True Blue Madonna-themed wedding in Jefferson Market Garden

Jason and Kiril’s wedding theme was True Blue, inspired by the Madonna song of the same name. They wanted one thing and that was for people to dance, and for them to recognize them in every detail—from walking down the aisle to True Blue in Jefferson Market Garden in the West Village (where Miranda married Steve in Sex and The City) to the song lyrics printed on napkins to the Madonna-themed photo booth to the playlist by their DJ. They kept the vibe casual, and in keeping with the reception venue (Sunday in Brooklyn, a restaurant owned by Jason’s brother and best friend), Brooklyn chic. They had a September wedding after a 15-month-long engagement.

What advice would you give to engaged LGBTQ+ couples?

Personalize it to reflect your love by showcasing the things and people you love. There are no rules. Because there is such little precedent baked in for LGBTQ+ couples, you can make it fun and personalized in anyway you want. Being huge Madonna fans, we personalized our invites with Madonna lyrics, supplied wigs, eyepatches and cone bras for our photo booth, and we put more effort collaborating on music selections with our DJ than anything else.

Advice for vendors and venues working with LGBTQ+ couples?

We had a great experience, and it all stemmed from respect and communication and a desire to get us exactly what we want.

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

The biggest thing was figuring out protocol (how to propose, bridal party) but once we realized we could do it however we wanted, we felt freedom.

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

Our wedding was in a garden in the middle of the West Village, across the street from Stonewall. We had a crowd of onlookers watch the entire wedding from start to finish through the rod iron gates cheering us on, and it felt like the most magical feeling ever, in the year of World Pride, in that neighborhood, to have people we didn’t know watch the wedding. That level of support and love was a brilliant surprise.