The ceremony deck, which was built over the sand, featured a blue ombré seating arrangement that split to allow for two aisles. “Being a queer couple and J being trans-masculine non-binary, there was no ‘bride’ or ‘groom’ at the wedding, so we didn’t want our ceremony to have any gendered traditions,” the couple explains. “We walked down together before meeting our respective parents, who walked us down the two aisles at the same time before meeting again at the chuppah.” As an extra special touch, the couple had musician Calum Scott sing “Biblical” throughout their procession.
“My two rabbis that I have known most of my life—one of which supported Maddie throughout her entire conversion to Judaism—were there under the chuppah to marry us,” says J. “Our rabbis used multi-gendered Hebrew throughout the ceremony—a very new practice for the evolving queer Jewish community. After we both stepped on glasses, Calum Scott sang his song ‘You Are the Reason’ as we walked back down the aisles and left our guests to experience the performance.” Next came the second cocktail hour, which felt truly unique due to a special activity. “Marcy’s team had the idea to turn our backyard into a putt-putt course—a thrill for all of our guests,” the couple says. Each hole was themed based on a meaningful part of the duo’s lives and had three different stations for golf equipment, concessions, and lemonade.
After hosting two cocktail hours, J and Maddie naturally wanted to create two different vibes for their reception as well. The dinner and speeches were held in a large glass tent filled with stunning modern interiors that felt far from the traditional wedding layout. The environment was decorated with soft white couches, seating areas with bookshelves, glass tables, and even a rug-inspired dance floor. “The hanging lamps and huge plants everywhere made it unlike anything we’ve ever felt,” the couple says. “It only brought us and our guests closer together.” Guests enjoyed a tasting menu and “carb carts,” and later watched the couple cut into an exact replica of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s wedding cake. “We never wanted a typical first dance, because we always prefer to dance with our friends right there with us. So the first time we got on the dance floor that night was actually for the hora,” they share. “It was magic.”
The chic, minimalist tones of the dinner were a stark contrast from the bold colors and energy of reception number two. “We had an amazing jazz club-style tent built in the courtyard of the property, where guests were greeted with passed desserts, wedding cake, and espresso martinis, and one of our favorite bands, Postmodern Jukebox, performed pop hits in their 1950s style,” the couple explain. The space featured a velvet-swathed doorway, printed wallpaper with jungle cats on the staircases, and colorful lanterns above. “There was a vintage Zoltar fortune teller machine and fire-breathing bartenders. Needless to say, our guests are still talking about it.”
After the night of excitement, the newlyweds headed off to St. Barth’s. “We knew we wanted a relaxing honeymoon with great food and where we could feel safe being queer, so St Barth’s really stood out to us,” says J. “Plus, it was where my parents, who just celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary, went on their honeymoon. So, we knew it had good ju-ju. It was absolutely perfect.”
