Before same-sex marriage was even legal, Melissa Hesse asked Melanie Day to be partners for life. Saying yes, the plan started as a small commitment ceremony. However, three months in, Minnesota made their marriage legal, which was cause for a bigger celebration. With Melissa’s background in photography and Melanie’s in theater, the two wanted to play up these important influences. “As a wedding photographer, seeing people do something that really reflects their relationship was something I wanted to make sure we incorporated for ourselves,” says Melissa. The couple took to the stage of Aria, filling the grand space with a 16-person wedding party. “I felt the stage was really charged with all the energy of the previous productions that have been done there,” says Melanie. Décor played up the historical aspect of the space, with the couple pulling sheet music and other relevant pieces and using them to personalize each table. As performances go, no detail was overlooked, and the two happily wedded brides deserve a standing ovation.
