If Baz Luhrman and Pedro Almodovar were to plan a gay wedding, it would be that of Dominic and Marcos in Asturias, Spain. Leaving to one side the obvious fact of the directors and couple being from Spain and Australia, we can focus on a wedding that was the perfect amalgam of tradition and originality, familiarity and theatricality, and yes… Spanish and Australian zest for life.
Read MoreA third, first date turned into a lifetime for these two pharmacists. They two opted for a less conventional, more queer gay wedding, one that was an intimate ceremony for 2, to a celebration of love for many. Josh and Kelly made use of Provenance.co to help design their ceremony, write their vows, and craft their toasts, making for their ideal gay wedding.
Read MoreIn a tale as old as Tinder, this American and Aussie couple show us what a gay wedding of unbounded joy and chicness can look like. Incorporating new gay wedding traditions—The Mother’s Kiss and conferring of a new last name—Jake and Mitchell turned a fairytale gay wedding into a way of everyday being.
Read MoreAll it took was a boys’ weekend in Berlin as part of a ‘year of yes, for Kevin’s life to turn into a ‘forever of yes.’ It was love at first sight for Kevin and Steven across a crowded dance floor and the two have not stopped talking since. From their gay engagement in New York, to their first gay wedding in Palm Springs, and the second gay wedding in Berlin, these gay grooms have only fallen more deeply in love.
Read MoreJake and Aaron found the best of all loves in each other: a calm one. Every stage of their relationship: from first meeting to saying “I Do” was marked by a sense of calm and steadiness. Their gay wedding in Chicago was at a rustic firehouse at which they even were able to make their first appearance as husbands by sliding down a fire pole.
Read MoreWe take enormous pride at Men’s Vows when we get to feature the love and gay wedding story of a couple whose relationship has thrived for as long as that of Richard and Douglas. Forty-five years together is an extraordinary feat and one that we are proud to celebrate here by sharing their story.
Read MoreFor this Houston gay couple, all it took was the swipe… of a good friend… to set their fairy tale romance in motion. Despite not being interested in dating apps, the two gave in and, 18-months later were walking down the aisle at their gay fairy tale wedding in Ireland. Indian wedding traditions met Celtic ones for one of the most spectacular gay weddings we’ve featured.
Read MoreThis gay military couple met on Tinder and very swiftly turned their long-distance relationship into an adventure traveling the world. Whether because they’ve lived in Korea, Japan, Virginia, California and New York, or because their gay engagement and gay wedding took place at JFK’s iconic TWA Hotel, theirs was a relationship meant to be lived on the road.
Read MoreThis gay couple from Indiana reached new heights of happiness at every stage of their relationship. From first meeting on a retreat for social workers in service of underprivileged youth to their gay engagement to their gay wedding, Gabriel and Randall have always been in service to others, especially each other’s happiness.
Read MoreFor these two gay Colombian’s, their relationship can only be best described as adventurous. From a gay wedding proposal at 11K feet while jumping out of a plane, to a gay wedding themed around The Greatest Showman, these two know how to make a lifetime together unforgettable.
Read MoreTheir gay relationship started as one between neighbors. Over the course of four years, the two evolved from casual neighbors to fast friends to falling in love. Read all about their gay wedding in Portugal which was nothing conventional.
Read MoreFrom their gay engagement over dirty dishes to gay travels across Europe, David & Edward find a sense of adventure in all that they do. Their gay wedding in Cleveland was a decidedly elegant affair that played to their sense of adventure and wanderlust.
Read MoreThere’s nothing like a dancefloor to heal the wounds of a breakup. Especially when on said dancefloor you meet your forever guy. Such was the case for Glynn and Tony. Read all about their gay wedding in Nayarit, Mexico.
Read MoreIt took 10-years before this gay couple met in the small gay village that is Denver. But, the two made up for lost time by moving through their relationship to gay engagement to gay wedding in Puerto Vallarta. From the Rocky Mountains to the Mexican Pacific Coast, follow this gay relationship from “nice to meet you” to “I do!”
Read MoreIf at first you don’t Tinder, wait a minute and Hinge. This is exactly how this Boston gay couple set on a path to gay marriage! Because the two lived in different cities, there was reluctance to start anything serious. But, before too long the two realized that serious was exactly what they were and managed the distance and are now going the distance!
Read MoreFrom navigating families that were not originally supportive of them as gay men, to re-meeting 7-years after first meeting, to pushing through planning their wedding during Covid, this gay wedding on Cape Cod was a culmination of a Brad and David living life with conviction.
