Linden and Liz wanted an intimate, tropical feel for their destination beach wedding in Makaha, Hawaii, which featured a birds of paradise cake. They traveled from Nashville, Tennessee, after a ten-month-long engagement and got married on October 6, 2019. Linden proposed to Liz first and a few weeks later, Liz proposed back. Their first dance was to “Blessed” by Thomas Rhett. Liz is a graphic designer and created the wedding invitations.

What advice would you give to engaged LGBTQ+ couples?

Take your time. Your wedding day will be here before you know it! Enjoy the engaged period and don’t stress about wedding day details too much. Everything will go the way it is meant to!

Advice for vendors and venues working with LGBTQ+ couples?

Be yourself and if you’re not welcomed for that, pick another company to send your money to.

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

We honestly were never treated any differently as an LGBTQ+ couple than I would imagine we would be if we were hetero. There was enough love involved that hate didn’t even think about sneaking its way in.

Did you encounter any pleasant surprises as an LGBTQ+ couple planning your wedding?

Yes, everyone was very excited for us and didn’t ask any of the, “How does this work since you’re not straight?” questions we expected!

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Equally Wed: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding

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Photographer: Rachel Jay of The Copper Collective

Venue: Pristine Oceanfront Cottage, Makaha, Hawaii

Florist: Watanabe Floral and designed by Our Gathering Places

Band: Abbey Cone

Invitations: Liz Butram

Attire: Ralph Lauren & Banana Republic & Lulu’s