A Rhode Island Wedding Honouring Resilience, Love, and Queer Community
Gabby (she/her) and Mary (she/her) didn’t reach their wedding day through tidy timelines or perfect planning. They gave themselves two and a half years to prepare for a move to California that never happened, a life detoured by a cancer diagnosis at twenty seven, and months of radiation, chemo and immunotherapy that reshaped everything. In the middle of all of it, they built a wedding slowly and intentionally, surrounded by friends who became vendors, vendors who became friends, and a guest list made entirely of people who made them smile. By the time they arrived at Glen Manor, they weren’t chasing perfection. They were celebrating survival, queer happiness, and the life they fought to reclaim, and it became the best day yet.
How did your love story begin?
We met almost five years ago on a very last minute date, thanks to a Tinder super like. Gabby (the stunning blonde) superliked Mary (the brunette) out of genuine concern for the Masc shortage, and within two weeks Mary was driving to Boston and “paying bills.” It all felt cinematic from the start. Covid froze time in a strange way, giving us space to fall deeply into each other’s worlds. We traveled, dreamed, watched endless reality TV in bed, and genuinely never spent more than two nights apart.
Mary proposed in the spring of 2023, right as we were planning a cross-country move to California for Gabby’s travel nursing. But just after getting engaged, Gabby was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 27. Everything stopped. We canceled the move and stayed in Boston while Gabby underwent months of radiation, chemotherapy, internal radiation and immunotherapy. Those months changed us from early-days love birds to two people who learned what it means to carry something unimaginably heavy together.
Two years later, Gabby is cancer-free and back working as a nurse. Our lives may not be the carefree ones we expected, but they’re ours again. Cancer does not get to decide how we spend them.
How long were you engaged?
We were engaged for two and a half years, which originally gave us time to plan a wedding across the country. The idea was to fly home every few months for tastings and vendor meetings. But when we stayed in Boston for Gabby’s treatment, that longer timeline became a gift. We were able to put our wedding together slowly, one tiny detail at a time, and Gabs had space to regain strength.
It ended up being the perfect amount of time for us. While we do not recommend a cancer diagnosis, we definitely recommend a longer engagement. Less stress, more space to breathe, and so much time for everyone to get excited.
What was wedding planning like for you both?
No one would ever call us organized, but a fearless kind of love carried us through planning. After everything we had been through, the wedding itself didn’t feel intimidating. We already knew we loved each other fiercely, and we knew our people loved us fiercely. That took the pressure off. The rest could come together in its own time.
We planned one vendor at a time, sometimes going months between decisions. We technically had a spreadsheet, but it was probably more helpful for our families than for us. We made almost every choice together, and honestly, the process felt pretty seamless.
We were also incredibly lucky. Every vendor and our venue team were the most professional, supportive people we had ever met.
How did you choose your vendors?
One of the best parts of our wedding was that we already knew every vendor personally.
We met our photographer, Sydney Kerbyson Photography, when Mary proposed to Gabby, and she quickly became a friend.
Nikki, one of our closest friends, did Mary’s makeup the day we met, the day we got engaged, and on the wedding day, alongside Made by Mack and Rachel Jack Beauty.
Our drag performers are Boston locals we adore from going to their shows.
Gabby’s childhood friend made our gorgeous gluten free cake through Evie’s Cakes, which Gabs enjoyed way more than Mary ever could.
And our DJ, L’duke, is a lesbian we have been dancing with at tea dance for years.
It was truly a family affair. There was not a single unfamiliar face, and everyone took such good care of us.
How did you decide on your guest count?
We always joke that we wish we were the type of people who could elope. Our parents probably wish that too. But we just have too much love in our lives to narrow it down to an intimate twenty. We landed at 150 guests, which felt like the right balance between budget and fun.
Creating the guest list was honestly a blast. It reminded us how many incredible people we’re surrounded by. Our only rule was simple. You had to be someone we couldn’t help but smile with. It made for a mix of people who didn’t all know each other yet, but blended together so well.
What inspired the vibe of your wedding, and how did that vision come together?
We didn’t start with a clear idea of what the day should look like. Being two women didn’t magically give us an aesthetic roadmap, but it did make the fun choices easy, like booking drag performers.
