Celebrating All Forms of Love
Happy Pride Month! Nothing is more exciting for Team MAE than when new couples come to us in love and ask us to help plan their wedding celebration! We welcome couples from every race, color, age, religion, origin and orientation. Representing LGBTQ+ couples is an honor and we are pleased to share a beautiful transgender wedding-styled shoot with exceptional wedding vendors in Chicago.
We were contacted by one of our favorite photographers Tuan Bui, of Tuan B & Co to work on this project. We were fortunate to work with Tuan in the past, share similar ideologies and have a tremendous amount of respect for his incredible eye behind the lens. Tuan conveyed that he had a passion and a vision to photograph a transgender couple in a beautiful, high-end setting. He wanted to capture this as a response to systemic inadequacies in our current political administration. We also discussed the importance of LGBTQ+ couples, specifically transgender individuals, seeing themselves represented in the wedding industry, as this is not too often seen or published. I was honored that Tuan reached out and as such I began to help assemble a team of partners who shared tenets of inclusivity, and equality and who are experts in their craft. Please take a moment to enjoy the captures from the gorgeous Autumn shoot at the Waveland Clock Tower in Lincoln Park, Chicago and see links to the talented, diverse wedding vendors below.
Trans Models:
Alexis Barca | Mick Douch
Chicago Wedding Industry Partners:
Photography | Tuan Bui, Tuan B & Co
Planning | Brianne Garritano, Michigan Avenue Events
Floral & Design | Derrick Taylor, Taylor & Company
Gown | Kpoene Kofi-Bruce, Mignonette Bridal & Ette Tailor
Suiting & Menswear Details | Diana McCarty, Provenance
Make Up & Hair | Aga Rhodes of Bridal by Aga, Kristin Kaide & Jasmine Kicic
Location | Chicago Park District
For our models, Alexis Barca and Mick Douch, the photo shoot presented a unique experience and opportunity. Alexis is a model, a trans activist, works for Howard Brown Health and Mick is an attorney and performs drag. They are both notable in the Chicago LGBTQ+ community and this was the very first time they were involved in a professional wedding-based photo shoot. Alexis shared with our team that she was initially nervous about the project and mentioned that she woke up worried that she wouldn’t live up to expectations. Mick shared that as a transmasc person sometimes it's hard to feel "man enough". It was difficult to hear that they each had these concerns that many don’t consider and we were so grateful to know that these fears were quickly alleviated by the team's professionalism, affirmations and mutual respect.
We are incredibly proud of Tuan, the team of professionals, Mick, Alexis and this photoshoot for many reasons. Ultimately, we wanted Alexis and Mick to simply be themselves, to be photographed beautifully with confidence, authenticity, quality garments, details and style.
We hope that other couples see themselves in Alexis and Mick and that wedding professionals continue to make a conscientious choice to represent love and beauty without boundaries.
With Love & Pride!