RainbowWeddingNetwork.com's Web Log

Another Great LGBT Wedding Expo Today!

2010-09-26T12:33:00.001-07:00

Finishing up a great Salem, MA gay and lesbian wedding expo today! Thanks for the support from the community. Our next stop is Portsmouth, NH on Sunday October 17, 2010. Please help spread the word about the Portsmouth expo by posting a notice on your facebook page.
For more information...http://www.samelovesamerights.com/Events/newhampshire10.html

Help wanted…Make a Difference!

2010-09-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Wedding Network seeks online and print media advertisement sales associates nationwide! Qualified applicants must have a minimum of two years ad sales experience, excellent written and verbal communication skills, an honest work ethic and high motivation. There is no cap on your earnings! We pay for performance including a generous commission structure.
Position Qualifications:
• Minimum of two years advertisement sales experience
• Be able to work successfully from home as a W-9 Employee
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Be highly motivated and a self-starter
• Must pass background check
• Provide three prior professional references
• Be able to meet preset sales quotas
• Must be versed in basic sales techniques (cold calling and lead generation)
Submit your resume to employment@rainbowweddingnetwork.com and for more information about Rainbow Wedding Network visit www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com & www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Salem, MA Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo

2010-09-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Wedding Network September 16, 2010
Cindy Sproul, correspondent http://www.SameLoveSameRights.com
(866) 251-1564, toll-free

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Tour of Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expos Soon to Arrive in Salem, MA

Following a dynamic series of Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expos earlier this year, hosted in cities including
Denver, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington DC, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com is returning to Massachusetts to kick off the Autumn season with an event in Salem. The national gay & lesbian wedding resource, Rainbow Wedding Network, has produced over 40 events in nineteen states since 2003, developing the expos out of the company's online successes over the past decade in bridging gay-friendly businesses with the gay & lesbian wedding market. The upcoming 'Same Love, Same Rights' LGBT Wedding Expo is scheduled for Sunday September 26, 2010 from 12:30-3:30pm at the Salem Waterfront Hotel. RSVPs are requested; however, the event is free for the public to attend.

Asheville, NC - Despite the recent disappointment with regard to Proposition 8 in California, the tour of 'Same Love, Same Rights' Gay and Lesbian Wedding Expos is continuing to meet with strong support throughout the nation. With recent expos in Denver and Austin, attracting RSVP lists in the hundreds, the event producers from RainbowWeddingNetwork have now announced a late September date in Salem, Massachusetts.

The Same Love, Same Rights® LGBT Wedding Expo will be held on Sunday September 26, 2010 from 12:30-3:30pm at the luxurious Salem Waterfront Hotel. A diversity of local Wedding-related exhibitors who actively support equal rights in marriage and adoption will participate, as well as those representing the Travel, Gift, Legal, Real Estate and Family-related industries. The event will include Music, Ceremony Tips, Samples & Networking Opportunities specifically aimed to inspire the community's ongoing efforts in seeking greater equality in New England & throughout the nation. Admission is free, and all supporters of marriage rights are encouraged to attend.

"The state of Massachusetts may be one of the forerunners with regard to marriage rights," comments RainbowWeddingNetwork co-founder Marianne Puechl, "yet couples in the Bay State and throughout the country still have not achieved full equal status. Our Gay and Lesbian Wedding Expos provide a backdrop for couples to connect with gay-friendly businesses that wish to work with them respectfully and with joy... and the events also promote a re-energizing of our minority in seeking equal rights and equal treatment."

She continues, "Salem, with its rich history, provides a unique and ideal location. Having learned so poignantly about the importance of honoring diversity, this dynamic city is very receptive to its gay and lesbian citizens. We are excited to be visiting this beautiful and welcoming area with one of our events."

The Same Love, Same Rights® LGBT Wedding Expo will serve as a forum in which advocates and allies, both gay and straight, can communicate and connect with others who seek to end discrimination. Attendees will receive a complimentary Walkaway Bag brimming with valuable contacts for planning their own Special Day, along with fresh ideas regarding upcoming ceremony trends anticipated for 2010-2011. Couples will also be invited to add a photograph to the Commitment Photo Album,™ an ongoing project to document LGBT couples and their families throughout the nation. All same-gender couples throughout the Salem area are encouraged to attend, as well as allies interested in the issues of equal marriage & family rights. The event is free to the public; RSVPs are requested online through the website.

Launched in 2000, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com (RWN) has grown to become the most extensive wedding resource for the gay and lesbian community in the United States. Following the success of its first LGBT Wedding Expo in Minneapolis in 2003, RWN has produced over forty such events in nineteen states throughout the nation. In 2006, the company began publication of the first wedding magazine specifically dedicated to gay & lesbian weddings. An updated version of the main website, offering a high degree of social networking and other interactive features, was launched in 2009.

For more information visit www.SameLoveSameRights.com and www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com.

###

Free digital subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine!

2010-09-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hello from Rainbow Wedding Network ( Final Deadline - Free digital subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine)

For a limited time you can receive a FREE 12 month online subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine which includes the 2010 Gay & Lesbian Wedding Planning Resource Guide!

How to take advantage of this limited offer...visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com and fill out the go green subscription information, please use the coupon code GREEN (case sensitive) Deadline September 17, 2010.

Upcoming LGBT Wedding Expos: RSVP at www.SameLoveSameRights.com
Sunday September 12, 2010 - Austin, TX -over 300 attended this exciting event!
Sunday September 26, 2010 - Salem, MA
Sunday October 17, 2010 - Portsmouth, NH
Sunday November 14, 2010 - Las Vegas, NV
Sunday February 6, 20111 - Atlanta, GA
Sunday February 20, 20111 - Fort Lauderdale, FL

*****Would you like to be on "The Marriage Ref" they are casting their new season and looking for gay and lesbian couples for more information visit www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

Rainbow Wedding Network is celebrating 10 years online! Rainbow Wedding Network was launched September 2000 as the first and only LGBT Wedding Resource and has grown to include over 5000 screened gay friendly wedding & travel professionals. Visit us online at www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

All the best,
The Rainbow Wedding Network Team...

Free digital subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine!

2010-09-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hello from Rainbow Wedding Network (Free digital subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine)

For a limited time you can receive a FREE 12 month online subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine which includes the 2010 Gay & Lesbian Wedding Planning Resource Guide!

How to take advantage of this limited offer…visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com and fill out the subscription information, please use the coupon code GREEN (case sensitive) Deadline September 17, 2010.

Upcoming LGBT Wedding Expos: RSVP at www.SameLoveSameRights.com
Sunday September 12, 2010 – Austin, TX
Sunday September 26, 2010 – Salem, MA
Sunday October 17, 2010 – Portsmouth, NH
Sunday November 14, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV
Sunday February 6, 20111 – Atlanta, GA
Sunday February 20, 20111 – Fort Lauderdale, FL

*****Would you like to be on “The Marriage Ref” they are casting their new season and looking for gay and lesbian couples for more information visit www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

Rainbow Wedding Network is celebrating 10 years online! Rainbow Wedding Network was launched September 2000 as the first and only LGBT Wedding Resource and has grown to include over 5000 screened gay friendly wedding & travel professionals. Visit us online at www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

All the best,
The Rainbow Wedding Network Team…

From the pages of Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine- The Ins & Outs of RainbowWeddingNetwork

2010-08-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

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."

From the pages of Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine- Raising the Flag-The Faces Behind Pflag

2010-08-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

Raising the Flag-The Faces Behind Pflag
Written by by Brad Beauchamp

“My other children, not Lisa, occasionally ask things like, ‘why gay rights?’” says Ann Schelbe, mother of three. “They’ll say, ’Why not world hunger or the homeless?’ In the end, I believe that any injustice should never go unnoticed, and this is an issue that’s been ignored by our society for far too long.”

Ann & her husband Dave have been married for over thirty-five years. They’ve raised three children and have worked in Pittsburgh for most of their lives. They’ve been proponents of equality since childhood, but it was their own daughter’s coming out that compelled them to do more. Nowadays, both Dave & Ann manage the satellite branch of the Pittsburgh Chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

PFLAG is, at its core, a support group and much more. And while it’s the parents and friends who make up the majority of the attendees, meetings oftentimes also include gays, lesbians, and transgendered folks as well. It’s a place of honesty and an outlet for nagging thoughts and long-held secret fears. To the veterans of PFLAG, it’s also a home base for promoting advocacy – a focal point where those who want to change American society can meet together and brainstorm on ways to shape their communities into a more evolved and accepting world.

PFLAG is also an eye opener. It challenges the preconceptions of sexual orientation & gender identity in the most practical way – by pairing people together and having them share their life experiences and stories.

Dave recalls the first gay person he’d ever met, an old friend of his from college. “It was 1971, I remember because Ann & I were at our wedding rehearsal,” says Dave. “We were nervous and excited all at the same time. A good friend of mine popped into the rehearsal room. He’d driven all the way to Pennsylvania for the wedding; we’d been in opera together in the music program at school, and I was very excited that he could come to the wedding. The rehearsal ended and we were sitting down for dinner when it hit me – he had come alone. And then, sitting there and thinking more about it, I suddenly just knew.” Despite being close friends for a number of years, Dave’s friend never actually came out to him.

“It was a different time back then,” says Dave. “People didn’t communicate like they do now. But I know he was gay, it all made sense.”

For Ann, she met her “family friends” in 1994, deep in the heart of Africa.

“It was my mother and me on this four-week excursion,” says Ann. “We flew into Kenya and as soon as we landed, we shared a limo with these two men. We could tell they were gay right off the bat, they were just so open and vibrant and funny. We had a ball! Sam was in his forties, and Michael was in his sixties. They were just close friends, not a couple or anything like that.”

Over the course of the next four weeks, the group shared meals, rides, laughs and tears.

“We had discussions about everything – love, life, childhood, politics, family – all of it.” One personal note that Michael shared with the group was his health; he had contracted HIV in his earlier years and was beginning to show the symptoms on the trip.

“There were some moments on the trip where he was feeling sick,” says Ann. “It was up and down for him. And he was so worried about our health too. I remember one time where Michael & I had ordered the same food, it was a packed lunch on one of the day trips, and at some point we got them confused and we were eating each other’s meals. He immediately was so concerned. This was 1994 so I knew that it wasn’t anything to be worried about. And I’m sure he knew that too, but still, it really bothered him. He was so caring and thoughtful like that.”

By the end of the trip, Ann felt like a new person. “Africa was one of the most significant moments of my life,” she says. “I’d never seen poverty like that before. It really opened my eyes. They’re an absolutely magnificent people.”

As soon as Ann returned from her trip, Dave noticed the change in her behavior. Books on GLBT advocacy started appearing on the coffee table, with bindings already broken from a quick read. Always a supporter of equality, he took his wife’s cue and began reading up on the community himself.

“But the truth of the matter is,” says Dave, “until your kid comes out to you, you’re really in the dark.”

In 2001, The Schelbe family experienced the loss of Dave’s uncle, Garnet Garrison. Beloved by the entire family, they traveled to Ann Arbor for the service. Lisa, 25 years old at the time, had a secret on her mind that she couldn’t contain any longer.

‘“Go right ahead,” I said.
“I’m dating somebody,” Lisa said.
“That’s really cool!” Ann said. “Who is it?”
“It’s a woman.”
Ann said, “That’s really cool! What’s her name?”
“Tonya.”
Ann asked, “Does that mean you’re a lesbian?”
“Yes,” Lisa said.’

“And this whole time,” says Dave, “I keep looking at my watch and thinking about how we’re going to be late to the funeral, so I say, ‘That’s fine, we can talk about it later, but please go change because we have to get ready to go.’”

Lisa listened to her father and went to her hotel room, leaving her parents alone for a moment.

Ann says, “I remember turning to Dave and saying, ‘Are you okay with that?’ And we paused for just a second and he turned to me and said ‘Of course!’ And you know? It was so good in that moment to be able to look into my soul and into my partner’s soul and be able to say…. Yes.”

After only a few minutes, Lisa came back to the room and knocked a little harder on the door. She entered the room and proclaimed, “Did you hear what I just said?”

Now that Ann & Dave have been involved with PFLAG for many years, they can understand why Lisa thought they might not handle the confession as well as they did.

“I realize it was a major moment for Lisa now,” says Dave. “It just didn’t seem like a big deal.”

There’s an old saying within the GLBT community that it’s the one coming out who is always the last to know about it. But in Lisa’s case, neither parent had any strong sense that she was gay beforehand. “She lived with a man from South America a few years prior,” says Dave. “At one point, she was debating moving there to live with him, and possibly getting married. That was actually a much more scary relationship for me, because, essentially, it was a pretty unsafe region where he lived where there was a lot of violence. And his father was a prominent politician at the time, so I had great concerns for her safety.”

Ann, on the other hand, had only a slight suspicion over the years.

“There was one instance that I recall it even coming up,” says Ann. “I was working with David and Soulforce during this one trip and I was traveling on a bus. Someone turned to me and asked, ‘How would you respond if your son or daughter was gay?’ and I replied, ‘I’m not entirely sure one of my daughters isn’t gay,’ and when I said it, I was thinking of Lisa. Of course, if she hadn’t have come out to me years later, I’m sure I would have forgotten all about it.”

