire property is. Ask about wheelchair ramps, elevators, restrooms, and eyeball the entire venue layout to make sure there won’t be any problems for those in attendance.

Ask About Allergies and Dietary Restrictions

While we might think we know about all our guest’s needs, we often might not be aware of their allergies and dietary restrictions. Ask your guests to share these important details with you on their RSVP card so you can bring this information up to your caterer ASAP for proper menu planning, food preparation precautions, and special meals that need to be accounted for.

Be Mindful About the Costs

A big part of inclusivity is making sure that your guests can attend your wedding without any personal strains, which also includes finances. Be mindful about how much it will cost guests to attend your wedding and if possible, work with travel providers (airlines, hotels, rental car companies) to negotiate discounted rates so you can help subsidize the cost of your loved ones attending your celebration.

Think About Seating

At some weddings, there’s a lot of quality time spent standing. To make sure that your guests are comfortable and have the option to sit if they need to, think about ways to strategically include extra seating during cocktail hour and even near the reception entertainment so that they can enjoy the evening, even if they don’t want to be on the dance floor.

Go with a Customized Timeline

Your guests are such a big part of your special day and finding ways to be inclusive might also mean breaking away from a traditional wedding timeline. When you’re deciding what to include in your wedding day and how long to spend on each event, think about ways that you can make it easy on guests that might not be able to be present for the long day.

Get Vendors on Board

With proper planning and feedback from your guests, you can make sure every detail and decision is inclusive of their needs. But to really make sure your wedding supports your loved ones, you’ll want to make sure your vendors are on the same page. Ask them how they tailor their services and packages to be accessible and inclusive. Find vendors who align with your requests and values. That way, your wedding day can be special to all those involved.

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