Think outside the box: advice from Samantha and Leah's dazzling winter wedding
After an epic flash mob proposal, Samantha and Leah’s winter wedding took place on the historic riverfront of Wilmington, North Carolina. The couple, who had already been together for ten years, wrote that they “were going for a laid-back yet elegant vibe with a mix of the old with the new, including first look photos on a rooftop bar but a ceremony in an old warehouse.” Their advice to vendors working with LGBTQ+ couples: “Be open, accepting and willing to think outside of the box. It is 100 percent OK to ask what you are unsure of (like pronouns, future names, who wants to walk down the aisle first, etc.) but make sure to listen to what the couple is asking. Also, just think before you speak!
"Nothing frustrated us more than when someone would ask 'so who’s the groom' in your wedding … There is no groom. We are both brides!?”
One of the most fun parts about working with LGBTQ+ couples is the opportunity to shirk tradition and create new paths down the aisle. Of course, non-LGBTQ couples can play with tradition, too, but LGBTQ+ couples more or less have to when the traditions are all built around cisgender, heterosexual love. Thus, there is endless room for creativity.
When working with an LGBTQ+ couple, be open and excited about discussing new ways to approach ceremonies and celebrations.
And of course, as Samantha and Leah so perfectly said, don’t assume anyone’s identity or label.
Photographer: Matt Ray Photography | Venue: Warehouse on Water | Florist: Gather Events | Planner: Michael Braxton | Invitation Designer: Minted | Attire for Partner 1: Stella York | Attire for Partner 2: Rebecca Ingram | Jewelry: Perry's Emporium | Bridesmaid Attire: David's Bridal, Slate Blue | Bridesmen/Father's Attire: Generation Tux | Caterer: Bill's Catering | Cake Designer: Nothing Bundt Cakes | Hair and Makeup: Beauty Crew Mobile
—Molly Sprayregen