“I’m the guy who muddled along,” says Dave, smiling. “I was the guy in the opera chorus in school, and it never occurred to me to think that my friends might be gay. It’s funny thinking back on it now that I’m so involved and aware.”

A large part of PFLAG is listening to others share their coming out stories. It’s an essential part of the meetings for all those brand new to PFLAG, oftentimes involving everyone present.

“Even knowing that I eventually wanted to open up a branch of my own,” says Ann, “it didn’t make attending that first meeting any easier.”

It was shortly after September 11th, 2001, and Ann felt a strong need to do something for peace and justice in the world. At the time, she was heavily involved with the United Methodist Church. A member of one of the church committees, Ann was able to reserve rooms located in one wing of the church for various classes, activities and groups.

Of course, the task of attaining a room for PFLAG meetings wasn’t quite as easy as an up-or-down vote. It took her 18 months of conversations, persuasion, and sometimes downright arguing to gain permission for one night a month.

“It was crazy,” says Ann. “Any other reason someone needed a room would receive an immediate approval as long as it was available.” Ann had to concede that she wouldn’t publish the church’s name or address on any of the materials that she created for the meetings. This meant listing her home number on all websites, flyers, and newsletters.

“Dave and I were giving directions over the phone for 9 months,” says Ann. “After that, we were able to get them to agree that we could start putting the name on the ads.” Ann takes a deep breath. “But you know what? None of that matters because I know that PFLAG has done a great deal of good for many GLBT people, their families, and their friends.”

The Pittsburgh branch of PFLAG is host to approximately 35-40 people per meeting. Ann & Dave’s satellite branch, on the other hand, boasts a more intimate number of 5-8. This gives them the opportunity to be more flexible with the meetings, oftentimes leaving more time for personal discussions and conversations.

“I am not a religious person anymore,” says Ann, “but I swear the group of newcomers that we get in a night is divine. People come to these meetings who really want to talk to a gay man, or a transgendered woman, and somehow, that exact same person is new that week too. I’ve seen it happen so many times, it’s incredibly magical.”

PFLAG-North Pittsburgh holds meetings at the United Methodist Church on the fourth Monday of every month from 7:30-9:00 pm. For a schedule of PFLAG meetings in your hometown, be sure to visit:
http://www.PFLAG.org .

For more information about Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine please visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Your Destination Gay & Lesbian Wedding In Italia!

2010-08-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

Your Destination Gay & Lesbian Wedding In Italia!

The Italian destinations even sound romantic – Amalfi, Calabria, Ravello, Salerno, Tuscany. And beyond the names are the storybook scenes: a Tuscan castle with fireworks and a medieval sword-throwing act, folk singers and dancers in the Italian countryside, hills above the Mediterranean, violinists greeting guests at a garden villa with champagne, a banquet of pasta, roasted peppers, meat, fish, fruit and cheese.

More gay couples are creating these and other fairy tales as they choose exotic locales and adventures for their commitment ceremonies, weddings and honeymoons. Though Tuscany is among the most popular places, some couples are fulfilling their fantasies in such spots as Argentina, Croatia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

A destination wedding takes place outside a couple’s hometown. What started as a quest for a simple getaway ceremony, sometimes to escape family issues, now trends toward traditional ceremonies with elaborate details, says Lisa Light of Lisa Light Ltd., which owns DestinationBride.com, based in Chatham, N.Y. For her clients, a package usually includes a marriage license, wedding ceremony complete with officiant services, bouquet or boutonnieres, champagne, cake for two, photography, and music. Couples also customize packages.

“It’s like taking your very, very closest friends and family on the trip of a lifetime” with such excursions as a spa party, sunset cruise, golf tournament or African safari, says Light, who wrote “Destination Bride: A complete guide to planning your wedding anywhere in the world.” (North Light Books)

It's true that many people choose Italy for their trip of a lifetime. In addition to Tuscany, the Amalfi and Calabria coasts are draws, too. “Americans especially love to come to Italy. The food is wonderful. The lifestyle is wonderful,” Rabbi Barbara Aiello of Calabria says. She officiates at Jewish and Jewish interfaith weddings for gay and straight couples.

Aiello, who has wed people from Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the United States, tells couples that the Italian lifestyle they choose for their wedding may come with some adjustments. The pace is slower. “One must always remember that you cannot go to Kinko’s at 2 a.m,” she says. “You cannot get things done at the last minute here like you can in the United States.” She encourages couples to arrive early enough to adjust and absorb the culture. “Italian culture has a particular style all its own,” says Aiello, a Pittsburgh native who grew up there with her Italian parents. “It’s a celebratory culture. Italians are not considered to be dour, stiff or distant.”

Food is paramount in Italian life. At wedding receptions, a menu of what will be served usually is provided, a tradition most of Aiello’s American clients follow. The menu itself often is a keepsake. At one of her weddings, real violets adorned the menu.

A Los Angeles couple Aiello worked with held their wedding at a cooking school in Tuscany where the pair had spent a week learning to create traditional Italian dishes. On the last day of the class, after the rabbi married them, the students served a banquet that included spinach and ricotta tortellini, bruschetta and anchovy paste. The traditional wedding cake in Italy is a large torte with fruit inside and glazed fruit on top, sometimes an apple torte topped with apples, pears and strawberries. “What brings on the oohs and aahs in America is a tiered cake. In Italy, it’s a torte large enough to give 200 people each a piece,” Aiello says.

It’s not just torte that thrills couples in Italy. Gardens burst forth wildly. Forsythia, petunias, cyclamens and other flowers spill from window boxes. “There is beauty everywhere you look. The small, winding streets, the villages, small vegetable vendors,” Aiello says. “People greet each other on the street, kissing and hugging, saying ‘hello.’ It is an ambiance in Italy.”

The ambiance is part of the package for destination weddings. What’s included in the package depends on the wedding coordinator in Italy but often entails food, flowers, bus transportation or rental cars, the brides' dresses, set up if the ceremony is outdoors, alternative arrangements in case of rain and the wedding program, Aiello says. Some packages include a honeymoon. Her clients have honeymooned on an archaeological dig in Sicily, hiked ancient caves in southern Italy, lounged on pristine beaches, explored the Mediterranean by cruise or toured Pompeii or the breathtaking island of Sardinia.

Sometimes the guests also indulge in a honeymoon. And on occasion couples put together tour packages for guests who arrive early, Aiello says. Trips to art museums in Florence. Tours of Rome and Florence from a Jewish perspective with visits to synagogues, cemeteries and museums. Aiello has phone interviews with couples so she can design and personalize the entire dream package. Attendance at her ceremonies has ranged from the intimacy of seven people to 200 guests at a villa or castle.

With Aiello’s events, guests usually pay for air fare and lodging though the couple may pay for travel for the wedding party and immediate family members. She estimates a destination wedding in Italy costs a minimum of $10,000. Light’s destination weddings start at about $100,000. A wedding Light was involved with in Bali, Indonesia, cost $500,000. Some budget resorts offer a free wedding for couples who stay for five nights and, for the very budget-conscious, destination weddings can range from $800 to $1,500, Light says.

In planning a destination wedding, it’s important to figure out the budget first and then decide whom to invite. “Really study that guest list. Before you choose a destination, you want to be sure you know what’s going to be comfortable for these guests,” Light says. The wedding couple may have to pay travel expenses for guests who can’t afford to. Communicate details to guests about accommodations, how to reserve a room and the itinerary, and give guests a gift when they arrive to thank them for making the trip, she says.

Besides logistics, Aiello’s interfaith couples have other considerations. She offers counseling for gay and straight couples to discuss how they can celebrate both religious traditions and how children can be involved. She encourages people to bring up children in one tradition or another. “The best defense to anti-Semitism is to give children a pride in their Jewish tradition,” Aiello says. “Interfaith couples are the hope of the world. The joy is not only are you and your partner talking about love, tolerance and acceptance, you are putting it into practice daily. The challenge is how to incorporate both religions under the same roof.”

Gay pride is important, too. Some gay couples have issues with family members about their union. Parents may be “steeped in the traditional view of Judaism. They need a lot of help and encouragement,” Aiello says. “This has to do with who you are and celebrating who you are and respecting who you are. It’s my job to create a wedding where these things can be experienced joyfully.”

Aiello says she is Italy’s only full-time female rabbi and only reform rabbi. Reform is the most progressive stream of Judaism. While she conducts same-sex weddings, gay marriage isn’t legal in Italy. And as a woman, she’s not a licensed member of the clergy in Italy so the weddings she conducts for straight couples are not recognized legally there. “If you want all of the benefits that legal marriage gives you, wherever you live you need to have a civil ceremony there,” she says, or hold one in Italy.

Legal or not, many of Aiello’s ceremonies are truly memorable and her website, RabbiBarbara.com, offers more information. Country weddings on Italian farms with vegetables, cheeses and other food grown on the site. Parasailing off the coast of Sardinia with rings exchanged on the boat, vows exchanged in the air and bouquets in the water.

Whether in midair, in the countryside or somewhere else, “Whenever a couple wants to invite God into a partnership, we clergy should do whatever is necessary to make it happen,” Aiello says.

Jess Clarke is a freelance writer and editor based in Asheville, N.C.

Are you happy with what the Obama administration has accomplished for gay rights?

2010-08-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Are you happy with what the Obama administration has accomplished for gay rights? Vote at www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Rainbow Wedding Chatter...

2010-08-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Wedding Network is excited to announce Rainbow Wedding Chatter!

Chat with other brides and grooms about your upcoming wedding, offer advice to couples in the planning stages, dish on a wedding business that supported you 120% or not at all, Engagement Sex...Honeymoon Sex - What's Better? And more!
Start chatting at www.SameLoveSameRights.com

Upcoming LGBT Wedding Expos:
September 12, 2010 - Austin, TX
September 26, 2010 - Salem, MA
October 17, 2010 - Portsmouth, NH
November 14, 2010 - Las Vegas, NV
February 6, 2011 - Atlanta, GA
February 20, 2011 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
To RSVP or for more information please visit www.SameLoveSameRights.com

Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine -

2010 LGBT Wedding Planning Guide $8.00 includes a free 12 month Go-Green subscription to the oldest and most trusted LGBT Wedding Resource Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine - online and in print since 2000!

Visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com and www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

2010 LGBT Wedding Planning Resource Guide & Upcoming LGBT Wedding Expos

2010-07-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

2010 LGBT Wedding Planning Resource Guide & Upcoming LGBT Wedding Expos

We are excited to announce the release of the 2010 Gay & Lesbian Wedding Planning Resource Guide produced by Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine.

We are offering a reduced Go Green Subscription price of just $9.95 to have complete access to the 2010 wedding guide and this special will offer you a Full Year online subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine. The 2010 LGBT Wedding Planning Guide features diversified content for same-gender couples as they plan their ceremonies locally, or consider options for ideal destination wedding hotspots. Regional Quick Facts are outlined to assist couples in understanding the legal options available in various states, as well as in Canada.

To secure your Go Green subscription please visit http://www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com or give us a call at 866-251-1564. Hurry this is a Limited Offer!

Also, Have you RSVP for an upcoming LGBT Wedding Expo - RSVP at www.SameLoveSameRights.com FREE to attend but RSVP is Required

Freehold, NJ Sunday August 1, 2010
Denver, CO Sunday August 22, 2010
Austin, TX Sunday September 12, 2010
Salem, MA Sunday September 26, 2010
Portsmouth, NH Sunday October 17, 2010
Las Vegas, NV Sunday November 14, 2010

80% LGBT polled say they are not happy with President Obama

2010-07-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

80% LGBT polled say they are not happy with President Obama
Are you happy with what the Obama administration has accomplished for gay rights? Vote today at http://www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
Full story: www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

LGBT Action Alerts: 2010 LGBT Wedding Expo Schedule:
RSVP at http://www.SameLoveSameRights.com **Always FREE to Attend!
August 1, 2010 Freehold, NJ
August 22, 2010 – Denver, CO
September 12, 2010 – Austin, TX
September 26, 2010 – Salem, MA
October 17, 2010 – Portsmouth, NH
November 14, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV

2010 Gay/Lesbian Wedding Expo Schedule…

2010-07-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

We need your help in spreading the word to the community about these FREE events. Please forward to your friends, add a notice to your facebook, or send a tweet. Here is the updated schedule. All the expo information can be found on www.SameLoveSameRights.com

Sunday August 1, 2010 Freehold, NJ
Sunday August 22, 2010 Denver, CO
Sunday September 12, 2010 Austin, TX
Sunday September 26, 2010 Salem, MA
Sunday October 17, 2010 Portsmouth, NH
Sunday November 14, 2010 Las Vegas, NV

Thanks in advance for your help in spreading the word about these events.
Cindy Sproul
www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
www.SameLoveSameRights.com
866-251-1564

Help Wanted - Make a Difference!