Read MoreMarc & JD’s gay wedding in New York cleared many hurdles to happen, with Covid being the easiest. After first meeting online, Marc deleted his profile. Deciding to come back online, with a new profile and new fotos, JD recognized Marc anyway and the two finally met. The rest, as they say, is history.
Read MoreFor these football and musical loving gents, New York beckoned for their gay wedding. A decidedly Jewish affair—from a Katz-catered rehearsal to nuptials at the Angel Orensanz Foundation, John & Alex tied the knot after planning from afar from their hometown of Shanghai.
Read MoreDan and Ivan met twelve years ago in Toronto, married shortly thereafter and two years ago renewed their gay vows in a centote near Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Their gay marriage was witnessed by the Christian church and by the Mayan tradition bestowing on this gay couple the most spiritual of gay wedding experiences.
Read MoreLogan and Michael were introduced by a stranger at a bar and the rest, as they say, is history. After postponing their gay wedding in 2020, the two married in a sublime gay ceremony and reception in Connecticut barn.
Read More
The following questions are meant to help you prepare for the period between knowing you’re going to ask your man to marry you and your big day.
Open Section
These questions and recommendations will help focus you on what matters most for your ceremony and making sure that you are as present as possible for the moment when you say: "I do!"
Open Section
These pointers are intended to make sure you create the most memorable experience for you and your guests, focusing you on the fun of planning.
Open Section
The following questions are meant to help you prepare for the period between knowing you’re going to ask your man to marry you and your big day. These are intended to get you thinking about what really matters during this exciting time and to help you make the best choices for planning your wedding.
In what way could you ask each other to marry?
What would you like to offer each other as a symbol of your engagement?
What will it mean to you both for one of you to ask for the other’s parents’ blessing and pop the question “on bended knee?”
Does one of you want to do the asking?
Do you want to make a more formal announcement printing announcement cards and mailing them individually?
Should yours be more “light-hearted” and use a digital mailing service?
Is it worth the money for you to have dedicated photography (and “rehearse” your potential wedding photographer) and announce your engagement along with a photo?
Do you make an occasion of the announcement and invite your friends and family to a cocktail party?
How much do you truly understand each other’s vision and means for your wedding?
Have you appreciated the differences in ideas you have for your wedding?
On what are you each willing to compromise or create a new idea around where your visions differ?
How much can you spend on your wedding without incurring any debt that will allow you to host your guests in the way that best represents you as a couple?
Based on your budget, do you need to envision your wedding differently?
Are you fully aligned with each other on what you want and what you can create for your wedding? If not, keep talking.
At the end of your wedding, what do you want for yourselves and others to have remembered from it?
Based on your vision for your wedding, where do you want to get married?
Based on your budget, where can you get married?
Based on whom you want to attend your wedding, where does it make most sense to host it?
In how much time do you think you can plan (and enjoy planning) your wedding?
Do you want to wait longer than planned to allow for a particular season, date or venue?
Will your work demands allow you the right amount of time to plan and take off for your selected date?
Is there a date more convenient for you, your guests or your budget?
Discuss in advance a few ground rules surrounding how much you’re willing to spend, and the type of wedding you would like to host. A completely DIY wedding can be just as memorable as a lavish, formal event.
Your wedding should be a reflection of your personalities and lifestyle, without the burden of incurring debt. Debt is not a lifestyle!
Who could you include to help make a preliminary budget for your wedding to help understand what your vision for the big day will cost?
Will your family share in some or all of the expense of the wedding?
Are there friends you could ask to contribute their skills – florists, bakers, musicians – as your wedding gift?
How will you hold each other accountable to your shared vision and agreed to budget for your wedding?
What venue(s) most encapsulate(s) your personalities, history together or vision for your life as husbands?
Does that venue provide space for your ceremony and reception? Or will you have opportunity to select a second venue?
Does your venue allow outside vendors (catering, florals) or are you required to use the venue’s suppliers?
Were you to opt for outside partners, how accessible is your venue? Delivery and transportation costs can add up quickly if your venue is tucked away.
When considering an outdoor venue, consider all weather contingency plans.
When considering a destination venue, consider the impact it might have on your guests. For a destination wedding give your guests the most possible time to plan, accumulate miles and save up!
Does your wedding venue/destination allow you to provide your guests with the multiple options for lodging? Price-points, types of venues, even home stays?
What opportunities can you create for people to experience the destination you’ve selected beyond your wedding?
When thinking about a concept for your wedding, how do you typically entertain? Of the weddings and parties you have you enjoyed most, what did you most like of them? Which elements felt like you? When deciding about a theme for your wedding, consider your favorite colors, personal or decorating style, activity, destination, historical era or even fantasy! Each of these areas will help you hone in an concept against which you can make many of your experience decisions.
