Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding: Interview with Expert Event Planner Hovik Harutyunyan
We sat down with Hovik Harutyunyan of Harutyunyan Events to discuss the nuances of planning LGBTQ+ weddings, some subtle but important differences between LGBTQ+ and straight weddings and what inspires him most about wedding planning. Hovik’s keen eye for design and detail, passion for planning, and commitment to every facet of his craft make him one of our favorite wedding professionals to work with! Together with Harutyunyan Events, we’ve been published in Martha Stewart Weddings and Style Me Pretty. You can find more of Hovik’s incredible work on Instagram!
TDP: Hovik! Thank you so much for joining us. We are huge fans of your work! Where do you draw inspiration for your weddings?
HH: I like to stay informed by the wedding industry and trends but I draw my inspiration from sources outside of the wedding realm altogether. I am a huge art enthusiast so I am constantly inspired by opera, ballet, fine art museums, and street art. I also constantly look to fields like architecture, interior design, film, fine dining, and fashion to get inspired for event installations, color palettes, and experiential elements for guests. And, of course, nature plays a constant role in inspiring me in and out of weddings.
TDP: That wide breadth of inspiration is so evident in your work. What made you decide to go into weddings and events?
HH: My love for hospitality. I love hand-crafting happy celebrations that guests will never forget. It's very rewarding to help my couples plan the meaningful expression of their union to their closest, loved ones. Hearing guests say it was the best wedding/event they've ever been to is truly the sweetest sound. It gives me purpose in life.
TDP: This month we are highlighting the beauty of LGBTQ+ couples and weddings. As an expert in the industry, and someone who has worked with many LGBTQ+ couples, how have you noticed the wedding industry change since marriage equality became the law of the land?
HH: It's great to see that LGBTQ+ weddings are no longer "taboo" or happening in some sort of "black market". I hope that we only continue as an industry to keep evolving and becoming more open.
TDP: It really is amazing to see how far we have come as a community and as a country. Obviously planning for an LGTBQ+ couple is a little different than a straight couple. What are some special considerations when planning an LGBTQ+ wedding?
HH: I encourage all of my couples to make their weddings intentional and meaningful to them. One way to do this is incorporate the traditions which resonate with them and to discard the ones that do not. Many longstanding wedding traditions by the very nature are heteronormative and/or gender-specific. Don't feel pressure that your wedding 1) has to do these traditions or 2) is any less of a wedding because a certain tradition can't be done. The most important traditions to incorporate into your wedding experience are those that mean something to you and your partner. Your wedding should be a space where you can express yourselves and your love story unapologetically. If you need to completely reverse a tradition or flip it on its head, then by all means make it work for you! Two grooms getting married can have a bouquet toss still or, if there's no bouquet, toss the boutonniere. :)
Another important consideration is to make sure you are working with a vendor that is accepting and inclusive of your love story. You don't want to work with any vendors who are not comfortable with LGBTQ+ couples. This is really where working with a planner experienced in LGBTQ+ weddings can be of value. They will ensure that your vendor team is the best that it can be.
TDP: So true! On the flip side, have you ever had something unexpected come up while planning an LGBTQ+ wedding?
HH: I planned my first LGBTQ+ wedding back in 2013. I have seen the whole spectrum of wedding marriage legalization in the US - it was legal, then it wasn't legal, then it was legal again. Real fun....not. I think the most unexpected (but also sadly sort of expected) are my LGBTQ+ couples being worried if their vendors will accept or "be okay" with them. It's a very disheartening reality to watch my couples to ever have to feel that. On the flip side, I have never had my heteronormative couples ever have a concern like that. Wedding planning can be stressful as it is (COVID-19 was here to prove that) so couples shouldn't have this additional concern of whether or not their vendors are going to be nice to them. Your vendors shouldn't just "be okay" with your wedding - they should be over-the-moon, head-over-heels, ecstatic about being part of your big day! I hope this issue with time becomes less and less of a concern.
TDP: That segues perfectly to our next question. As an LGBTQ+ wedding professional, how important is it for you to work with other LGBTQ+ identified or inclusive vendors?
HH: No other element contributes to the success of your wedding more than your vendor team. So I would say working with inclusive vendors is the most important thing for me. And, with that said, I would never work with or support vendors who are not inclusive. When I recommend vendors, I want to make sure they are not only aligned with the vision of the wedding but will be great friends with the couple as well. One of the best parts of my job is connecting my couples (who tend to be amazing human beings) with my preferred partners (another set of amazing humans). When amazing humans connect together, amazing things happen.
TDP: Agreed! Can you talk about a favorite memory you have from an LGBTQ+ wedding you planned or attended as a guest?
HH: When my two friends, Tim and David, got married I had the honor of not only planning their wedding but also attending as a guest. For their ceremony, instead of them walking down the aisle, they surprised guests by taking their place at the ceremony and having the guests process down the aisle instead. The “guest processional” was led by a Spanish guitarist who played Green Day's "Good Riddance". It was such a beautiful, emotional moment and guests were so surprised. It was a way the couple wanted to honor the guests as the centerpiece of their celebration, instead of themselves. Intentional planning like that makes for the best weddings. It was also a great demonstration of how couples can adapt wedding customs and traditions to fit into the unique way in which they want to celebrate.
TDP: I remember it well—that was such a beautiful moment. What is one piece of advice you would you give an LGBTQ+ couple just starting to plan their wedding?
HH: Hire a planner. It is the best investment you will ever make.
TDP: Absolutely. Having a professional in your corner who is paying attention to the details is invaluable. What is the biggest misconception that couples have when planning a wedding?
HH: Once you book your vendors, you're all set. I come across this notion a lot. While researching, interviewing, and booking your vendors is a big step, it really is just the first step. The real work starts after you hire your vendors. With each vendor, there will be a complex web of questions, tasks, and planning elements that need to be discussed, reviewed, and finalized. I highly encourage couples to not leave this to the last minute.
TDP: It’s pride month! How are you planning to celebrate?
HH: Being with friends and family. :)
Hovik Harutyunyan is a wedding and events planner, and owner Harutyunyan Events. He has been featured in Inside Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, and more. You can find more of Hovik’s incredible work on Instagram.
This interview is part of an ongoing series highlighting stories of LGBTQ+ couples and wedding professionals for Pride month.
Palm Springs and Boston wedding photographer Todd Danforth Photography is an LGBTQ+ and POC-owned wedding photography team specializing in capturing joyful and candid moments. As storytellers and craftspeople, we believe in the power of visual narratives. Our mission is to create honest and authentic photographs you can share with your loved ones for generations to come.