Rachel and Bri’s LGBT garden wedding at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan was the kind of day that feels soft, intentional, and deeply joyful, rooted in connection, growth, and the kind of love that shows up exactly when you’re about ready to give up. Surrounded by lush greenery, glowing light, and the people who love them most, these two celebrated not just a wedding day, but a love story that was always meant to find its way home.

How They Met

Like so many modern queer love stories, Rachel and Bri met on a dating app, Her, to be exact. Rachel had just joined after a long stretch of frustration on Hinge, and Bri had been on Her for nearly a year and was this close to calling it quits altogether. Timing, as it turns out, is everything. Bri insists she swiped first. Rachel honestly can’t remember if she swiped back or if she was scrolling through her likes (the app interface is… confusing, okay?). What they do remember clearly is how easy it felt. Within two days of messaging, they had a date on the calendar. Purposeful questions, genuine curiosity, and conversation that didn’t feel like work, something that can feel painfully rare in the world of dating apps.

The Love Story

Their first date was lunch at First Wok Chinese. It started at 1:30 pm. It ended at 10:00 pm when the restaurant closed and the staff politely kicked them out. They were so wrapped up in talking that neither of them even ate their food. Instant connection doesn’t even begin to cover it. For Bri, this was new territory. She was used to falling too hard, too fast for the wrong people, and she was trying really hard not to do that this time. Rachel, a self-described “baby bisexual,” had been through her share of hard situationships with both men and women and was just relieved to feel like this could finally become something real, something she’d been searching for for years.

Their dates kept getting longer. Two weeks in, they made it official. A few weeks later, Rachel told her best friend that she didn’t know why or how, but she knew Bri was the one and that they were going to get married. (She may have also drunk-texted Bri this revelation. Iconic.) At the one-month mark, Bri had her own realization, standing in Michael’s craft store, of all places. They were buying fabric to make a blanket together to use while watching a movie at Bri’s house. That was the moment it clicked: this is it.

From there came countless memories and with each one, the certainty grew. This is how they wanted to live their lives. Together. Then, on July 15th, in the breathtaking beauty of Pictured Rocks, they both managed to propose to each other on the same day. Perfectly on brand. Perfectly them.

What They’re Most Excited For

“To leave officially as wives 🥹 …and also the partying at the reception!” And honestly? Both are excellent answers.

The Wedding Day

Their wedding at Meijer Gardens was a reflection of everything they are: grounded, romantic, and full of life. The garden setting felt like a natural extension of their love. Every glance, every laugh, every quiet moment together carried the weight of a journey that led them exactly where they were meant to be. From the moment I arrived everyone who was surrounding them was filled with joy and eager to help. Both families eager to join together and beaming at how proud they were of both women. Guests were taken out to the the beautiful waterfall ceremony location tucked away inside the Meijer Gardens property and once they said “I do” there was not a dry eye.

The celebration continued inside the grand ballroom where speeches brought laughter, dances brought more tears, and music brought some very fun dance moves! Everyone was ready to party the night away with the two love birds.

Rachel and Bri, your love is thoughtful, playful, and deeply real. It was an absolute honor to witness and document the beginning of this next chapter, one where you keep choosing each other, every day, just like you did from that very first, way-too-long lunch date.

To see more weddings like Rachel and Bri’s check out these blog posts!

Lainee and Maggie | Meijer Gardens LGBTQ Wedding | Grand Rapids, MI

Lynn and Danielle | Grand Rapids, MI | Botanical Queer Wedding at Grand Rapids Downtown Market

Michael and Travis | John Ball Zoo Grand Rapids, MI | LGBT Boho Neutral Zoo Wedding