Amy and Sonia don’t have the most conventional beginning to a relationship; they met while Amy was already married (to a man) but knew shortly after being introduced that she’d met her soulmate in Sonia. The couple chose their hometown of Nashville to elope in, simply because there’s nowhere else they’d rather have been.
“We wanted to become united in the city that united us,” explained Amy, “we loved the idea of having photos in front of all our favourite Nashville murals, and wanted it to be a day that was authentic to us, too.”
They were also inspired by old school Hollywood glam, with Amy wearing a dramatic low back, white sequin, floor length dress, paired with silver glitter pumps and old Hollywood waves and vintage rhinestone hairpins. Sonia carried on the glam by rocking rhinestone lapel pins and her own cowboy boots with her suit.
Instead of hiring a venue for their ceremony, they took a chance and rocked up to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. “We didn’t ask permission or anything, just walked up there and go married! We met each other there and were surrounded by family and friends. We had many onlookers from other people on the bridge, and a boat blew it’s horn for us during the ceremony from the waters below.” After exchanging vows they had written themselves, they attached a love lock to the bridge as a symbol of their unity. “We even kind of liked that it was grey and drizzle, to be honest,” Amy said. “We’ve weathered many storms to be together so it felt like the perfect sign!”
After their ceremony, they drove around with their photographer for photos, and then hit up a favourite local restaurant for dinner and a drag show! They saved a bunch of money this way, and by keeping their guest list for dinner low. “After dinner we moved to a drag bar, where we’d purchased booths for our guests, and extended the invite to more of our friends and family by sending out postcards to let people know we were eloping and ask them to come and celebrate with us after. It was like having our own after party!”
Their favourite part of the day? How welcoming and inclusive Nashville is. “As you know we are a same sex couple – our favourite thing was that in all the locations we were (public) we did not receive ONE negative response or comment. Everyone around us or near us seem to join in in the celebration with cheering, clapping and congratulatory responses. Nashville rocks!”
