In the narthex of a New York City Catholic Church, a wedding planner runs through his final checklist. The wedding party is neatly arranged. He smooths the bride’s train, scans her hair for flyaways and adjusts her veil one last time. It’s a sequence he’s completed many times throughout his career as an event planner, but this time, something unexpected occurs.
The priest of the church hurries over and points to the planner, a gay man. “You’re not welcome here,” he says. “Please leave.” The wedding party turns around in horror as the planner stands frozen. The bride, a mere seconds away from walking down the aisle, turns to him and whispers, “I’m so sorry.” It’s clear: The figure running the show has been asked to exit the building.
Jove Meyer, a Brooklyn-based wedding planner and designer, knew his footing in the world of weddings wasn’t equal after that interaction, which occurred early in his career. “I didn’t want to make a scene. It was her wedding day,” he recalls. “I walked outside, sat on the stairs of the church, and I cried my eyes out. The drivers were like, ‘What are you doing out here? You’re supposed to be inside.’ I had just gotten kicked out of a church. I was enraged.”
Indeed, couples and wedding professionals are feeling
