During this slow time of the year I have the time to focus on some personal photography projects. One of those projects is to scan old negatives from my film days, and I’m finding some real gems that have never even been printed! I think I took a quick glance at the images once the film was hanging up to dry
(I used to process and print my own film back then, as I do now with my digital files) but never had time to print everything. So little by little, scan by scan, I’m bringing them back to life.
Among the gems I found this week were the negatives from my very first gay wedding ceremony, circa 1978 or 79 … or sometime long before it was accepted, let alone supported.
I remember that this ceremony was held in one of the parks here in Pittsburgh, and the guests included a handful of dear friends. I remember being aware that this was a special event, and that I was documenting history – something I still feel every time I have the privilege of photographing a same sex wedding. But this one was my first, and it actually made me cry to find these moments again, hidden away in a binder that hasn’t seen the light of day for many years.
So in honor of marriage equality, here is my first gay wedding. As lonely as it was to grow up gay at a time when it was so unacceptable, I’m honored to witness and contribute to these changing days, state by state … one awareness at a time of the fact that it’s ALL love, and LOVE is all there is.
Beth Kukucka (pronounced Ka-Kutch-Ka) is a wedding photographer based out of Pittsburgh. Her work has been featured in such publications as Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, and People. Kukucka Photography also specializes in same sex weddings in New England, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. For more information, visit http://bethkphoto.com