Real Couples // Austin Engagement: Kristin + Delilah
/We met at a bar in Austin, where we found ourselves sitting at a red picnic table with a mutual friend, drinking Lone Star Tallboys. Kristin cried over her beer because she didn’t know how to tell her conservative family that she was questioning her sexuality. Delilah listened and shared her own coming out story, trying to comfort Kristin by divulging vulnerable details about her journey. That night was the first of many that we would spend talking for hours. We started dating a couple of months later. It was the first time either of us had been in a serious relationship with another woman. We faced several challenges during our first few years together as we both became more comfortable being ourselves and living more authentically. We created a home where we are fully loved, respected, and accepted. We’re passionate about being social workers and love our quirky Chiweenie, Noodle. We plan to get married this October, exactly five years after meeting at that red picnic table.
Read MoreReal Couples // Long-Distance Love Story: Jen + Amy
/Amy: I lived in California, Jen lived in Chicago. A mutual friend introduced us, and our distance apart couldn’t hold us back from experiencing an instant, electric connection. I bought a plane ticket to meet her in person, and as each day passed, we posted a hand-crafted number to count down to our first meeting. We had a little over a month to learn everything we could about each other, and by the time we physically met, so much care and trust had been built.
Jen: By the time the countdown ended, we had learned so much about each other and had grown so much closer. In addition to the daily countdown, we were also sending each other letters and packages and accidentally staying up until 3am on 6-hour Skype calls! We had fallen for each other, and meeting each other in person only validated everything we had been feeling. Amy and I also started an Instagram account and blog to keep sharing with each other through the distance.
Read MoreReal Couples // Love Hard, Dance Hard: Crystal + Michaela
/Crystal and Michaela have been through so much with one another, and they finally got married. They both unknowingly bought really similar dresses, which was super adorable when they finally saw one another. They also “shared" their bridesmaids back and forth, and during prep all of their friends were running from one room to the other. When it came time for the ceremony they walked each other down the aisle in a real show of their love for one another. They partied that night until their feet and the bottoms of their dresses were completely dirty and black. It was such an amazing day for two amazing women.
Read MoreReal Couples // Virginia is for Lovers: Hana + Kaity
/Sometimes I dream about the kinds of wedding I’d love to shoot. Those in distant places, like Africa or Asia, with simple details and big landscapes. I often think it would make me a better photographer, to have a portfolio with these weddings. But I’ve come to realize the kinds of weddings I want to shoot are the ones like this.
We met Hana and Kaity a little over a year ago and quickly became friends. Their wedding day was full of genuine, real love. They asked to have their closest friends and family present for their first look. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but afterwards I looked around and saw that we were all crying. It was my favorite part of the day.
Read MoreReal Couples // Lin-Manuel Miranda-Assisted Engagement: Leah + Rachel
/Leah is a theater director in New York City. Rachel is a history teacher. What better place to get engaged than the set of Hamilton with the assistance of Lin-Manuel Miranda?! Yes, that actually happened. These two are the quintessential New York City couple. For our engagement session, we started at their place in Bedford-Stuyvesant and then headed out to the New York Transit Museum (which is my favorite place in NYC), ending in their old neighborhood of Prospect Heights, where they lived together for years.
Read MoreWoke Wednesday // Meet San Francisco Planner Chanda Daniels of A Monique Affair
/Liz: Can you tell us a bit about your background? What was growing up like for you?
Chanda: I grew up being raised by my grandmother, "Granny," who had the house where all the kids went to get a hot meal! She was always cooking and entertaining. She was always at home, her number was everyone's "emergency" number, and she influenced me to graduate from high school. But little did she know, she was planting the seed for me to become an event planner…
Liz: Your grandma sounds wonderful. How was she planting the seed?
Chanda: I wanted to be like her. She found joy in making dinner and setting a fancy table with Sunday china and having everyone over. She didn't like being in the spotlight, but she loved how everyone felt after they left...I didn't know that then, but that's what I loved and love to this day!
Read MoreReal Couples // Love and Activism: Bianca + Christina
/Going to a protest as a first date was fitting for these two Chicago land activists who are planting seeds of change all around their community. Bianca and Christina are passionate about making this world we live in a better and equal place for all. Love just happened naturally and sprouted fast for these two. They may even admit that it was L-O-V-E at first sight for the both of them. As they approach two years of being together, it still feels like fireworks and butterflies to them.
Read MoreElopement Inspiration // Bommer Canyon Hip Outdoor Wedding
/Molly and Liz are a real couple. We approached them after visiting their super adorable home. We knew right away we loved their style, and they would be perfect as our models. They really went beyond the call of duty and even asked their friend Katy, who is actually going to marry them next year, to be a part of this with us. The laughs are real, and we couldn't have asked for a better couple. Our goal was to showcase a DIY wedding with a ton of style. When we designed the table, we used the couple's dishware and rented a few pieces to make the decor feel special. When we got to deciding what to wear, they both asked if they could make it more personal and wear their favorite jean jackets and fedoras. We wanted to show how you don't have to be traditional to be beautiful.
