Bernadette Smith's life work is to ensure that same-sex couples, no matter where they live, have the most positive, supportive experience while planning their wedding. In addition to being a wedding planner, Bernadette has created a global tribe of wedding professionals who are sensitive, trained and ready to serve all couples. She is founder and president of 14 Stories and the Gay Wedding Institute and is widely considered the nation's leading same-sex wedding expert. In 2004, when marriage equality first came to 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 and CNN, among others. Bernadette is award-winning author of three books on same-sex weddings and regularly speaks about LGBTQ weddings around the world.