Racial Justice Resources for The Wedding Industry

The inequality we are seeing is rooted in years of systemic racism and lack of education. And we must do better. We’ve put together anti-racism resources to help educate wedding businesses on what they can do to end racial injustice and discrimination in the wedding industry. 

We are committed to supporting and empowering business ownership and leadership among Black wedding pros as well as others who have historically been underrepresented in the wedding industry. 

As we continue discussing ways to commit to this intentional, sustainable change, we also want to use our platform to amplify the voices of Black wedding pros and celebrate their success so they receive the recognition they deserve within our industry. 

This list is not finished and we invite you to share thoughts and ideas on how we can help create this long term change. Please email us at hello@weddingpro.com to let us know other resources we should add so we can continue learning and listening together. 

Before we can make lasting changes within the wedding industry we need to get informed. Here is where we started: 

People to follow 

Florists

• Bron Hansboro of The Flower Guy Bron | @theflowerguybron
• Marcia Villiers of Beautiful Kreations | @beautiful.kreations
• Kristen Griffith VanderYacht of Wildboom Floral | @kristengvy
• LaParis Phillips of Brooklyn Blooms | @brooklynbloomsnyc
• Preston Bailey of Preston Bailey | @prestonrbailey 
• Drew Rios of Rogue&Fox Floral Co | @rogueandfox
• Whit McClure of Whit Hazen | @whit_hazen
• Carla Duncan of On Occasions Atlanta | @onoccasionsatl

Caterers

• Keyon & Alexandria Hammond of Get Plated Catering and Events | @getplateddc
• Chef Rera O of Chops by Rera LLC | @chopsbyrera
• Chef Ro Cantrell of Cantrell Occasions | @iam_chefro
• Mertis Sells of Lucille’s Catering, LLC | @lucillescatering
• Adeola Ganny of REA Kitchens & Rentals | @reacatering

Cakes

• Samirah Williams of Clara’s Groovy Deliciousness | @groovydeliciousness
• La’Meeka Edwards of Cakes by Lameeka | @cakesbylameeka

Officiants

• LaToya Papillion-Herr of Waning Moon Weddings | @_latoyapherr
• Melinda Guess of Weddings by Melinda Guess | @minister_melinda

DJs/Bands

• Will Gill of DJ Will Gill | @djwillgill
• Ricky Bonds of Pulse Sounds | @pulsesounds
• Elasea Douglas and Sadiki Pierre of Acute Inflections | @acuteinflections
• David Medina of DJ David Medina | @djmedinanyc
• Andrea Smith of The Band Method | @thebandmethod
• Chandlar and Karen J of Affiniti NYC | @affinitinyc
• Dannis Winston of DWP Live Factory | @dwp_live_factory
• Toryn Lankford of Exquisite Sounds Entertainment | @exquisitesoundsent

Venues

• Sheila Johnson of Innisbrook Resort | @innisbrookresort
• Carla Bisong of Bisong Art Gallery | @bisongart
• Nicole Clayton of The Cloth Mill at Eno River | @clothmill
• Paul Roberts Anthony and Pontheolla Mack Abernathy of The Clevedale Inn | @clevedaleinn
• Tamuel Cowart of RW Events | @rwevents

Editorial

• Eliana Baucicault of The B Collective | @bcollectivemag
• Jacqueline Nwobu Munaluchi of Munaluchi Bride | @munaluchibride
• Juliette McKay of The Coordinated Bride | @thecoordinatedbride
• Kunbi Odubogun of Perfête | @perfete @kothecurator
• Charli Penn of Essence | @charlipenn 
• Mary Chatman of Black Bride Magazine | @blackbride1998

Educators and Coaches

• Nadia S. Anderson of Nadia S. Anderson, CPA | @nadiathecpa
• Chip Dizard of Chip Dizard Studios | @chipdizard
• Geomyra Pollard of Coaching for Creatives | @coachforcreatives
• Simon T. Bailey of Spark Hope | @simontbailey 
• Jon’ll Boyd of The Planners Suite | @theplannerssuite
• Tara Melvin of The Signature CEO Conference | @signatureceo
• Jacqueline Nwobu Munaluchi of Coterie Retreat by Munaluchi | @coterieretreat
• Shantee and Mena Wright of The Black Table | @theblacktable
• Cyndie Spiegel of Dear Grown Ass Women | @cyndiespiegel

