This woodsy waterside elopement styled photoshoot was designed to inspire LGBTQ+ couples to celebrate their love

This colorful, woodsy styled elopement photoshoot is the perfect inspiration for LGBTQ+ couples planning a destination elopement or micro wedding. A group of Louisville, Kentucky, wedding vendors teamed up to create a dreamy creekside canoe ceremony in the Parklands of Floyd’s Fork park, recruiting married couple Mike and Sheldon as their models and inspiration.

The team’s photographer says, “With the micro wedding trend becoming more popular, we wanted to show that you don’t need many people present to have a truly moving experience and that couples can also have a beautiful elopement-style celebration locally.” After taking ceremony photos and couple’s portraits, the husbands enjoyed a charcuterie spread and cocktails at a sweetheart table, filled with rich hues of orange, gold and red that contrasted the green of the park around them.

Since Mike and Sheldon have been married for five years, it made sense to incorporate personal details from their relationship into the day, including their custom keepsake vinyl record collection and a Whitney Houston dance party celebrating their continued commitment to their marriage. The couple, who wore complementary green and floral suits, hopes to inspire other young LGBTQ+ couples to get married and revel in their love, and this styled shoot was a great avenue for providing an authentic lens into their lives together.

Real-life officiant Blaire McDaniel gave a genuine speech while standing before the couple for the photos, blowing the creative team away with a moving message about the history of marriage equality. Rather than Mike and Sheldon creating new wedding vows, the officiant shared moving vows dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. Although this was a styled shoot and not an actual wedding, it provided an emotionally profound healing moment for the couple and the LGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming vendors present.