Vendor selection for minorities

Sorry that you are going through this! I am defiantly worried about how our photos will come out, but interracial marriages are not uncommon in this area and I was able to find someone with some interracial marriages in her portfolio. I guess we are lucky to be in a very diverse area!

Good luck, I hope you find someone amazing!

Any shot you'll be able to visit the area before your wedding and do a trial? I get it, I hired the only mua that had a poc in her portfolio and I was surprised that more didn't. Thankfully she also happened to be highly rated and on the recommended vendor list from my venue. Can you check with your venue to see if they recommend people and if so, then set a trial?

I mean, social media marketing is a way to recycle and bring back attention to images in portfolios. I have seen photographers do "Way back Wednesday", "Throwback Thursday", and Flashback Friday" posts. Even if they haven't taken photos of POC and other minorities in a while, it's nice to see that they have and actively acknowledge it. Since many POC are going to Instagram to find vendors, that #tbt with POC may help vendors book more POC clients.

It's so much easier (and frustrating) for minorities to just move on because we have to dig. We shouldn't have to dig. The representation should just be there. It's not like we're all asking for something out of the norm. As POC, we should be able to find vendors who can successfully work with us just as easily as white couples.

@Sherez, aww sorry it didn't work out with Caridad :/

PREACH.

@Jay Farrell & Kathleen - Acknowledgement can go a long way. Even if you haven't worked with a bride or couple of color recently, you can always feature or highlight the times you have on your portfolio. If you have an account on WeddingWire or the Knot, or a portfolio page on your website, it can mean so much if you take the time to make sure a bride or couple of color is featured in your pictures. One website I saw even had special sections that called out Asian and African-American brides, and it really made me feel like that company wanted my business for going out of their way to acknowledge me.

Lilam18, I like to think all my couples feel like I am acknowledging them and want their business. The studios I contract for do a great job featuring diverse couples. What you are suggesting is being done.

I can understand where Kathleen is coming from. If couples from different races and cultures aren't hiring them they can't showcase the work. I've never know a photographer to turn down a couple. In the city where I live a lot of African Americans go to the same African American photographers. When I chose my photographer I chose someone who had good quality photos. He opened up a lot of his online galleries for me and I didn't see and couples of color, but I liked his personality and trusted his ability to deliver nice photos. Now hair and makeup on the other hand is a different story lol.

I felt the same way- not many plus size Latin brides in pictures on their profiles. I went on Facebook, I would find them, and see what they had there. Sometimes I would find that they did have them, just not on the main webpage..? Idk why. I ended up finding my photographer by following my venue on social media, who would post and tag pictures of their weddings. That way I could dig a little. It felt like stalking but I really feel like I found the perfect photographer. I did the same for H&MUA. She had a few tags on other brides who were similar to me. I would suggest doing the same. good luck!

Thank you, Sherez, for bringing this up. It's a huge reminder to us vendors. The wire gave us a great article about this last year.

http://problog.weddingwire.com/index.php/business-ideas/is-your-website-turning-away-potential-clients/

Thank you @hitchedbyMV! That's exactly what I was going to mention next. Some of the comments put the problem on us, the minority, by saying that because WE haven't hired these vendors, they can't post photos in the portfolio that show diversity. Or that WE need to look harder, just because.

The bottom line is that it shouldn't have to be that way. If you're privileged enough to just be able to select someone based on the quality of their photo/makeup/hair, that's great! But that doesn't mean that the problem of lack of diversity is not real.

It's so easy to have a tab on your website that says 'multicultural photos/makeup/hair'.

Or, instead of making your main page your most recent work, try making your main page your best work that shows how versatile you are (ex. shots of same sex couples, asians, blacks, whites, hispanics, plus size, etc. etc. etc).

As a bride, that shows me that it is a priority for you as a vendor, to work with ALL couples.

I'm sure white brides are not going to seek out an Asian photographer who only has Asians in their portfolio, no matter how amazing the quality is. You want someone who reflects a bit of you!

I understand where you're coming from but maybe, they just haven't had experience working with a bride similar to your complexion. With that said, definitely hunt on Instagram. That's how I found my hair stylist :-)

Hey fellow white people!! Stop deflecting and putting the burden on communities of color. There's lots we can do to be more inclusive, but yes it is work and a color blind attitude always falls short. So maybe you don't have a lot of POC hiring you. Maybe you should reflect on why they're not choosing you and think of some thing you can do to show them that you do value diversity in your customers. Your only black couple of from 3 years ago? Still show it on your website even though it's old. Don't put that on the overwhelmed couple just trying to find someone who looks like them on a website to go and hunt through old pages and posts. As someone in a SS couple, we straight up crossed off anyone who didn't feature SS couples on their website, so I can understand a teeny bit. It's your job, not their's, to make them feel welcome.

@HitchedbyMV, thanks for sharing the article.

@PW&G, your comments make me smile, every single time. You're awesome! Representation matters.

My photographer ia a black woman but she diversifies her portfolio by doing styled photo shoots with every race. Her portfolio on her page shows couples from all walks of life. I didn't have to scroll ten pages to find a white couple. If you want to attract more minority couples do styled shoots and actually showcase them on your website. I shouldn't have to dig to find the two minority couples you my have done. And it is not up to minorities to take the chance to help you gain more diversity in your work. It's your business not mine you need to put in the work. And if you seriously don't think communities of color are under represented in the bridal world. I urge you to pick up any bridal magazine and count how many woman of color you see. I can guarantee you will only need one hand if that.

I just got married in Vegas and had my make up done, no one is prepared to do dark skin tones my advice make sure you have your own makeup as back up

YES @keisha, yes!

To find vendors who served brides who look like me and make it a priority for that to be known, I took to Instagram. I found an amazing makeup artist. Also I asked fellow friends.

I was overly frustrated while leafing through WW and TK. So I said forget it.

Brides of color are HIGHLY underrepresented in print and advertisements geared towards bride. Thankful for Munaluchi for really carving out a space.

Waving a flag like, black and Latina girls get married too.

@Keisha, yes, yes, yes! A million times yes.

@pretty I hate the whole well you don't give us a chance arguement. There are so many ways to showcase your art if you truly want the clientele. Makeup artists that are POC do not only cater to the community they are from. They will do make up, photos etc for free to show that they can work with any one. But for whatever reason it doesn't go the same way when it's reversed.

@Keisha: all facts. Our photographer's portfolio is full of women in every hue.