From the pages of Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine- The Ins & Outs of RainbowWeddingNetwork
In 1999 Cindy Sproul and Marianne Puechl were in the midst of planning their own commitment ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia. The issue of "gay marriage" was barely on the radar for most Americans and many wedding professionals had never heard of two women getting married. The risk of being rejected due to discrimination or condemnation was always present and it made both women realize how difficult it was to focus on the joy of the occasion when so much discomfort went into the planning. This personal experience led to an idea that was previously unheard of. Puechl and Sproul wanted to create the first online wedding registry for same-sex couples, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com.
They envisioned the website to be a directory where progressive wedding professionals could reach out and advertise their services directly to gay and lesbian couples, their family and friends. Couples could browse from the convenience of their homes to find photographers, caterers, honeymoon resources, real estate agents, lawyers and more. As Puechl and Sproul worked diligently to complete the website, begin marketing and approach businesses for sales they soon realized how big the potential of this business venture was. RainbowWeddingNetwork.com (RWN) was launched in September of 2000.
The response in the beginning was intense and often polarized. Gay and lesbian owned businesses sometimes criticized Sproul and Puechl for allowing straight professionals to advertise. "There were gay owned and operated businesses who accused us of helping straight businesses steal the gay dollar," remembers Sproul. " I would say to people -how can we fight discrimination with more discrimination?" Some gays and lesbians felt gay marriage was a ridiculous attempt to homogenize the queer community and somehow traditionalize same-sex relationships to make them more accepted. "Some people within the GLBT community told us the idea would never work," states Puechl, "they even told us we were sell outs."
At the same time something else happened: Sproul and Puechl began to experience first-hand how much their work affected couples who wanted to plan a ceremony and make a public statement about their love and commitment. "These couples were incredibly grateful and were thrilled to find a resource that connected them with businesses who wanted to share their joy," states Puechl. Sproul and Puechl felt a kinship to these couples. They had found, not only an untapped niche market, but in many ways a personal calling.
As the company continued to grow, the founders worked long hours and their "day jobs". In January 2001 Puechl and Sproul decided to move the company from Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In Asheville RWN saw its first employees, its first office and many other exciting changes. By 2002 more than 3,000 vendors were listed in the directory and multiple sales reps spent eight hours a day talking with vendors across the country about marriage equality and the importance of supporting GLBT rights; on average over eighty percent of these vendors were straight.
Despite the success of RWN, the office still received complaints from some of the GLBT community about the number of straight-owned companies. Sproul encouraged sales reps to explain "it is essential to include everyone in the struggle for marriage rights." And, excitingly, the straight-owned companies were thrilled for the opportunity to find a bridge to the GLBT community. Puechl adds, “Many straight business owners would tell us they had been trying to figure out a way to let gay and lesbian consumers know that they wanted their business: not just for the money... but because they really believe that discrimination is simply not acceptable.” In ways, the RWN team found that their straight allies were some of their biggest supporters.
The enthusiasm of such advocates –straight-owned businesses, couples and by this time most in the GLBT community- was invaluable. “Five days a week, or more, our staff puts themselves out there, talking to vendors and citizens all across North America. Sometimes they get hung up on... or worse, get a quick sermon or a ranting of curses rattled at them through the phone.” And there have been occasional escalations: death threats either verbally or written via email or through letters. “We take them all very seriously,” Puechl states, “and report the serious ones to the police. But I’d have to say that we never let it affect our focus.” In fact, the negativity they experienced, though meant to deter them, instead increased the RWN team’s resolve.
All of the employees echo the feeling. And the vendor directory on RWN reflects that passion: nearly 5300 businesses are now listed in the Network and the RWN sales reps screen each and every one. “Businesses commit, verbally and on their advertising contract with us, to GLBT friendly practices and policies. We believe this benefits everyone.," Sproul explains. This concept has spread through all of RWN's endeavors and has provided a fundamental recipe for success: vendors, couples, advocates and sponsors who believe in equality can utilize their mutual involvement in the Network to find one another, then empower one another financially and personally.