2010-06-02T07:35:00.000-07:00


	Online and Print Media Advertisement Sales Associates (Positions Nationwide)
	The largest LGBT Wedding Resource Rainbow Wedding Network seeks online and print media advertisement sales associates nationwide! Qualified applicants must have a minimum of two years ad sales experience, excellent written and verbal communication skills, an honest work ethic and high motivation. There is no cap on your earnings! We pay for performance including a generous commission structure. For more information visit www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

Happy Mother's Day to All Lesbian Moms!

2010-05-06T12:17:00.001-07:00

RainbowWeddingNetwork.com certainly understands the importance of equal parenting rights for our community. A lesbian-owned company, our founders adopted their daughter three and a half years ago... and yet to this day only one of them has legal status with regard to their little girl. This can be heartbreaking, but it's much more than that: It simply leaves their child with fewer protections. And there's no justification for such inequities, especially when a child's well being can be at stake.

This Mother's Day, RainbowWeddingNetwork encourages you to find ways to honor the lesbian moms in your circle. Hugs, smiles, cards and words of thanks will be appreciated more than you know. And beyond that, when you spread the word on a larger scale that you stand up for equal rights... and that families with 2 moms are perfectly normal in your opinion - that means even more! Feel free to download the web banner (above) or contact us at RWN for more ways to get involved in creating equality throughout America for the LGBT minority.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, to all those who mother and nurture!

Las Vegas Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo Sunday November 15th!

2009-11-04T07:47:00.000-08:00

Lots of enthusiasm about our upcoming first-annual LGBT Wedding Expo in Vegas! We're truly thrilled to be having the event hosted by the elegant JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Summerlin, with over 40 gay-friendly businesses exhibiting from the Wedding, Travel, Gift, Home and Family-related industries. Attendees will enjoy Free Samples, a Giveaway Bag brimming with vital new contacts, planning tips and goodies, Music, Fashion and much more!

We're proudly celebrating the recent veto-override, resulting in successful domestic partnership legislation throughout Nevada. Media interest has spiked as the event date nears, with interviews coming up with FOX News, sponsorships with QVegas, Meefers.com, GayLasVegas.com and with mentions and spotlights from Nevada Magazine, Orbitz, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and much more!

JOIN US! We anticipate a wonderfully exciting afternoon of networking, grassroots activism and joyful respect for all!

The 'Same Love, Same Rights' LGBT Wedding Expo
Sunday November 15th - 12:30-3:30pm
@ the JW Marriott in Summerlin
FREE to ATTEND!
http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

Upcoming Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expos this Fall!

2009-10-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

Our upcoming Same Love, Same Rights LGBT Wedding Expos will be in Portsmouth, NH on October 18, 2009 and in Las Vegas on November 15, 2009. JOIN US!

These exciting and unique events will spotlight dozens of screened, gay-friendly businesses: wedding, travel, gift and home-related companies will all be represented. Each couple attending will receive a free Goodie Bag brimming with fresh contacts for planning their Dream Ceremony and Honeymoon!

In New Hampshire, we'll be celebrating the upcoming enactment of full marriage rights... and in Las Vegas, the exciting recent milestone with the veto-override for domestic partnership rights.

Both events are Free to Attend!
Portsmouth, NH - Sunday 10/18/09 - 12:30-3:30pm
Las Vegas, NV - Sunday 11/15/09 - 12:30-3:30pm
For all the details: http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

3rd Annual LGBT Wedding Expo in CT!!

2009-07-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

We're so thrilled to return to Connecticut later this month, with our upcoming Same Love, Same Rights LGBT Wedding Expo. This year, we'll be much closer to central Hartford, at the Hartford Farmington Marriott. For all the details visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/.

Can you believe this event marks our thirtieth LGBT Wedding Expo since 2003?? We are rather proud of ourselves, I must say. Truly, it's been an honor to be so integrally involved with so many couples, advocates and business professionals all across America during this important time in our nation's quest for Equal Rights.

Come out and join us in Hartford on Sunday July 26th! The Expo is FREE to attend and we'd certainly love to meet you!

Marianne Puechl, co-founder

http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/

http://www.gayweddings.us.com/

http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

http://www.rwnmagazine.com/

rwneditor@gmail.com

Ruling on Prop 8

2009-05-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

I know that today's ruling by the CA Supreme Court is disheartening. Many of us, within the LGBT community, feel outraged or sorely saddened. Many other emotions spin. All of them are valid, without question.

I would like to posit, however, that despite this wash of emotions and the prospect of another round of lawsuits ahead of us... Our Minority is NOT defeated.

In fact, there are many great strides taking place in our country at this time. Let us keep in mind recent legislation in Iowa, the thrill of the decision in Vermont... the consideration of same-sex marriage rights coming to a vote in New York State. And this is just to name a few highlights.

Perhaps it will serve us well to realize the gift that the conservatives have given to our community, by continuing to fight so hard against our access to equal rights: They have brought the issue of marriage equality, for example, to the forefront. And for the first time in many decades, our minority is becoming more cohesive; we have claimed a vision of Equality as our own... we are working together to achieve that goal.

Let's keep this opportunity in mind. We all know that Equality is one of the foundations of our nation, and that right is on our side. We WILL achieve equal rights and equal recognition. We simply must continue to claim them as our own, and put forth the cohesive effort to exact these tenets into law.

Marianne Puechl, co-founder
The RainbowWeddingNetwork Family
rwneditor@gmail.com

Upcoming Gay and Lesbian Wedding Expos

2009-04-09T07:10:00.001-07:00

Our 2009 Same Love, Same Rights LGBT Wedding Expo Calendar is shaping up! Join us in Chicago on Sunday April 26, 2009 at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza... or Saturday May 2nd in Detroit aboard the Infinity & Ovation docked at Jefferson Beach Marina in St. Clair Shores.

Each event will spotlight 30-50 gay-friendly Wedding, Travel and Home-related Companies, plus free Samples, Planning Tips, Music and Giveaways. We've produced over 25 such Expos across the nation since 2003, and they always turn out to be a wonderful experience, filled with chance meetings, respectfulness & joy, and the opportunity to network with others who truly believe in equal marriage and family rights for the gay and lesbian community.

Other upcoming Expos are planned for MA/RI on May 31st,

and plans are in the works for an event in Iowa, possibly CT and Washington DC!

For all the details, visit: http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

Proposition 8 - The Latest Chapter

2009-03-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court in California has now heard their arguments regarding the possibility of overturning Proposition 8... According to insiders, the 'prognosis' isn't good, at least not for those of us who are hoping for the re-instatement of same-sex marriage equality in the Golden State. However, the Hope & Vision within the LGBT minority remains strong: we know without a doubt that, inevitably, equality will apply to us too. Time may be required; a generational shift may be required... but it is going to happen.

I am attaching a link to the blog of Kate Kendall - if you do not yet know who she is, I suggest taking time to get to know about her work. She is a pioneer, an activist and a patriot, and deserves our collective attention as well as our support. View her blog for more info:

http://www.nclrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=blog_katesBlog

Also, please consider joining me in donating to the National Center for Lesbian Rights: it has been their efforts that have made the headlines in California this past year. Each of us, throughout the nation, owes this organization our thanks. Here at Same Love, Same Rights and RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine, we've offered an easy win-win fundraising opportunity: Purchase a $5 Same Love, Same Rights lapel pin... or a subscription to the nation's first-ever LGBT Wedding Magazine, and 15-20% will be contributed to the NCLR.
www.SameLoveSameRights.com
www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

(Why only 15-20%, you may ask?... Our company is covering the production and shipping costs - we are donating all our profits on each sale to NCLR, but because we too work on behalf of Equality, we are retaining the base production cost on each item for our own use.)

THANK YOU for your own ongoing efforts on behalf of Marriage, Family and Adoption Rights for the LGBT community! As each of us continues everyday to live our vision of Equality, we do our part to bring that vision into being. Feel free to email me anytime with your comments; I look forward to hearing from you!

Marianne Puechl, co-founder
www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
www.GayWeddings.us.com
www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
www.SameLoveSameRights.com
rwneditor@gmail.com

Has the word Marriage become a branded word by the Conservatives?

2009-01-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

“Marriage”- what does this word mean to most Americans and what image pops up in their minds when they think of this word? Have the conservatives been successful in branding this word to their particular ideas and political agenda?

With the tactics that were used to pass Prop 8, we were quick to learn that the conservatives wanted to brand the word Marriage to include fear, limitation and brutal misconceptions about the gay community. From their print ads and television commercials, conservatives injected an image that gay marriage would mean the tragic loss of their brand of “Marriage.” More than that, their message set out to convince voters that the loss of their definition of “Marriage” would surely lead to utter anarchy and ruin for our entire society.

What a HUGE statement!

In my opinion, the American conservative movement has absolutely been successful in convincing the general public that bringing equal marriage rights to the gay minority = the ruin of our nation.

Does the average LGBT citizen realize just how expansive a task lies ahead? Realistically, how do we turn this around and instead brand our own vision of “Marriage” to the voting public, so as to avoid another Prop 8 or worse – the continuing ripple effect that Prop 8 could potentially create?

First and most important, our community must decide together on a simple and concise meaning for our definition of “Marriage.” We must focus on a clear image of the word that embodies our own political agenda: Equality. And truly, a greater degree of Equality in our nation will only serve to bring the exact opposite of anarchy… instead it will serve to bring a stronger foundation of freedom and happiness for all our people.

So how do we spread our message?

Here at Same Love, Same Rights our goal has always been to bring the community together for successful dialogue. We began Same Love, Same Rights three years ago to help bring the tools to our community so that we could indeed become more cohesive and rally around a central message. In fact, at that time we proposed a Gay Marriage Summit, inviting all the political and marriage rights organizations within the nation to join for one weekend to shape an effective and targeted campaign for equal rights in marriage, to find one cohesive voice to use not only to fight anti-gay amendments but to shape and brand our ideal (and non-threatening) meaning of “Marriage” to the public. This was three years ago, and I’m sad to report that not one LGBT equality organization replied to any of our invitations. Not one.

Their reasoning? We’re not sure. …They are too busy. They do not take us seriously, as our parent company is RainbowWeddingNetwork.com which has been in existence now nearly a decade but is a for-profit company and that fact, unfortunately, has been scoffed at by such equality organizations. (They are willing to accept sponsorships and cash donations from other, straight-owned, for-profit corporations, but unwilling to sit at a conference table proposed by us – a very small lesbian-owned company working daily on behalf of the gay community. Hmm.) Or, more probably, there is another reason.

I invite you to ask why. In your own town, with your own voice, week after week… Pose your questions! And at the same time, make use of our Forum, visit one of our Wedding Expos or utilize our other resources to communicate with likeminded LGBT citizens and advocates so that, at a grassroots level, we as individuals can decide the course of our journey to Equality.
It is, after all, our own individual responsibility. We must take the initiative and commit to promoting our own worth and our own human rights.

I look forward to reading your posts. Let us know your thoughts on the subject, as well as the actions you are planning to undertake in 2009 to move our cause forward. Visit our Forum on http://www.samelovesamerights.com/, or share your inspired Art Work in our Photo Gallery.

Thank You.
Cindy Sproul, co-founder

http://www.samelovesamerights.com/
http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/
http://www.gayweddings.us.com/
http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/

Were you a Victim of Prop 8? Take the Survey…

2008-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

Were you a Victim of Prop 8? Take the Survey…

Hello from Rainbow Wedding Network...Were you and your partner a victim of Prop 8? Did you travel to California from another state to obtain a marriage license?

Take this survey so we can tell real stories of the LGBTQi community and our quest for Equal Rights in Marriage.

Also, after the survey visit www.SameLoveSameRights.com and sign the Commitment Petition. Send in a photo of your family to share in the Commitment Photo Album to help put a face to same-gender marriage.

Help us survey the LGBTQi community by sending this email to your friends or add this survey link to your myspace or facebook page and twitter your friends so they can take part. By standing together we CAN make a difference!

Here is the Survey Link…

http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/TakeSurvey?id=526185

Valentine’s in November!! Rainbow Wedding Network’s New Look

2008-11-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

Rainbow Wedding Network
Amanda Hager, correspondent
(866) 251-1564
http://www.SameLoveSameRights.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 14, 2008

Valentine’s in November!! Rainbow Wedding Network’s New Look

November 14th Brings a Fresh Look for America’s Most Popular Online Gay Wedding Resource!

The national web resource, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, announces a vast update to its website as of November 14, 2008. An array of interactive features will be offered to site users, including social networking for couples in the planning stages, engagement announcements, and a zip code search for screened gay-friendly businesses within an active online Directory of over 5000 members. High graphic appeal and fresh content focused on GLBTQ wedding trends and legislative highlights will polish the new look. Most features will be free for site users.

The elections may have been disheartening with regard to Proposition 8 in California, bans on gay marriage in Florida and Arizona and a ban on adoption for same-sex couples in Arkansas... but RainbowWeddingNetwork.com continues to provide important legitimization for couples all across the nation and by offering a directory of screened gay friendly businesses that support marriage equality. The company (RWN) was originally launched in 2000, designed to offer the nation’s first-ever Wedding Gift Registry for the LGBTQ community. The lesbian-owned website soon expanded to include the most extensive Directory on the web of screened, gay-friendly businesses of all kinds, primarily wedding, travel, family and home-related; today the RWN directory boasts over 5000 businesses!

