Marika & SC's "Big Queer" Wedding at Bela Farm

“The heart is a wild and fugitive creature. The heart is a dog who comes home.” —Helen Humphreys

This was the, let’s say, tagline to Marika & SC’s non-wedding wedding. Everything they described about their day felt like it hit all of our favourite buzzwords: intimate, queer, candid, farm, warm, inviting, safe space, the list goes on and on. It also helps that Smells Like Flowers created the most beautiful and unique flower set up inside, and outside of, the barn that I have ever seen. Everyones first impression— myself included— when getting onto the property was “OMG WOW!”

The main thing in their photos that Marika & SC were looking for in the photography for their day was a documentary style of shooting. They went as far as to emphasize no posed photos, save for a few ‘formal’ family ones. Our style definitely leans more towards the documentary side of shooting, focusing on candid captures and being a fly on the wall, but I don’t think we have ever gone an entire wedding day with not even a handful of ‘posed’ photos even just of the couple themselves. Until now! As the evening progressed Mother Nature blessed us with such a beautiful sunset I had multiple guests approach me to get Marika & SC to take some photos in fields, but I didn’t want to pressure them to do it. But as the sun was getting lower and lower, I couldn’t help myself and meandered over to ask if they wanted to, to which they said yes, and while the sun had hidden itself behind some clouds I do think it was worth it.

If I had to choose 2 words that best describe this day it would be: safe & celebratory. It is so abundantly clear how hard Marika & SC have worked to cultivate their little family— family of actual family members, and family of friends— and that’’s not only shown through how intimate their day was by the number of guests, but really through the quality interactions they had throughout the day. From a couple of their friends sharing such passionate and moving words about queer love, and in turn their love, to having queer artists and activists featured on the table place cards, and just the sheer amount of laughter, hugs, kisses, and happy tears that happened throughout the day in celebration of Marika & SC. This was definitely a wedding that left me feeling so, so, warm and full on the way out.