This shoot was a true collaboration to create a luxury wedding scene for a sophisticated and fun queer couple living in NYC to celebrate their love, including their real life pet, Scout. We had so much fun dreaming up ways to highlight the stunning views that 50 Bowery Hotel displays while also celebrating its downtown vibe and unique artwork.

Our advice for couples planning their wedding would be don't follow traditions because you feel like you have to, but follow the ones you want to — the ones you truly value. Once we understood that the process of wedding planning became so much more enjoyable.

With a little bit of research, a chat with your officiant, and with our advice, you should feel confident in your wedding vows before it comes time to exchange them in public.

We strive to spend our clients’ money wisely by encouraging them to invest in creative pieces, and we find ways to repurpose things throughout the event. We loved how the freestanding floral ceremony pieces framed the couple without being the typical wooden arbor or truss, and they can be moved and repurposed at the reception.

While sharing a first dance as a married couple is certainly not a requirement for your wedding, it is still a tradition that many couples look forward to as part of their celebration. In order to shake off the old fashioned gender roles and uplift the entire event, approach your first dance as a duet that embodies your union.

Unexpected and emergency expenses crop up in almost every wedding, and that’s why the experienced wedding pros in our vendor directory encourage all couples to have a wedding contingency fund.

If we can arrange a wedding from Ireland, then turn up in NYC and have the most fantastic day of our lives without any problems, then anyone can!!

We both said it throughout the day and it still rings true; for many reasons, neither Frances nor myself ever thought we were going to be people who got to have the big, beautiful, LEGAL wedding...and we did, and it was fabulous. It still makes me tear up to realized how fortunate I am. 

Without fail, my clients always forget one very important detail as they plan their weddings: Who’s taking all of their sh*t at the end of the night? You’d think this would be an easy question to answer but, in my experience, it’s often one of the hardest.

We’re seeing custom illustrations pop up more and more in weddings, and we absolutely love the variety of options available to create fun and personal artwork for your wedding decor and for your home. Need help envisioning how a custom illustrated portrait can be used for your wedding? Here are 5 ways to use artwork to add a personal touch to your wedding day.

When deciding on a wedding date, many couples ultimately choose to wed on a holiday or long holiday weekend, but is this really the best idea? We asked the members of our vendor directory for their expertise, and here’s what they had to say.

On this day 4 years ago, Andrea proposed to Carla, just one day after the historic Supreme Court decision. “We read about the celebrations happening back home and started to get emotional at the realization that so many people, including us, would now be legally validated and protected as couples. We never expected to see this happen during our youth — and much less in Puerto Rico. It was then that Andrea gently took my promise ring from my finger and asked me if I would ever marry her.”

We really just want people to know our story. We’d like to say our story is unique, and maybe it is, but we want to show the world that we are just two normal guys, gay as it turns out, who fell in love. Throughout our 18 years of being together, we have been truly surrounded by people who love us and want us to be happy. After all, we all just want to be loved.

When it comes to weddings, alcohol is one of those things that has become an unspoken requirement. I mean, how can you possibly celebrate your love without booze?! The truth is, alcohol at your wedding is totally optional and having an open bar is nice, but it is definitely not a requirement for your wedding to be a success.

Anne Barge has been creating stunning designer wedding gowns for twenty years, and in recent years has made a significant effort to create a more inclusive designer brand. In addition to offering Blue Willow, which is a collection that offers high end gowns at a more affordable price point, Anne Barge also offers Curve Couture, a line of designer gowns for sizes 16 and up. The Curve Couture collection includes dozens of looks with a variety of shapes, cuts, and materials.

We met through mutual friends, but we didn't date right away because David was in a relationship at the time. We were friends for two years before we decided to go on our first date in August 2018. That first date was a country concert at the Orange County fair. We danced and laughed the whole night, bonding over the similarities and values we had in common.

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!

The only thing that was truly important was that I married the woman of my dreams and love of my life.  Everything else was just delicious frosting on the cake.

Here at Catalyst, we are always on the look out for inclusive wedding wear and so we were thrilled to hear that our friends at Urban Set Bride has created a new collection of gowns available only at their boutique in Richmond, Virginia. Christine Haines Greenberg and Jennifer Haines have been bringing plus size and inclusive wedding attire to the Central Virginia area for the last five years, and we were lucky enough to sit down with Christine and hear more about the new collection.

We performed a tea ceremony with our close family and friends before the main wedding ceremony. My grandmother painted calligraphy just for the occasion and it was very special to have that part of her there when she was unable to travel from China for the wedding.

We spent maybe a bit more than we should have on bourbon . . . but it is Kentucky after all.