All love is equal, but oftentimes the stories that we hear about love only represent a small portion of the world. Even though more and more people are coming out and living (and loving) as their authentic selves, their love stories aren’t always told.
Well, as a wedding photographer who loves capturing queer love, I want to help change that. So today, we are focusing all on the love story between Dill (they/them) and Natalie (she/her).
I had the absolute pleasure of photographing these two incredible humans. They wanted to do a redo of their engagement photos post-transition leading up to their 10th anniversary when they are going to do a vow renewal.
Dill and Natalie’s Story
Dill and Natalie met each other online 12 years ago. It was a random coincidence of Dill’s close friends encouraging them to try outline dating, which Natalie had already been (not so successfully) navigating for years.
In her final attempt before giving up on dating altogether and resolving to be single forever, Natlie sent one final message…to Dill. And the rest, as they say, was history.
After just two weeks of open conversations and board games, both of them knew that this was it, they had found their person that they were meant to be with forever. Just four months later, they picked out rings and just nine months after starting their relationship, they were engaged – and they haven’t looked back since.
Although both Dill and Natalie were closeted when they met, together they helped each other to not only realize that they were queer but also trans. At the time, though, neither of them had the freedom to come out publicly until after they were married.
Since then, they’ve spent so many nights having long talks about how they felt and where they saw themselves in the future. Their journey even inspired Dill to pursue their graduate degree in mental health counseling with the goal of eventually becoming an LPC to help people just like them who were never given the words to describe their identity.
Today, both Natalie and Dill have transitioned – Natalie as a trans woman and Dill as a non-binary trans person. To celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, they have decided to renew their vows in a Jewish Ketubah ceremony.
This is something that Dill, as a Jewish person, has always wanted but just wasn’t able to pull off the first time around. Now, however, they will be legally married under Jewish law as a woman and a non-binary person – something that no one and no government agency can take away from them.
As they have been going through all of these changes, they took some time to look through the old photos they had of their engagement and wedding. And, while they still love their original photos, they don’t really reflect who they are now.
So, we had the opportunity to give them a new engagement session with pictures that capture them as they are, in this moment in time, while also reflecting their silly personalities. All of this, in celebration of who they are and this amazing time in their lives!
Amplifying Queer Love Stories
While most of the time, my blog is filled with wedding highlights, tips, or education around photography, I wanted to also create a space where we can amplify queer love stories and give them the platform that they so rightly deserve.
Everyone has the right to love who they love and all love is equal. Although mainstream media may still be a bit behind on highlighting LGBTQ+ relationships and stories, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Whether you are in a major city like Chicago or a small suburb out in the middle of nowhere, queer people exist and are all around you. They deserve to be seen and heard and respected and their love deserves to be celebrated just like anyone else.
Every queer love story is going to be unique and everyone is going to be on their own journey. What is simple for some may not be so simple for others. But, at the end of the day, we need to continue to spread love and positivity and acceptance.
Stories like Dill and Natalie’s are beautiful and normal while also being unique to them.
If you are ready to tell your own unique story, whether it is celebrating who you are in this moment or redoing moments in time as your authentic self, I would love to be a part of capturing it. Let’s chat about how we can help show the world who you truly are!
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