From Exclusion to Revolution: How Equally Wed Became the Voice of LGBTQ+ Weddings
5.3K
Monthly Visitors
$40K
Traffic Value/yr
DR 62
Domain Rating
2010
Founded
When Kirsten and Maria Palladino planned their wedding in 2009, they experienced discrimination.
Traditional wedding magazines excluded them. Wedding vendors didn't know how to serve them. The industry that celebrated love apparently had limits on whose love counted.
Rather than accept this exclusion, the couple—a journalist and a graphic designer/web developer—built their own platform. They had the exact skills needed: Maria could build websites, and Kirsten could write content that resonated.
In March 2010, they launched Equally Wed, the world's leading LGBTQ+ wedding magazine. At launch, only five U.S. states recognized same-sex marriage. By 2015, the Supreme Court ruling made it legal nationwide.
Equally Wed grew alongside the marriage equality movement, becoming the definitive resource for LGBTQ+ couples and the wedding professionals who serve them.
The Challenge
In 2009, planning an LGBTQ+ wedding meant navigating an industry that didn't acknowledge you existed. Bridal magazines featured only heterosexual couples. Wedding vendor directories assumed "bride and groom." Even progressive vendors often didn't know how to be inclusive.
The Palladinos experienced this exclusion firsthand. When searching for inspiration, planning resources, and vendors, they found themselves invisible in an industry built around celebrating love.
The realization: If they couldn't find the resource they needed, they could build it.
Directory Overview
| Website | equallywed.com |
| What It Does | LGBTQ+ wedding magazine and inclusive vendor directory |
| Founded | March 2010 |
| Founders | Kirsten Palladino, Maria Palladino |
| Background | Journalist + Graphic Designer/Web Developer |
| Related Platform | Equally Wed Pro (certification program) |
| Book | "Equally Wed: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding" |
Key Metrics (Ahrefs, January 2026)
Monthly Traffic
5,310
Niche audience with high engagement
Traffic Value
$40K/year
Impact exceeds metrics—shaped industry inclusion
Domain Rating
62/100
Authority from media citations and community links
Referring Domains
2,403
Cited by NYT, CNN, NPR, major wedding publications
Traffic Sources
What The Numbers Tell Us
First Mover in LGBTQ+ Weddings: When Equally Wed launched in 2010, there was no comparable resource for LGBTQ+ wedding planning. Being first meant capturing an underserved audience with no alternatives.
Growing Alongside Marriage Equality: Each state that legalized same-sex marriage expanded Equally Wed's potential audience. The 2015 Supreme Court decision made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, massively expanding the market.
Authentic Voice: The Palladinos built Equally Wed because they needed it. This authenticity resonated with LGBTQ+ couples who could tell the difference between genuine inclusion and corporate rainbow-washing.
Industry Education Impact: Through Equally Wed Pro, the platform educated wedding vendors on how to serve LGBTQ+ couples—impact that extends far beyond traffic metrics.
Monetization Strategy
Vendor Directory
Wedding professionals who want to reach LGBTQ+ couples can list in Equally Wed's directory. This connects inclusive vendors with couples seeking them.
Equally Wed Pro (Launched 2019)
An LGBTQ+ inclusivity certification program for wedding professionals. Vendors earn certification showing they understand how to serve LGBTQ+ couples effectively.
Advertising & Book Sales
Brands targeting LGBTQ+ couples and allies advertise on the platform. "Equally Wed: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding" generates additional revenue and thought leadership.
Why This Model Works
Equally Wed evolved from pure content into education and certification. This creates multiple revenue streams while deepening industry impact—transforming a directory into a platform for systemic change.
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Equally Wed proved that serving an excluded community creates both business opportunity and meaningful impact.
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Timeline: Growing with Marriage Equality
2009: Kirsten and Maria Palladino plan their wedding and experience industry discrimination firsthand.
March 2010: Equally Wed launches. Only five U.S. states recognize same-sex marriage.
2010-2015: Equally Wed grows as more states legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the go-to resource for LGBTQ+ wedding planning.
June 2015: Supreme Court rules in Obergefell v. Hodges, making same-sex marriage legal nationwide. Equally Wed's audience expands dramatically.
2015: Kirsten named one of Glamour's Hometown Heroes for her work advancing LGBTQ+ representation in weddings.
2019: Kirsten launches Equally Wed Pro—an LGBTQ+ inclusivity certification program for wedding professionals.
2020s: Equally Wed continues as the definitive LGBTQ+ wedding resource, regularly cited by The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and major wedding publications.
Key Lessons for Directory Builders
1. Exclusion Creates Opportunity
When existing platforms exclude a community, there's an opening to build something better. The bigger the exclusion, the more loyal the audience when you serve them.
2. Personal Experience Drives Authentic Mission
Kirsten and Maria built Equally Wed because they needed it. That authenticity resonates—audiences can tell the difference between genuine inclusion and performative allyship.
3. Ride (and Support) Social Movements
Equally Wed grew alongside marriage equality. Aligning with social change can amplify a directory's relevance and reach—but only if your commitment is genuine.
4. Directories Can Evolve into Education
Equally Wed Pro shows how a directory can expand into certification and training—creating new revenue while deepening industry impact.
5. Founder Skills Determine What's Possible
A journalist + web developer founding team could create exactly what was needed: quality content on a well-designed platform. Your complementary skills shape what you can build.
6. Impact Exceeds Metrics
With 5,310 monthly visitors, Equally Wed isn't a traffic giant. But its cultural impact—shaping how an industry approaches inclusion—far exceeds what search traffic indicates.
Conclusion
Some directories succeed not by chasing the biggest audience, but by serving an underserved community with genuine commitment.
Kirsten and Maria Palladino experienced wedding industry discrimination in 2009. They could have accepted it as how things were. Instead, they built what the industry was missing.
Today, Equally Wed is cited by major publications as the authority on LGBTQ+ weddings. The Equally Wed Pro certification program shapes how vendors approach inclusion. The impact extends far beyond 5,000 monthly visitors.
The core insight: When an entire community is excluded from existing platforms, building a home for them creates both business opportunity and meaningful impact. Sometimes the best directory idea comes from the discrimination you personally experienced.
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Sources: Ahrefs (traffic data, January 2026), Atlanta Magazine, HuffPost, Equally Wed about page, Glamour.