Mark and Alex’s intimate June wedding at Black Sheep Shelter was one of my favorite 2021 weddings. Their wedding really showed that you don’t have to have a big wedding to have fun, it can just be your immediate families.

The day started off with Mark and Alex getting ready together, and a few portraits before the ceremony. Their ceremony was officiated by their friend Nirav, and was the sweetest ceremony I’ve ever seen. The love they have for each other and the love their families have for them was so beautiful to witness and photograph.

I asked Mark how they met and about their first date: “We met on a dating app after graduation. We actually went to the same school (Northwestern) in the same major, but didn't really interact until after college. Our first date was sushi. We actually arrived at exactly the same time. At the sushi restaurant we had the slipperiest edamame ever and it kept shooting out of the pods to the tables next to us. We still laugh about that all the time. This was my first date after coming out so I told myself I would go home after dinner no matter how it went. I liked Alex so much though that I asked if he wanted to grab drinks on the river and we talked for hours more. That same weekend we also saw a movie together, grabbed brunch, and made dinner for each other. We jokingly refer to our first date as the 60-hour date.”

After the ceremony, Mark and Alex spent a few moments alone before returning for the tea ceremony. The tea ceremony symbolizing the union of their families, where their family members shared wise words and gave the traditional lai see (the red envelope symbolizing luck and good fortune).

From there it was time to eat and into the formal dances. Mark and Alex danced first, and then did a combined dance with their mothers. This was such a fun group, they were all dancing and having a good time. The dancing photos just show it all, and I had to include all my favorites in the blog post.

Mark also told me about their proposal: “Alex's mom was visiting and Alex took me for a walk before we met with her for dinner. We were walking by the bar on the river that we went to after our sushi first date and he proposed there. We then went to the sushi restaurant and instead of just Alex's mom being there, our entire families were there.”

Huge thanks to Mark’s mom, Debra, for making their cake. I was told it was her quarantine project and it turned out AMAZING! Also special thanks to my second photographer Crystal, one of the big things Mark and Alex wanted was multiple angles and lots of candids.

Vendors:

Photography: Sydney Marie Photography
Venue: Black Sheep Shelter
Caterer: Farmhouse Deli
Custom rings: Ethan Lord Jewelers