The Knot Worldwide Takes the Vow to Be Open to All®
Open to All is proud to announce The Knot Worldwide — the largest global digital wedding planning company — has joined Open to All and pledged to continue to reject discrimination and offer an inclusive wedding planning experience to everyone regardless of who they are, where they come from or who they love.
As couples plan for the happiest day of their lives, they shouldn’t be worried that they or their guests will be discriminated against or mistreated. Yet, couples face discrimination — and are even refused service — simply because of who they are and who they love. Interfaith couples, interracial and Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) couples, and LGBTQ couples are especially vulnerable to discrimination. In fact, some wedding vendors have filed lawsuits seeking a right to discriminate. It is more important than ever for businesses to affirm inclusive values and The Knot Worldwide is leading the way in the wedding industry.
In 16 countries around the world, The Knot Worldwide’s leading global family of brands inspire, inform, and celebrate communities as they move through life’s biggest milestones. The Knot Worldwide, with leading U.S. wedding planning brands The Knot and WeddingWire, joins our coalition of more than 500,000 businesses, large and small, and over 200 nonprofits.
As millennials and Gen Z are two of the most diverse, multicultural generations in history, allyship has become an important component of wedding planning for couples, even if they don’t identify as part of an underrepresented group. According to the Knot Worldwide’s analysis of feedback from couples, the ability to search for, and book wedding professionals who identify as one or more underrepresented groups is a growing wedding-planning priority. The Knot Worldwide has internal research that shows the majority of couples (55%) feel it’s important to be able to search for wedding businesses that are Black-owned, and further qualitative research indicates strong interest in also seeking out an inclusive and diverse vendor team.
In joining Open to All, the Knot Worldwide is building on their commitment to welcoming all couples and wedding professionals on their digital platforms. As part of their announcement today, The Knot also unveiled their new Fellowship for Change program and new Diversity filters.
The Knot Worldwide’s most recent efforts around DE&I include the launch of Fellowship for Change, an eight-month intensive program that will provide career development opportunities for underrepresented wedding professionals in their first years of business. Created by WeddingPro—The Knot Worldwide’s business-to-business (B2B) brand that connects small businesses nationwide with millions of engaged couples through The Knot and WeddingWire—Fellowship for Change will offer qualifying small business owners exclusive educational resources, mentorship opportunities with renowned wedding professionals, and, networking and financial support in the form of advertising on The Knot and WeddingWire. Underrepresented communities include Black-owned, African American-owned, Hispanic-owned, Latinx-owned, Native American-owned, Alaska Native-owned, Asian-owned, Native Hawaiian-owned, Other Pacific Islander-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, Woman-owned and/or Veteran-owned businesses.
Additionally, underrepresented wedding pros now have the option to identify their businesses within The Knot Marketplace and WeddingWire Vendor Directory using storefront badges and Diversity filters, including Asian-owned, Black-owned, Hispanic or Latinx-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, Native American-owned, Veteran-owned and Woman-owned. The filters will launch on The Knot and WeddingWire in early February for couples to easily search and book wedding professionals.
From their demonstrated dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion in program and practice, to the launch of their Fellowship for Change program, The Knot Worldwide has shown their deep commitment to the values of Open to All and to serving everyone with dignity and respect.