Fresh Look to RWN on November 14th! Check out these exciting new Features!

• Free Customized Couples’ Web Pages & Photo Galleries
• Zip Code Search for Gay-friendly Businesses
• Engagement Announcements
• Couples’ Forum
• Improved Gift Registry with Options for Charitable Gift Donations
• Easy Links to GLBTQ Wedding Expos and RWN Magazine
• Tips, Trends & Helpful Articles for Ceremony Planning
• E-Invites, Save-the-Date Announcements & More!

To preview the site and to get started, visit www.gayweddings.us.com for all the information you’ll need to create your own Couples’ Web Page, Browse for Vendors, Advertise as a gay-friendly Business in the Directory, or enjoy all the other many exciting features now available.

For more information visit these exciting websites www.GayWeddings.us.com www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com www.SameLoveSameRights.com

###

More thoughts on Prop 8

2008-11-06T10:10:00.001-08:00

America was supposedly founded on the separation of Church & State; yet the conservatives who saw to it that Proposition 8 was passed in California this week completely overlooked this. They say their concern with gay marriage is that all churches will be required to embrace the idea of same-sex marriage; this is not true. Liberal-thinking Americans WANT to keep church & state separate; therefore no church would be regulated to the point of requiring recognition of a rite its members do not believe in.

But a majority-vote in CA to restrict the rights of a minority (the gay minority) is outrageous, especially when it was subsidized by conservative groups based beyond California's borders.

The gay minority in America will coalesce and ultimately see victory with regard to equal rights in marriage and adoption. And history will record it as another chapter in America's quest for true equality for all its people. This remains a civil rights issue, not a moral one.

Election Highs, Election Woes...

2008-11-05T11:41:00.000-08:00

Of course we're thrilled about PRESIDENT-ELECT Obama!!!

Of course we're thrilled about the impact of this election for our African American brothers & sisters. ...About what it says about Americans, in general.

Of course we're thrilled about the changes in Congress and the bounty of Senate and House seats that are now Democratic.

But... What about Proposition 8 in California, bans on same-sex marriage now in Florida & Arizona and a ban on adoption for same-sex couples in Arkansas?? What about the gay minority in America and our equal rights as citizens??

Hmm. There is no one to blame but ourselves, folks. It always comes down to that fact. The conservatives (based beyond California's borders, btw) are the ones who became cohesive enough and spent enough money and got out their volunteers in order to pass Proposition 8. They are the ones that solidified their message and swung voters in their direction.

Our gay community did not.

We had advocates stand with us, such as Brad Pitt, who generously donated $100K to fight Prop 8. But where were the bullhorns and the rallies and the marches from gay celebrities and the gay masses plastered over the news in uproar over this move to further discriminate against us?? Where were the ads and the billboards promoting the realities of same-sex marriage and the dangers of further intolerance? Why did we fail?!

Certainly, great strides have been made in recent years with regard to gay rights in America. But today California's state constitution has been amended to write limitation, fear and discrimination into its lines. ...When will we, as a minority, decide that enough is enough?

I'd love to hear from you. Write me anytime with your comments and ideas. Meanwhile, check out our online forums at http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ and GET INVOLVED, GAY AMERICA!

Marianne Puechl, co-founder
http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/
http://www.samelovesamerights.com/
http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/
rwneditor@gmail.com

Scientific Community Says NO to Prop 8!

2008-10-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article from San Diego today... In short it's a petition from some in the scientific community there, who say that if Proposition 8 passes and discrimination is thereby written into the CA state constitution, then many liberal thinkers, innovators, entrepreneurs and scientists will choose to live elsewhere.

It's a good point! Many of these people are not gay; they are simply advocates of equal rights and believe that a state constitution should not be rewritten in order to promote discrimination toward any one minority.

Good for them!! Read on...

October 27, 2008
Dear California Friends and family,

As Entrepreneurs, Scientists, Investors and Chief Executive Officers responsible for starting several companies in San Diego, we are sending you this letter to express our concern about the potential impact of “proposition 8” on the competitiveness and attractiveness of California as a place to work and conduct business.

We urge you to vote “No on proposition 8” on November 4th, because it is critically important for all industries, and in particular for our industry. The Life Science Industry employs nearly 40,000 employees at 710 companies in San Diego County alone! Our industry is vitally important to San Diego and we cannot allow other states and countries become more appealing to our talented workforce.

If the Proposition passes, a significant number of our Life Science entrepreneurs and executives will be directly affected. If Proposition 8 passes, for the first time in California’s history, the California Constitution will be re-written to remove the rights of one group of its citizens. This Proposition will take away their rights to equality provided under the law. As a result some leaders may opt to move their businesses or spend their life in more equality friendly environments, such as Massachusetts. Furthermore, potential employees and entrepreneurs may choose to look outside of California for a location to start a company or seek employment.

As you can tell from the signature line below, numerous serial entrepreneurs, CEOs, Scientists and investors who are responsible for the creation of thousands of jobs in San Diego are supporting “No on 8”. They are joined by several prominent community and state leaders including Mayor Sanders and Governor Schwarzenegger – all friends of the Life Science community. While we understand that some may perceive this as a challenge to their individual or religious belief, we think that it is essential for life science leaders to take a stand on the side of business, just like we did for stem cell research, and not allow other states to be more competitive than California.

In today’s economy we cannot afford to lose the potential of a single job or company. If Proposition 8 should pass, we believe the Life Science industry will become less competitive to attract both companies and talented employees who may have to relinquish their rights to move to California under the amended constitution.

California has a unique concentration of extraordinary universities, teaching hospitals, research facilities, venture capital, and talent, spurred by a tradition of entrepreneurialism and equality that provides a strong foundation for Life Science companies. These strengths have brought thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investments to San Diego.

As Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said “We cannot afford to rest on our laurels. Competitor states are investing billions to attract our researchers, institutions, and industries.” In today’s global competitive environment, rest assured that Massachusetts and others countries will exploit Proposition 8 to their advantage if it passes on November 4th.

We all want for San Diego to continue to be a leading region with a vibrant, diverse and healthy life science community. Equality is a critical issue for business that we represent and care about and we hope that we will be able to count on your support for a No on prop 8!

Sincerely,Life Science Leaders

Detailed article seen in today’s issue of San Diego’s Union-Tribune http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20081029-9999-1b29prop8.html

NYC Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo a Success!

2008-10-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who recently attended our Same Love, Same Rights GLBTQ Wedding Expo at the Riverside Church in Manhattan on Sunday October 19th! The event was bubbling with a diversity of attendees, advocates and allies and couples were grateful to be able to find wedding, travel and home-related businesses ready and willing to work with them with utter respect and joyfulness.

Despite ongoing concerns from vendors about the financial crunch and its impact on the wedding industry, the atmosphere for the day was upbeat, optimistic and filled with excitement given the recent legislation in New York regarding the portability of couples' married status from other states (such as Massachusetts, California and now Connecticut!)

It was an honor for the team from RainbowWeddingNetwork and Same Love, Same Rights to visit the historic Riverside Church, to meet so many wonderful people and to hear the diverse stories of couples from the immediate locale and well beyond Manhattan itself. One couple in attendance was from Sweden!

The upcoming 2009 calendar for the Same Love, Same Rights GLBTQ Wedding Expos is now in its planning stages. If you have a request for us to visit your city, let us know! We always love to hear from you-

editor@rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com
866.251.1564, toll-free

'Go Green' with an online subscription to RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine and 20% will be contributed to defeat California's Proposition 8! Just $9.95 for the year! www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

New York City Gay Wedding Expo

2008-10-09T06:43:00.000-07:00

Same Love, Same Rights Visits New York City!

Just about one week before our Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo at the Riverside Church in Manhattan! RainbowWeddingNetwork.com and the Same Love, Same Rights team is very excited about heading back to New York this Fall, this time with a full event for the local community there.

The GLBTQ Wedding Expo will be FREE to attend, on Sunday October 19th from 1:30-4:30pm and will feature over 50 screened, gay-friendly businesses, music, samples, tips, presentations and a short fashion segment.

Sponsored in part by Marriage Equality New York, the event will be not only a celebration of same-sex marriage equality, but also a rally to bring the community together in striving for broader rights.

To view photos and video from past events, visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/.

We look forward to meeting you in person on October 19th!

California Gay Marriage Update –

2008-09-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

From the Los Angeles Times 9/23/2008:
The campaigns for and against Proposition 8 have raised a combined $30 million, with donations given in support of the proposed ban on gay marriage running considerably ahead of those to the opposition.

So my thought when reading this article was why we would waste 30 million dollars to try to stop two people from getting married! What a waste of time, energy and financial resources. According to today’s article Proposition 8 could be the most expensive measure on social issues in history.

But the sad truth is that the conservatives have their followers so afraid that if two people of the same gender get married their own quality of life as they know it will disappear. So the financial donations are just rolling in and unfortunately the LGBTQi community is not keeping up.

This week the television ads have started running to try to frame the voters’ perspective on this issue… and now we get to wait and see if fear will override love, tolerance and acceptance.

Cindy Sproul co-founder
www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
www.SameLoveSameRights.com

GO GREEN with RAINBOW WEDDING NETWORK MAGAZINE
Subscribe today to the Nation’s First-Ever Gay & Lesbian Wedding Magazine!
GO GREEN Special just $9.95 for one full year’s subscription and a $2.00 Donation will go to the Same Love, Same Rights Campaign!
Visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

My November Election Story…Cindy Sproul Co-Founder of Rainbow Wedding Network & the Same Love, Same Rights® Campaign

2008-09-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

My story follows the so called American Dream: Find the love of your life, your soulmate, fall in love, raise a family, live by the rules, teach your children right and wrong and how important it is to respect their fellow citizens, be a good steward of the earth and work hard and with integrity so that you can continue to fulfill that American Dream.

Well, quite happily, I can report that I’ve found my life partner. We married not once but twice, once in 2000 in the state of Georgia, which had no legal recognition, and once this past July in California, legal only in California and when we got on the plane to fly home no longer was our marriage recognized in the state of North Carolina.

My partner and I have a beautiful and thriving two year old daughter. She happens to be adopted, and we were lucky enough to be there in the hospital room watching as she came into this world. –With tears of absolute joy and awe we were there to be the first ones to cradle her in our arms.

Everyday we make the choice to alternate hours at work so one of us is always home with her, one of us is with her at the weekly storytime group to sing and dance with the other toddlers and parents. Since we are both active stay-home moms and run our full time business this means working late night hours or endless weekends and running on little sleep. But we love being parents and we love the time we spend with our daughter as a family and watching her as she grows and learns about this world of ours.

And consequently, my hope for the 2008 election is a simple one: That we elect a President who believes in my family and supports a policy of tolerance and equality, so that one day I can become my daughter’s legally recognized parent. So that, for her sake, she can be more fully protected as a child with two legal parents; so that I can enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that the same equal rights and responsibilities apply to me as apply to other parents all across this country. Currently, my partner is our daughter’s official adoptive mom - because of the current laws we had to make tough decisions on how we would execute our adoption... like who could pass for ‘not being gay’ if that came up in court.

Being a parent and having absolutely no legal rights to your child makes you look at the world a little differently.

You see I have always played by the rules, worked hard to make a good living, bought my first house at a young age, never had so much as a speeding ticket, enjoyed my passion for photography, found my life partner, got married, had a child... but if my partner is away on a trip and my daughter needs medical care I could be placed in an awkward position. Even though we have all the legal documents in order the thought still crosses my mind; there still is a very valid worry that my little girl might need me and I might be forced not to be there for her.

This is the reason why eight years ago we created RainbowWeddingNetwork.com . Well before gay marriage was in the political spotlight... and we’ve expanded to offer so much more through our company today, including the hard work we do everyday in striving for Equal Rights in Marriage thru our Same Love, Same Rights® campaign.

The time is now for all of us to come together as a community and work for Equality in Marriage and Family Rights. Everyday when I’m home with our daughter I’m filled with the joys of being a parent and, in ways, it is a constant reminder of how much harder I have to work for Equality in order to really live the American Dream. The first step of course is to make sure everyone we know is registered to vote and then make sure they go out on Election Day and take that important Action!

My partner and I, with our full-time schedules and our active toddler in tow, will without a doubt be there in November to stand in line and commit our Votes. –Rain or shine, gas prices notwithstanding, whether we feel well or not, no matter what the polls are predicting... We will cast our Votes. Please join us and commit to Making a Difference in 2008!

Cindy Sproul co-founder
www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com
www.SameLoveSameRights.com

Raise your voice for Equality! Share you reasons for voting in November…

2008-09-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

We have less than 50 days until the November election! At the Same Love, Same Rights® campaign our focus is on the issues concerning Marriage, Adoption and Family Rights. But members of the LGBTQ community all across America vary as to their own concerns – each of us has our own reasons why the 2008 election is so very important. …And we want to hear your story!

By sharing our views and standing together, our concerns within the LGBTQ community become more cohesive and therefore can more directly impact this election. JOIN US!

Environmental Issues, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Hate Crimes Legislation, Equality in Marriage, Second-Parent Adoptions, Foreign Policy, Separation of Church and State, Education, Women’s Rights, Hate Crimes Legislation...

