Changing my wedding calligraphy product images for inclusivity, by a UK calligrapher and stationery designer
Quietly, one calligraphy name at a time, I’m evolving how I write samples for By Moon & Tide’s social media and Etsy shop.
I don’t write bride & groom any more, unless it’s for a customer order and I’ve been given the wording.
My wedding invitation samples, the place name cards I write and video for social media – they have real names, and they’re inclusive.
If I’m writing wedding place cards, they’ll say Bride + Bride, or Groom + Groom.
This wedding invitation suite I worked on early spring is for Gemma & Heidi. The envelope calligraphy’s for Mrs & Mrs Ellis.
The simplest thing, the tiniest little switch means my wedding calligraphy business is more inclusive.
But it’s a long journey.
I wish every photograph on my website and social media showed inclusive names.
I wish with every sample I’d ever written for a photoshoot, I could have just asked the photographer: “is it ok if the stationery has gender neutral names / two men’s names / two women’s names?”
Because they’d either have said yes, of course (because the wedding suppliers I’ve worked with have all been amazing people, and also: who’s actually reading the calligraphy details in the address of a beautiful envelope?)
Or they’d have said no, and we could have had a conversation.
The reality of running a small wedding calligraphy business
Credit: By Moon & Tide Calligraphy
As a small business owner I struggle to find the time to do my accounts on anything like a regular basis. (The truth is, I dip in for an afternoon every once in a while, and I’ve left those numbers so long it’s unfailingly traumatic.)
The pressure to keep up with marketing my calligraphy business is keeping me from updating all of the images I use to showcase my wedding invitations and calligraphy services.
And I blame social media: 100%, in every situation where I wish I had more time – the pressure of keeping up with social media is to blame.
While I still use the pro images I’ve had from wedding photoshoots – because the quality is insane – the images I take now are of invites and envelopes with more considerate name choices, designed to not alienate anyone.
That’s important to me. I only wish I’d done it sooner. The truth is, not many wedding stationery brands do.
Inclusive wedding calligraphy for all couples
The wedding industry still has a long way to go to be truly representative of all couples. (Just look at venues with ‘bridal’ suites as an example of a change that’s still needed.)
And honestly, wedding stationers and calligraphers have the easiest job of all, to make every name they write help all couples feel seen and welcomed.
I’m quietly hoping that a couple of wedding calligraphers and stationery designers will read this blog post and look at their own product images in the same way I have.
I have a handful of invitation, envelope and place name card samples I’d love to have photographed, and I’m always happy to make more! If you’re a wedding photographer or wedding planner and you’d like some stationery or calligraphy for a photoshoot, send a little DM – I’d love to post you some goodies!
And if you’re a couple looking for inclusive wedding calligraphy for your invitations, place cards or wedding stationery, I’d love to hear from you.
0 Comments