Our LGBTQ+ Love Story: From Tinder Match to COVID Wedding and a Creative Business

I’d be a really sucky gay if I wasn’t an LGBT-friendly vendor who supports my own community’s rights. I’m happily married to my husband, Josh. We’re a Tinder success story, but for the record, I swiped right first. On our first date at a Starbucks, he asked a follow up question, “What church do you go to?” That was the moment I knew he was someone special.

Photography by Erin Morrison Photography

PSA: I’m sharing this love story not just because it’s close to my heart, but because I know how meaningful it is to see yourself reflected in the wedding industry. I’m just an ordinary gay guy who fell in love, planned a wedding, and started a business that celebrates love in all its forms. While I absolutely love working with all couples, I know firsthand the quiet fear many LGBTQ+ couples carry when booking vendors—Will they make us feel safe? Seen? Celebrated? I felt that uncertainty too while planning our wedding. That’s why I make it a point to be open about my story. Because when you hire me, you’re not just getting live art—you’re getting a vendor who gets it. A vendor who will treat you, your guests, and your love with the joy and respect it deserves. Everyone should feel 100% safe on their wedding day, and I want to be a part of making that happen for you.

Okay, friends. Let’s rewind to 2017. Picture me, swiping away on Tinder after moving to Florida in 2016, not expecting much. I had been on the app for a while—definitely not my first rodeo—but little did I know, the next match I’d get would change my life.

Enter: Josh.

Now, fun fact—I swiped right first. And when he re-downloaded Tinder, I was actually his very first match. So technically… I win. (Just kidding. Kind of.) At the time, I was interning for Disney and in the process of going full-time. Josh was already working full-time in a corporate role at Disney, so our schedules matched up—no crazy theme park shifts, just regular hours and the chance to actually meet people.

We matched on a Thursday. We started chatting the next day on Skype for Business (yes, that was our messaging platform for work back then—very corporate of us). That Friday, we set our first date for the next day at a Starbucks near the office.

We planned for an hour. We ended up talking for hours. We only left because it got late, and he had to get back to his dog, Riley—who, of course, is now our dog. That night felt different.

What really stood out? I mentioned I was going to church the next day. And in the gay community, talking about faith can be… complicated. But instead of brushing it off, Josh asked what church I went to. He followed up. He cared. That moment struck me deeply, and I knew right then—this guy was different.

The Proposal at Starbucks (Yep, He Tricked Me!)

Fast forward a year and a half, and Josh decided it was time to pop the question.

And y’all—he got me.

We’re officially engaged!

It was a college football weekend, and Josh was in his MBA program at the time, so when he acted all nervous and twitchy, I thought it was about sports or homework. He told me he had a group project emergency and would meet me and our friends later at Disney Springs. So I went without him, grabbed a drink at Starbucks, and walked outside...

...and there he was, dressed up and waiting by Bay Lake. I froze. He proposed. I ugly cried. But wait—he wasn’t done.

More friends who surprised me at Paddlefish

He had also reserved part of the rooftop of Paddlefish and invited more of our friends to surprise me after the proposal. And yes, this is the same man I once told, “You could never surprise me—you’re a terrible liar.” Welp. He did it.

A Wedding, a Pandemic, and a New Beginning

While planning our wedding, I realized I wanted to design our own signage and invitations. I was deep into watercolor, brush lettering, and calligraphy, so I thought, why not? And you know what? Our vendors loved it so much, they asked if I did it full-time. I didn’t. Not yet. But that little spark is what led to the birth of Bowtie & Brush.

Me Facetiming my parents before marrying Josh.

We chose to get married at The Magnolia Venue in Tennessee—right between my family in New Jersey and Josh’s family in Florida. Literally. It was ten hours from both sides. A perfect middle point. But here's the twist: our wedding was scheduled right when the world shut down in 2020.

We got there early, and slowly, things started closing. Hotel blocks got canceled without warning (don’t even get me started), flights were grounded, and a lot of our guests, including my family, couldn’t make it. Needless to say, I was heartbroken that my parents couldn’t be there.

Still—somehow—we pulled it off.

We FaceTimed my family in. Our photographer and officiant made it up the mountain. Josh’s family was there. Riley, our dog, walked down the aisle. It was smaller than we imagined, but honestly? It was perfect.

One year later, we returned to The Magnolia Venue for our rescheduled reception. It was a Wednesday (COVID wedding reschedules, anyone?), so guest count was still smaller than we originally planned. But we got to dance, hug friends, and celebrate being married—and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Let’s Give This Love Story That Final Bowtie Touch!

From that first swipe to a pandemic wedding with our dog by our side, our story is one of faith, surprises, and love that keeps showing up—even when life doesn’t go as planned.

And hey—if you're planning your own wedding or love story celebration, and you want custom art, watercolor portraits, calligraphy, or keepsakes made just for you, I’d be honored to be part of it.

Because your love story deserves something personal, beautiful, and worth keeping—just like you.

Let’s make something meaningful together.