At the beginning of 2003 the creative energy of Puechl, Sproul and their sales staff began to generate new ideas for RWN. The team decided promotional items were a smart next step in continuing to brand the RWN name: magnets, bumper stickers and other items for distribution online, at Pride festivals and at other GLBT events. The key was to create a slogan and logo with mass appeal. After much deliberation they went with an idea of Puechl’s: Same Love, Same Rights. 2003 brought other changes as well, including the revamp of the RWN website and in November, Sproul traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota to produce Rainbow Wedding Network’s first Gay and Lesbian Wedding Expo. It was a small event, but Sproul was personally moved by the comments and excitement of the couples and the vendors in attendance.
In the spring of 2004 it seemed inevitable that the Same Love, Same Rights™ Wedding Expos would become an integral part of the business. RWN produced their first wedding expo in the Boston area, which was the perfect location as the controversy of the Goodridge case spread like wildfire across the country. The response was overwhelming and Puechl and Sproul hired more staff to assist with event production. Next RWN and the Same Love, Same Rights™ team visited San Francisco. That year Sproul and Puechl saw first hand the personal, political, financial and social implications same-sex marriage had in every state. They felt even more strongly about the importance of the RWN mission.
As elections loomed closer in 2004 the founders brainstormed new ways Rainbow Wedding Network could take part in the political and legal battle for marriage rights throughout the country. The state of Massachusetts was bringing the issues of equality and justice to the forefront of the public arena. It was difficult for the RWN team to watch the fight for equal rights be turned into an issue right-wing conservatives used to serve their own political and religious agenda. Sales reps began to have more political conversations with potential vendors and Puechl and Sproul reminded them that even if a business said no to RWN, the dialogue had still made a difference: Every vendor RWN team contacted was given food for thought about the issue. The sales reps became even more committed to encouraging everyone who answered the phone to support equal rights for GLBT couples and their families in any way possible.
In the fall of 2004, as the political debate about same-sex marriage raged in every state, disaster struck RWN.
Hurricanes battered the Gulf Coast then whipped northwest through the mountains, bringing uncommonly destructive weather to western North Carolina. In September the worst of the hurricanes hit and residents lost power and water; the center of the small city of Asheville was virtually shut down and hard hit was the river district. Between nine and thirteen feet of water had flooded the streets surrounding the river and the office of Rainbow Wedding Network was completely destroyed. Years of company records, contacts, furniture, computers and the founders’ personal items had been swept away in a torrent of mud and water.
Puechl kayaked in to the office building that day, to see if anything could be saved. “It was the most surreal moment,” she says. “And it was strange to me just how strong the current was. It overturned me in my kayak, so there I was standing in five feet of murky floodwater, from the outside looking through our office windows... trying to get my mind to make sense of what I was seeing. The floods in Asheville that day were completely unexpected.” She and Sproul were shocked and knew they had some decisions to make.
“Marianne and I sat down,” says Sproul, “we looked at each other and said if we want out now is the time. We can walk away with a clean slate if that’s what we want to do,” she continues. “But we knew it wasn’t time,” states Puechl, “We could feel there was work left to do; it just wasn’t time for RWN to be over.” Nature had mandated a fresh perspective and, moving through the heartache, the couple ultimately chose to see the event as an opportunity. Consequently, during 2005 RWN saw its greatest increase in growth: Two more cities were added to the Wedding Expo list, the newly designed RainbowWeddingExpo.com was launched, almost 5000 vendors were now included in the RWN directory and plans for 2006 were already in motion.
In 2006, the charged new year began with the very successful 2nd Annual Same Love, Same Rights™ Wedding and Family Expo in Atlanta and an exciting fundraising party to benefit Marriage Equality Georgia. The annual events currently occur in Atlanta and Boston while RWN continues to set new trends in Philadelphia, Hartford (CT), New York City and Seattle. The spring of 2006 will mark the launch of the new Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine, while plans to update and remodel the RWN website once again are already in progress.
