How the Wedding Industry is Creating Real Change in Our Communities, One Celebration at a Time
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Weddings have always been about love and community, as two people celebrate the joining of their lives and families. But lately, we’ve noticed something bigger happening: a desire to harness this power of love and community for an even greater purpose.
As wedding professionals, we’ve already seen a shift where couples are no longer just planning beautiful events, but asking how their celebration can reflect their values, support causes they care about, and uplift and inspire the people around them.
Now we’re seeing a similar change within the events and hospitality industry, too. In our work at Intertwined Events, this evolution feels deeply personal. From inclusive vendor partnerships to giving back through RAD Camp, the nonprofit we created in 2014, we’ve experienced firsthand how our business can become a platform for purpose. We’ve also seen how transformational it has been for our clients, staff, and creative partners.
A new generation of couples and vendors are looking for meaningful connections that go beyond corporate philanthropy or donation matching. It’s about building community into the foundation of what we do. And it turns out, it’s great for business too. Not only do companies that positively impact the community see higher employee engagement, a 2023 Kantar study found that those who integrate purpose into their brand experience 2.5 times higher revenue growth than those who do not.
At Intertwined Events, giving back has always been at the heart of our business model. Every event we produce and every service booked directly contributes to RAD Camp to provide transformative camp experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities. RAD stands for Rising Above Disabilities, and is California’s largest overnight camp, serving nearly 300 campers each summer.
Throughout this journey, we have been fortunate enough to have been supported by so many of our industry colleagues. Not only do we get to partner with industry - leading vendors to execute next-level weddings and events, but these creative visionaries have also shown up time and again to help us champion inclusion and celebrate all abilities.
In fact, much of RAD Camp is made possible by wedding and event vendors! For example, Found Rental Co. donates all the furniture in our forum and sensory room, and all our RAD Camp photography and videography are generously donated by vendors who volunteer their time. Many DJs we partner with for our events also bring that same energy to camp, turning camper arrival, meal times, and dance parties into full - blown celebrations.
Each year RAD Camp also has a special theme that defines the activities, costumes, and design, and 24 Carrots Design has graciously brought this to life. We’re so grateful for vendors who share our values and vision – the embodiment of collaboration for greater impact!
But building inclusive events was just the beginning. We have also turned our commitment to inclusion and ‘Rising Above Disabilities’ into action, right in our very own office. Recently, we partnered with Goodwill Orange County’s Employment First Program, which provides employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Our newest office manager, Joanna, and her job coach, Vanessa, are on track to complete over 1,000 hours of valuable work experience alongside our team. This initiative has inspired a ripple effect, with Found Rental Co., Signature Party Rentals, and 24 Carrots all committed to joining us in this partnership, creating more job opportunities for all abilities.
Despite the progress being made, ableism and stereotypes persist. We’re on a mission to disprove many of the misconceptions around disabilities, diagnoses, and descriptions, and show that an inclusive mindset and lifestyle are RAD. That’s why we believe creating opportunities and changing perceptions is more important than ever.
It’s a challenge we believe the wedding industry is ready to meet because community, compassion, and inclusion are not just trends, they’re the future. They matter to this generation of couples. And, while weddings may mark a single day, their power to inspire change can last a lifetime.
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