So You're EnGAYged, a LGBT wedding blog

This engagement shoot was submitted via Two Bright Lights!

We met at 3am on Broadway and Barry, right in front of the CVS in Chicago IL. Anna was taking a walk, trying to stay awake to study for finals. Hannah was getting out of the bar and walking home with her best friend Sean. Anna saw the dread-head which is what made her cross the street. Hannah asked, “How goes it?” Anna answered, “It goes well.” Two and a half months later Hannah rents a u-haul; Anna drives it. Three years after that, we’re engaged!

This story is not very traditional so to speak. There was no fancy restaurant, no scene, or even a big ring. There was no getting on one knee, no special night, or even amazing sights. There was conversation and two years of Hannah bringing up marriage and how important it is to her. There was two years of Anna being unsure because she never saw herself marrying anyone at anytime. There was two years of talking about where we wanted to grow old together and babies. Then one day, one very random, extremely usual day; after two years of talking about all these things, Anna said, “We should probably start telling people.” “About what?” Hannah asked. Anna answered with a sly smile, “That we’re engaged.” So simple, so easy, so matter-of-fact.

All images by Torie McMillen

Anna Rose is from Houston TX. Didn’t know she was gay till she was 22 years old. She comes from a divorced family. Her father remarried when Anna Rose was 10. Her mother remarried a couple years ago. She has a half brother and two stepbrothers (through her stepfather), though she remains the oldest sibling. Majority of her family lives in TX. She moved to Chicago 8 years ago.

Hannah is from North Shore Oahu, HI. She came out when she was about 15 years old. Her parents have been happily married for almost 30 years and reside in HI. She has one older brother who lives in LA. She moved to Chicago 6 years ago.

Together Anna Rose and Hannah have built a non-profit theatre company called Nothing Without a Company. Anna Rose is the artistic director and Hannah is the president of the board of directors. They run the company out of their apartment while simultaneously annoying their two roommates with 1-3 meetings a week in their living room.

The wedding will be July 16th 2011 at The Hawaii Polo Club (where a bunch of LOST scenes were filmed) on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. (Hannah’s mother is the youngest of 11 so with the hundreds of cousins it was easier to plan a wedding there then in Chicago.)

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