Wild child Southwest wedding at Rimrock Ranch in Pioneertown, California

We met at TREVOR PROJECT, a non -profit organization that provides crisis and suicide prevention services for young people of LGBTQ+. At that time, we worked as a lifeline counselor. Suicide hotline is certainly an unconventional place to meet your future husband! Nevertheless, it taught me a lot about each other -we shared similar passion and value.

Did your wedding have a theme? Tell us about the inspiration (decoration, location, color scheme, cultural or religious tradition) behind your day.

Our atmosphere was a mixture of wild wests that the children of the flower were wild (perfect for us -H!). Matt knew he wanted an outdoor wedding with a more adventurous camp. We landed a rim lock lunch in Pioneer Town, California, just outside the Joshua Tree National Park. A sturdy and modern perfect combination. We divided the decoration to match both personality. Jared confirmed that the ranch was decorated with crystal and sages, and created the owner of the birth astrology that was personalized for guests. Matt brought in a wild west, ranch folks wanted posters around the ranch, put photos of friends and family, and confirmed that all gift bags contained fireball whiskey shots.

What kind of advice do you give LGBTQ+couples you are engaged?

Let’s faithful to what you are and what you want! It is easy to fall into a trap where people will be pleased as a queer. This was difficult at first. We were very worried about what others would feel, so we often had a hard time making the final decision. Don’t forget it on your day! Don’t sacrifice your vision, as other people are worried about how they perceive it.

What was your favorite part on your wedding day?

Our ceremony was beautiful. It was held on a ranch between the two large Joshua trees. It was wonderful to see all of our loved ones in the middle of the California desert as an east coaster. Our moderator did a great job, it took time to recognize all the strange people who came in front of us and helped to make our marriage reality. Matt’s sister wrote and read an attractive and cheerful fake child story The story of the two prince (Spoiler: The prince was us!). Two friends have Serenade in the Beatles’ acoustic version of “in My Life”. Of course, they surprised us by mashing it in Britney Spears songs. We all laughed and cried at the same time!

What kind of task did you face as a LGBTQ+couple planning your wedding?

There is no strange wedding template. Traditional rituals and receptions are very gender, and it is difficult to restore hetero -normative images that are soaked in your heart about what the wedding should look. When we let go of everything and realize that we can simply make it ourselves, things are easier for us! Leaving a traditional script has helped to create a “us” experience completely.

Wildchild Southwest Wedding at a rim lock lunch in Piontel Town, California