Missouri River Hike, Home Vows, and Pets: A Queer Engagement Story
There’s something beautifully real about a love that grows through long drives, camping trips, and the chaos of too many pets. For Sidney (she/her) and Maria (she/her), home isn’t a place. It’s the life they’ve built together full of laughter, patience, and care.
From their rain-soaked first date to two proposals, one on a quiet Missouri beach and another at home, their story is steady and full of heart. Captured by Mosteller Visual Arts, their engagement photos reflect just that: soft light, honest moments, and a love grounded in everyday life.
A Modern Love Story: Brewery Dates and Camping Trips
Sidney: We met on a dating app, as most modern lovers do. Our first date was a brewery tour. I appointed myself the tour guide, and we clicked instantly over IPAs, adventure, and big dogs. It ended with us getting lost in the rain, which felt perfectly cinematic and freezing all at once.
We started as weekend lovers, balancing long-distance drives and late-night FaceTime calls. Our first big trip together was a surprise camping adventure Maria planned for my birthday. Both our dogs came, her car broke down, and we lived on sandwiches for a week. Somewhere between the campfires and chaos, we became inseparable.
After two years of long weekends and hard work, Maria made the huge decision to move states so we could finally be together. Now it’s us, three big dogs, two cats, and a whole lot of love, still learning to show up for each other every day.
The Proposal Locations: The Missouri River and At Home
Maria found me a beach in Missouri – yes, a real beach in Missouri! I’ve always loved being near the water, and we spend so much time hiking along the Missouri River. She found this perfect, quiet spot with sand and sunshine to pop the question.
When it was my turn, I wanted something more intimate. Our home felt right. It’s where we built our life together. I proposed there, surrounded by the love and chaos of our three dogs and two cats.
Two Proposals: A Sandy Beach and Handwritten Notes
It was one of those rare, perfect February weeks in the Midwest. Maria had just picked up the ring the day before and couldn’t wait any longer. She asked if I wanted to go for a hike, and even though I almost said no, she convinced me. We wandered along the Missouri River, laughing and soaking up the sunshine, until we found a little sandy spot. She laid out a blanket, played a playlist she’d made for us, and read me the sweetest letter before pulling out the most beautiful ring from Shane Company. There were a lot of yes’s, happy tears, and phone calls after that.
A few weeks later, I proposed back the day before our engagement photos. I wanted it to feel like us, at home with our pets. I tied little notes around each of their necks, sending them to her one by one. When she came downstairs, candles and music set the scene, and I asked her to marry me surrounded by our chaotic, furry family.
What were the emotions and thoughts running through your mind when you realized you were about to propose, or be proposed to?
I was so unprepared. Even when Maria started quoting wedding vows from one of our favorite movies, I still didn’t catch on. When she pulled out the ring and asked, “Will you marry me?” my first thought was literally, “shut up.” Then I said, “cool, cool, cool,” which, yes, is mortifying. Once it hit me, it was an immediate, emotional yes. We laughed, cried, and it all felt like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from.
When it was my turn to propose, I was a ball of nerves. My whole body was buzzing with excitement. It didn’t fully sink in until she said yes back, and I got to say, “heck yes, that’s my fiancée.”
Selecting the Rings from Shane Company & WillWork Jewelry
Maria is always playing the long game. When we first started dating, she bought me turquoise rings just to secretly learn my size, and held onto that info for two years. I had recently given her a promise ring for Valentine’s Day, so I guessed her size from that and was only half a size off.
We didn’t shop together. Maria worked with my sister to find my ring, and I messaged her best friend for help with hers. I even changed my mind last minute when I saw the ring in person from WillWork Jewelry. I just knew it was the one.
Have you faced any challenges in your time since the engagement?
It’s been an emotional time for us. I’ve struggled sharing the news with some family members who aren’t as accepting, but we’re lucky to have so many friends and loved ones cheering us on. For Maria’s family, this is all still new, but they’ve shown up for us in the best ways. They even took me wedding dress shopping, and yes, we found the perfect one at Dry Goods.
We’ve also felt some anxiety living in Missouri, especially with the current political climate and how it could impact our rights. It’s definitely influenced our decision to elope sooner rather than later.
Tell us about planning your elopement. How did it come together and what’s the vision?
Elopement planning has been a bit of a whirlwind, but in the best way. We always knew we didn’t want a big wedding, just nature, us, and our love. We were already planning a camping trip out east this summer when I half-joked that we should just keep driving to Maine and get married. Maria immediately said yes, and that same night we started planning.
We’ve leaned on a lot of blogs and online resources for guidance and were lucky to find photographers experienced with Acadia National Park elopements. We’ll celebrate with our people later, a reception next year when we’ve had a little more time to plan.
What made you want engagement photos, and how did you find the right photographer?
We wanted to capture our love as it is right now. Our first home, our chaos, our pets, and who we are in this moment. The experience was great, even though we’re both a little awkward in front of the camera. Our photographer was so kind and patient, guiding us to just be ourselves. Our cat followed us around the whole time trying to steal the spotlight, which made it even better.
I found our photographer, Sarah Mosteller of Mosteller Visual Arts, on Instagram after scrolling through so many profiles. Her dreamy style and queer representation immediately stood out. I couldn’t be happier with how the photos turned out! They feel like us.
How are you staying organized while planning your elopement?
We have so many lists. Luckily, our photographers are really experienced and helping us plan the perfect elopement day – they’re even officiating! There are so many online checklists and resources that make it easier. We’ve been looking at their past work and reading blogs and social media (including Dancing With Her!). Representation has been such an important part of this whole process for us.
Photography by Mosteller Visual Arts
Dress Boutique Dry Goods
Rings Shane Company & WillWork Jewelry
