Bernadette Smith

Bernadette Smith’s life work is to integrate the global wedding industry to be fully inclusive of all couples, including LGBT couples. She is founder and president of 14 Stories and the Gay Wedding Institute and the nation’s leading same-sex wedding expert.

In 2004, when gay marriage was first legalized in Massachusetts, Bernadette envisioned a wedding production company for engaged same-sex couples looking to navigate a traditional wedding industry. Since 2004, she and her team have produced hundreds of gay and lesbian weddings, working with couples from nearly every U.S. states and around the world.

Bernadette’s expertise has been sought after by the Today Show, the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, Travel and Leisure and National Public Radio, among others. Bernadette is author of three books on same-sex weddings and is a featured blogger on The Knot and Huffington Post.  She also developed the first gay wedding planning app for iPhone.  Bernadette is a partner in Fourteen, a ready to wear clothing line of suits, tuxedos and accessories for lesbian, queer and trans weddings.  Bernadette regularly speaks about gay weddings around North America.