The reception moved indoors for a dinner full of Mexican and Southern cuisine, along with a night full of music. “Lloyd Buchanan, who plays with my touring bands, led an incredible band during reception where he played our first dance song, ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ by Roberta Flack in a hauntingly beautiful rendition,” says Brittany. “This song also happens to be Anna-Maria’s grandparents Maria and Roberto’s wedding song. Anna-Maria and I both took turns dancing to the end of the song with her 86-year-old grandmother.” She recalls, “There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.” The newlyweds then danced with their fathers and also did a special dance with their moms to “I Say A Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin before welcoming all their guests onto the floor.
Special performances went on throughout the evening. “I come from a long line of family drummers, and my Uncle Scott and little brother Robert graced the stage, playing drums to Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ and Bobby Caldwell’s ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ respectively,” says Anna-Maria. “The very first time I saw live music, it was at an underground jazz club in DC where my uncle would play with his big band. When Uncle Scott was up there playing at the reception, I was instantly transported back to that club when I was a little girl.”
The after-party was held at Dottie’s, a speakeasy on the grounds of the property. The couple’s friend, DJ T1BG, spun until 2 a.m. “The room was vibrant with belly laughs, dirty dancing, wigs, bologna sandwiches, hot dogs, and deep conversations around the fire pit,” says Anna-Maria. “Our feet were aching—with Brittany nursing my blisters at 4 a.m.—but our hearts were exploding with love.” Adds Brittany, “We were so moved seeing our family and friends from thousands of miles away dancing together and making their own relationships. It’s the very thing we wanted our wedding to embody: communion.”
While the brides share they are truly excited to settle into their married lives with each other and enjoy the simplicity and joy of being newlyweds, they also emphasize how grateful they are to share their love today: “Getting married in the South as Black and brown lesbians feels extra heavy in today’s political climate. We live in a country where we have a Supreme Court justice who wants to ban interracial marriage. We live in a state where LGBTQIA+ rights are under attack, and the local government is working with ICE to tear families apart. We aren’t going anywhere. This is our home and we are here to stay. We are here to dig in deeper—into love and into our beautifully diverse and queer community. We believe love always wins, and it certainly felt like that at our wedding. While we were the first gay couple to get married at this venue in Franklin, Tennessee, we certainly won’t be the last!”