Once we started touring venues, we realised we wanted a European estate vibe, and Glen Manor was perfect. Daniel, our coordinator, was everything. He cared for us in a way that shaped the whole day.
Our florist, Floralune, had amazing ideas, and we trusted her completely. She had full freedom to make the flowers what she felt they should be.
Honestly, the people around us carried the vision. The vibe came together through our guests and their energy. By the end of the night, it felt like gay prom in the best way, surrounded by so many beautiful queer people. And the outfits were incredible because we told everyone to bring the drama.
How did you approach your ceremony?
Our ceremony was officiated by Gabby’s aunt, who has been with us since the very beginning. We lived with her for years, and she has a way of speaking about our love that feels bigger than anything we could put into words ourselves.
We wrote our own vows and woke up early on the wedding day to read them in bed with our dog, Auggie, before the chaos began. It was intimate and messy and perfect. I wanted my vows to be beautiful and charming, worthy of Gabrielle Caitlin Perry. She cried. I cried. Auggie cried. It felt like a moment just for us.
During the ceremony, I had secretly worked with Cara to include a special reading. I wrote something for Gabby to hear aloud, and together we wrote something for our guests. Here is a piece of what we shared:
Mary to Gabby: “Gabrielle, there has never been a love like ours… You are my dream girl. You have changed me permanently. You have made me me. I will love you forever.”
To our guests: “If you are filling a seat here today, it is because we love you. You are our souls, our mosaic. You have created a safe haven for us. It is a pleasure to be your family, chosen and not.”
Can you walk us through the wedding day and the moments that stand out most?
We started the morning by reading our vows in bed and taking Auggie for a walk. It was the perfect way to ground ourselves. Then we headed to my dad’s rental for hair and makeup. Gabs and her girlies were upstairs, I was downstairs with my people, and it all felt relaxed and easy. We even ran between floors for quick smooches, minus any lipstick disasters.
Because we left transportation to the last minute, we ended up taking a big yellow school bus to the venue. After getting dressed, we had our first look. Seamless. Gabs was perfection, and I had never seen her dress because I love a surprise.
From there it was pictures, then the ceremony. Our bridal party walked down the aisle holding hands. My grammie was our flower girl, and one of Gabby’s closest friends was our ring bearer. A friend read a poem, another read from The Song of Achilles, and it all felt so us.
Cocktail hour rolled into first dances and speeches, a gorgeous meal, and then our surprise drag performance with three of our favorite queens. It was the best way to kick off the party. We danced all night, and when the formal part ended, no one was ready to stop. We headed to a local bar for an impromptu after party.
Everything was seamless. Truly the best day yet.
What moments from the day stand out as your favourites?
The easiness of it all was one of our favourite parts. We kept wondering if we should be more stressed, but everything flowed. The venue was gorgeous, our guests were social, and the whole day felt full of love.
The drag performers were a huge highlight. Most of our guests were queer or family or both, so having our favourite queens perform and then party with us all night felt incredibly special.
There were also so many personal moments we loved. My suit finally felt like my gender presentation made visible, which was something I had been nervous about. Getting ready was relaxed. Morning vows with Auggie, our first look, our vendors, dinner on the terrace, the guest book, the camcorders. Truly, we loved it all.
Were there any wedding vendors who really went above and beyond?
Absolutely. Our photographer, Sydney Kerbyson Photography. Our hair and makeup team, Nikki Roth, Made by Mack, and Rachel Jack Beauty, along with Sharon. Our wedding coordinator, Daniel at Glen Manor. Our florist, Floralune. Our drag queens, Candace Persuasion, Rose Quarts, and Destiny. And our DJ, L’duke. Every single one of them showed up for us in the best way.
Photography by Sydney Kerbyson Photography
Cake Evie’s Cakes
Ceremony Venue Glen Manor
DJ L’duke
Drag Queens Candace Persuasion, Rose Quarts, Destiny
Dress Boutique Ceremony Boston
Dress Designer Sarah 7
Engagement Rings Mary Gallagher Jewelry
Florist Floralune
Hair Rachel Jack Beauty & Made by Mack
Makeup Nikki Roth & Made by Mack
Suit Watson Ellis
