Annie (she/her) and Rhys (they/them) got married during pride month in the backyard of their home in San Jose, California. Surrounded by their closest loved ones, their day was the epitome of queer joy. The couple never saw themselves in cisheteropatriartical wedding traditions. After deciding together that they did want to get married, they were going to do it their own way.

“We want the photos to feel like us. A record that feels genuine and candid.”

I asked them, how do you want your wedding day to feel?

“In short, we want to feel queer joy, feminist empowerment, unconditional love, and unique individuality. We are prioritizing the emphasis on our chosen family, quality moments that we will get to spend together, and creating moments and memories that prioritize ourselves and our relationship. We are more focused on being true to ourselves than following a traditional wedding script. We are looking forward to celebrating authentically with the people we love most in life! We are excited to connect, to laugh, and to dance.”

I roadtripped from Minnesota to California to photograph their wedding and document it on Super 8 film. I was along with Annie and Rhys for two days of non-continuous photography coverage. No missed moments; no missed memories. I spent Friday night meeting everybody and capturing the mix and mingle. Then Saturday was the big day and I was there for all day (12 hour) photography coverage.

Be transported into their Super 8 intimate wedding day Film

Dive into their visual legacy

Annie and Rhys’s wedding day morning was spent intentionally together doing the activities and rituals they love. Their morning walks with the dogs are sacred just as their conversations over good coffee. This morning they replaced their pride flag with a fresh, bright flag.

As they began to get ready for the day, Rhys administered their testosterone shot with Annie by their side. A queer ritual they were happy to capture and celebrate.

Hair by Em Dub arrived and Annie got her hair and makeup done in-home. Afterwards, Annie used her downtime to be alone for a bit, meditate, ground herself, and write her vows. Rhys went to the barber and came back excited and grounded. Their morning was very intentional to create space to be present and to relax.

They chose to help each other get dressed, taking time to savor the little moments together. For their wedding day outfits, Annie chose an emerald green jumpsuit and Rhys chose a linen suit. Even though they helped each other get ready, the moment they laid eyes on each other all dressed up, the feels came out.

Before their guests begin to arrive, it was important for them to make a celebratory cocktail together and listen to music. They made the Selena from “Free the Tipple: Kickass Cocktails Inspired by Iconic Women”.

They chose to exchange rings in private and sealed their love with a kiss.

They became legally wed shortly after, witnessed by their closest loved ones and officiated by Annie’s mother.

They created a ceremony and reception experience truly unique to what they wanted. Instead of one long ceremony, they opted for a more engaging experience involving their guests. Their wedding included multiple speeches and toasts broken up throughout the night. Everybody, including the couple, were laughing, crying, and smiling so big.

Not only did I capture these memories on photos and super 8 film, but I recorded all the audio from every speech. The couple will forever have the sentimental speeches to transport back into the feelings and memories of their wedding day.

They always envisioned a family style meal with everyone at one big table celebrating. Their vision came to life because look how cute their setup was! They served vegan arepas catered from their favorite local restaurant, Arepas Latin Cuisine.

The speeches continued after dinner, and oh boy were they extra emotional ones. I was getting emotional behind the camera for all of them.

Following the last speech, Annie and Rhys’s looked at each other and shared their vows. Their intimate words were shared with their loved ones surrounding them.

We snuck away for sunset and took a walk to their favorite mural for portraits. So colorful. So joyous.

They walked into their party and owned that dance floor! Instead of any first dances, they had the dance floor packed with their friends. It wasn’t long until the shirt came off either.

Also, I am obsessed with their backyard lighting setup. In an outdoor reception, lighting plays a big role in setting the vibe and also can make or break the photos. They had multiple different sets of Eddison lights and twinkle lights. I had so much fun creating these cool flash light drag effects!

It was an honor to document such an intimate day and archive it for generations to cherish. If my work resonates with you, send me a message! I can’t wait to hear more about the vision you have for your wedding day.