Are you or any of your loved ones looking to get married soon, but wonder how you can include family members or friends who are disabled? If you have guests who are disabled and use a wheelchair, you should consider having an accessible wedding. 

An accessible wedding focuses on accommodating disabled wedding guests, specifically the guests who use a wheelchair, but does not take away from the memories and importance of the special day. For these important guests, having an accessible wedding is a great way to get them involved, without compromising on your dream wedding scenario.

Make your big day open for everyone by learning what’s needed to have a wheelchair accessible wedding.

Tips to Execute a Wheelchair Accessible Wedding

Now that you are engaged, you start to plan your perfect wedding. You want it to be a perfect wedding day. 

You also want all your guests to enjoy themselves and feel like they are part of the festivities given that this is a special day. If you have guests who use a wheelchair, you need to make sure that they are accommodated the best that you can. 

There are several actions you can take to make your wedding one that is both inclusive and accessible for all guests. 

Determining Your Disabled Guests’ Needs

If there are disabled guests who will attend your wedding, you will need to determine if your guests have any needs that have to be accommodated. Take the time to do this. Not only will you be able to identify their needs, but you will also demonstrate to them that you value their presence at your wedding. 

Determining the needs of your disabled guests will help you prepare to set up a wedding that is wheelchair accessible. You want to be prepared to meet the needs of these guests. 

Choosing the Right Venue for the Wedding

One of the most important aspects of your wedding that you need to focus on is the venue. If you have disabled guests, you will need to have ample space at the wedding venue. 

Keep in mind that your guest may not use a powered wheelchair or a manual one. Your guest may use a complex rehab chair. This type of wheelchair requires more room to maneuver as they tend to be bigger than traditional wheelchairs.  

When visiting the venues you have in consideration, you should walk through the entrances and exits to make sure that there is ample room for a complex rehab chair to move through the door. 

Take a look at the bathrooms to make sure that there is a handicapped bathroom. Also, make sure that the dressing rooms have plenty of space. Go outside and make sure that there are handicapped parking spaces, as well as ramps that will allow your disabled guest to enter the venue. 

Hotel Accommodations and Transportation

If you are going to have your wedding in another city or country, you will more than likely have to find hotel accommodations and transportation for your guests. This in itself can be a mission, but if you have special needs guests, you will have to conduct some research to find hotels and transportation services that provide accommodations to this group.  

Take the time to call ahead or visit the websites of the hotels where you might stay. Also, do the same for the transportation services you might be considering hiring for your wedding. You want to make sure that these companies can accommodate guests who use a wheelchair. 

You will want to make sure that the hotel has accessible rooms. The hotel you choose needs to have roll-in showers in a bathroom that is accessible. 

The transportation company that you hire needs to have a van that has an operable wheelchair lift or ramp. It is beneficial to hire a company that has staff trained to assist persons who use a wheelchair. 

The last thing that you want is for one of your guests to not be able to attend your wedding because you could not find a hotel or transportation service that offers accommodations to persons who use a wheelchair. 

The Venue for the Wedding Reception 

After the wedding is over, you want to party in style. You also want your guests to enjoy themselves and share in your fun. As with the wedding venue, you need to find a venue for the wedding reception that has the appropriate accommodations for your guests who use a wheelchair. 

You want to make sure that the venue has the space, setting, and parking for wheelchair users. If you are going to create a sitting chart, you need to consider the needs of your guests. Consider sitting your disabled guests near the door and the bathroom to make it easier for them to move about. 

There needs to be space between the tables. With ample space, your guests in a wheelchair will all be able to move without any issues. 

The Perfect Wheelchair Accessible Wedding

Every wedding should be special. You want everything about the wedding day to be picture perfect. If you have family or friends who use a wheelchair, you will need to consider their needs. Take the time to learn about their needs so the needs can be successfully accommodated so that their safety is not affected. 

Once you have determined their needs, you will need to find the right venue for your wedding and the wedding reception. You will also have to find the right hotel and transportation service for your wedding. 

If you can meet the needs of your guests who use a wheelchair, you will be able to have the perfect wheelchair accessible wedding. If you want to learn more about the different wheelchairs that persons use continue to explore the website.