Bridal Salons

• Andrea Pitter Campbell of Pantora Bridal | @andrea_pittercampbell
• Nneka C. Alexander of Brides by NoNA | @bridesbynona
• Miriam Liggett of Soliloquy Bridal | @soliloquybridal
• Mark Ingram of Mark Ingram Atelier | @markingrambride
• Esé Azénabor of Esé Azénabor Atelier | @eseazenabor
• Jalona Marie of Jalona Marie Bridal | @jalonamariebridal
• Shannelle Fowler of Haute & Co. | @hauteandco

Beauty

• Kindale Godbee of The Heir Salon and Family | @theheirsalon
• Megan Sarah Marshall of MS Artistry | @ms_artistry
• Jamila Tarisai of Beauty to Behold Luxury Events | @beautyllbehold
• Robin Lynette Chism of Topflight Studio | @irobincredible
• Tyra Renee of Tyra’s Hair Experience | @tyrashairexperience
• Whitney of Whitney Green Co | @whitneygreenco
• Tyhree-Shinae Hall of Tsh Beauty | @tsh.beauty
• Patience Phinisee of Intensify by Patience | @intensifybypatience

Stationery Designers 

• Lisa Zachery and April Davenport of Papered Wonders | @paperedwonders
• Oluwa Dami of By Dami Studios | @bydamistudiosnyc
• Le’Trice Penn of Lepenn Designs | @lepenndesigns
• Ndidi and Folasayo of Oda Creative | @odacreative

Photographers/Videographers

• Jason Marino of Imagine Photo | @imaginephotoaz
• Sheena Meekins of Anée Atelier | @aneeatelier
• Jo Wooten of Wooten Photography | @wootenphotos
• Abiola Matesun of Malekfoto Weddings | @malekfotoweddings
• Keith Cephus of Keith Cephus Photography | @kcephus1
• Dr. Tomayia Colvin of Tomayia Colvin Photography | @tomayiacolvin
• Nana Annan of Nana Annan Photography | @nanaannanphotography
• Sheronda Seawright of Sheronda Seawright Photography | @sherondaphoto
• Renee Hollingshead of Renee Hollingshead Photography | @reneehphoto
• Iris Mannings of Iris Mannings Photography | @irismannings
• Stephanie of SJR + Co Photography | @sjrandcopphotography
• Petronella Lugemwa of Petronella Photography | @petronellaphotography
• Amber Marlow of Amber Marlow Photography | @ambermarlow
• Terri Baskin of Terri Baskin Photography | @terribaskin
• Chi-Chi Ari of Chi-Chi Ari Love | @chichiarilove
• Amy Anaiz of Amy Anaiz Photography | @amyanaizphoto
• Amber Knowles of The Amber Studio | @theamberstudio
• Parris of From Parris with Love | @parriswithlove
• Nikki Miller of Mae. B Films | @maebfilms
• Kaleb and Elaine Jiminez of KEJ Productions | @kejproductions
• Allen Green and Cathie Berrey Green of BeauMonde Originals | @beaumondeoriginals
• Ty, Jacob, Joel & Caleb Polk of Polkbros | @polkbros_entertainment
• Afolabi Sogunro of Fotos by Fola | @fotosbyfola
• Crystal Lily of Crystal Lily Photo | @crystallilyphoto
• Mo Davis of Mo Davis Photography | @modavisphotography
• Elizabeth Austin of Elizabeth Austin Photo | @elizabethaustinphoto
• LaJoy Cox of LaJoy Photography | @lajoyphotographyllc
• Amber Knowles and Jay Jackson of The Amber Studio | @theamberstudio
• Shawon Davis of Shawon Davis Studio | @shawondavis