Inevitably 2007 will bring the unexpected, as the political climate continues to shift. But as always, Puechl and Sproul are keeping sights on the bigger picture. Once again they are using a personally meaningful experience to generate ideas and inspiration. For over a year Puechl and Sproul have journeyed through the adoption process and their commitment to GLBT couples and their families has been strengthened and renewed every step of the way. RainbowParentNetwork.com is already in its developmental stages and once again their vision comes at the advent of a new movement by the right-wing conservatives to deny same-sex couples the right to adopt.
The politics of the last few years have brought constant change to work in the marriage equality field. RWN stays consistently dedicated to assisting localized GLBT organizations all across the nation in a variety of ways, primarily with raising money for marriage and parenting equality initiatives. “We offer our lapel pins as fundraisers, and we find ways through our Expos to promote particular organizations locally and expose the work that they are doing. Our goal is to provide a forum for many allies and advocates to come together and share their work and ideas,” says Puechl. There are times when these all-inclusive policies mean that RWN makes interesting and unique choices with marketing and event production. The RWN team is known for stepping outside the box and it doesn't make everyone comfortable. "If we were on this path to make people comfortable we wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much," says Sproul. "Our real goal is to change the hearts and minds of people, to inspire them to look at the world in a new way."
“For Rainbow Wedding Network the journey has just started,” she continues. “Just as it is for our relationship, our future family and GLBT people around the globe,” adds Puechl, “there is a lot more in store for all of us.” Puechl, Sproul and the RWN staff are determined to continue conversations about equal rights and non-discrimination with anyone who will listen. They will also stay the course as a grassroots organization that networks in various cities to bring like-minded people together to protect GLBT couples and their children. Like-minded people who represent all facets of society: from any background, of any color, gender, class or sexual orientation.
"Whether we disagree on details like religious beliefs and political affiliations is not important anymore," states Puechl, "the progressive community must stick together and perceive that bigger picture. We believe in equal rights for everyone, in respecting the beliefs of others and in justice for all. These broader concepts and ideas are what we need to fight for, otherwise we may lose our basic freedoms -to live, love, build a home, raise a family." As RWN moves into the future as a team dedicated to equality they hold tight to hope and possibilities. "We will continue to carry the torch," says Sproul. "We may take two steps forward and two steps back, but we always see progress, we always see change. That is what makes the work worth it."
They envisioned the website to be a directory where progressive wedding professionals could reach out and advertise their services directly to gay and lesbian couples, their family and friends. Couples could browse from the convenience of their homes to find photographers, caterers, honeymoon resources, real estate agents, lawyers and more. As Puechl and Sproul worked diligently to complete the website, begin marketing and approach businesses for sales they soon realized how big the potential of this business venture was. RainbowWeddingNetwork.com (RWN) was launched in September of 2000.
The response in the beginning was intense and often polarized. Gay and lesbian owned businesses sometimes criticized Sproul and Puechl for allowing straight professionals to advertise. "There were gay owned and operated businesses who accused us of helping straight businesses steal the gay dollar," remembers Sproul. " I would say to people -how can we fight discrimination with more discrimination?" Some gays and lesbians felt gay marriage was a ridiculous attempt to homogenize the queer community and somehow traditionalize same-sex relationships to make them more accepted. "Some people within the GLBT community told us the idea would never work," states Puechl, "they even told us we were sell outs."
At the same time something else happened: Sproul and Puechl began to experience first-hand how much their work affected couples who wanted to plan a ceremony and make a public statement about their love and commitment. "These couples were incredibly grateful and were thrilled to find a resource that connected them with businesses who wanted to share their joy," states Puechl. Sproul and Puechl felt a kinship to these couples. They had found, not only an untapped niche market, but in many ways a personal calling.
As the company continued to grow, the founders worked long hours and their "day jobs". In January 2001 Puechl and Sproul decided to move the company from Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In Asheville RWN saw its first employees, its first office and many other exciting changes. By 2002 more than 3,000 vendors were listed in the directory and multiple sales reps spent eight hours a day talking with vendors across the country about marriage equality and the importance of supporting GLBT rights; on average over eighty percent of these vendors were straight.
