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100% Worth It   //   Elyse & Nashla Yumang 

October 14  //  Engaged March 6, 2021  //  The Ivy House, Milwaukee

A career change at the start of the pandemic unknowingly led me to my future wife, Nashla! Our attraction was instant, and though I tried to keep our relationship strictly professional, we couldn’t help but allow our hearts to connect. 

Our wedding day was an absolute dream, complete with all the little touches that truly spoke to who we are and what we love! There wasn’t a dry eye in the venue during our exchange of vows, and even more so when our best friend and officiant touched on Nashla’s endless love and support of me during my first round of treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. 

It will remain the most unforgettable day of our lives, and it’s true what they say: Your wedding day flies by so quickly! At the end of the evening, all of our guests huddled together for one last dance. In that moment, we knew that every ounce of energy and every penny we put into this day was worth it! Photographer: Thrive Photography & Films

Three Cords   //   Olivia Biller & Alex Dudek 

October 15  //  Engaged February 11, 2021  //  Monona Terrace, Madison

We celebrated our marriage with a personalized handfasting ceremony. We “tied the knot” with three cords: one presented by each of our moms to represent our two families coming together, and a third cord to represent us and our chosen family. Now we have the cords we tied together as a physical reminder of the commitments we made to each other in front of our loved ones that day. Photographer: Alyssa Lentz

Who’s Kev, Batman?   //   Gina & Kez Cesarz 

November 11  //  Engaged November 11, 2021  //  Las Vegas, NV

We had been dating seven years before we were engaged. Someone (Kez) was dragging their feet! After realizing we would have well over 300 people to invite to a local wedding, we decided to elope in Vegas with our closest family and friends. The intimate venue and small guest list allowed us to truly embrace every moment of our big day and spend quality time with each other & those closest to us. 

Even though the officiant called Kez “Kev,” we couldn’t be upset with him because his name was Bruce Wayne. Yup. We were married by Batman! As expected, some things went wrong, but it’s amazing how all that extra stuff just fades into the background when you’re looking into the eyes of your best friend and love of your life on your wedding day. Photographer: Vegas Weddings

Winter Wonderland   //   Giordi & Sylvester Carmichael  

November 19  //  Engaged August 23, 2020  //  Abloom Farm Resort, Saukville

Something unexpected that happened leading up to our wedding was the weather being in the upper 50s in November. On our wedding day, mother nature decided to drop the temperature to 24 degrees, and gave us a perfect dusting of snow that filled the cathedral pine trees and our walkway path to our outside altar. It created a true magical winter wonderland. Luckily we had hot chocolate, warm blankets, and hand warmers for our guests.

What made our wedding day unique was the mix of friends and family. We had multiple vendors approach us and say that they’ve never worked a wedding where everyone was so friendly and welcoming.  Photographer: Katy Rowe Photography

Rooted Together   //   George Giannaras & Ron Rivera

November 20  //  Engaged July 23, 2021  //  The Saint Kate Arts Hotel, Milwaukee

We’re both very rooted in our cultures and connected to our families, so incorporating those closest to us as well as our Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Greek backgrounds was important. We were ecstatic to have our siblings comprise our wedding party and our “flower Grandmas” lead our procession down the aisle. 

Our officiant incorporated Spanish, Greek, and English language in the ceremony, we were presented with Stefana crowns in the Greek Orthodox tradition, and danced bachata as our first dance as husbands. The planning process helped us grow as a couple, and the wedding day itself offered us the gift of gratitude. To future queer couples looking to wed, find time in your day just for you, and mix it up to make the day your own. Photographer: Renee Rose Media