An Intimate Upscale Northern California Wedding
A wedding that feels like having your favorite people over for dinner—but in an unforgettable Big Sur garden. That was the inspiration behind this Styled in Pride shoot at Loma Vista Gardens: an intimate celebration with nuptials, cake, and elegant details that still felt comfortably at home.
As the host, I wanted to give our photographers a thoughtful experience, with different stations to explore and plenty of opportunities to capture both Russell and Gonzalo and the creativity of our vendor team. Our VIP ticket holders arrived early for getting-ready photographs, adding another chapter to the wedding story they could create throughout the day.
Cedar and Stone Events helped bring our dinner-party vision together, with rentals from Kiss Me In Carmel Vintage Rentals creating an inviting setting. Delicate florals by Wildly Designed, stationery from Beach City Creative, and candles from Conelist Store added layers of detail without losing that relaxed, welcoming feel. It was the kind of setting that made you want to pull up a chair and stay awhile.
Russell and Gonzalo wore suits from SuitShop, while a cake from Story Cake Studio completed the celebration. As I brought photographers around to the stations, they had opportunities to photograph the couple, explore the details, and create their own take on the scene. Seeing one carefully planned setting through different photographers’ eyes is one of my favorite parts of hosting these events.
And our VIP experience didn’t end in the gardens. For their second location, we headed to the beach on the Big Sur coast, where dense fog gave us a completely different atmosphere. We embraced it. The photographs are moody and romantic, with the mist softening the surroundings—but Russell and Gonzalo shone through every frame. Their connection brought so much warmth to that foggy coastline.
As a gay photographer and the founder of Styled in Pride, bringing people together to celebrate real LGBTQ love means something personal to me. These shoots give photographers space to create and gain experience, while showing couples the work of wedding vendors who are excited to celebrate them.
From early getting-ready photographs to the garden stations and our VIP beach portraits, this day offered so many ways to tell a beautiful story. I’m excited to share a little of it with you.
Explore the gallery and meet the creative team below. Want to join us as a photographer or contribute your work to a future Styled in Pride event? We’d love to hear from you.
Host: Styled In Pride
Venue: Loma Vista Gardens
Planner: Cedar and Stone Events
Rentals: Kiss Me In Carmel Vintage Rentals
Florals: Wildly Designed
Stationary: Beach City Creative
Suits: SuitShop
Cake: Story Cake Studio
Candles: Conelist Store
Couple: Russell & Gonzalo
A Stylish Western Wedding Styled Shoot
When Styled in Pride set its eyes on Colorado, we wanted a venue and a shoot that embodied the surroundings, style, masculinity and western vibes. Spruce Mountain Ranch immediately welcomed us and gave us access to the entire Lower Ranch, a gorgeous part of their venue.
Styled Shoot with a Vow Renewal in Aspen
Styled in Pride’s very first styled shoot in Colorado was a gorgeous, mountainous vow renewal in Aspen! Aspen Meadows Resort hosted our shoot and it was the perfect place to celebrate our real couple’s love for one another.
Lesbian Wedding Ideas From Our Riverview at Occoquan Styled Shoot
Our first shot in Virginia was EPIC!!! We hosted this beautiful lesbian styled shoot at Riverview at Occoquan in Lorten VA. Planned and executed beautifully by Grace and Virtue Events.
Black Gay Wedding Styled Shoot at Rust Manor
We ended our first year with a stunner in Virginia at Rust Manor. We started our VIP ticket holders out with the southern tradition of burying the bourbon which was a fun photo op for our photographers who have not done so before.
The Inn at Taughannock Falls Lesbian Styled Shoot
For Styled in Pride’s first visit to New York, we headed north, up to the Finger Lakes region, to Ithaca. At The Inn at Taughannok Falls we hosted a gorgeous Lesbian styled shoot with an elegant colorful wedding theme executed perfectly by Rheta Allen + Company.
Talking To Your LGBTQ Couples
If you have not worked with LGBTQ couples before then adjusting your language is a great start. Talking to your LGBTQ couples at first may cause you some anxiety; you want to be kind, you want to be an ally and you want them to know that you are inclusive. One of the easiest things a wedding professional can do is say couple(s) instead of bride and groom on your website. Your LGBTQ couple may not identify with bride or groom so you want to show them that you recognize that.
LGBTQ First Looks
Wedding photographers will tell you, first looks are AWESOME! They provide you with a really intimate moment you get to share with your partner and the images never disappoint. No matter who the couple is, you want it to be special, heartfelt and fun. Setting up an LGBTQ couple’s first look is no different. Just follow a few simple rules and you’ll find yourself with beautiful images you cant wait to post!
Saddlerock Ranch
Our very first styled shoot was held at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu California. Check out these two gorgeous galleries!