When the officiant was delayed, pushing the planned sunset ceremony well into the moonlight, these two brides, and their talented photographers, rolled with the mishaps and had a beautiful, intimate ceremony on the beach by the light of the full moon.

This pride month is especially meaningful, as we mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising which brought visibility to LGBTQ+ issues and the community’s struggle for equal rights. We still face a great deal of discrimination in this world, but no one can dampen the light of love shone from these couples. To honor the sacrifice of every one who has helped the community reach this point, we are highlighting 50 moments of pure queer love and joy from past Catalyst couples. Thank you for sharing your love and light with us and the world!

We met less than a year before we got married. Our connection was almost instantaneous and grew quickly. We share a background of struggle and resilience, and a passion for our Black identities and social justice. We knew we wanted to get married on a beach, and finding an LGBTQ+ friendly island in the Caribbean narrowed down our options substantially. Puerto Rico fit, however, and our desire to support the island after the hurricane of 2017 sealed the deal.