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A Plant-Based Pairing  //   Jak Maliszewski & James Valona

May 24  //  Engaged 1.26.22  //  Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Bayside

We couldn’t have imagined a more special day. We picked a location where we could have Mother Nature as a witness to our love. Surrounded by trees, wildlife, and rain, we got married by our friend and officiant, Jenni Nordstrom, in front of our our closest friends and families as well as some special visitors—a snapping turtle, owls, a hawk, and an eagle cared for by the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center—as well as a performance by drag performer B.J. Daniels.

All of our guests commented on the food—some of the best wedding food they’ve had, provided by Hidden Kitchen, which was a large buffet of plant-based dishes. This will forever be a day to be remembered, thanks to all of the people who helped and shared in the festivities. Photographer: Brandon J. Brown at Roost Photography

A Most Colorful Wedding  //   Sam Phillips & Michael Radloff

June 1  //  Engaged 11.13.21  //  MMoCA, Madison

When we chose our wedding as the first day of Pride Month, we had an obligation to make the most colorful wedding. Our wedding party formed the rainbow, we assembled as many LGBTQ+ vendors as we could, and took the day to blend our families—chosen and birth.

From the beautiful ceremony on the rooftops of iconic State Street, featuring vows loaded with our myriad of inside jokes; a reception fueled by gay dance anthems and a live cover of Proud Mary, to closing down the Rigby at our afterparty, it was truly a day that we and our guests won’t soon forget! Photographer: Melanie Renee Photography

A Day in the Dells  //   Lynn Mayer & Gigi Vail

June 1  //  Engaged 8.2.22  //  Wisconsin Dells

Celebrating our love and friendship with family and friends began as a “Day in the Dells.” We filled an original Dells Duck with laughter and joy! We spent the afternoon enjoying pizza, followed by mini-golf and dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Games, conversation, and laughter filled our evening. Tears of happiness, laughter, and love embraced all!

As our friends and family gathered to celebrate our wedding, the sky blessed us with rain! The shelter at the beach was draped with plastic curtains. Kelly and Kathy, two of our attendants, came to us as we were changing, to alert us to a new concern. So many of our guests had shown up, we needed to move our ceremony from the gazebo to the shelter. They helped to relocate our altar without disturbing it.

We then began the ceremony, surrounded by our guests. Another fast outfit change, and we entered the shelter to share our love of dance with all! This day, soggy as it was, turned into a beautiful memory for all.

Whose Line Is It  //   Kaya & Megan Greenwood

June 2  //  Engaged 12.23.22  //  The Nature Place, La Crosse

Our day was an intentional celebration of queer joy! We had a small wedding, surrounding ourselves with our closest friends and family.

We wrote our vows separately and heard each other’s vows for the first time during the ceremony. We often joke how we say the same things at the same time because we are so in tune with each other, and that was further proven when we both had the same line in our separate vows. We also both ended up including quotes from songs by our favorite queer musicians—Brandi Carlile and boygenius.

From our siblings co-officiating to our Polaroid guest book, our day felt like a celebration of us and our love. Photographer: Maureen Cassidy