Inclusive Kentucky Weddings began as the Fair Event Vendors Alliance (FEVA) in 2014. The alliance was created by Heather Yenawine with help from Crys Ludwick, Sydney O’Bryan, Ian Herrera, Philip G. Yenawine, Sam Meyer, Emily Nixon, Sarah Katherine Davis, April Boyd, and Brittany Wilkins.

“We started FEVA in 2014 with the mission of creating a more welcoming & competent environment for LGBTQ+ couples committing their lives to each other. Though marriage equality had not yet passed in KY, folks were celebrating their commitment and often experiencing discrimination in the planning process. We knew we needed to accelerate the growth of a more inclusive wedding industry to socially progress, both as a community and city.

Our goals were simple— we wanted to establish a directory for easy identification of fair vendors, provide affordable and comprehensive education for those vendors, and forge supportive relationships— between the alliance members, between FEVA and other LGBTQ+ orgs, and between the wedding industry and the Queer community.

We launched with just 24 vendors (after reaching out to 250+) and have now grown 5 x that size! We've hosted seminars, participated in countless Prides, marched in rallies and protests, produced the first LGBTQ wedding show in the state, created the incredible Stonewall commemorative art show “(Never) Meant to Survive,” and hosted so, so many memorable fundraising parties and co-sponsored events over the years, and there’s still much work to be done!” - Heather