Royal and elegant wedding at Crest Hollow Country Club

Joshua and Unique’s wedding theme was royal and elegant as if two kings were getting married. It was held at the Crest Hollow Country Club in West Hempstead, Long Island in New York City. They were engaged for two and a half years and got married on August 18, 2019. Joshua proposed to Unique. Their first dance was to “When I Said I Do” by Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore. Equally Wed published Unique and Joshua’s engagement photos here.

Unique and I met originally through Facebook due to mutual friends. Ironically, we ended up in the right place at the right time and bumped into one another at a mutual friend’s party. From there, two-and-a-half years later, Unique was studying for his third master’s at Long Island University while I was living in Chicago, Illinois, working in my career in HR (at the time) in an apartment next to Lake Michigan.

“The most adorable thing Unique would do each week was when Unique sent me a new postcard highlighting different great famous British Queens. We both love the Victorian era. One weekend in September when I was visiting, he brought me to his favorite diner where then I knew I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. I had to be tragic and wanted it to be special, so I dropped my fork on the ground on his side and asked could he pick it up.

Once he picked up and came out from under the table, there I was on one knee asking for his hand in marriage. To this day, that’s our favorite place to go to and a place we will never forget. As cliché as it sounds, I’m not only marrying the man of my dreams and the love of my life but my best friend.” —from Joshua, one half of the couple

What advice would you give to engaged LGBTQ+ couples?

Be truly honest with communication and your partner’s feelings. Always acknowledge your partner feelings even if you do not one-hundred-percent agree with them. The most important of all: Compromise without losing your own identity.

Advice for vendors and venues working with LGBTQ+ couples?

Always keep in mind that when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community remember not everyone practices gender roles within a relationship. Do not always assume that the less aggressive one within the relationship is looked at more of a man/woman than their partner.