Dazzling winter wedding ten years in the making

After an epic flash mob proposal, Samantha and Leah’s winter wedding took place on the historic riverfront of Wilmington, North Carolina.

The couple, who had already been together for ten years, wrote that they “were going for a laid back yet elegant vibe with a mix of the old with the new, (first look photos on a roof top bar but a ceremony in an old warehouse).”

“We have always had a Champagne Taste on a Soda Pop budget,” they say, “So we had furs for the bridesmaids but DIY decor! Our wedding was all about our friendship to each other and creating a warm space that was completely surrounded by love, family, and friendship.”

What advice would you give to engaged LGBTQ+ couples?

The best advice we can give is to not worry about appeasing people’s expectations. Be as traditional or unique as YOU BOTH want. Just because your wedding may look different to some, you are still allowed to have traditional elements if that is what you have always pictured. At the end of the day, your wedding is all about you and your partner, so do not stress about the little things that you feel like you “have to have” because people expect it.

For example, we stressed a long time about having thank you gifts or not because we felt like it was an unnecessary expense but were worried people would be expecting it. We ended up skipping the party favor and served McDonalds cheeseburgers at the end of the night instead and of course, no one was disappointed!

What advice do you have for vendors and venues working with LGBTQ+ couples

Be open, accepting, and willing to think outside of the box. It is 100% okay to ask what you are unsure of (like pronouns, future names, who wants to walk down the aisle first, etc.) but make sure to listen to what the couple is asking. Also, just think before you speak! Nothing frustrated us more than when someone would ask so who’s the “groom” in your wedding….There is no groom we are both brides!

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

I think the best part about planning our wedding together was that since we were both brides we were able to do almost everything together! Our favorite among the pre-wedding activities was having a joint bachelorette party. Our friend group is so incredibly close that there was no way we could have had separate parties without the other being left at home completely alone.