Born in Oregon and raised in the Northwest and in the Midwest, I never saw much diversity. As a result, I always saw my skin color and hair as something to be ashamed of—something I should try to hide, cover up, straighten, or make to align more with the American standard of beauty. As I’ve grown up, I’ve slowly started to embrace who I am, kinky hair and all. In a classically modern wedding setting, I wanted to showcase that journey of self discovery with a sleek, elegant, and beautifully natural bride of color.

This styled shoot was a sophisticated rendition of the 80s. We wanted to balance the lightheartedness of love with the moody space of the venue to create an intriguing connection between everything. Our goal was to extract bigger elements of the decade and integrate that with architectural hard lines and edges. Everyone who worked on the shoot was a local Colorado business, and we were so proud to shine light on the diverse talent present in the Denver area.

For me this photo challenge prompted a natural response to the current sociopolitical backlash to diversity, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community. I put out a casting call in my local model group looking for alternative and underrepresented women. I knew from the start I wanted to show a same sex wedding, so when Gigi and Nicole were among my applicants the choice was easy.

Styled shoots are all about creativity and the spinning entree choice was such a cool way to present your guests their menu options. On top of that, our model's bolero is removable, making it the perfect way to transition from a formal ceremony to a more laid back reception! And for colder wedding months this is the perfect accessory to add a bit of warmth! It's funny because we originally planned on a sunny styled shoot, so at first when we saw the wash out weather we were mortified, but I think all in all the rain really added to the intimacy and portrayal of the couple, proving that a rainy wedding day can still be just as gorgeous, if not more!

This modern, edgy, and glam shoot was inspired by punk and rock n' roll with a little bit of sparkle. We paired textures like leather and studs with soft velvet and sequins. These two grooms channel their inner rock stars with fashion-forward outfits and unique hairstyles. A black, red, and silver palette keeps the look edgy yet chic. Lyrics from rock stars like David Bowie and Billy Idol incorporate a love of music. Vertigo event venue in Glendale, California provided the ideal backdrop with brick exterior and a chic and sleek event space.

And you thought we were done! The Columbus team of vendors that brought you One Couple Three Ways: Grunge, Sweet Floral, and Royal also styled Elaina under the theme of Hunger Games. Enjoy!

“Let’s do a shoot that involves cats…and motorcycles!” That was the sentence that began this project. Later we’d add to the list: deer teeth, parachute pants, and a grungy bouquet of flowers with roots still attached.

“I wanted to be part of the styled shoot because it seemed like something Elaina and I would have a lot of fun doing. I also thought my mom would be thrilled to see us dressed up in wedding clothes…I’ve learned more about event planning, floral arrangements, photography, hair and makeup in one day than I ever had before. It was just such an unusual day for me that when I think about it, it feels like a breath of fresh air.”  —Bryce, Groom

A group of us creatives meet our perfect match: a young couple married two years, who never had their wedding day in the sun. They married at a courthouse before moving abroad to teach English in Korea. There was no first look, no dress shopping, and no being doted upon. Even before we met our couple, we decided to stretch ourselves and what we consider possible by using one couple and one base outfit — but in wildly different aesthetics. 

Forever Enchanting Wedding & Event Planning put this stylized wedding inspo shoot together just before Christmas through collaboration with some amazing talented vendors in Edmonton, Alberta. The style we were going for was bold and edgy with sharp angles and crisp lines. Some of our favorite details included the wedding gown because it showcased the geometric shapes, and we also loved the copper himmelis and the unique love showcased by the real life couple in our shoot.

This styled shoot steps away from the more traditional wedding attire and keeps the focus on the couple's connection, supporting the free and wild spirits out there and showcasing that marriage and love truly is meant for everyone, no matter who you are, where you are, or what you're wearing. 

This shoot was located in a brand new wedding venue, Highland Brewery, and features a phenomenal dessert bar by French Broad Chocolates, two favorite local establishments. Asheville is all about lifting our local community up, and all the vendors for this shoot are local to Asheville! The shoot has an industrial setting at the brewery but brings in the romance through styling.