Upload your Story or Blog entry in our online Forum at www.SameLoveSameRights.com. You can even add a URL link to your Vlog so site visitors can view your own YouTube or IMGay.tv video! Then, keep checking the site to view other new posts – share info, get inspired and motivated. We’ll include the most compelling stories in our upcoming issue of RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine… and we’ll send updated post data onto the candidates as November approaches.

Raise your voice for Equality! Visit www.SameLoveSameRights.com

Are you an Undecided Voter? Take the Poll...

2008-09-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

With the November elections just 57 days away and the current polls show a virtual tie for the Presidential race are you still undecided about who you will vote for?

Yes

No

Visit www.SameLoveSameRights.com and take the quick poll.

Your friends at Rainbow Wedding Network

GO GREEN with RAINBOW WEDDING NETWORK MAGAZINE
Subscribe today to the Nation’s First-Ever Gay & Lesbian Wedding Magazine!
GO GREEN Special just $9.95 for one full year’s subscription and a $2.00 Donation will go to the Same Love, Same Rights Campaign!
Visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Perception, Discrimination & Fear - A Reminder for Gay Voters

2008-09-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

It's true, our outlook on life and the world around us is based on our own Perception. And, whether we like to stay on top of it or not, that Perception always boils down to be our own responsibility.

I'd like to take a moment to point out one of the very important basic differences between today's Republican Party & Democratic Party. Each bases its policies and platform on the outlook it chooses to convey about human nature, our society and what's best for America.

Here's the story in a nutshell... (and yes, it may be a little oversimplified, but I want to keep this blog relatively short!) OK, if you do any reading at all, then you know that the modern conservative movement in America bases its ideals on the patriarchal system. And their idea of the 'Patriarch' is a male figure that is a strict disciplinarian, one who loves his children but doles out positive reinforcement as he sees fit. Further, the conversatives definitely believe in Good and Evil, in a very cut and dry sort of way.

-This leads to a set of policies that is based on the idea that there is a limited amount of 'goodies' to be handed down to the average people (because the patriarch/God/Universe/Earth) has a limited supply or is only willing to allow his children to have so much based on his own sentiments... Furthermore, the conservatives believe that we must fear our patriarch, because he is the one in control. And we must generally fear the evil in the world. -Well again, this is a simplified overview, but it's the basics.

Well the conservatives control the Republican Party right now, so -and if you watched the Republican National Convention then you know this is true- the Republicans today base their platform and policy-making on the concepts of: LIMITATION, FEAR and a SINGLE LEADER
(preferably with male qualities, yes - even Gov Palin qualifies!)

Hmmm...

John McCain and others of his party love to flaunt the fact that they belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln. Not so true. Time has passed, Republicanism in America has changed drastically.

That leads us to the dogma & Perceptions of the Democratic Party. Again, in a nutshell... Today's more liberal thinkers may believe in a God -perhaps even one with male qualities- but they do not believe that he is a patriarch. They believe in that father-figure who loves and supports his children in a way that allows them to grow to believe in themselves, reach for their own potential, and he feels that his role as disciplinarian is so that he can instill in his children the successful skills they will need to function in society and live a fulfilling and productive life. The liberals today also continue to believe that others around them may not believe the very same thing: that old division of 'Church & State' which was once so important here in the United States...

Now if you watched any of the Democratic National Convention a couple weeks ago, then you know that the Democrats spoke from a very different place than the Republicans. The Democrats today base their platform and policy-making on far different ideals: OPTIMISM, COOPERATION, MEETING COMMON GROUND. They do not believe in giving hand-outs to those unwilling to pull their own weight, but they do believe that every human wants to live a fulfilling and productive life, and sometimes each of us needs a little help in order to do that. ...Therefore the ideas behind modernized HEALTHCARE and EQUAL EDUCATION for all AMERICANS.

As I said, Perception has much to do with everything about our daily lives. I urge you to consider what your daily life presents for you when you wake up in the morning and roll out of bed with an attitude of Limitation and Fear. -And how does it feel to wake up and greet the day with an attitude of Optimism, Self-Empowerment and Commonality?

America does have the tools and opportunities in place so that it can be a very different place for each of us in the years ahead. Let's make that choice in November!!

Marianne Puechl, co-founder and senior editor
http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/

http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/
http://www.samelovesamerights.com/
866.251.1564
rwneditor@gmail.com

29% of Democratic Voters Say NO to Legal Recognition of Same Gender Marriage

2008-09-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

On Monday the New York Times and CBS released a poll that asked Republicans and Democrats their views on many issues. Along with how they approved of President Bush’s handling of his job as President to the national economy and the environment they also asked, ‘Should gay couples be allowed to marry legally, be allowed to form civil unions, or should there be no legal recognition?’

To my amazement 29% of Democratic voters said NO to legal recognition. How can we be 60 days from the November elections and yet we have done such an incomplete job in educating society - or at least the Democratic Party - about the issues concerning equal rights in marriage??

Here at Rainbow Wedding Network we work everyday to provide the largest LGBT wedding resource and over the past 8 years we have seen and heard almost everything in regard to this hot button topic. From having to move our office and home a couple of times to stay one step ahead of the death threats and enduring the pile of hate mail and hate email; to speaking with couples while they tell us about their nightmare of experiencing discrimination when it came time to hire businesses to provide services for their wedding day. All along this journey we would justify the discrimination and threats as coming from the far, far right conservative movement.

But from the poll numbers of 57% of Republican Voters and 29% of Democratic Voters, we still see today that in their opinion we deserve NO recognition! -That is nearly 1 in every 3 Democrats!

Once again I find myself wanting to jump on my soapbox and tell the community to get up off that couch and out of those suburbs and find their voice about this important issue. Have you noticed that gay marriage is not talked about on the Presidential campaign trail? Well, we have not decided that it is important enough for us to demand that our candidate makes a choice to support us as a community and as a minority. Obviously, we are not claiming our own identity as a powerful minority in this country, and that is our own failing... not the failing of those 29% or 57% of other voters out there...

While I could find myself ranting about the LGBT community being complacent I will just simply leave you with the numbers and you can digest them for yourself.

Here is the polling question:

Should gay couples be allowed to marry legally, be allowed to form civil unions, or should there be no legal recognition?

Republican Voters: Marry – 11% Civil Unions – 28% No Recognition – 57%
Democratic Voters: Marry – 49% Civil Unions – 19% No Recognition – 29%

Are you ready to Make a Difference but don’t know how to get started?

Visit us on http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ and leave us your thoughts, forward this message to your friends, add a Same Love, Same Rights web banner on your myspace page. We look forward to having you join us on this journey.

Cindy Sproul co-owner
http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

GO GREEN with RAINBOW WEDDING NETWORK MAGAZINE
Subscribe today to the Nation’s First-Ever Gay & Lesbian Wedding Magazine!
GO GREEN Special just $9.95 for one full year’s subscription and a $2.00 Donation will go to the Same Love, Same Rights Campaign!
Visit http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/

How many LGBTQi Citizens are there in the U.S.? Be Counted in the Survey!

2008-08-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the 2000 census estimates that gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens only make up 1.51 % of the population? Which translates into 4,300,000 people in the U.S.

We believe there are more of us then the numbers reflect ~ so help us as we compile the correct number of LGBTQi citizens by taking this quick survey.

This survey is provided by www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com & Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine.

Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine will print the results of this survey in the upcoming issue due out in November!

Simply click on the link below…
http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/TakeSurvey?id=502467

Honoring a Lesbian Rights Activist…

2008-08-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we learned of the passing of Del Martin- as an out lesbian I took a moment this morning and said a little word of thanks to her and her partner of 55 years Phyllis Lyon for paving the way for all of us in the LGBT community.

In 1953, homosexuality was illegal in most states and it was still many years before the Stonewall Riots would take place. …Imagine a world where being homosexual was against the law, raids on gay bars or gathering places were frequent and expected!
Being an out lesbian or gay man in your work place, with your friends or family was unheard of and very dangerous. This was the atmosphere when Del and Phyllis became activists for the lesbian community. The list of their accomplishments is so long and they made such a profound impact on everyday equality; they fought for rights that the LGBT community now enjoys and unfortunately sometimes takes for granted.

Imagine in 1956 being one of the eight founders of Daughters of Bilitis, America's first lesbian rights group… and in the 1960’s leading the way to have the American Psychiatric Association take homosexuality off its list of mental disorders. This amazing couple continued working on behalf of the community throughout the decades, being the first couple to be officially married in California not once but twice by Mayor Newsom.

So how can we pay tribute to such an incredible woman and to this incredible couple? We should never forget that we have many of the freedoms we enjoy today because they risked so much in a time when it would have been easier to sit back in the shadows and let someone else take the lead for equality. It’s now our turn to pave the way for the next generation within the LGBT community and continue to work for equal rights in marriage for all same-sex couples and live our lives as out and active members of the community. …To not just sit idly by and wait for others in the community to take the lead, to do our part big or small, to volunteer, to donate, to vote. It’s 2008, it’s time for all 19 million of us to stand up and say ‘Enough is enough!’ and that we demand equal rights in marriage and we will do the hard work necessary to make equality a reality.

One day I had hoped to meet these courageous women and to say thank you… So today I say Thank You to Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon! Thank you for never giving up on Equality and never giving up on us the generations that follow you and for believing that change can happen. Because of your hard work and determination today I live a life as an out and active lesbian with my wonderful partner and our beautiful daughter and we live in a world that was paved by your bravery and accomplishments!

Now it’s our turn…how will YOU Make a Difference?

Cindy Sproul co-owner
www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
Same Love, Same Rights Campaign

GO GREEN with RAINBOW WEDDING NETWORK MAGAZINE
Subscribe today to the Nation’s First-Ever Gay & Lesbian Wedding Magazine!
GO GREEN Special just $9.95 for one full year’s subscription and a $2.00 Donation will go to the Same Love, Same Rights Campaign!
Visit www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Talking to your family and friends about Voting!!

2008-08-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

Recently I had an amazing birthday party. I invited over all of my closes friends, set out food, planned the music selection, and created a survey. I wanted to know how many of my friends are registered to vote and who will actually be voting this November.

The results were interesting. I found out that all of my friends are registered to vote. I find that very exciting. Everyone should vote! The disappointing part was finding out that two of my friends, although they are registered to vote, won’t be voting this November.

One said “she just was too uninformed and indecisive.” This is our next President we are voting for! This is very important. She needs to be getting informed. She needs to take the time and do the research on both the candidates. Many, many generations will be studying this election for years to come. We had our first female presidential candidate run as well as our first African American presidential candidate. We are making history, why wouldn’t someone want to be a part of that?

The second friend said she wasn’t voting “because they all suck.” Well on that statement alone I could go on for ever, but I will make this short. Even if you don’t like any of the nominees, who do you feel will do less damage to the country? That to me seems like a lazy cop out. By not voting at all, you may be handing the election to the candidate that will hurt our country in many was. Do research; figure out which one is closer to your views. Then you will be able to say “yes I voted; I made a difference.”

I will be having a few follow up conversations with these friends to tell them all the important reasons to vote. We should all be able to talk to our family and friends about voting. I did this survey in the middle of my birthday party. -It is that important to me. I want people to talk about their views and discuss different things that they learned. It’s not about convincing them to vote for the person I like the most; it’s about convincing them to VOTE! We as a society should be able to talk to our family and friends about voting.

There are many simple things you can do to talk about it. I picked my birthday because I would have everyone in the same room. You can throw a cook-out; you could have a game night with your friends, or plan a picnic. It’s a great way to be able to spend time with your friends and talk about voting in a non-threatening environment. You want to present it casually. “I was just curious” is always a good statement. Then your friends won’t go to a defensive place on the subject and you can have an open and honest conversation.

So the next time you and your friends get together, remember to talk to them. You may be surprised to hear what they have to say.

Amanda Hager, Community Outreach Coordinator and Senior Admin
www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

Action Alert LGBTQi Community…

2008-08-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Action Alert LGBTQi Community…

As you may have read today The Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon has recently passes a law that they would recognize same-sex marriage.
How exciting to see the first Native American Tribe embrace equal rights in marriage so we are asking that you take a moment and send The Coquille Indian Tribe leaders an email to show our support for their decision.

As you may know the Rainbow Wedding Network team uploads a daily VLOG on http://www.imgay.tv/ and today we were discussing how many emails the far right conservatives were probably sending to The Tribal Leaders and we want to make sure that their opposition is not the only voice that is heard. So today our challenge is to simply write an email of thanks to The Coquille Indian Tribe for standing up for equality and becoming the first Native American Tribe to recognize same-sex marriage.

