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A Lucky Beginning//   Jayce Moe & Christian Swomley

October 13  //  Engaged March 24, 2023  //  Lussier Center, Madison

We officially met on a Friday the 13th, and we married on a Friday the 13th. We knew the day would come but hadn’t settled on a date. We knew it would likely happen out of necessity, and not by planning a large celebration, due to the upcoming election and the fear we felt over losing the ability to take care of each other or raise a family together.

Early in October, we realized that Friday the 13th would be the perfect day for so many reasons. For many this is an unlucky day, but for us it would be the most lucky beginning. We had asked a few friends to gather with us, in flannel formal, one to be the celebrant, one to be the ring “bear,” and the other eight to be witnesses. Little did we know the ring bearer would show up in a bear costume! It was cold, dark, and raining and we said, “I do!” Photographers: Sid Richards & Danny Atwater

Kiss the Rain  //   Wes Meives & Sam Rodenberg

October 14  //  April 22, 2022  //  Verona

We picked a mid-October wedding to avoid the rain, as we had an outdoor wedding, but Mother Nature had other plans. It rained all week while we were preparing the space, and all morning the day of. Rain plus 40-degree weather was not fun but showed us that a little rain never hurt anyone, stuff will happen, and eventually the sun will shine again. As long as we surround ourselves with people who love us—and an open bar—nothing can stop us. Photographer: Dutcher Photography

A Screaming Good Time  //   Casandra & Michalea Moore

October 20  //  Engaged December 2, 2022  //  The Venue, Janesville

We had a gothic/halloween wedding where we both wore black and had a substantial amount of candy, sweets, cookies, a hot cocoa bar, and an apple cider bar. It was such a hit! Our maids of honors’ grand march walk-in had one wearing a Scream mask chasing the other running away from her as a surprise (because Cassandra loves horror movies). The entire night was a dream! We are so grateful for everyone who celebrated us and told us that it was the most fun wedding they have ever been to. Photographer: TMJ – Taylor Jenson

Tossing the T-Shirt  //   Erin Pierce & Rachel Salemi

October 21  //  Engaged February 20, 2022  //  Goodman Center, Madison

We wanted to mark the next chapter of our life together with a celebration that reflected what’s most important to us: Queer joy! We aren’t super-formal people and opted to swap out traditional wedding norms for practices that fit us best. All our guests had drinks before the ceremony (officiated by Erin’s mom), followed by a party complete with a T-shirt toss in lieu of a first dance. Both of us are originally from Massachusetts but have made Wisconsin home for the last five-ish years. Our wedding was the first time many of our family members had been to Madison, and we were honored to share what we love about our community here. Photographer: Dutcher Photography

Soaking It In  //   Alyssa Lentz-Underwood & Holly Underwood

October 23  //  Engaged August 13, 2022  //  Sheboygan

As a wedding photographer, I’ve spent hundreds of hours celebrating other peoples’ weddings, but truly nothing could compare to just how joyful ours felt. We poured so much time and energy into selecting all of the details of our day: Custom chocolates from a local chocolatier, utilizing primarily LGBTQ+ vendors, sourcing all of our decor, designing our invites, curating the vibes.

Ultimately our favorite thing was soaking in all of the love and energy from our chosen family. Both of us had experienced less-than-affirming periods in our lives due to religious trauma, and neither of us ever expected to find this level of support and validation. It was an incredible, powerful moment to come together in celebration of queer joy. Photographer: Brizzy Rose + Emma