Vendors helping queer couples elope RIGHT NOW

Hey, friends! It’s Ariel, the founder of Offbeat Wed.

I wanted to take a minute to talk about something important that’s been coming up for queer couples in our community. After the U.S. presidential election last week, there’s huge amount of concern and uncertainty about how potential changes in the administration could impact the legality and security of queer marriages. For some, this has created a real urgency to tie the knot sooner rather than later.

Enter my amazing colleague, Alysia Cole. She’s been working on something truly impactful: a list of wedding vendors who are offering deep discounts, “pay-what-you-can” options, or even free services specifically for queer couples looking to elope in 2024.

Because Offbeat Wed has always been about supporting our community, I want to both amplify Alysia’s work and also creating a list of our own. I’m pulling together a lineup of Offbeat Wed vendors who are offering special discounts or even complimentary services for queer elopements happening this fall.

This isn’t just a general “queer-friendly” vendor list—this is a resource specifically for couples who may feel pressured to get married quickly and need help making it happen affordably. These businesses are stepping up in a big way, and every booking helps them continue offering this kind of support to our community. These offers are especially remarkable given that the past few years have been tough for the wedding industry.

My hope is that this will be a go-to resource for anyone who needs it, helping to make these unions happen even in uncertain times. We want y'all's weddings full of love, joy, and celebration—no matter what comes our way next year.

Photographers

Hello I'm Joe, LLC (Massachusetts)
One free hour of elopement coverage

Kara Hunter Photography (Georgia)
Free for elopement (ceremony + 15 minutes of coverage). 30% off for extended coverage.

Kathryn Cooper Weddings (New York City)
Offering $800 off any wedding and $400 off any elopement (before February 1, 2025)

Kate Scott Photography (Illinois)
Pay what you can for queer elopements before 1/20/2025

Luna & Lark Photography (New Jersey)
25% off hourly rates for elopements

MKM Photography (North Carolina)
Two hours of coverage for all courthouse or other ultra-simple elopements, usually $500, will be $300 for all queer couples for…the foreseeable future.

Photomuse (New York)
Free 2-hour queer elopement coverage or 50% of queer full wedding receptions happening in 2024 in the Hudson Valley area. For ANY weddings booked for 2025, 10% will be donated to the ACLU.

Poprock Photography (New York, North Carolina)
Offering $200 an hour plus travel if applicable. Will be willing to travel!

Sam Starns Adventure Elopements (Oregon)
50% off destination elopements, FREE one hour of waterfall elopement photography coverage in the Umpqua National Forest, Oregon

Sara Bishop Photography (Arizona)
“Pay what you can” for elopements and small ceremonies

Solare Wedding Photography (New York)
Our usual elopement/”minimony” package is 3 hours of photography for $2300, but through the end of the year we'll offer the same service for $1200 to any queer couple trying to elope!

Violet Cristina Photography (Minnesota, New York)
Sliding scale/pay what you can for courthouse elopements in MN and NY

Planners & Coordinators

Aisle Less Traveled (Washington)
Multiple discounts on planning and officiating. Details: https://www.aislelesstraveled.com/asap

Events By Merida (Pennsylvania)
Free coordination for anyone affected. If you’re in need of planning, please contact me so we can work out something reasonable for you!

Mad Oddities Weddings & Events (Florida)
15% off all Coordination/Planning Services + $50-$200 off on rentals or decor bundles

Suppose You Propose Event Co. (Remote)
For elopements due to the election results I am offering a “name your own price” deal. This includes 2 virtual planner meetings, unlimited contact through email, access to our vendor list, vendor contract review, a wedding day checklist, a detailed timeline, and etiquette and advisement as requested.

Veronica Rose Planning (Wisconsin)
Free planning services for any elopement for a LGBTQ+ couple married before January 20th, 2025

Weddings In Color (California)
Offering $1000 off Month of Coordination, and 40% off other Planning Packages for LGBTQ+ couples looking to get married by end of year.

Officiants

Broadly Entertaining (Austin, New York)
We're going to launch a nationwide LGBTQ+ wedding project that provides bespoke wedding ceremonies to queer couples all over the country for $10 plus their own travel costs to the predetermined location (proceeds to benefit The Trevor Project). In the meantime we have our SCOTUS Special that donates a portion of our fee to the LGBTQ-focused organization of a couple's choosing, either at no extra cost to self-identified LGBTQ couples or at a slight fee raise that we donation match for hetero-identified couples. Jamie will officiate Texas weddings for LGBTQ+ couples at 25% off our listed rates.

I Do For All (Pennsylvania)
Free paperwork assistance for queer couples in Lancaster, PA, through 2024

Innovative Weddings by Elizabeth (Wisconsin)
$150 for officiating services + basic travel expenses

Florists

Althea Floral Design (Massachusetts)
50% all personal flowers for queer couples eloping <3

Twisted Bramble (Washington)
Pay what you can, pay later, at-cost florals

Venues, Invitations, and Decor

CharmCat (Anywhere)
A special package for wedding announcements for people who are eloping, with a special discounted rate if the elopement takes place before January 20 2025.

Smiles By Megan (Anywhere)
10 centerpieces with your photos + story (gift to guests as favors too) for $100. (Savings of $247). 10 available spots. Book before 1/31/25.

Uniquely Inviting (Anywhere)
15% off wedding invitation or announcement order

Whispertree Retreat (Californai)
10% off—couples will have full access to the entire venue in Anderson Valley, featuring 650m acres of panoramic rolling hills, a variety of on-site accommodations, commercial kitchens for caterers, hiking trails, swimming pond, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, and other custom-tailored support. Perfect for people who want a rejuvenating nature retreat to accompany their wedding weekend.

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Huge shout-out again to Alysia Cole and her list for inspiring this post. And I'll echo what Alysia said in her spreadsheet: If you’re a couple who isn’t immediately affected by administrative changes but still planning your wedding, please consider supporting these vendors by hiring them for your own celebration.