Read MoreReal Couples // Two Awesome People: Alex + Kris
/How long have you known about yourself?
A- I knew when I was 12 years old. I knew immediately when I laid my eyes on Laura, this perfect girl who wore hoop earrings with her bikini, that I wasn’t straight. I didn’t know what I was, but I knew I wasn’t what the church told me to be.
K- Jeez I don't know...kindergarten or first grade. I didn't know what to call it. I didn't have words—I just knew that I liked girls better than boys. I remember having my first crush on a girl when I was in first grade. I just liked her so much more than a regular friend.
Real Couples // Barcelona Love Story: Jose + Toni
/"We met on a night when we went out with friends we had in common. Several nights later, on February 8th, Toni's birthday, my friends made a surprise dinner, and Jose was there, too. It was a crush at first sight, as if Cupido, the God of love, united us with his arrow of love. We are still in love! After 10 years together!"
Read MoreReal Couples // Seattle is for Lovers: Allie + Angie
/Recently I have been getting more involved with my engagement sessions and spending the whole day with my couples. When we are hanging out we really get to know each other and create photos together that reflect real aspects of their lives. So I spent all day with these two, and we had a blast. We started the day chillin' at their home and then eventually adventured out to Rattlesnake Ridge. They met at a bar, so it felt only natural to end the night at a few bars.
Read MoreAutostraddle Stories // Coming Out and Coming Up Short
/When I was 14, I stayed up late watching chick flicks, crying, and desperately hoping I could have a love that would set me free. Yes, I know, this is an unfortunately stereotypical story of a pubescent teenage girl pining for a relationship. I believed the best way to achieve happiness was through a happy monogamous relationship. Unfortunately, I had no idea (and still don’t know) what that looked like. After much trial and error, I later discovered being in a relationship and feeling free, without a healthy foundation, isn’t that simple.
Read MoreReal Couples // A Day in the Life of Lovers: Bonnie + Vince
/This session melts my heart for a few reasons. First of all, I had the opportunity to really get to know a friend from school and meet her boyfriend—something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise if we didn’t all share a passion for photography. At our initial meeting, they began to explain how different they both are but how great their relationship works. They both agreed that once I saw their apartment, everything would make sense. And it did.
Read MoreReal Couples // San Francisco City Hall Resistance Wedding: Thomas + Craig
/The pair was planning an August wedding at the Berkeley Botanical Gardens, but given the current political climate they decided to move up their legal ceremony. I donated this session as a part of Catalyst Wed Co’s movement to support LGBTQ and undocumented couples in the wake of the election. Thomas, Craig, and I gave $500 to the Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth, in lieu of the session fee.
Read MoreReal Couples // City Hall Elopement: Natalie + Lucie
/Natalie and Lucie were visiting from London and got in touch with me before their trip because they knew that while here on holiday they wanted to tie the knot. I was not only their photographer, but also their witness at City Hall. They told me they both love architecture, so after their ceremony at City Hall in Manhattan, we went over to Brooklyn and took photos in DUMBO with the Brooklyn Bridge as an awesome backdrop, as well as the rest of the fun feel of the neighborhood. The colorful murals were perfect for their white outfits to pop against! They wanted intimate and romantic mixed with fun, and I think we accomplished that well!
Read MoreReal Couples // Love & Board Games: Alex + Brooke
/Brooke and Alexandria are a couple who exude warmth. Spend 2 minutes with them, and you feel like you have known them your entire life. They are a couple whose love grew quickly and deeply, and you could not imagine one without the other. Brooke wanted to surprise Alexandria with a session that captured who they are as a married couple and that included some board games, some cuddling, laughter in spades, and that warmth that just brings you into their story.
Read MoreOut of the Box Challenge // Nasty Women
/Each of our team members is passionate about representing every type of body and every type of love in our visual media. Our models are both tattooed chicks with alternative vibes. One of our lady models is a curvy model with a bangin’ booty, and the other rocks a pixie cut and an incredible chest piece. There are not nearly enough incredible lesbian wedding shoots in the blogosphere—or even on each of our websites. We loved creating relevant visual content that is exciting and fresh for our LGBTQ clients.
Read MoreOut of the Box Challenge // Rebel Creatives AKA Love Wins!
/Our shoot, entitled “Love Wins,” is an awesomely eclectic, reimagined concept derived after the 2017 presidential inauguration. Our original shoot concept and date was derailed by the protests and marches that overshadowed the inaugural festivities. But instead of sulking and complaining, we used the current political climate to inspire our finished story.
Read MoreReal Couples // Finding a Home in Each Other: Nick + Luis
/I’m going to be honest for a second. As a photographer, while I always feel a connection with my couples, I don’t feel every story and couple equally. It is safe to say I got a little extra emotional at Nick and Luis's wedding. Starting during the ceremony I became aware of a different depth to the day. Luis was looking at Nick, and his eyes said it all: love and gratitude.
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