Here is the link to The Coquille Indian Tribe http://www.coquilletribe.org/

You can check out The Rainbow Wedding Network and The Same Love, Same Rights Team’s daily Vlogs on http://www.ig.tv/

Don’t forget to visit these LGBTQi Wedding Resources –

http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/ Since 2000 the Trusted LGBTQi online Wedding Resource
http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/ The only nationwide LGBTQi Wedding Magazine
Visit us in NYC on October 19, 2008 for the LGBTQi Wedding Expo at the Riverside Church more information on http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

Same-Sex Wedding Expos Tour New York State

2008-08-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Wedding Network
Amanda Hager, correspondent
(866) 251-1564
http://www.SameLoveSameRights.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2008

Same-Sex Wedding Expos Tour New York State

The national gay & lesbian wedding resource, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, has announced that the company will produce two GLBTQ Wedding Expos in New York this Fall, in celebration of Gov. Paterson’s recent ruling in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages from other states. The Expos will also include the Same Love, Same Rights® Mobile Marriage Summit, an interactive forum to motivate and educate attendees about the potential threats to pro-gay legislation, as well as innovative ways to enact real change all across America concerning marriage and family equality. The Expos will be held in October in Manhattan and Long Island. Each event is free for the public to attend.

Asheville, NC - RainbowWeddingNetwork.com celebrates the recent motion by New York Governor David Paterson toward greater tolerance in his state, adding two events to its Fall calendar focused on supporting same-sex couples throughout the New York area as they plan for their weddings. Preparations are well underway for two back-to-back GLBTQ Wedding Expos in Manhattan and Long Island. Over forty local wedding vendors will participate in each event who actively support equal rights in marriage. Other highlights will include Music, Fashion, Planning Tips, Samples and Informative Presentations about the issues concerning equality in marriage and adoption for the GLBTQ community. Admission is free, and all supporters of non-discrimination are encouraged to attend.

“This is a precedent,” says Marianne Puechl, co-owner of RainbowWeddingNetwork.com. “It’s a joyful time for couples who are residents of New York; they now feel more fully accepted as citizens under the law. They may travel out-of-state for their legal ceremony but they’ll return home for their large-scale wedding and reception. The fact that they now have access to the full rights and responsibilities of marriage, despite state borders, is a true milestone. It’s cause for celebration, and certainly time to bring real planning resources to couples throughout the state.” Puechl and her partner Cindy Sproul launched RainbowWeddingNetwork.com in 2000. To date, the company has produced 23 Expos all across America. Puechl continues, "This decision will have broad economic impact for New York, and help boost the wedding industry there considerably. We look forward to being a part and bridging couples with gay-friendly wedding professionals throughout the state.”

The two events in New York this October will include RainbowWeddingNetwork's new initiative, the Same Love, Same Rights® Mobile Marriage Summit. A rally and open forum for the public, those attending will have the opportunity to share their ideas on the issues and learn new ways to get involved both at the state and national levels, to enact mass change in favor of equal rights for the GLBTQ minority. Other Same Love, Same Rights® Expos have been scheduled for 2008 in Atlanta, St. Petersburg, Philadelphia and four cities throughout California.

Expo attendees will have the chance to mingle with dozens of screened, gay-friendly wedding professionals, as well as those in the travel, gift and home-planning industries, such as realtors, lawyers and adoption agencies. Married & engaged guests will be invited to add a photograph to the Commitment Photo Album,™ an ongoing project to document GLBTQ couples and their families throughout the nation. The Manhattan event will also highlight a Fashion Show sponsored in part by Kyoto Kimono. Dates and venues for the October Expos are: Sunday October 19th from 1:30-4:30pm at the Riverside Church in NYC, and TBA in Long Island.

Launched in 2000, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com (RWN) has grown to become the most extensive wedding resource for the gay and lesbian community in the United States. RWN produced its first GLBTQ Wedding Expo in 2003 and released the national Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine in 2006. To date, RWN has produced twenty-three different events in twelve states.

For more information about nationwide events please visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ and for more same-sex wedding and marriage resources, visit http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/.

###

Celebrating CA's Same-Sex Marriage Decision

2008-08-14T08:06:00.001-07:00

California GLBTQ Wedding Expo Tour - A Success!

Well, for two weeks in July our devoted staff headed out to California for a whirlwind tour, producing four back-to-back-to-back-to-back (Whew!) GLBTQ Wedding Expos to celebrate the recent Supreme Court ruling there. What a fantastic trip! The Expos were well-attended, exhibitors had a productive experience, and attendees -couples and allies alike- were moved by the elegant tone and the diversity of resources available.

RainbowWeddingNetwork Founders, Cindy Sproul & Marianne Puechl, held their own commitment ceremony back in 2000 but decided to renew their vows and have a 'legally recognized' ceremony while in the Golden State. There on beautiful Zuma Beach, two Malibu Brides tied the knot once again on July 22nd. Dolphins playing in the surf added to the magic of the moment; it was an auspicious and heartfelt moment!

To see photos of the Expos, and to learn more about all our crazy travels, visit our Media Gallery on http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ and view our vlogs on http://www.imgay.tv/ .

More Soon!

Triumph in California!

2008-05-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - In a landmark ruling the California state Supreme Court today struck down an existing state-wide ban on gay marriage making California the second state to offer full marriage benefits to same-sex couples. This ruling could have profound impact on marriage recognition across the country as it now opens the door for gay couples outside the state to marry.

This news has understandably excited and energized the GLBTQ community and its supporters across the nation. An announcement on the website SameLoveSameRights.com, a site devoted to traveling nationwide gay marriage summits and wedding expos, states that the company will be traveling to California this summer and touring the state with three same-sex wedding expos. Additional details are to be announced.

A video blog on http://www.ig.tv/ from Cindy and Marianne Puechl-Sproul, co-founders of Same Love, Same Rights and the popular online GLBTQ wedding resource RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, exudes excitement and urges supporters across the nation to take action to help defend this ruling. The couple, who met in 1997 and then later married (term used loosely as their marriage was not legally recognized), created the company in 1999 as the first wedding registry for same-sex couples which also boasts an online directory of over 6,000 gay-friendly wedding, travel and home-related companies across North America. “The company was born of our own experiences as a lesbian couple seeking to have a ceremony, free from awkwardness and discrimination,” states Cindy. “We got married and it didn’t stop there, we realized that with acceptance as the issue, other same-sex couples needed our help.”

The three GLBTQ Expos in California are scheduled for Sunday July 13th in San Francisco @ the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway... for Wednesday July 23rd at the Japanese Gardens at CSU in Long Beach... and plans are underway for an event in Los Angeles by the end of that month.

For more info: http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

Love, Sex, Marriage & Cheating

2008-04-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

What a topic…recently I had a friend experience a relationship trauma - his partner of many years cheated on him. This brief affair by his boyfriend caught my friend by surprise and of course he had to process all the drama and emotions of ending the relationship, moving out of their shared home, finding a new place to live, etc. This is the nightmare most of us wish we never had to deal with, but from his experience was raised an interesting question and debate for the gay community.

My friend found out that his partner’s affair started with cyber-sex with another man, which eventually led into physical encounters where the cheating continued briefly before it was discovered by both of these men’s partners.

So here at Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine we wanted to ask the community their thoughts about Love, Sex, Marriage & Cheating. Now that we are all living in the global world and find ourselves connected via cell phones, text messaging, myspace, facebook, You Tube, the internet, chat rooms, etc.... just how accessible we are to each other everyday? Is this technology leading to more opportunities for one partner to stray?

So here is our debate…Reply in our online forum (on http://www.samelovesamerights.com/) and let’s hear the truth! Would you consider that your partner cheated on you if s/he had cyber-sex with another person?

Would you forgive your partner and continue a relationship with them if the cheating happened in the cyber-world versus a physical encounter?

Have you ever cheated on your partner via cyber-sex with another person?

Do you consider cyber-sex with another person a sexual encounter?

Would you question your sexual orientation as gay or lesbian, if you had a cyber encounter with a member of the other gender?

Let us know your thoughts! Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine will publish the results and some of your comments.

As always... Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine and Same Love, Same Rights® are working everyday for Equal Rights in Marriage. We need your help to spread the word about our growing organization. We are asking that you encourage your friends to join the Same Love, Same Rights® organization - it’s free to register!

Visit us at an upcoming GLBTQ Expo…Purchase a magazine subscription to Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine because 20% will be donated to the Same Love, Same Rights® campaign. Join us as a friend on myspace.com/RainbowWeddingNetwork .
Are you planning a wedding? Congratulations! ...Visit http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/ to find over 5000 screened gay friendly businesses ready and willing to work with the GLBTQ community. Since 2000 this lesbian-owned company has been the Trusted Resource for the you & your partner!

Visit us at an upcoming Same Love, Same Rights® Wedding Expo and Mobile Marriage Summit:
May 4, 2008 – St. Petersburg FL 12:30pm – 3:30pm Location: Hilton Bayfront Hotel, right in the heart of St. Petersburg, and FREE to attend!

October 19, 2008 –NYC 1:30pm – 4:30pm Location: The Riverside Church
Don’t miss this exciting event and please help us by spreading the word to your friends!

We look forward to hearing your responses to this interesting debate...

Your friends & family at Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine and the Same Love, Same Rights® Mobile Marriage Summit.

http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

Seattle's GLBTQ Wedding Expo

2008-03-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Join us in Seattle!

Sunday, April 6th from 12:30-3:30 - Our RainbowWeddingNetwork Wedding Expo and Same Love, Same Rights Mobile Marriage Summit will feature over 50, screened gay-friendly exhibitors (not just for weddings!)... ceremony planning tips... samples... music... presentations... and more! We'll gather in celebration and at the same time rally together for True Equality in Washington as well as throughout America.

The Expo is Free to Attend and will be held at the beautiful Seattle Marriott Waterfront (valet parking available.) It's RainbowWeddingNetwork's first-ever GLBTQ Wedding & Family Expo in the state of Washington; you won't want to miss it!

For all the details, visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ . See you on the 6th!

Oregon's Family Fairness Act

2008-01-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

January 30, 2008

To Our Friends & Allies:

Over the past few weeks, the team from RainbowWeddingNetwork.com has been doing our small part to educate citizens throughout the nation about the current situation regarding Oregon’s HB 2007 (The Family Fairness Act.) Through our sister initiative, Same Love, Same Rights®, we have circulated a pledge and offered a fundraising opportunity, to raise awareness and support on behalf of the very important work continued by Basic Rights Oregon and its allies to insure that equal rights prevail for all of Oregon’s citizens.

And recently, you chose to stand with us… and add your name to our pledge. Thank You.

Today is January 30th, the date of the rally organized by Basic Rights Oregon, and we are happy to report that we have submitted a copy of the pledge along with the 316 virtual signatures compiled from all across America. No doubt, this documented show of support will provide an added pulse of enthusiasm to the rally, and help to energize the advocates there in Oregon who are doing such excellent work on behalf of equality.

The response we’ve seen to the pledge has been impressive; in fact, it has been the most broadly circulated such document Same Love, Same Rights® has ever created. This speaks volumes to the fact that, in states all across America, advocates and allies are ready for a renewed sense of Activism and Tolerance. Again, we Thank You.

As for the fundraising opportunity, Same Love, Same Rights® offered that 20% of any purchase made over the past few weeks toward a subscription of RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine or a Same Love, Same Rights® lapel pin would in turn be presented to Basic Rights Oregon. A small amount has been raised to date; at this time we’d like to continue the fundraiser and invite those of you who have not yet done so to visit http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/ and http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ to participate. For every magazine subscription, $6 will be donated directly to Basic Rights Oregon… for every lapel pin sold, $1 will be donated.

We will continue to circulate both the pledge and the fundraiser through February 15, 2008. Again, your ongoing help is appreciated in posting this information through your MySpace or Facebook pages… or simply passing along the email to interested friends and family.
And the pledge itself follows:
January, 2008
We support Basic Rights Oregon and the GLBTQ community of Oregon in their ongoing fight to secure equal rights for all the state’s citizens. We stand with them during this struggle for equal treatment under the law, in striving to insure the rightful enactment of HB 2007 (The Family Fairness Act). In adding our names to this pledge we hereby show our active support and encouragement, and send our gratitude in knowing that their actions will lead to a higher level of equality not only in Oregon, but throughout the nation.Sincerely,The Undersigned

Our words to those volunteers at Basic Rights Oregon and their advocates were as follows, as we submitted the signatures and formally let them know that tonight we join them in spirit at the rally: “Here at RainbowWeddingNetwork.com and Same Love, Same Rights®, we applaud the ongoing efforts of your organization on behalf of the GLBTQ community. We wish you continued success as a vital group of advocates striving for those highest goals of Tolerance, Peace and Equality.”

May 2008 highlight a bright renewal of these tenets for each of us, all across America.

Warm Regards,

Cindy Sproul & Marianne Puechl, founders
And the Staff & Family of
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com / Same Love, Same Rights®

Visit us at the next Same Love Same Rights Mobile Marriage Summit: All Events are Free to Attend and will include the famous and fun Same Love Same Rights LGBT Wedding Expo! Help spread the word about these events to your family and friends! Visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ for all the details.

Atlanta GA – The King Plow Center February 24, 2008 12:30pm – 5:00pm

Seattle WA – The Marriott Waterfront Downtown April 6, 2008 12:30pm- 3:30pm

St. Petersburg FL – Hilton St. Petersburg Bay Front May 4, 2008 12:30pm – 3:30pm

New York City NY – Riverside Church October 19, 2008 1:00pm -4:00pm

Gay Civil Rights… Where is our Dr. King for the LGBT community?

2008-01-18T15:20:00.000-08:00

Who has the power to create change?

