I can’t lie—I love working in the wedding industry.  Really I do! Because of my job as a wedding planner, I get the opportunity to help people celebrate community, joy and love. And for me, being a part of creating that moment where people come together motivates me every single day, because making meaningful connections is my purpose in life, and the love you feel at weddings is about as meaningful as it gets.

I just wish the industry loved me back.

Being a nonbinary queer person working in an industry founded on heteronormativity and the idea of women as property is hard, to say the least.  I’m endlessly navigating assumptions about my sexuality and having to figure out the best way to correct someone when they misgender me moments before I’m supposed to cue the couple for their first dance.

And while the industry has come a long way in terms of inclusivity for queer couples getting married (thanks to the tireless work of folks like Equally Wed), it still has a long way to go to be a truly feminist industry that not only welcomes but celebrates all marginalized identities, especially LGBTQ+ vendors.

Enter The Rebelution Resurge, a one-day event on April 11, 2019, in Long Island City, New York, hosted by my team at Modern Rebel and Weddings By Nato for event vendors who prioritize people over perfection and innovation over etiquette, with a huge focus on the importance of representation and LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the world of weddings.

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Ainsley here, comin' at you with my #BestDayEver, + guess what — it was a WEDDING! 🤯 Real talk, sometimes weddings ARE the best day of your life, and that's a-ok! Getting to celebrate partnership surrounded by all the folks you love at one kick ass party? Sounds like a damn good time 🙌 But here's the thing – weddings shouldn't have to be your best day ever, especially for women 👉 THAT'S what we're calling out here 🔥 The pressure + buildup + assumption that weddings are the peak moment of your life. Maybe it will be, but maybe it won't – who knows what tomorrow holds?! 🧐The only thing I can say for certain is that getting to help my brother with his wedding was the greatest gift I could give, and I sobbed the entire way through the ceremony as my sister-in-law finally became family ❤️ // 🎥 x @kampweddings

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The wedding industry is changing—and fast.

It’s less about the frilly demands of a bridezilla and more about amazing diverse couples building love parties that celebrate them and their communities. So we created an event to reflect that change because we felt left out by the existing wedding industry conferences that continue to focus on color palettes and a never-ending cycle of this year’s trends.

With the Rebelution, we are creating a space to bring together wedding professionals who have one thing in common—they want to build a business on the evolving, reimagined wedding industry, the one that empowers women and queer folks and invests in marriages first and foremost. With speakers from Dancing With Her, Steph Grant Photography, A Practical Wedding, our faves at Equally Wed and more, we’ll be diving deep into the real work wedding pros want and need, such as:

  • Figuring out your brand + mastering Instagram
  • What it takes to start a business + expand your team
  • Finding your ideal client
  • Conversations on industry expectations and narratives
  • Entrepreneurship in the wedding industry
  • What modern couples actually want
  • Representation + inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community
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Learn more about New York–area Platinum Preferred Vendor Spinners Entertainment and the Owls + Lions band.

But that’s not all!

As party professionals, we work hard but get down harder. That’s why we’re throwing a giant party for all you rebels and your plus ones! Let loose with colleagues, community and new friends. With poetry, photo ops and a very special performance, this is a party you won’t want to miss. Plus, we’ll be reinventing some problematic fave wedding moments by giving them a fresh and feminist spin.

The Rebelution is now, and if you’re still wondering if it’s for you, the answer is yes. This event is for you. It’s for me. It’s for everyone working in events who’s tired of the fragile fairytale narrative and is ready to be the change this industry needs.

Will you join us?

Will you come with an open mind and heart to make your business better, bigger and more well-connected?

And most importantly, will you break it down with us on the dance floor?

We can’t wait to meet you and get this Rebelution started!

>> CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE REBELUTION RESURGE ON APRIL 11 IN NEW YORK <<

Ainsley Blattel Modern Rebel Co The Rebelution Resurge Sarah Shalene PhotographyAinsley Blattel is a nonbinary tender gender weirdo who lives and plans feminist events in NYC for Modern Rebel & Co. They are a hopeful romantic, spreadsheet fanatic and believe everything can be made better with glitter. You can follow Ainsley’s journey as an unapologetic queer wedding planner on Instagram at @lazyandrogyny or find features on their experience in the event industry on Autostraddle, Bustle, Equally Wed, Nancy Podcast and Super Gay Wedding podcast. Their dream is to inspire other nonbinary people to follow their passion for the wedding industry.