love story
We met on Bumble and hit it off immediately. Our first date turned into a chance karaoke session that sparked our fun and natural relationship. As we got to know each other, we realized we were the perfect match to support each other through life’s ups and downs.
One of our most memorable moments happened on October 11th at a mountain cabin in Asheville, North Carolina. Surrounded by our closest friends, Eric proposed wearing a zebra onesie and I wore a unicorn onesie. It was a whimsical and heartwarming moment when he revealed that he had saved a puzzle we had completed together four years ago with one piece missing. He declared that I was the missing piece and that it was a beautiful symbol of our love.
In January, we moved from Delray to St. Petersburg and began planning our wedding. We wanted a unique, non-traditional wedding that would reflect our love and individuality. After much deliberation, we decided to get married on September 21st so we could always sing Earth, Wind & Fire songs while reminiscing about our wedding day.
Our love story is full of adventure, laughter, and resilience. We’ve faced hardships together, including weathering a crazy pandemic and experiencing heartbreaking loss. But through it all, our love has only grown stronger, and we continue to support and cherish each other every day.
Wedding mood and colours
An explosion of colour and fun
Rainbow Wedding Outfits
Dani wore a Lindsay Clark steampunk wedding dress in unicorn colors of magenta, blue, purple (possibly alluding to the colors of the bisexual flag) and aqua, in addition to her multi-colored hair. Her future husband, Eric, wore a black suit with a rainbow floral overlay and a bow tie by Ron Thomson Los Angeles. They both wore matching Vans with zebra stripes down the front and multi-colored heels. Their dog, Genevieve, wore a matching tutu in pink, purple and blue.
Rituals
The couple prepared for their wedding together, a ritual that included drinking shots from ceramic shot glasses painted with their breasts. In keeping with their faith and love of color, they signed personalized rainbow ketubahs. During the ceremony, a Mallow Girl tossed tiny squishmallows to guests as they walked down the aisle to a dazzling chuppah made of mirrored disks and neon pink hearts. Larger squishmallows were lined up around the chuppah. Every chair in the ceremony hall was fitted with a translucent rainbow umbrella that guests could open and walk through to the wedding reception.
reception
The newlyweds shared their first dance to “You Matter to Me” by Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz at Lala, a local karaoke bar in queer-friendly St. Pete. Kids and adults had fun with Polaroid cameras, karaoke, and colorful markers for the guest book.
What advice would you give to engaged LGBTQ+ couples and weddings?
Don’t be afraid to be your true, most authentic self. We wanted to add color everywhere and we were worried that some family members would be scared of our “unconventional approach”, but we were pleasantly surprised to see that everyone really enjoyed themselves. It was exactly how we dreamed it would be.
What challenges did you face planning your wedding as an LGBTQ+ couple?
We are lucky to live in a very gay-friendly town, so all the local businesses and merchants were welcoming when we visited. We had to create a special ceremony that was welcoming to all faiths but also allowed us to share our own faith. 
Check out the wedding video!
Featured Wedding Suppliers
Decoration: Positive exchange
cake: Blank Bundt Cake
Photographer: Tiny House Photos
Ceremony Venue: Wild Roots
Reception Venue: Lara
Coordinator for the day: Detailed adjustments on the day
DJ: Hosting the right event
Wedding Dress: Lindsay Clark Boutique
Wedding Suits: Ron Thomson Los Angeles
Source: Equally Wed – LGBTQ+ Wedding Magazine and Wedding Vendor Directory – equallywed.com