Like with everything to do with your wedding, share with each other the “why” for your ideas for concept and style, and align the ones that most resonate for you both. Keep talking until you hone in on the concept you both most like.
Discuss with one another how a registry may help your guests purchase something you want or need, and reduce the stress associated with selecting the perfect gift.
What gifts will provide you with lasting memories by becoming meaningful reminders of those you love?
People will want to give you a gift, so provide them a range of options. From different price points, to including their presence at your destination wedding, to helping create your wedding experience.
You will want to be reminded of the people who attended your wedding, but gifts might not be the only way. Consider charities, asking people to contribute to your honeymoon, asking people to share their memory of their time celebrating through a picture or a letter
The site serves your guests and you equally. The more information you provide your guests, the less they will reach out to you.
Look at other couples’ sites to assess what information they included, what look they opted for (make sure your site relates to your concept!) and what platform they used (Wedding Wire, Squarespace). This will help you understand what you need to include and how complex programming it might be.
Consider using your site as the destination your friends, family and guests can turn to from the moment you get engaged.
Use photos from your engagement and your life together to bring your website to life.
Your guest list is about two things: first enjoying the most memorable day of you life with those you love most and second, not blowing the budget.
Start by determining your list and building your budget or, vice versa; how many people does your budget allow you to invite.
Assemble your lists independently and share with each other why you’ve included the guests you have. Allow each other to appreciate why someone is important and together determine the parameters for including (or not) people among your guests.
Generously negotiate your lists. Consider how you can recognize, without including, everyone you’ve decided not to invite.
What value do you want to place on your invitations? Think about how they relate to your personalities, your theme and your budget, not to mention the fact that people will likely only refer to these once.
What tone should your invitation set for your wedding? Consider the design, wording and even medium for delivering it.
When ordering invitations, think about all of the printed material you are thinking of using: invitations, programs, thank you cards, menus, place cards, etc. How should they relate? Can one designer and printer supply all? Is an electronic version viable?
What experience do you have in planning and coordinating an event of the scale of your wedding?
Based on your planning experience, where will you need most help? Do you have the right contacts to create your wedding? Do you have people willing to help in the areas where you’re less than expert or don’t have a trusted partner?
How much time do you have to plan your wedding? Now double that estimate (!) and now consider how much time you have relative to your work, other obligations and simply enjoying the experience of being engaged.
Based on your answers above, what value will having a wedding planner bring you? And, for how long might you need one? Perhaps you can handle a lot of the upfront work, but will want someone on the day to allow you to focus solely on your wedding experience.
Consider creating a team of people to help you and your planner, and especially to run interference for you on the actual day.
These questions and recommendations will help focus you on what matters most for your ceremony and making sure that you are as present as possible for the moment when you say: "I do!"
How much do you want to integrate faith or spirituality into your ceremony?
Who best represents your faith or spirituality? Is this person available to preside over your ceremony?
Make sure that the person you choose to pronounce you husband and husband is legally recognized to do so. Marriage laws differ state-by-state.
Consider spending meaningful time with your officiant – individually and as a couple – over the course of your engagement so he or she gets to really know you and make their words about you at your ceremony as resonant as possible.
Whom would you like to include in your ceremony? Share with each other why you’ve included those you’ve included.
How would you like to include them: in your groom’s party, as readers, ring bearers, ushers, etc.?
Create an opportunity before your wedding to get together with your wedding party and share with them the significance of each person you’ve included. Take the time to enjoy this group outside of the wedding day when there will be many others you’ll want to spend time with.
In what ways would you like to make your ceremony unique? Or, would you like yours to be a traditional ceremony? .
Spend time with your officiant to agree what you’d like said and read during the ceremony.
And, consider how the officiant words might compliment your vows.
What do you want to share with and pledge to your husband-to-be through your vows? Will you use traditional vows or write your own?
If writing your own, take as much time as you can to write and edit and rewrite and understand your vows. These are the most important words you will say to your husband. Think about how your partner has influenced and changed your life, and how your life will progress going forward. Think about what you, as a couple, will contribute to each other and your friends and family. Share intimate moments of your relationship that helped make you realize your husband-to-be was meant for you.
What are the readings and passages that most resonate with you as individuals and as a couple? These don’t have to be about love and marriage, necessarily. They could also be words that have guided you to this point, or that will going forward. Consider asking your readers for suggestions based on their experience of you.
What music most encapsulates you both as individuals and as a couple? Work with your planner or officiant to decide what to play when and determine if you want it played live or otherwise. Use your program to share with your guests how the music is relevant.