My answer to that question is… it is up to each of us, as individuals, to create change. It is up to the LGBT minority and our advocates to force our issues into the mainstream media and into the minds of society.

We do this by marching on the streets for Equal Rights in Marriage. We do this by signing pledges to stand up and make our voices heard against attacks from the far right conservatives. We do this by uniting as a community!

Where is our Dr. King… As a community, why do we lack a sense of cohesiveness and why have we allowed ourselves, as a minority, to be integrated so much into the straight world? Have we let our sense of pride dissolve since Stonewall?

Today we are in need of a Wake-Up Call To Action; in a way that is the gift that the far right conservatives give to us. We need every LGBTQ person to stand up and say, “Enough is enough! We will not stand by and watch our rights continue to be overlooked… we will not continue to be the object of outrageous stereotypes… We will not sit passively and accept the small steps given to us just to keep us content.”

The team of RainbowWeddingNetwork.com created its new initiative, http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ and the Same Love, Same Rights Mobile Marriage Summit to be a lively forum – a place in which the community can join together and talk about the issues of Equal Rights in Marriage and adoption laws, and more. If you are ready to work for change then join us online! Become a member today and share your views.

Do you have a MySpace or Facebook page? Become a member of the Same Love, Same Rights 2008 Campaign for Change!

How do you get involved?… Simply add our Same Love, Same Rights banner to your MySpace or Facebook page and encourage your friends to do the same.
Visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=17 and choose the banner you want to display.

Let us hear from you…after you add the banner post a forum on http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ and tell us about yourself and why you want to Make a Difference in 2008!

Who has the power to create change? We do….

Remember, just as Dr. King served our country, in his charge to secure Equal Rights… we must do the same. It is not only our right to strive for equality; it is our responsibility. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Cindy Sproul
http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/
http://www.samelovesamerights.com/

Congratulations, Iowa!

2008-01-04T07:38:00.001-08:00

The message of the Caucuses last night was loud and clear: Americans want dramatic change. Even in the heartland, where the population represents as little diversity as can be found in America, voters came out in record numbers to stand up for their candidates.

In their choice for Mike Huckabee, Iowa Republicans cited a recharged interest in values far more conservative than those of the current Bush administration.

The Iowa Democrats, it might be said, had a challenging choice to make: The top three candidates all proclaimed their intent for definitive ‘Change’ should they be elected.
The first truly viable female Presidential candidate?... The candidate who successfully battled seemingly indefatigable corporate interests time and again in the courtroom?... Or the candidate who stood for renewed hope in America, perhaps the first-ever truly viable African American candidate?

Again, with record numbers in attendance at the Caucuses, the Iowa Democrats clearly made their choice. There was no 3-way tie, and no question about the fact that even in a state that is more than 95% white, Americans today have no qualms about supporting a candidate who is not-white; a candidate who many believe has years -perhaps decades- less political experience; a candidate who speaks not only about the hard facts but also about the softer qualities as well - Hope, Teamwork, believing in Optimism instead of fear-tactics.

This was a courageous move by the Iowans. Voters in the heartland have now given the rest of us, throughout the nation, reason to Stop and Re-acquaint ourselves with the issues that matter, and the vision we truly wish to hold for our country.

Important! Take part in our Same Love, Same Rights voters’ poll! The people of Iowa voted, who would you vote for if the election was held today and what LGBTQi issues are most important to you? Be Counted and take the survey…click here for the link http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/TakeSurvey?id=423100

Most importantly please forward to your family and friends help us reach the LGBTQi community. We will report the final tally and send your thoughts to each of the candidates.

Visit these exciting websites:

http://www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com/ Since 2000 the trusted LGBTQi wedding resource.

http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/ The only nationwide LGBTQi wedding magazine. Subscribe today and 20% will be donated to the Same Love Same Rights Mobile Marriage Summit.

http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ The fast growing political organization working for Equal Rights in Marriage.

East Coast Event: Atlanta, GA February 24, 2008 12:00pm – 5:00pm The King Plow Center – Always FREE to attend! Visit us during the 4th annual LGBT Wedding & Family Expo

West Coast Event: Seattle, WA April 6, 2008 12:30pm- 3:30pm Marriott Downtown Waterfront – Always FREE to attend! Visit us during the LGBT Wedding & Family Expo. Visit http://www.samelovesamerights.com/ for more details

Live VLOGS from RainbowWeddingNetwork Staff

2007-11-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for a little fun and adventure?!...

The Staff of Rainbow Wedding Network will open their offices for you to take a peek at how we work for the LGBT community. We're vlogging live!

Once you get to know the staff you will understand and enjoy the dramas that we face on a weekly basis. From death threats because we offer the only nationwide LGBT wedding magazine, to cold calling businesses all across the U.S. to introduce the magazine and ask that they consider advertising with us... (You can keep a count of how many times the phone gets slammed down in our ears.) ...To the internal dramas of having an office full of queers... nothing more to say about that! And watch us in action as we work to bring the Same Love, Same Rights Mobile Marriage Summit to a new city.

Here is how it will work... we will upload new videos through You Tube, at http://www.youtube.com/rainbowira . (And coming soon as well to http://www.imgay.tv/) We want you to respond by sending us your video responses and your thoughts. This will be an interactive reality show that will evolve over the next several months... and you can be involved!

Our first interoffice debate came after the ENDA legislation was passed in the House of Representatives. Take a look at the videos and then post your response and your thoughts about ENDA. Was it a good bill or do we need to start over and include all of our LGBTQ citizens? We want to hear from you - so post your response today!

And when you are finished take part in our ENDA survey... just click on the link below.

http://internetmailmanager.com/i/ou.htm?a=141261&b=1019357&c=7222893&d=http:~~www.surveyconsole.com~console~TakeSurveyid=409155

All the best,

Cindy Puechl-Sproul
Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine
Same Love, Same Rights

GLBTQ Mobile Marriage Summit Launched

2007-10-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

GLBTQ Mobile Marriage Summit off to a great start!

The Same Love, Same Rights Mobile Marriage Summit was launched in August at our GLBTQ Wedding & Family Expo in Tenafly, NJ. Another Summit followed, October 7th in Portland, OR, where business owners, couples, gay rights activists and allies gathered to join in celebration of the pending domestic partnership legislation... while also rallying for True Equality in Oregon.

Presentations were offered by Beth Allen of Allen2 Law, by Basic Rights Oregon, and by Cindy and Marianne Puechl-Sproul, the founders of RainbowWeddingNetwork and the Same Love, Same Rights Initiative.

"It was really an inspiring afternoon," raved one couple, who were in the planning stages of their own ceremony. Others offered similar comments, sharing a feeling of re-energized motivation to get involved with the important issues surrounding marriage equality.

The Mobile Marriage Summit is traveling the nation, and coming soon to a city near you!
Portsmouth, NH: October 21, 2007
Atlanta, GA: February 24, 2008
Seattle, WA: April 6, 2008
Check out the website for all event information: www.samelovesamerights.com .

The "No-Brainer" Fundraiser for Equal Rights

2007-08-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

The "No-Brainer" Fundraiser!
Get involved... Help to make Equal Rights Inevitable!

We've just kicked things off with our new Mobile Marriage Summit, the nation's interactive rally for equal rights in marriage. The Summit was launched August 12th in Tenafly, NJ and upcoming events are scheduled for Portland (10/07/07) and Portsmouth, NH (10/21/07). Online, the Mobile Marriage Summit provides an interactive forum, the Commitment Photo Album, grassroots action steps to enact real change, legal updates and more.

Simply put, we're bringing the issue of Equal Rights in Marriage back to the hands of the individuals. And together, we can make it happen!

Join the "No-Brainer" Fundraiser! For your contribution of $8... you'll help the Mobile Marriage Summit grow even stronger; in exchange we'll send you a courtesy copy of RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine, the nation's first & only full color glossy dedicated to LGBT Weddings & Families.

Click here for the "No-Brainer" Fundraiser:
http://www.rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/eq/

Or, check out our new sister site at www.SameLoveSameRights.com to find out all the other fabulous details. ...See you online!

National Rally for GLBTQ Equality

2007-06-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Check out our new Mobile Marriage Summit!

RainbowWeddingNetwork is proud to announce the launch of our new, national Rally for Equality. Join us at our upcoming GLBTQ Wedding Expo in Tenafly, NJ August 12, 2007 to see what the Mobile Marriage Summit is all about---

We're bringing the decision-making and the work toward Equal Marriage Rights back to the individuals of America... Join us and Make a Difference!

For all the details...

www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com

www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Fourth Annual GLBTQ Wedding Expo in Cambridge

2007-03-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Harvard Square, MA

Sunday

April 1, 2007

You won't be a Fool for joining us at the Fourth Annual "Same Love, Same Rights" GLBT Wedding & Family Expo! A tradition since 2004, this elegant event boasts two DJ emcees, fashion modeled by the Ironsides Rugby Team and enchanting historic ballrooms filled with local wedding vendors, as well as resources for creating your home together or growing your family.

This year once again we'll join together in celebrating the Goodridge Decision, and the joy of couples throughout the state who have married since 2004.

Check out the archived event pages from past Cambridge Expos, or visit our Photo Gallery, to see just what awaits you and your partner this April at the Sheraton Commander on Harvard Square. www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com/Event%20Pages/%20Boston%202007/BOSTON_07.htm

Family Planning Workshop for Gay & Lesbian Couples

2007-02-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

Family Planning Workshop for Gay and Lesbian Couples Presented by MEGA Family Project at Same Love, Same Rights™ Wedding and Family Expo

Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN), the country’s most established online GLBT wedding registry, visits the Atlanta area each year in February to produce the Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo. Hosted by the Holiday Inn Decatur, Sunday February 25, 2007 marks Rainbow Wedding Network’s third year in the Atlanta region. Community sponsor Marriage Equality Georgia Family Project (MEGA) joins RWN to present a two-hour workshop entitled Creating a Family: Choices for Prospective LGBT Parents.

The Expo will be held from 12 pm until 5 pm on Sunday February 25th. A private conference room has been reserved for the MEGA workshop, which is scheduled between 1 pm and 3 pm. MEGA has developed the workshop to be one of the most comprehensive resources for prospective parents to explore the options available to LGBT people in Georgia. A panel of experts will address issues such as adoption (international and domestic), donor insemination, surrogacy, and the legal and psychological issues facing potential parents. Participants will also have the opportunity to speak with professionals in detail about specific situations and concerns.
In addition to the workshop, attendees will have the chance to visit the Third Annual Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo. The event is free to the public and features over 50 wedding, travel, gift and home-related vendors. Visitors to the Expo will enjoy food, DJ’s, giveaways, live music and a sexy Valentine’s fashion show sponsored by Aphrodite’s Toy Box. Children and visiting parents will also have free access to the Kids' Room to watch movies and use art supplies.

Seating for the Creating A Family workshop is limited. Interested couples and individuals can register in advance on the MEGA web site or contact executive director Kathy Kelly at Kathy@megafamilyproject.org or 404-808-3350. For more information on the Third Annual Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo visit www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com or contact event coordinator Sarah Benoit at RWNSarah@bellsouth.net or 828-251-4544.

RainbowWeddingNetwork Gives Back

2006-11-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

RainbowWeddingNetwork has always been an active member of the community from the grassroots level to our support of various national equality organizations. Nothing is more exciting than when we get the opportunity to give back to our community. Part of that is giving our couples and various subscribers the opportunity to invest in their own communities and local organizations who are leading the fight for equality every single day.

Earlier this year we introduced the opportunity for subscribers to give back 20% of their subscription fee from RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine to one of our many participating equality organizations. It’s a chance to get involved and take a stand while letting us do the footwork. If any of you out there have been contemplating subscribing, now is a great time because not only will you get all the best GLBTQ wedding resources RWN has to offer you’ll have the chance to do something you can feel good about and take part in making a difference.

2006 has been an exciting year for RainbowWeddingNetwork and its couples. With several GLBTQ Wedding Expos, the introduction of the Nation’s First GLBTQ Wedding and Family Magazine and the continued growth of RainbowWeddingNetwork.com to over 6,000 GLBTQ-Friendly Businesses, we continue to be proud to provide a bridge for couples, advocates and businesses to find one another.

If you’re interested in learning more about some the exciting things we have in store for the rest of 2006 and the coming year please visit our network of websites for more information.

RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
RainbowWeddingExpo.com
RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com

Holiday Engagements Popular for Gay & Lesbians

2006-10-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

Holiday Engagements are in the Air!

Many quiet whispers are buzzing this Autumn, as lovers prepare their plans for Popping the Question. As we attend various Festivals and events, we see the excitement firsthand - it's a wonderful time of year!

The upcoming Fall/Winter Issue of RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine speaks directly to this season of Engagements, with an in-depth look at options with regard to engagement jewelry... tips for planning the perfect moment to ask for your beloved's hand... and a fun Gift Guide to get you started with ideas for your registry selections!

And remember, by subscribing to RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine, 20% of your subscription rate will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice - that is $6 for every new subscription, presented directly to organizations such as: Marriage Equality USA, The William Way Center of Philadelphia, The Juno Foundation, Lambda Letter Project... and others. Check it out at http://rainbowweddingnetworkmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&amp;id=10&Itemid=8 .

