Genderqueer Springtime Wedding at Hartman's Herb Farm

Bet you’ve never seen a slam poetry reading at a wedding. Bet you’ve never seen several. But that’s just the way Truj and Brian roll.

If there’s one thing they will bring to the table, it’s…actually it’s never just One Thing with These Two. But if there were, hypothetically, I’d say it’s “Something You’ve Never Quite Seen Before (and Maybe Will Again).”

Beneath the seafoam-scalloped edges of the chapel, Brian and Truj begin to shed tears for the I’ll Be So Real With You, I’ve Lost Count At This Point in the Day and We’re Still Just in the Ceremony’th time. Their guests are starting to get in their feels too, and hey, is my lens foggy or is that just me? I’ve seen a few weddings in my day and to be honest: this is the first one I’ve ever cried at. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a celebration where so much of the couple was truly embedded into every facet of the day.

There was nothing superficial about their wedding; no “the tablecloths are blue because I like blue”, no “we just let the planner pick it out for us”. They poured their everything into their day, and it showed; in the joy and excitement they had for their own details, in the awe of their guests pouring over the table settings, florals, the incredible graphic design of the signs, in the poetry spoken aloud by their loved ones.

This celebration of queer love was quite the spectacle.

Ask anyone who knows them and they’ll say, “Brian and Truj are so, so in love.” Anyone! And yeah. You can feel it and you can see it, and I had the massive privilege of documenting it on the happiest day of their lives…So far. I feel like these two will somehow manage to top this and I mean that as nothing short of massive praise. It’s like they could reach this same sort of euphoria in something as simple as making dinner together. It’s just Like That for them.

But don’t take my word for it…as loquacious as I can be for these equally as loquacious lovebirds I would hope that the photos speak for themselves. (I won’t stop talking, though.)

Speaking of queer love, this was such an unbridled celebration of it.

Brian and Truj are both nonbinary and their community of friends and found family alike reflected those values and diverse identities as well. It was an incredible atmosphere to work within and document. Before this, I’ve only ever shot one other queer wedding. I am reminded of how they are so different in ways that are only good, and in ways I only want to keep photographing.

This reminds me of a portion of Truj’s vows, in which they said:

“It has been such an immense gift to grow alongside you. The best thing about loving you, coming out as nonbinary beside you, building our lives together. We do not need to ask permission to be ourselves, and loving each other brings us closer to who we truly are. I promise to encourage you to be more yourself for the rest of our lives. I promise to never stop trying to find new ways to love you & the person you become.”

This is a kind of love that can only be born from people who have found and reclaimed their identities, together. This is a kind of love that is unique to queerness, to transness. This is what keeps me behind the camera and will until I cannot carry one anymore.

Seven years ago I rented a zipcar and drove to Hartman’s Herb Farm, having just moved back to Boston with the goal of Becoming a Wedding Photographer. I was on one of my first second shooter gigs. My gear was shit, but my work was good. Too good, apparently. The man I was shooting under took my memory card, said he’d send the photos to me, and never did; the entire reason I was second shooting was to build my portfolio.

I revisited that day while reacquainting myself with the venue at Truj and Brian’s wedding. So much has changed since then, and there I was, back in a place where I called the shots (no pun intended), with clients that felt like mine. With clients that truly were mine; wonderfully creative, passionate queer peole in love, who were drawn to my work, that I built.

Rest assured, I’m keeping these photos. They aren’t going anywhere.