Both working in space-related jobs and lovers of astrology and astronomy, a celestial wedding made a lot of sense for Marissa and Brittany. Married in Tucson, Arizona, their venue, with its lush greenery around the courtyard where they said their vows and hosted their reception, served as the ideal backdrop. Getting married outside also meant they were dancing under the real stars as night fell.

“We said we wanted to not just be married until death, but until we become stardust, so the celestial theme really fit in nicely there”, they told us. “We really wanted a celestial, ethereal vibe that felt almost like a step away from reality for a night.”

As a lesbian couple, Marissa and Brittany made a conscious and deliberate effort to step away from a lot of traditional norms, as well as to only work with LGBTQ-friendly suppliers. “As lesbians, there are certain things that are traditional that just didn’t make sense to us,” they explained. “But we also had fun playing with some of the the aspects of the wedding as well. We both wore dresses, but one was black and one was white and we both had a bridesmaid and a bridesbro on our side. We did parent dances with our parents, our new in-laws and our officiant. We also walked down the aisle together, with all our parents as one. I think changing some of those traditional moments to fit our non-traditional style was one of the most exciting things.”

Planning throughout COVID, meant they had a long, three-year engagement. But in the end, they were really happy that they did. It enabled them to make choices slower, without as much pressure, and to save money over a longer period of time. “The one thing we do wish was different was more transparent vendor pricing”, they continued. “It’s all hidden behind meetings or phone calls and then there is so much pressure, as well as lot of variety in quality and quotes. It makes talking to multiple vendors really necessary because there’s no standard pricing, so you never know if the number you’re getting is pretty standard or WAY more than other vendors charge for the same thing.”

The highlight of the whole day was walking down the aisle together with all their parents, surrounded by friends and family. “That moment standing there all together just taking everything in and seeing all our loved ones’ faces was our favourite part by far,” they shared. “We walked in to Florence + the Machine’s cover of Stand by Me which is heavy with harp instrumental, and that moment just lives continuously in our minds.”

The ceremony was beautiful and filled with personal touches. Instead of lighting a unity candle, they did a unity shot of tequila and had subtle nods to Lord of the Rings in their vows.

Their reception was a celebration of love, inclusivity, and fantastic food. Opting for a vegan and gluten-free menu, Marissa and Brittany ensured that their celebration was accessible to all their guests. The night was heavy with Abba, Cher, Florence + the Machine and Selena on the playlist and they had a spread of late-night Sonoran hot dogs and a churro bar that really hit the spot. Guests were gifted crystal name tags from Aquamarine Daydream (where Marissa works) and the tables were adorned with fairy lights, navy blue linens and homemade dried flower and crystal bundles.