I have seen a lot. My parents raised me not to pay attention to the race of people or their sexual orientation. Being a dancer for over 20 years, helped mold me into the open minded person that I am today. I went to Creative and Performing Arts High School in Philly where the school could not get funding unless the student population was 50% African American and 50% everything else. I lived in Amsterdam on and off for 3 years with two gay men and loved every second of it! So yes, I'm an open minded kind of lady.
When I made the leap to weddings from editorial (which paid crap and was really cut throat) and families, I made a promise to myself that I would really commit to seeking out same sex couples who wanted to get married! I was so excited that I was actually FINALLY living in a state that did NOT support marriage discrimination. All my gay and lesbian friends living in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and beyond still did not have that right, and it drove me nuts.
That being said, all my support, cheerleading and such didn't prepare me for what feelings would overcome me when I actually FINALLY booked my first same sex wedding. Now...I have been to commitment ceremonies. I even crashed my dear friend Myra's ceremony to her beloved Madison. It was great. It was legit in my eyes, but not in the state of Pennsylvania. They couldn't enjoy the same benefits that I have being married to the opposite sex, or living in my new home of Massachusetts. But I digress. (I do that a lot...sorry)
Fast forward to March of 2011 and I get the email I have been waiting for. Two fantastic, smart, funny and beautiful women were courting me to photograph their wedding that coming September and I really REALLY wanted to be a part of it. It was a big deal for me because I was finally going to experience the legality of it all. I thought it wasn't going to feel any different for me than Myra and Madison's wedding, but it did! It REALLY REALLY DID!
It was a wedding. A big one! With a minister! With a big wedding party, at an amazing location called The Barn at Gibbet Hill. It was the whole shebang! Flowers, favors, dancing, drinking, laughing, family, and LEGITIMACY in the eyes of the state they call home. Legitimacy in the eyes of their families and friends. It was a wedding, plain and simple. It was everything Renee and Daniece strive to be today and in their future. They plan on having children, just like everyone else. They want to grow old together, just like everyone else. So I ask you, how is that different? IT ISN'T!
Love is love...THE END!
 |
| Ok, seriously, the cake they had was to DIE FOR! |
 |
| I loved that Daniece and Renee wanted to jump the broom! |
 |
| Their place settings were GENIUS! Those are library "book check out" stamps with their wedding date and the table number beneath the guest name! The favors were used books, which were scattered all over the reception for anyone to take home with them! |
 |
| Here is Daniece looking over Renee's schedule that she had made for all of us. We were all kind of baffled by it, Daniece included! |
 |
| Guest just waiting for the brides to arrive. It was an amazing day all around, but the weather was beyond perfect! |
 |
| I was thrilled when the ladies told me they wanted to do a first look. |
 |
| Everyone, I mean EVERYONE knew how to salsa there! And the line dancing going on...well can you say I'm now obsessed with the song "Cupid Shuffle". I have yet to hear it at another wedding. |
 |
| I loved getting everyone together for this one. |
