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A Statement from the Owner of Double & Weddings on Civil Rights, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Writer's picture: Andy AnthonyAndy Anthony
Headshot of Andy Anthony in front of the Willamette River, wedding planner. (Photo by No Rules Photography)
Andy Anthony, Double A Weddings & Events

Given the current historical moment, as the owner of Double A Weddings & Events, an American citizen, and a human, there are some things I’d like to make clear.


First of all, I have no intention of changing the way I do business. I am undeterred in my mission to create inclusive, safe, and joyful weddings for all. The principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion have always been and will remain crucial to me personally and in how I conduct business. I will continue to create spaces that include those tenets for my clients, colleagues, fellow vendors, and my team, inclusive of all identities. I will continue to work for broader, more intersectional, and inclusive service in the wedding industry itself by leading by example and listening to and learning from the most marginalized identities. Some examples of my efforts have been working with and promoting queer and BIPOC vendors, continuing my own DEI education, and teaching my queer vendor allies ways to create safe, accessible, and inclusive spaces for our clients.


Secondly, I have never and will never worship at the feet of any elected official. The histories of oppression in this country are truly bipartisan, and we would do well not to forget this. Regardless of party or administration, those in elected power work for us, the people. It is our right and duty to tell them what is important to us, hold them accountable, and fight back against tyranny. I will continue to fight for our civil rights, in maintaining those we've gained, and in fighting for those we've lost or have yet to enjoy.


In this moment, our fear is legitimate. I honor and validate our fears, oppression, and suffering. Yet one thing I have always marveled at are the stories of love and joy, the affairs of the heart, the marriages, the births, and the celebrations amidst the horrors of oppression such as slavery, apartheid, and genocide. I am not an expert in oppression, though I know I have a place in a solidarity movement for liberation for all.


I am a wedding planner by passion, privilege, and good fortune. I know my lane, and I know my skillset. Weddings are sites of resistance because they are a place for joy to persist in the face of hardship. Queer weddings existed long before marriage equality. I’m old enough to remember thinking marriage equality was only a pipe dream. It wasn’t long ago that interracial marriage seemed an unachievable legality. And yet, we still have a long way to go such as marriage equality for the disabled. Furthermore, my work is more than about the right to love who we love; it’s about our broad civil liberties.


Over the years, I’ve thought a lot about my queer elders and the legacies of the elders of all marginalized communities who fought for our rights with their literal blood, sweat, and tears, who resisted with their celebrations of love and joy in the face of oppression. We stand on their shoulders, and I commit to honoring them by continuing that fight.


I am here with you, as always,


Andy Anthony

Owner, Double A Weddings & Events


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