Emotional Queer Vow Renewal in Brooklyn, New York | Hannah + June

A trans-affirming vow renewal

On their tenth wedding anniversary, Hannah and June had a beautiful queer vow renewal at Prospect Park Picnic House in Brooklyn. As part of their vow renewal, the couple wanted to redo their wedding photos to have them be more trans-affirming, reflecting June as her true self.

While their friend played ukulele, Hannah and June walked down the aisle with their young child, following their dog Giles (who I confirmed was a nod to Buffy the Vampire Slayer). They were once again married by the same officiant, while exchanging heartfelt vows.

The Prospect Park Picnic House

The Prospect Park Picnic House park 90-acre long meadow and historic building made for the perfect backdrop for Hannah and June’s emotional queer vow renewal. The venue had floor to ceiling windows, hardwood floors, a wood fireplace, and lights romantically hung by Universal Light & Sound. When folks have their wedding at Picnic House, proceeds benefit Prospect Park Alliance, which is the non-profit organization that sustains Prospect Park.

Values-driven weddings

Something that always stands out to me is how much the marriers I work with put care into community-building and sustainability as they plan their wedding day. Working with folks who are values-driven and aligned makes working together so much smoother, because there’s mutual respect for each other and what matters most to us. Co-creating community and spaces with other queer and trans wedding guests and marriers means the world to me.

Working alongside other values-driven wedding vendors is crucial to my well-being, which is why I was thrilled to see who Hannah and June hired for their day. Emma’s Torch Restaurant knocked it out of the park. Their restaurant offers fully-paid culinary training and workforce development programming for refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking in our community. I was also excited to see they hired Mariko, who works as part of Stylus DJ‘s team in Philadelphia—one of my favorites.

Hannah and June’s queer vow renewal wedding felt incredibly thoughtful–with an emphasis on candid photos and dancing versus posed portraits. It meant a lot for Hannah and June to trust me to document their celebration, especially as it was a way to retell their story after much transformation and growth–both as a family and individuals.