I have to admit, I am living for these intimate 2020 weddings! Kevin and Pete’s wedding taught me that every single wedding day is beautiful, no matter the circumstances. There can be rain, snow, sleet, civil unrest, or a global pandemic; nothing could stop these two from tying the knot. I was originally a little nervous to shoot Kevin and Pete’s wedding photos. This was my first gay wedding. However, I’ve known this couple for a long time now, and I’ve shot wedding photos for countless couples before. Ultimately, I knew this would be no different. I’ve had other photographers ask for advice when it comes to shooting gay couples’ wedding photos and here it is: It’s literally no different.
Posing and shooting a same-sex couple is exactly the same as every other couple. You can just use the taller person to take the traditionally “male” poses or just flip back and forth of who takes what “traditional” part of the pose.
The Backstory
Kevin and Pete got married at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, Minnesota. This is the same spot where they got engaged exactly one year earlier! I was lucky enough to capture the proposal as well. Kevin and I work together, and he came to me one day with an idea to propose to Pete during a photoshoot. He said they didn’t have any nice photos together, so he wanted to book a shoot with me and then surprise Pete during our session. Here are a few peeks at how that proposal and session went!
Couple’s Photos
Our plan was to photograph the grooms’ portraits in downtown Saint Paul before heading to the park for the ceremony. Kevin and Pete live in Saint Paul, and it has a special place in their hearts. We also wanted some variety from the locations we used for their engagement photos. Therefore, we decided to photograph their wedding photos in Rice Park. I absolutely adore this area, and it made for the perfect backdrop in their very dapper suits!
You may not be able to tell from the photos, but this wedding almost didn’t happen due to weather. We woke up on the morning of Kevin and Pete’s wedding day and the sky was yellow. The forecast called for freezing temperatures, rain, and snow all day. It was only mid-October! Minnesota is notorious for its crazy weather, but this was unusual even for the midwest! Kevin and I were texting on the morning of the wedding, and I could tell he was upset about the weather. I assured him I would be there to capture their day, rain or shine! So we bundled up, stood in the freezing rain for two hours, and got this sweet couple hitched!
The Ceremony
Kevin and Pete got married in a tiny ceremony in the presence of just their moms. The ceremony was short and sweet, but still made me cry (as usual)! They found an amazing judge who is experienced in leading gay weddings. She was a hoot, and the perfect addition to the day! The couple said their vows on a beautiful dock, popped a bottle of champagne, signed the marriage license in the back of Pete’s Subaru, and off they went! Despite everything working against them, Kevin and Pete had a beautiful day, and I felt so blessed to be a part of it.
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