Autumnal LGBTQ Engagement Session — riley west photography - boston and new england wedding photographer

Rae (he/him) and Marlowe (they/them) have what I personally believe to be the Ideal in a relationship: creative harmony. They constantly pursue enrichment through the arts: from their professions, to their communities, to the clothes they wear — often handmade. When they contacted me about capturing their engagement and wedding, I knew from our first conversation we would get along.

Any good pair that appreciates the arts typically vibes with my shooting style and general M.O. - I’m at a point in my career where my clients don’t just feel like “people who need a photographer for their wedding”. my clients now feel like my clients: People who can feel and see what I put into my work, people whose values and interests align with mine, people who I would want to be friends with.

Rae and Marlowe’s lives are opportunities for creating, and I felt that when I met them, and felt that even more when I captured their engagement.

So how did this creative force meet? Well, like any good queer couple that dabbles in fantasy, fiction, and history: Tumblr. Duh. Specifically the vibrant Les Miserables fandom climate in 2015 (I remember those days, only peripherally, but if you were online in that era in any fandom sense, you simply Knew). Shortly after they met online, the stars aligned when Marlowe moved to Ohio and was looking for friends in the area. Rae, being from Ohio originally, offered to hang with Rae when he came home for the holidays.

The rest is history: sparks flew, they made long distance work while they both finished school, moved to Cincinnatti together, and then left to live here in New England, specifically Rhode Island.

I think the area suits them; New England has a history that feels beyond just events and people. There’s an energy here that lives in the earth and sea, something raw and untamed and beautiful. I’m very excited that they’re in the area, and they love it a lot here.

Marlowe as a fulltime illustrator, and their work speaks for itself. On their website, they describe their work as a blend of historical aesthetics and fantasies/fairy tales centering around queer and trans desires. They also have a book coming out soon…so be on the lookout. Rae works as a textile conservator and craftsperson; he loves quilting, weaving, and foraging.

Together, these two are a stylish head-turning duo, celebrating and creating beauty together.

This engagement session included a special little ritual: a ring reveal. While they were both formally engaged, they had rings made for each other by TeriLee Jewelry on Etsy and decided this would be the moment they’d show them to one another. No detail went unattended with these two: from their clothing (all handmade, with the vest pattern adapted from 1830’s vests Rae studied while in Sturbridge Village), to the rings, to the meticulously composed table setting…Rae and Marlowe set the stage for a fabulous engagement shoot in the autumnal forest outside Providence.

One thing I really loved about these two (it’s hard to pick just one) was how comfortable they were in front of the camera. While I’m fluent in working with all sorts of experience in front of the camera, there is something to be said about people who like having their photo taken. This was very fun for me, and allowed for a lovely blend of posed and candid portraiture. Basically, a dream for a photographer like me who started out in editorial work and moved to narrative journalism with my wedding work. It’s fun to go back to my roots, and these two were a blast.

If this is what they brought to the table (pun intended) for the engagement, well…I’m so excited for their wedding next year!