For this shoot, we sought a unique and unexplored space. The interior of the recently opened Cambria Gallery in the SoMa neighborhood just south of City Hall was an inspiring discovery. We fell in love with the combination of colors and textures and the urban, modern décor. Marble, quartz, and exposed brick give the showroom a very dramatic and industrial look, particularly when paired with a bold, graphic print. The space inspired an urban, yet feminine vibe and a chic, modern, yet approachable look for our shoot.

Groom (Henry) and Bride (Alex) had been friends since childhood. Their names were taken from the children's book series, Boxcar Children, where one book is titled Treehouse Mystery. After high school, Alex ran off to the city to lead a life of freedom from the confines of their small hometown, while Henry stayed behind. She eventually realized she missed the freedom, a different kind, that only the country provided her, so she came back home and reconnected with Henry. They rekindled an old fire with each others' fun-loving spirits like they were kids again. 

Carly Romeo, co-founder of Catalyst Wed Co. recently planned Feminist Photo Vaycay, which is a blend of relaxation and creative exploration. Over the course of three days, fifteen photographers descended on the desert (well, a house in Palm Springs) and talked shop, took photos of each other, and had access to four professionally-styled shoots with themes that spanned the genres of boudoir, editorial, weddings, and couples' portraiture. But more than giving photographers a chance to shoot genres that they don't usually work within, the shoots were intentionally diverse -- featuring multicultural models and same-sex couples — and representative of the diversity of clients they all seek to serve. The results were spectacular: they pushed themselves creatively, they shot in pools and on top of mountains, and they practiced and shared technical skills. Oh, and the photos turned out awesome.

Carly Romeo, co-founder of Catalyst Wed Co. recently planned Feminist Photo Vaycay, which is a blend of relaxation and creative exploration. Over the course of three days, fifteen photographers descended on the desert (well, a house in Palm Springs) and talked shop, took photos of each other, and had access to four professionally-styled shoots with themes that spanned the genres of boudoir, editorial, weddings, and couples' portraiture. But more than giving photographers a chance to shoot genres that they don't usually work within, the shoots were intentionally diverse – featuring multicultural models and same-sex couples – and representative of the diversity of clients they all seek to serve. The results were spectacular: they pushed themselves creatively, they shot in pools and on top of mountains, and they practiced and shared technical skills. Oh, and the photos turned out awesome.

For this photo shoot, I got in touch with Ashley, from Ash+OAK to create a flower dreamcatcher, and I asked her to create something as unique as every woman and to use reds. Red symbolizes strength and confidence, and it is a super sexy color. She included local wild flowers, bold reds, moss, and sticks into the design of the dreamcatcher and the bouquet.

Sabrina and Moira are a real-life queer Chilean-American couple living in Los Angeles, CA. They met through mutual friends in Portland, OR in 2005. Moira attempted to get Sabrina’s attention several times, but it wasn’t until 5 years later, when the 2010 earthquake hit central Chile that they made a real connection, bonding over their concern for family in the region during the natural disaster. In Moira’s words, “It took an 8.8 earthquake in Chile to get her to notice me!” They fell in love and have been together ever since. This past New Year's Eve, they spontaneously eloped in Hawaii.

I’ve been at 400 weddings in 15 years. I’m sure I’ve seen every kind of white dress you can possibly imagine, and frankly, I’m over it. 

It’s 2016, people! You can stand out as a bright flower in a summer full of white-dress-black-suit friendweddings! 

You can be memorable and amazing! You can be excited about being yourself!

You can express your gender identity! LGBTQIA+ couples don't have to try and fit into what their straight friends are doing, unless they want to.

You can put that weirdly large wedding dress budget to use in hiring a better photographer, getting engagement photos, having cocktails or better quality food, or going on your honeymoon!