A Queer Arboretum Engagement with Rescue Dog

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A Queer Arboretum Engagement with Rescue Dog

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About Peter’s Hill at the Boston Arnold Arboretum

THE COUPLE’S SESSION LOCATION

In Boston’s backyard is the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. It boasts a beautiful diversity of nature and there are some special lookouts like Peter’s Hill that are a perfect blend of city skyline views and natural elements.

Carrie & Rhiannon chose Peter’s Hill for their engagement session because they wanted to feature the Boston skyline while being surrounded in a nature-enriched area. Boston holds a lot of memories and significance so it was only fitting that Boston played a part in their session. Along with featuring the city they love, Winnifred their rescue dog joined them for some photos (because *obviously* they needed to include the four-legged family member). They celebrated with a small picnic full of “cheers-ing” with cheese and bubbly alike.

They will be celebrating their love with an intimate wedding celebration this September and it will be absolutely amazing.

Meet the Couple

MEET CARRIE (SHE/HER) & RHIANNON (SHE/HER)

Rhiannon & Carrie met through the modern dating world: a dating app named Her; as the couple says, the whole reason they’re together is all thanks to Her. They met for their first date during Pride at Boston’s Fenway Park for a baseball game; (Rhiannon loves baseball, Carrie enjoys it because Rhiannon does). To prepare, Carrie had looked up statistics for the players to be an active baseball fan for the date. It was one classic Boston date that started it all. Now they are proud dog moms to Winnifred aka Winnie aka Fred the lab/boxer/collie rescue mixed breed.

The Proposal Story

A SCAVENGER HUNT PROPOSAL WITH A GREAT DANE

Since their first date, Carrie & Rhiannon have been together for 5 years. Throughout their time together Carrie kept saying “we should get married” to which Rhiannon would always reply “so are you proposing?” (the answer was basically “not yet”). One of their favorite things to do together is to play games together. Rhiannon wanted to bring some joy into their lives after dealing with the grief and pain of having an ill four-legged family member Wrigley (the lovely Great Dane who was named after Chicago’s Wrigley field), and so she came up with the idea of a scavenger hunt for Carrie for the proposal. Based on one of Carrie’s favorite series, Harry Potter, Rhiannon made a version of the magical map Marauder’s Map. For those of us who didn’t grow up on Harry Potter — essentially, it is a map that shows where everyone is in the castle at any given time. Rhiannon made a sentimental Boston map with key moments in their lives together represented on the map. She even included their “little corner of the world” (as they live on a literal corner). Winnie had her own tag on the map and Wrigley had the instructions of where and how to get to the next location which to Carrie’s surprise was to make their own wedding bands. It was an amazing experience where they had the opportunity to weld at a local shop in Boston. Now as they will be wearing their rings from here on out the memories of making the rings together will forever be welded together with the memories of them getting married.

About Their Four-Legged Family

MEET WINNIFRED (AKA WINNIE) THE RESCUE DOG

As a rescue dog, Winnifred (aka Winnie), was definitely a little bit apprehensive to be photographed. With time, positive reinforcement, treats, and so much loving from her moms, she did fantastic. So many rescues are naturally shier and love to stick to their people, but it’s very possible to get great photographs of them that showcase who they truly are.

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The Creative Team

Photography | Mei Lin Barral Photography
Location | Peter’s Hill at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston, MA

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Carrie & Rhiannon are now officially married!

Click here to view their beautiful Loring Greenough House intimate queer wedding (rescue dog Winnie makes a surprise guest appearance!).