A chic Brooklyn, New York, wedding for spiritual brides with a Pride-inspired reception photoshoot 

After double proposing to each other within the same week, Ayanna (she/her) and Sully (she/her) knew their wedding day would be just like them: authentic, natural and out-of-the-box. Their Brooklyn, New York, ceremony and reception incorporated a multicolored palette in homage to the colors of the Pride flag, with the main colors being beige, nude, burnt orange, light blue and gray.

Pride was infused throughout Ayanna and Sully’s nuptials, from the attire of the guests to the rainbow sneakers the brides wore for a photoshoot during the reception. It was also important to have an LGBTQ+ affirming officiant who could incorporate the couple’s shared spirituality, and they were able to find someone who could deliver a beautiful ceremony acknowledging their belief in God and a higher power without it being explicitly religious.

We caught up with Ayanna to find out more about their chic wedding day.

Tell us about your wedding looks.

Believe it or not, I struggled to find the perfect dress. I really wanted something that leaned more on the nontraditional side, a special piece that provided clean drama with a romantic finish. Needless to say, I was stressed until I walked into Pantora Bridal, a Black-owned bridal salon. I made an appointment on a whim to check out their sample selection and ended up purchasing the first dress I tried on out of five! My dress was a soft satin white, slim-fitting gown with draping on the left hip and a sleeveless sash going over my right shoulder. The dress had a light bluish gray corset bodice with intricate lace details as an overlay going around it.

My wife, Sully, knew she wanted a jumpsuit with a dramatic effect. It took her some time to find the right one, until she landed on the perfect look from ASOS Bridal. Her wide-leg jumpsuit was all white with off-the-shoulder draping short sleeves. She completed her look with a crystal vintage earring and necklace set.

What advice would you give to engaged LGBTQ+ couples?

Make sure that you curate the day you want and not what others and society want. As long as you both are happy that is truly all that matters. Do it your way! Work with people who see your vision and want to make your day truly magical. It was important for us to work with women and BIPOC people who really believed in our love and wanted to make our day as special as it could truly be.

What challenges did you face as an LGBTQ+ couple planning your wedding?

Pivoting during a global pandemic was an extra layer on top of an already stressful event to plan. It was hard, but staying true to ourselves really helped to keep us focused. Also, we planned this solo,which we would never do again. Having a planner is really important. You want to make sure you are able to breathe and enjoy the process from beginning to end, which was not our experience. We are overjoyed that the end result was pure magic.

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