Despite the success of RWN, the office still received complaints from some of the GLBT community about the number of straight-owned companies. Sproul encouraged sales reps to explain "it is essential to include everyone in the struggle for marriage rights." And, excitingly, the straight-owned companies were thrilled for the opportunity to find a bridge to the GLBT community. Puechl adds, “Many straight business owners would tell us they had been trying to figure out a way to let gay and lesbian consumers know that they wanted their business: not just for the money... but because they really believe that discrimination is simply not acceptable.” In ways, the RWN team found that their straight allies were some of their biggest supporters.
The enthusiasm of such advocates –straight-owned businesses, couples and by this time most in the GLBT community- was invaluable. “Five days a week, or more, our staff puts themselves out there, talking to vendors and citizens all across North America. Sometimes they get hung up on... or worse, get a quick sermon or a ranting of curses rattled at them through the phone.” And there have been occasional escalations: death threats either verbally or written via email or through letters. “We take them all very seriously,” Puechl states, “and report the serious ones to the police. But I’d have to say that we never let it affect our focus.” In fact, the negativity they experienced, though meant to deter them, instead increased the RWN team’s resolve.
All of the employees echo the feeling. And the vendor directory on RWN reflects that passion: nearly 5300 businesses are now listed in the Network and the RWN sales reps screen each and every one. “Businesses commit, verbally and on their advertising contract with us, to GLBT friendly practices and policies. We believe this benefits everyone.," Sproul explains. This concept has spread through all of RWN's endeavors and has provided a fundamental recipe for success: vendors, couples, advocates and sponsors who believe in equality can utilize their mutual involvement in the Network to find one another, then empower one another financially and personally.
At the beginning of 2003 the creative energy of Puechl, Sproul and their sales staff began to generate new ideas for RWN. The team decided promotional items were a smart next step in continuing to brand the RWN name: magnets, bumper stickers and other items for distribution online, at Pride festivals and at other GLBT events. The key was to create a slogan and logo with mass appeal. After much deliberation they went with an idea of Puechl’s: Same Love, Same Rights. 2003 brought other changes as well, including the revamp of the RWN website and in November, Sproul traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota to produce Rainbow Wedding Network’s first Gay and Lesbian Wedding Expo. It was a small event, but Sproul was personally moved by the comments and excitement of the couples and the vendors in attendance.
In the spring of 2004 it seemed inevitable that the Same Love, Same Rights™ Wedding Expos would become an integral part of the business. RWN produced their first wedding expo in the Boston area, which was the perfect location as the controversy of the Goodridge case spread like wildfire across the country. The response was overwhelming and Puechl and Sproul hired more staff to assist with event production. Next RWN and the Same Love, Same Rights™ team visited San Francisco. That year Sproul and Puechl saw first hand the personal, political, financial and social implications same-sex marriage had in every state. They felt even more strongly about the importance of the RWN mission.
As elections loomed closer in 2004 the founders brainstormed new ways Rainbow Wedding Network could take part in the political and legal battle for marriage rights throughout the country. The state of Massachusetts was bringing the issues of equality and justice to the forefront of the public arena. It was difficult for the RWN team to watch the fight for equal rights be turned into an issue right-wing conservatives used to serve their own political and religious agenda. Sales reps began to have more political conversations with potential vendors and Puechl and Sproul reminded them that even if a business said no to RWN, the dialogue had still made a difference: Every vendor RWN team contacted was given food for thought about the issue. The sales reps became even more committed to encouraging everyone who answered the phone to support equal rights for GLBT couples and their families in any way possible.
In the fall of 2004, as the political debate about same-sex marriage raged in every state, disaster struck RWN.
Hurricanes battered the Gulf Coast then whipped northwest through the mountains, bringing uncommonly destructive weather to western North Carolina. In September the worst of the hurricanes hit and residents lost power and water; the center of the small city of Asheville was virtually shut down and hard hit was the river district. Between nine and thirteen feet of water had flooded the streets surrounding the river and the office of Rainbow Wedding Network was completely destroyed. Years of company records, contacts, furniture, computers and the founders’ personal items had been swept away in a torrent of mud and water.
