Don’t I love sharing “the firsts” with you? And this beautiful nostalgic summer camp story checks off not one but two boxes! It is my first published lesbian wedding, and your photographer switched hats and performed solely as a videographer! Please give a warm welcome to my first lesbian wedding video.
Entering the LGBTQ Wedding Stage
I’ve shot same-sex weddings since 2011, over 10 years now, but premiered my first LGBTQ products earlier this year with a gay engagement shoot in a NYC laundromat, followed by their big fat stylish gay wedding at a museum in Philadelphia. A lesbian wedding was very much due, and I was preparing to unveil a same-sex wedding for two artists in Brooklyn a few years back when Dave Adamick, a wedding planner of Events by Jesse, reached out to me to tell about this small, rustic, outdoor queer wedding for a couple from CA at a former YMCA camp in Huguenot, NY in October. Interestingly, they had already hired a photographer, so only looked for a videographer.
Making My Way Into Videography
My studio started filming quietly several years ago. I thought of making a formal public announcement but never came around it. Instead, just started adding selected videography work to the website.
In most cases, we are hired as a photo/video team. I do photography, leaving video to another studio professional.
Lately, there was a growing demand for videography-only projects, so I just took those in my hands. Occasions varied from a sexy music clip to a fashionable Kickstarter campaign to a kids’ birthday party. I even successfully juggled both photo and video for some fun events! And my recent surprise proposal coverage resulted in a sweet little film squeezed between the photos. With such gigs under my belt and my solid 16-year visual platform in photography, I readily call myself a videographer.
Job Interview
Longing for an addition of a lesbian wedding video in my portfolio, I jumped on board. We had a virtual meeting and I must have sweet-talked the lovely ladies into entrusting me with their intimate same-sex wedding. Realize, I do not have a big LGBTQ portfolio yet, so it was more than just the technical qualification that I needed to pass during the interview. They needed to know they’d feel comfortable, and that I’d fit into their small circle of close friends and family. I passed.
OG Origin Story
Meet Jerrica and Carolina. They now live in California but their story began at a New York’s Camp Huguenot. Carolina worked at the check-in station for the Women’s Wellness Retreat. One day, she got a call that one guest would run late. She had to stay overtime… Never get upset at something discouraging. That guest was Jerrica.
Jerrica was after the most outgoing and adventurous activities. Bam—Carolina was in charge of all the same activities! Learning their “OG Origin Story” at that summer camp where their nostalgic wedding was taking place years later, I just ought to reenact some of their story moments. There’s that check-in desk, there’s a cabin where they would spend time, and there’s that table where they, technically, had the first date! It’s all in their meaningful lesbian wedding video. Capturing those fading moments is even more nostalgic and treasured now because this queer couple moved across the country and won’t be able to visit the camp much.
By the way, “OG” are their family initials, Ortiz-Gonzales. They honor their moms by taking their last names.
The Proposals
Fast forward to September 2021 when, while already dating, Carolina surprised Jerrica with a proposal disguised as a birthday photoshoot on a school bus roof. Wait, what? A school bus roof?? See, they are converting a bus into their California home, a.k.a. skoolie. Check out this DIY project Instagram account!
A few months later, there was a reciprocal surprise proposal on a hiking trail at Lake Arrowhead in California. See that naturally carved heart-shaped well? How romantic is that place??
Lo-and-behold, these wonderful women are having their intimate rustic wedding at the very site they met, flying back to New York, and bringing their close friends and family along the nostalgic memory lane.
Creating the Lesbian Wedding Video
One obvious advantage of a video over photos is setting the moments into motion, building a story flow. Videographers sometimes shoot “love stories” for their wedding clients. Think of them as an equivalent of engagement session in photography. Often, they are crafted as a film, hence the trendy label “cinematography”. Filming those love stories usually takes a day or more. I only had minutes, so I just did a “reunion” scene in the cabin.
Adding drone footage to this lesbian wedding video was a must-have. The ceremony took place by a beautiful autumn lake side. I flew it for some b-roll scenery when the brides were getting ready. I also wanted to fly it during the ceremony, but I was alone, without a designated drone operator. Here’s what I did: as soon as both ladies walked down the aisle, I mounted the camera and left it rolling, pointed at the altar. Grabbed the prepared drone and took off. Did a couple of fly-bys, landed, and ran back to the main camera.
Ghosting Myself
As mentioned, there was a photographer already. It was a bit surreal to work with her. Oh, Marilyn was awesome, and had her individual style, only remotely reminiscent of mine. Yet I had a weird feeling of “ghosting” myself. Having done over 250 weddings as a photographer, I was experiencing how a wedding is covered by someone else, comparing and contrasting, anticipating and knowing all the wedding photographer’s moves. Occasionally, I had to force myself not to step in with my own photographic agenda, trying to veer it into a cinematic alley.
Final Titbits
One moment of this touching lesbian wedding reminded me of my elopement wedding in Moldova—planting a tree. Overall, the ladies tried to make their wedding as eco-conscious as possible.
The absolute hit of the reception was the MC, Victoria Courtez of Drag Queen Entertainment. The Queen delivered an outstanding performance and entertainment—polished, witty, and professional—so you felt being near a world stage instead of surrounded by the woods in an unmarked Google location… Of course, it wouldn’t be as fabulous without the live band, Diamonds in Jupiter! I had to leave right before the real fun began on the dance floor one level below the reception. I’m sure the guests had a ton of fun in the club setup, fired up by DJ Savage.
I hope you love my first lesbian wedding video, peeps! Hit that Play button below to watch. My warmest wishes of love to Carolina and Jerrica!
Thanks and Credits
Venue: Camp Huguenot
Wedding Planner: Dave Adamick, Events by Jesse (@eventsbyjesse)
Makeup: Ruthie Weems (@ruthweems)
Hair: Stag House Salon (@staghouse.themaneloft)
Alterations: Winsome Brides (@winsomebrides)
Rentals: Wandering Wheels (@wanderingwheelsevents)
Guestbook: After the Tone (@afterthetone.co)
Emcee: Victoria Courtez, Drag Queen Entertainment (@dragqueenentertainment)
Band: Diamonds in Jupiter (@diamondsinjupiter)
Catering: NOSH Food Truck (@noshtruckandcatering)
Donuts: Y&E Creations (@y.ecreations)
After-Party: DJ Savage
Photography: Marilyn Lamanna (@marilynlamanna)
Videography: Zorz Studios (@ZorzStudios)