Like with your guest list, understand from each other who matters most to include at the rehearsal dinner. And, make sure you follow your same budgetary guidelines.
Consider asking selected people to toast you, and asking others to write their toast to you. This will help manage the duration of toasting. An MC for the evening can help keep the toasts moving swiftly and appropriately!
Allow yourselves ample time to greet all of your guests and, most importantly, introduce them to each other. This will help make for an even livelier reception.
Will your engagement ring serve as your wedding band or will you have a separate one for each occasion?
It is solely up to you if you’d like matching or individual bands, custom made or jewelry store-bought. Have fun exploring all of the options.
In what clothes do you feel your best? In what clothes do you most enjoy seeing your husband? Do these styles match your wedding? Is it OK if they don't?
Are your styles such that you want to wear the same look? If not, what could you each wear to complement each other?
In what clothes would you like your guests to be present at your wedding?
How will you feel looking back on these outfits in 30 years? Should you consider a different style to ensure your photos are timeless?
How much effort do you want to put into getting “camera ready” shape?
Is there someone you could recruit to help you select your wedding outfits – friend, sibling, personal shopper, tailor?
Make a shortlist of your favorite photographers. Spend some time getting to know them as you want to select them based on their style of photography, but also on the simpatico among you. Ask yourselves if you want this photogrpaher as a guest at your wedding?
What do you like most about your favorite photos: of yourself, of yourselves, of other weddings? Share these photos and opinions with your photographer.
Consider everyone on your guest list and with whom you’d like your photographer to capture a moment among you.
All of the above applies to any videographers you might be considering.
These pointers are intended to make sure you create the most memorable experience for you and your guests, focusing you on the fun of planning.
How could your reception venue add to or complement your overall wedding experience?
Are you asking too much of your venue by making it something it is not?
Make sure the venue does not inadvertently complicate the experience for your vendors by being difficult to reach, limiting the use of outside vendors, requiring additional infrastructure such as power, facilities or otherwise.
Does the value of the venue exceed the cost? Could you deliver the same experience somewhere else?
How does the experience you want to have for you and your guests influence the menu and serving style? Is a casual buffet or family-style platters more aligned? Or, is a plated dinner more in keeping with your idea for the reception?
Plan your reception prior to dinner to allow guests to mix and mingle and most importantly offer their congratulations, not to mention take the selfies.
Have fun and take your time exploring caterers and menus. And, don’t forget to work with your bartenders to create cocktails or mocktails to create an added element of uniqueness to your reception.
Like with your ceremony, how much does tradition matter to you when it comes to the cake, cake toppers and cake cutting?
Are there other desserts that more accurately reflect who you are?
Schedule tastings at least three recommended bakers.
Keep in mind that while a cake may be beautiful in pictures, it’s the flavor everyone remembers.
Coordinate the design, frosting and décor of the cake with your style and colors.
What appeals to you about flowers? The color, a particular bloom, a scent? Start there when deciding the initial direction for your flowers.
Get recommendations for local florists that are known for their quality and design esthetic.
Provide the florist with photographs and examples of flowers and designs you love. And, do not hesitate to ask the florist to create an actual samples: of the centerpieces, boutonnieres, bouquets (if someone will be carrying one), etc. Learn what different flowers cost and the value that florals will bring to your wedding.
What more does your experience require beyond the venue, menu, florals?
What personal touches could you add to your concept to make it even more personal?
Lighting is perhaps the most significant way to create a unique atmosphere for your event.
Can you make your décor a gift to your guests by allowing them to take elements of it such as the flowers, candles or other tokens?
How do you like hearing your favorite songs played? As they were originally recorded or played live? This will help determine if you prefer a DJ or a band.
Could your budget support you having live music during your reception and dinner, and a DJ for dancing? Or vice-versa?
How might your playlist include all of your guests’ musical preferences? Make sure everyone has a song to sing along or dance to throughout the night.
Tell your band or DJ the exact songs you want played.
Does your venue allow for you to place more and smaller tables such to create more intimate groups? Or, is a long, family-style set up more appropriate for your experience?
For each table, determine whom you’d like to see connecting with each other, whether its people that already know each other, all share a common interest or folks you think will enjoy meeting for the first time.
Do you have the time to assign individual seats or is assigning groups to table more manageable for you? No matter, work on seating over time to allow new and old connections among people to come clear to you.
Whose toast deserves pride of place during the reception? Do you want people other than the best men or women and your parents to participate?
If you are to toast, make sure you prepare this gesture as thoroughly as you did your vows. Now is a time to meaningfully recognize all who have played, and will play, a role in your marriage.
Consider having an MC to keep toasts short and moving swiftly.