Puechl kayaked in to the office building that day, to see if anything could be saved. “It was the most surreal moment,” she says. “And it was strange to me just how strong the current was. It overturned me in my kayak, so there I was standing in five feet of murky floodwater, from the outside looking through our office windows... trying to get my mind to make sense of what I was seeing. The floods in Asheville that day were completely unexpected.” She and Sproul were shocked and knew they had some decisions to make.
“Marianne and I sat down,” says Sproul, “we looked at each other and said if we want out now is the time. We can walk away with a clean slate if that’s what we want to do,” she continues. “But we knew it wasn’t time,” states Puechl, “We could feel there was work left to do; it just wasn’t time for RWN to be over.” Nature had mandated a fresh perspective and, moving through the heartache, the couple ultimately chose to see the event as an opportunity. Consequently, during 2005 RWN saw its greatest increase in growth: Two more cities were added to the Wedding Expo list, the newly designed RainbowWeddingExpo.com was launched, almost 5000 vendors were now included in the RWN directory and plans for 2006 were already in motion.
In 2006, the charged new year began with the very successful 2nd Annual Same Love, Same Rights™ Wedding and Family Expo in Atlanta and an exciting fundraising party to benefit Marriage Equality Georgia. The annual events currently occur in Atlanta and Boston while RWN continues to set new trends in Philadelphia, Hartford (CT), New York City and Seattle. The spring of 2006 will mark the launch of the new Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine, while plans to update and remodel the RWN website once again are already in progress.
Inevitably 2007 will bring the unexpected, as the political climate continues to shift. But as always, Puechl and Sproul are keeping sights on the bigger picture. Once again they are using a personally meaningful experience to generate ideas and inspiration. For over a year Puechl and Sproul have journeyed through the adoption process and their commitment to GLBT couples and their families has been strengthened and renewed every step of the way. RainbowParentNetwork.com is already in its developmental stages and once again their vision comes at the advent of a new movement by the right-wing conservatives to deny same-sex couples the right to adopt.
The politics of the last few years have brought constant change to work in the marriage equality field. RWN stays consistently dedicated to assisting localized GLBT organizations all across the nation in a variety of ways, primarily with raising money for marriage and parenting equality initiatives. “We offer our lapel pins as fundraisers, and we find ways through our Expos to promote particular organizations locally and expose the work that they are doing. Our goal is to provide a forum for many allies and advocates to come together and share their work and ideas,” says Puechl. There are times when these all-inclusive policies mean that RWN makes interesting and unique choices with marketing and event production. The RWN team is known for stepping outside the box and it doesn't make everyone comfortable. "If we were on this path to make people comfortable we wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much," says Sproul. "Our real goal is to change the hearts and minds of people, to inspire them to look at the world in a new way."
“For Rainbow Wedding Network the journey has just started,” she continues. “Just as it is for our relationship, our future family and GLBT people around the globe,” adds Puechl, “there is a lot more in store for all of us.” Puechl, Sproul and the RWN staff are determined to continue conversations about equal rights and non-discrimination with anyone who will listen. They will also stay the course as a grassroots organization that networks in various cities to bring like-minded people together to protect GLBT couples and their children. Like-minded people who represent all facets of society: from any background, of any color, gender, class or sexual orientation.
"Whether we disagree on details like religious beliefs and political affiliations is not important anymore," states Puechl, "the progressive community must stick together and perceive that bigger picture. We believe in equal rights for everyone, in respecting the beliefs of others and in justice for all. These broader concepts and ideas are what we need to fight for, otherwise we may lose our basic freedoms -to live, love, build a home, raise a family." As RWN moves into the future as a team dedicated to equality they hold tight to hope and possibilities. "We will continue to carry the torch," says Sproul. "We may take two steps forward and two steps back, but we always see progress, we always see change. That is what makes the work worth it."
Labels: gay, gay and lesbian marriage, gay issues
posted by Marianne Puechl | 7:33 AM
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