Angelica + Maya’s Brooklyn Elopement

Photos by Judson Rappaport

Angelica and Maya Luna had an elopement ceremony on June 12th, 2022 during our 3rd annual Pride Grows in Brooklyn event at Brooklyn Grange. This event is a pro-bono experience for LGBTQ+ couples in partnership with inclusive wedding vendors who are either part of the LGBTQ+ community or LGBTQ+ loving allies.

Maya Luna, pictured here, is receiving the glam treatment with award-winning hair and make-up artist, Talia, of Simple and Sultry. She opted for a natural look with a bold graphic eye. Heart eyes for days!

Moments later, they had their elopement ceremony on the rooftop overlooking the NYC Manhattan skyline alongside their closest friends. Angelica brought the energy and danced down the aisle before her beloved, Maya Luna met her there to celebrate their commitment to one another. They included elements in their ceremony that was rooted in community, their love of nature, and social/environmental justice values. They wanted to include a land acknowledgement, a moment of remembrance for the LGBTQIA+ community, a moment of silence for a dearly departed loved one and community vows that reinforced the support of their friends.

See below for an excerpt of the land acknowledgement included in their ceremony.

“Let’s center ourselves in this spirit of unity by first honoring the land we’re on today. Regardless of where we come from, when we take up space in a new place, it’s important to acknowledge the land, its history, and its native people in an effort to reclaim the past so we can forge ahead in truth, clarity, and justice. 

Today we stand on the land of the Canarsee, a First Nations Munsee-speaking Brooklyn band of the Lenape tribe. They were hunter-gatherers and among the first to toil this stretch of earth that continues to offer us bounties. Like many of our indigenous siblings, their lineage endured through the painful turmoil of colonialism. The land remembers, as we must. 

To this day, we’re living through historically divisive times which continue to oppress the most vulnerable among us. Still, HOPE is imbued within us because we are bound to a community that transcends time! 

Just as the work of our predecessors seven generations ago have impacted our lives today, the grassroots work you’re doing to uplift and support the collective in this lifetime has a ripple effect that will impact lives seven generations from now.”

This is an excerpt of their love story:

“When the algorithm AND the stars align, “IT’S A MATCH” and you “can’t help falling in love!” While you found each other when you least expected it, you each opened up to this affirming and liberating love that has transformed you.

While it was a bit of a dance with yourselves and each other to realize and express those feelings early on, you listened to the land of your small desert hometown, heard your spirit guides, and felt the steady beat of your heart. Through this great sense of calm and peace, the message was clear - this is the human you want to walk through life with.

Those vulnerable beginnings led to a foundation of trust and honesty. You found in each other someone who is committed to the journey of healing and showing up IN YOUR LOVE as their best selves. Someone to co-create a stable home connected to nature for your gente, your kiddos, and your family while passing along what is beautiful in your lineages.
You found in one another someone whose differences add color to your life and whose core values align to create a symbiotic microcosm of purposeful love that spreads far and wide. You found someone who is in awe of you, your genuine love for community, and your drive to to help strangers, neighbors, and especially women during vulnerable, transformative moments.”

Here’s an excerpt of their ceremony’s grand finale:

“Like the healing watery depths of Angelica’s Scorpio sun and moon and the earthly grounding nurturer of Maya’s Virgo sun, may the morning rain and earthly crops remind you of the wonders of this world and the importance for you to nurture yourselves so you can continue to nourish your community.

May you remember the tranquility you feel when you’re by bodies of water. Of the pride you have when sprouts spring. May the blended scent of earth and rain remind you to slow down, stay present, and appreciate this destined union of yours. So dance in the rain, play in the mud, SOAK IN THE SUN, and manifest your wildest dreams today and everyday.”

Maya and Angelica’s friends blew bubbles as they floated down the aisle once they were pronounced married! It was EPIC!

After their ceremony, each of their friends took time to say a few heartfelt words with a champagne toast. Angelica surprised Maya with a custom song for their first dance that brought everyone to tears, and a group dance number that brought the house down!

Congratulations, Angelica and Maya Luna!

PRIDE GROWS IN BROOKLYN VENDOR TEAM

Venue: Brooklyn Grange • Planning + Coordination: Greater Good Events + The Productionista • Styling + Makeup: Simple and Sultry • Florals: Miriam Bloom Designs + Outlands Botanics • Photobooth: Firework Photobooth Co. • Stationery: Polk Paper • Furniture Rental: Rent Patina • Linens: MoreFully • Catering: Bourgeois Baskets + Pixie Scout NYC • COVID Safety: Vow Network