The new issue of RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine will be available early November. Enjoy Your Holidays!

The Passion of Marriage Equality

2006-07-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

Letter from the Editor - "The Passion of Marriage Equality"
Marianne Puechl, senior editor & co-founder
RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine

I have quite a few favorite words, some less common than perhaps they should be in modern vocabulary: ‘Kaleidoscope,’ ‘Trailblazer,’ ‘Illumine,’ ‘Menagerie,’ ‘Jollification,’ ‘Imbroglio,’ ‘Gumption.’ ...The sound and the beat of them simply resonate.

Some of my favorites choreographed all together are the two hundred seventy-eight words that Abraham Lincoln wrote and delivered on that grey afternoon on November 19, 1863.

“...It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Without a doubt, these words resonate as well.

I keep them close: on my office wall, in the corner of my mind, sometimes in my back pocket like a road map. In the business of life and living, they can come in handy. In the business of marriage equality, they become a necessity.

Obviously, there are days when this country does not feel like our own. Recent posturing in the U.S. Senate and the rulings in the New York and Georgia supreme courts have once again shown that to be the case. But, as our foreparents and mentors have courageously modeled so many times before, to give in to cynicism is never the most productive stance. -Never the most peaceable either, in our own hearts or in the hearts of those around us.

So often these days, when I am out at Pride Festivals or Expos, rallies, business meetings or even casual dinners with friends, I observe people arming themselves with compassionate wisdom. I see them taking responsibility for having thoughts at the ready to share with others who may be around us: others who speak of underlying hatred, speak of discrimination. I’ve noticed that, more and more in recent years, the words of bias are being stated with a firmer sense of entitlement... the trickle-down theory gone even more seriously sour.

But these advocates and allies around me, standing up courageously on behalf of equal rights for the GLBT community, so often enter into the banter with precision, substance, passion certainly, but the passion for justice and not so much the passion for blame.

I applaud these advocates. Without them and those like them who have come before, indeed, this would not be our country. Instead, it continues to be a young America growing, a young America challenging itself, and a body of people progressing -at times lethargically, at times clumsily, at times with utter perfection- into greater understanding.

For more information... Log onto http://www.RWNMagazine.com the nation's first wedding & family magazine dedicated to the GLBTQ community. Subscribe today, and help us insure that this vital resource reaches the shelves of large bookstores all across the nation, such as Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, and more!

Wedding Magazine Launched for Gay Community

2006-05-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

May 15, 2006 - We've gone to print! Our team is very proud to present the nation's first GLBTQ Wedding & Family Magazine. Feedback is strong and couples all across the East Coast have already been enjoying the new resource. Distributors from all over the country have also shown interest, so we're hopeful that readers everywhere will soon have access to this quarterly glossy.

Have a Favorite Independent Bookstore? Ask them to carry RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine! Their customers will enjoy it, and it will help the resource expand even faster.

Check out the sister URL - www.RainbowWeddingNetworkMagazine.com... and Subscribe Today to read all the exclusive interviews, planning trends and participate in the Subscribers' Forum for tips, sharing ideas and hearing from other GLBTQ couples and families. Thanks for your support!

Marianne Puechl, co-founder

Atlanta GLBTQ Wedding Expo and After-Party Fundraiser

2006-02-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Things are getting back to normal this week as we get settled back in here at the office. Our Atlanta event was an overwhelming success. Initial numbers show about 300 attendees signing in, this does of course not take into account all the additional couples who did not choose to share their information. I don’t believe their was a moment on Sunday that the room wasn’t full! You could definitely feel the excitement in the air as couples came in to begin planning their new lives together. We saw a lot of new faces and several familiar faces as well. It is really amazing to see couples coming back who may have already had their ceremony and simply want to show their support. I think that speaks volumes to the dedication of Atlanta and the surrounding communities to Marriage Equality.

Among events for the day were fashion shows from Crystal Crane Bridal and Aphrodite’s Toy Box, a special dance performance by Come Out Dancing and a great after party at the Red Chair to benefit marriage equality. - An event which helped to raise over $700 dollars for MEGA Family Project.

It was definitely an awe inspiring day as I had the chance to see first hand just how much the support of local business, professionals and individuals meant to the Atlanta community. One such account of a young lady I had the pleasure of speaking with during the show that day really stuck with me as she thanked me for the opportunity to have such an event in Atlanta. I believe if I had to choose just two words to sum up this year’s event in Atlanta they would be “Huge Success.”

With this year’s Atlanta event behind us I am already looking forward to next year. We have several other events in store for this year including Boston, Hartford, Philadelphia and Seattle. Plus on April 30 RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine will officially be launched as the nation’s first GLBTQ Wedding Magazine. For more details on our events you can log on to: http://www.RainbowWeddingExpo.com and for more on our magazine to: http://www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com.

That’s all the time I have for now, but keep checking back for more updates as the days and weeks move on. And maybe we will see you at one of our Same Love, Same Rights GLBTQ Wedding and Family Expos!

All the Best,
Ira Adams
RainbowWeddingNetwork Staff

GLBTQ Equality Updates

2006-02-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

The excitement is definetly building as we prepare for this weekend's Atlanta expo. The cars are all packed and we are out of here for what I believe will prove to be one of our best events yet! If you guys have been following some of our activities you will know that 2006 is already proving to be an exciting year at RainbowWeddingNetwork.com. In the coming days and months we will be hitting the road for Atlanta, Boston, and Hartford. Moving into the summer months I anticipate quite an active pride season, as well. Key dates and milestones to keep in mind over the next few months include:

April 30 - For the release of RainbowWeddingNetwork Magazine the nation's first GLBTQ Wedding Magazine! You can subscribe here: http://rainbowweddingexpo.com/cgi-bin/online/storepro.php

TBA - A brand new look for RainbowWeddingNetwork.com when our new site launchs (on tap for debut by summer.)

Plus - Several new websites including RainbowParentNetwork.com, among others...stay tuned for details.

I am very excited about this year for RainbowWeddingNetwork and all the businesses and couples involved and know this is going to be a great year! Before I wrap-up let me just remind all our advocates, friends and supporters in Atlanta to come out and join us this Sunday from 11am-5pm at the Holiday Inn Select/Atlanta-Decatur for Atlanta's own 2nd Annual GLBTQ Wedding and Family Expo. That's all for now, but please be sure and check back soon for all the details on what's in store this year at RainbowWeddingNetwork.

All the Best!
Ira Adams
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

Happy New Year 2006!

2006-01-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Happy 2006!

Things definitely have been crazy around here lately. For one, Southern Voice and David are going to help us promote the Atlanta Expo in February. I'm a big fan of Southern Voice (here's their website - www.SoVo.com), they have a lot of good coverage.

In other news, the U.K. not only legalized gay marriage, but gay adoption as well! Just passed on December 30th, gay couples can now adopt children in the U.K. as a parental unit, instead of just one parent adopting the child and leaving the other partner with fewer parental rights. This same issue is under question right now in Georgia, so it's heartwarming to read about a place where Human Rights are being extended.

Be sure to keep your eye on Washington, the State Supreme Court is now deciding on a case regarding gay marriage. They should make a decision on it within the next few weeks, and if things go well, it could mean great things for everyone.

Until next time!

Valentine's Fundraiser, 2006

2005-12-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

Marianne Puechl, co-founder
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
December 12, 2005

Happy Holidays! We're enjoying a chilly but beautiful season here at the main office of RainbowWeddingNetwork.com. It is a joyous time for us for many reasons, including the fact that so many holiday engagements are taking place. Couples are excited to begin planning their ceremonies, and eager to check out the resources of the many businesses who are part of RainbowWeddingNetwork - currently that's over 5000 companies across the US and in Canada!

Another bit of great news... The After-Party for the Atlanta Expo is shaping up wonderfully! It will be hosted by The Red Chair in Midtown, and Stephanie Callahan from Halcyon will be performing along with Jen Foster. Kicking off the evening will be Geronimo, a rocking young band out of Tennessee, and the night will only get better and better as we feature a corset fashion show... speakers on the issues of marriage & family rights... and more. It all begins directly after the GLBT Wedding & Family Expo, so we look forward to seeing you at THE RED CHAIR @ 6pm Sunday, February 12th. In fact, if you stop by the Expo, you can get a coupon for the cover at the After-Party and save up to $10.
-The most fabulous way this year to celebrate Valentine's!

RainbowWeddingNetwork and Marriage Equality GA partner for Valentine's

2005-11-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Marianne Puechl, co-founder
RainbowWeddingNetwork.com
November 1, 2005

The Atlanta Expo, set for next Valentine's Weekend, is shaping up nicely! We have our ongoing partnerships with local rights organizations such as Marriage Equality Georgia, and Tripp West from Star 94 will be our DJ sponsor for the day's activities. As always, there will be a fashion show, giveaways and free samples for all attendees. And this year, our focus will be on promoting Equality for all Families: given the upcoming legislation in Georgia regarding a potential ban on allowing same-sex couples to adopt, we feel it is a vital time to provide a forum for advocates to stand together against such discrimination.

We hope many throughout Metro Atlanta, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama will join us for the Expo. Couples and their families of course are invited, but we also welcome advocates, extended family and friends of the GLBT community to share the day with us. Last year the event was attended by over 400 - let's make it at least 500 this year!

Updates from RainbowWeddingNetwork.com

2005-10-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

We’ve officially set a hotel for the upcoming Atlanta Expo! It’s going to be at the Holiday Inn Select Decatur Conference Center on February 12, 2006, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last year, we had so many couples come through with their kids that we decided to change up the show this year and make it even more family-friendly. It’s still in the planning stages, but we’re thinking about converting one of the dressing rooms into a kid’s room! That way, families can drop off their children and talk to all of our vendors and sponsors about their upcoming ceremony. A lot of our vendors from last year’s show will be returning this year, but since the hotel is giving us more room, we’re also going to have a lot of new people too.

If you’re planning a commitment ceremony or a party in the future, you should definitely come down and see us! It’s completely free to all attendees, and every business at our events has been carefully screened by our employees. To see some pictures of last year’s event, you can check out our photo gallery here:

http://www.rainbowweddingexpo.com/

If you have a business and you’re interested in having a booth or sponsoring the event, now is the time to get on board! We limit every category to only 3 businesses, which means that once we have three photographers, or DJ’s, or limousine companies signed on for the event, we close the category until next year. It makes for a much more diverse event, and cuts back on competition between our vendors. We’ve already closed some categories for the Atlanta show, so be sure to contact us if you have any questions or would like to attend the show!

That’s all my news for now. I’ll give you more details on the Atlanta show as we nail things down.

GLBTQ Wedding Expos - Calendar Set for 2006

2005-10-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Oct. 14, 2005

Hey, Brad here... Just wanted to let everyone know that in our meetings this week we've solidified four out of five of next year's GLBT Wedding Expos. The calendar is filling up! As always, it's an exciting time as we look ahead. Also, important to note is that next year's events will be promoted as not just ' wedding' events, but more broadly 'Wedding & Family Expos.'

Atlanta: Feb. 12, 2006
Boston: April 30, 2006
NYC: ~May 7, 2006
Philadelphia: ~Oct. 14, 2006

We're also considering one or two additional locations. In the running are Seattle, Connecticut, Ontario Canada, Southern California and one of the major cities in Florida. Whew! See you there!

Send me a comment back - I'd love to read your input. Brad.

New Blog for RainbowWeddingNetwork

2005-10-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Brad Beauchamp, and I am the office manager here at www.RainbowWeddingNetwork.com. I'm creating this Web Log now to help everyone in the office keep in touch with the pending litigation and bills that are going on throughout the country. All of the employees from our company are going to post various entries on this blog. Enjoy, and by all means, feel free to send feedback to me at RWNBrad@bellsouth.net.

Why we Blog at RainbowWeddingNetwork

2005-10-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

Tuesday October 11, 2005

Excellent! We're excited to be online with the blog. My name is Marianne Puechl, one of the founders of RainbowWeddingNetwork.com. It is a busy week here at the office - we're back from our first Philadelphia GLBT Wedding Expo so we've got a lot to catch up on. For one thing, the recent proposed legislation in Indiana (proposing that gays, lesbians and singles be banned from fertilitiy drugs and any medical procedures concerning pregnancy) has us rather outraged, indeed. My partner Cindy decided it was time to write a petition standing up against this kind of proposal - as we all know such legislation has been going on the past two years and continues to use the issues of marriage and family equality as a political tool; a 'smokescreen.'

And, as many others, we here at RainbowWeddingNetwork are appalled by the ongoing discrimination. It's true, the Indiana legislation (proposed by state senator Patricia Miller), fell flat and that is wonderful news! But the fact that the issue surfaced at all is a comment on just how important it is for each of us to stand up and advocate equality as often as we can: by choosing which businesses we spend money with... by vocalizing our views to our associates and acquaintances... by supporting the gay, lesbian and trans- friends and couples in our lives and in our communities.

The hyperlink to our petition is below. "Equal Marriage & Family Rights for All US Citizens, including those who are Gay & Lesbian."
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/783388886