Planners

• Terrica of Cocktails & Details | @officialcocktailsdetails
• Eurykah Fon Ndumu of Asheris Events Planning & Design Services | @asheriseventslux
• Desireé Dent of Dejanae Events | @dejaneevents
• Eliana Baucicault of EllyB | @ellybevents
• Brian Green of By BrianGreen | @bybriangreen
• Denise Lillie of Denise Lillie Engagements | @deniselillieengagements
• Erica Taylor Haskins of TINSEL Experiential Design | @tinseldesignnyc
• Michelle Gainey of Lemiga Events | @lemiga
• Kawania Wooten of Howerton+Wooten Events | @howertonwooten
• Fallon Carter of Fallon Carter Weddings & Events | @falloncarterevents
• Andrew Roby of Andrew Roby Events | @andrewrobyevents
• Darryl Moore of D’Concierge Design | @d.concierge
• Diann Valentine of Exhilarate Experiential | @diannvalentine
• Andre Wells of Events by Andre Wells | @eventsbyandrewells
• Marc Wilson of The Style Marc | @thestylemarc
• Laura Held of Ida Rose Events | @idaroseevents
• Guerdy Abraira of Guerdy Design | @guerdydesign
• Michelle Norwood of Michelle Norwood Events | @michellenorwoodevents
• Akeshi Akinseye of Kesh Events | @keshevents
• Allison Davis of Davis Row | @davisrow
• Sugar Taylor of Sugar Taylor Co. | @sugartaylorco
• Natasha Civil of WeddingsbyNatasha | @weddingsbynatasha
• Melissa Williams of B Astonished Events | @bastonishedevents
• Laetitia Townson of House of Bash | @houseofbashatl
• Keisha Ervin of Keisha’s Kreations | @keishaskreations
• Venus Ruben of 34th Street Events | @34thstreetevents
• Estelle Bogaert of Madame Wedding Design | @madamewedding.design
• Victoria Lartey-Williams of Victorious Events NYC | @viceventsnyc
• Victoria Holland of Victoria Ann Events | @victoriaannevents
• Summer Newman of Summer Newman Events | @snevents

Rentals

• Ian Ndabari of Violet Vintage Rentals | @violetvintagerentals
• Tamuel Cowart of RW Events | @rwevents
• Reinnia Nova Flavius-Nickerson of Events by Nova | @events_by_nova

Things to read 

Articles

• How to avoid tokenism in the wedding industry by Nu Bride
• 10 Steps To Non-optical Allyship from @mireillecharper
• People Are Not Props // How to Avoid Tokenism in Your Portfolio by Catalyst Wedding Co.
• We’d Like To See More Diversity In The Wedding Industry, Wouldn’t You? by Bridal Musings
• How to Make This Moment the Turning Point for Real Change by Barack Obama for Medium

Books

• Anti-Racist Reading List from Ibram X. Kendi from Chicago Public Library
• Several Antiracist Books Are Selling Out. Here’s What Else Black Booksellers and Publishers Say You Should Read from TIME Magazine
• Looking for books about racism? Experts suggest these must-read titles for adults and kids from USA Today
• 7 Anti-Racist Books Recommended by Educators and Activists from NY Magazine
• First, Listen. Then, Learn: Anti-Racism Resources For White People from Forbes
• Dear White People from The Lit.Bar: Bookstore & Chill
• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Videos to watch

Webinars

• How to Take Action and Cultivate Positive Change in the Industry with Bron Hansboro, Jackie Nwobu, Chip Dizárd, Terri Baskin hosted by WeddingPro–Watch the recording
• Healing Wounds & Bridging Gaps: An Honest Conversation About Race & Allyship in the Wedding Industry –Watch the recording
• Engage! CONNECT: A Conversation on Race Relations in the Wedding & Event Industry moderated by Simon T. Bailey–Watch the recording

IG Live Conversations

• #unitythroughcommunity with Desireé Dent –Watch the recording part 1 and part 2
• #unitythroughcommunity with Bron Hansboro –Watch the recording
• #unitythroughcommunity with Terrica –Watch the recording
• #unitythroughcommunity with Anée Atelier –Watch the recording
• #unitythroughcommunity with Chanda Daniels –Watch the recording
• #unitythroughcommunity with Michelle Norwood –Watch the recording
• Here’s how you can help #amplifymelanatedvoices with Spirit Of Revelry—Watch Saori and Devante on their IGTV

Ways to show support

• Diversity Check-In Template created by Jason Rhee and Anika
• #unitythroughcommunity solidarity badge created by Bron Hansboro, CeCe Todd, Tammy Fleuch and Terrica
• The Black Lives Matter Collection by Make Your Life Sweeter created by Yasmeen Tadia
• Take Project Implicit’s Implicit Association Test
• Only 4 states do not recognize Juneteenth. You can sign a petition to make it a national holiday here.
• Find talented photographers through Dr. Tomayia Colvin’s directory.