Gay wedding cards that don't suck...

[blue_lotus13]

B* and I are going to a gay wedding in September, and I decided to go on a little hunt for a card today. B* suggested that I get a non-gendered card, but I was quite curious to see what sort of cards were available for same-sex weddings. On Monday, I explored the shops on the Drive, and only found cards at one shop. Unfortunately, these cards were mostly for lesbian couples.

Today, I ventured over to Davie Street where I was disappointed with the selection at Little Sisters. Once again, they had a few cards, but mostly for women. There were actually more cards for heterosexual couples that gay ones in the store as well as a big Pride flag card that said, "Love" on it.

Another store on Denman had the same cards, but a bigger selection of them. I realized that all the same sex cards were made by Raindrop cards , a locally based company. The cards are handmade, and have quilling on them. They're really pretty, but each card costs $10, which is more than I usually spend. One of the cards reads, "For the brides" and another "For the grooms." Do same sex couples really want to be known as brides or grooms? I felt a bit baffled by this assumption.

Another card read, "For the Newlyweds, Justly married," which seemed a bit too political for me. I realize that it's an important act, but I think it's more important to focus on the actual wedding and commitment and the people themselves during that day instead of politicians.

At the Vancouver Public Library gift shop, where I buy a lot of my cards, I saw a card with two suits which read, "You suit each other perfectly, Congratulations." It's not a bad idea, but that card is so cheesy that I need crackers to go with it.

Part of the problem is that in general, I find wedding cards really cheesy or saccharineThey're usually somewhat stereotypical, focus on the bride, and not on the couple's relationship, which is what the wedding should be about.

I didn't buy a card today, but I might shell out the money to support Raindrop cards since they seem to be the only people in the area catering to the gay market. To be honest, I was a bit surprised by this. Gay marriage has been legal in British Columbia for over 2 years now, and there is a large gay population. I know that the number of gays and lesbians who choose to get married is not that high, but I was still surprised by the lack of cards.

Therefore, take note. If you or anyone you know makes cards, there's a niche market that is not being tapped right now.

(For the sake of interest, I also looked up gay wedding cards online and also found some gay wedding cards online at Two grooms and possibly at Gaymart

Comments

[applehangover.livejournal.com]

This might sound obvious, but have you tried your hand at making cards? You can buy blank cards and envelopes at some craft stores and create whatever you like. I've been making cards because I find a lot of the store-bought ones don't say what I want to say.