Lack of Representation at our Venue

Well I feel that way about the entire wedding industry, but it doesn't stop there, from planning a bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party and even buying a card. There is definitely lack of representation for women of color, and just people of color in general. It's sad considering this is 2019 and yes black women do get married, we also have babies...

I would say I'm not too surprised. Maybe reach out one more time and then let it go. I know its probably hurtful to not see your wedding day there after seeing so many others. We have to pick and chose our battles. At the end of the day you married the love of life and that will be a day neither of you forgets.
😘😘😘

Thank you for your response. I feel that the company was okay with taking our money but does not want to showcase us to their audience. As you mentioned, I'm going to bring it up once more and then never again. But I will keep this in mind in the future when it is time for a baby shower and more. I'm going to make sure we select a location where we are celebrated as opposed to just tolerated.

I'm so sorry. That really sucks. It's true, though, it happens a lot. I'd honestly try to move on from it, but definitely let your friends who may be getting married know. If all the rest of your experiences with them were positive, focus on that. I live in an incredibly diverse place, and for the most part, our venue doesn't post pictures of people, just the fully prepped event space. It avoids all the issues with sharing pics of people.

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Thank you for your response. My goal is to have my venue to realize that they have a lack of representation and that they have the power to fix it. Beyond that, I will not concern myself too much with this matter. My wedding was amazing and we had a great time.

If you haven't already, check out my Real Wedding: https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-photos/real-weddings/richard-courtnee--rw3190693

I'm so sorry you guys are going through this. I'd definitely spread the word. It's ridiculous! Have you written their review? Were they kind and courteous on your wedding day? I do find it odd if they have posted all other weddings. Our venue doesn't post pics of previous weddings. I'd put it in a review. Fact is fact.

View Quoted Comment The link isn't bringing me to your pis, specifically. May I know your town or area. I'd love to see them.

View Quoted Comment The venue was awesome in all other areas besides representation. I definitely left a review and am considering moving forward with the dialogue with the company. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't making a big deal out of nothing.

View Quoted Comment Oh no! I'm sorry.

Try this: https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-photos/real-weddings/richard-courtnee--rw3190693

If that doesn't work maybe search for Egg Harbor City, New Jersey weddings.

This is definitely a real thing with venues, and a lot of other vendors. I searched for the longest to find a photographer who had black couples that they have worked with and when I found my photographer it was 1 black couple. When we met her for our engagement shoot I told her how hard it was to find a photographer that has worked with black couples and/or showed them on social media. She agreed and since then and since our wedding I’ve seen her post a lot more people of color. Maybe not the biggest impact on the world I could make but hey, it was important to me so it may be important to someone else 🤷🏽‍♀️

Hopefully your venue can see your perspective!

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your response. When planning for our wedding my husband and I worked very hard to hire mainly people of color to avoid these issues. However, we we're unable to find many venues with the same representation. Hopefully I can help to make a difference as you did.

Unfortunately, I would have been surprised if they had posted your pics up, especially since your venue was a country/golf club, correct?! I would assume Those kind of venues typically don’t showcase minorities unless it’s Tiger Woods.

Yes you are very right, there is a huge representation in wedding venues and in so many other things. There is no excuse.

I’m sorry, I meant lack of representation.

Totally believe this and I'm sorry this venue is treating you this way. The entire bridal and wedding complex completely lacks representation of POC and it's trash.

Congratulations on your big day and its the venue who is missing out!

That is possibly it. But one thing to consider: Places that do not have someone on staff to program their websites, often hire a service that updates everything every 60-90 days. If you are submitting anything in between dates, it will just collect in folders until someone does their bimonthly or quarterly selections, captions, whatever. 3 catering services I worked for had an outside contractor update all websites and presentations on social media that needs formatting. Only one had a manager capable of doing more than make comments and answer inquiries, and she tended website presentations weekly. . . . However, not to say it couldn't be prejudice. I went to court over expensive engagement photos, small order, just me. As a gift my aunties dealt by phone with a pricey photographer hours away in Boston. My conditions included, no retouching or alteration of photos in any way. When I went, I wrote that on and had photographer sign it, even though it was printed on just above by office staff. I did not want a sanitized Disney princess, I wanted me. Pic was only for relatives, nothing else like cards. When I went to pick them up, I was angry and upset, but my mom and grandmother actually cried. The photographer came out and defended his extensive retouching. He made me beautiful, I could be a model , yada yada. He wanted his money, I said family would block charge, and had credit card do it. Got sent to court mediation, and mediator said, his guidelines are, if a person substitutes products of equal value or better, I have to pay, and the edited photos looked better than me. I insisted on a judge. He took one look at each shot, looked at my family with me, and blasted the photographer and the court mediator. What the thought a better and as photographer called it " more acceptable" photo, eradicated all my racial traits. Made skin ivory white, less honey colored; added waves to my straight black hair, and made it varied shades of dark brown with highlights, and made my high planed flatter cheeks look hollow cheeked, face more oval and cheekbones highlighted. Asian almond eyes, tilted, became straight across and rounded, and blue not grey with yellow flecks, with no eyefold, like a white European. He even made my pointed ears look rounded, saying obviously, I could not have wanted troll ears. Like my dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, you mean? He too a straight black haired , grey eyed, yellow-brown skinned obviously Inuit/ Eskimoan , and IMPROVED me and made me a beautiful white person, his words and court mediator's. Judge fined the photographer for his business practices. Prejudice does play out there. But check on how often their web photos are updated, or wait a bit. It could be that.

Did you go back and look at all their previous posts to see if other black people were represented?

View Quoted Comment Love your photos!! You are glowing. Everything is gorgeous!! Congratulations!! ❤

Unfortunately a lot of venues wish to appeal to "high end" customers and I am sure you're aware what that means. Like many people have said, it could be a staffing issue, it could be disorganization, but it could be prejudice. Reach out once and see where it goes, if nothing happens you'll know.
If there's none or extremely few couple's of color in their other photos I would be very suspicious of prejudice.
I'm sorry you have to fight with a venue about this, it's heartbreaking.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for your response. Yes it is a country club. You have a point that I've never considered before.

Have the uploaded any pics of weddings after you.