Three Souls, One rodeo bull: Celebrating polyamorous Love at The Giraffe Shed

At Rebel Love Directory, we’re here to celebrate love - loud, proud, and completely authentic. Our ‘Our Queer Love Stories’ series is all about shining a light on LGBTQ+ couples, throuples and to-be-weds, the incredible suppliers who help bring their weddings to life, and the representation our community deserves to see in the wedding industry.

This week’s story features Dan (he/him), Lauren (she/her), and Gemma (she/her) - a throuple whose love story is rooted in friendship, love, creativity, and connection. Their unforgettable wedding took place at The Giraffe Shed, styled with a Western Disco theme that perfectly captured their personality and energy. The day was made even more special by Nicki Shea, a Rebel Love Directory supplier, who played a key role in making their celebration as welcoming, inclusive, and joy-filled as possible.

Let's start at the beginning. How long have you been together and how did you meet?

We have been together for 8 years as a three. Dan and Lauren met at school, Lauren & Gemma met at university, and Dan & Gemma met through Lauren on a night out.

Help us get a feel for your day - what were your fave 3 songs from your wedding day?

Noah Kahan - Everywhere, Everything (First Dance), Dizzee Rascal - Baseline Junkie (Karaoke Opener) & Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me (Confetti Walkout).

Can you paint us a picture of your proposal?

Me (Dan) and Lauren planned a walk to a loch on our trip to Scotland. We ended up racing against the sun to try and capture golden hour. Once we got there we managed to get a drone video of us both getting down on one knee to propose.

Let's get on to the big day. Where did you get married?

The Giraffe Shed.

Was there an overall vibe you were going for?

The brief we gave to our stylist was - Western Disco.

Were there any traditions you put your own twist on?

Lauren was walked down the aisle by our dogs rather than her dad (there's a good relationship, however they both walked her down previously for the legal wedding between Dan & Lauren). We did a surprise ring bearer where three people had rings taped under their chairs. The night before and the morning of, we were together for most of the morning.

Did you have any elements that were unique to your love story?

We made sure to include activities such as a rodeo bull and karaoke as these are very popular amongst the three of us and amongst our friends that were there on the day.

Tell us about the suppliers you chose from the Rebel Love Directory and your experience with them - if you didn't use the directory, that's absolutely fine, please do still let us know your thoughts on any stand-out suppliers from your day!

Whilst they weren't chosen through the directory (mostly found through Dan being a wedding photographer himself), both directory members Nicki Shea and The Giraffe Shed were integral parts of the day and were so welcoming and accepting throughout the entire process.

This was the case with all our suppliers (we can provide a full list if needed) who all gave no judgement or prejudice despite the relationship being so unique.

Did you face any challenges when planning your wedding?

The only issue we found during the enquiry process was one venue had a line on their site stating that they wouldn't host “immoral ceremonies.” Even though this doesn't necessarily include a relationship like ours, it did put us off from enquiring. However, outside of this we found no other issues with any suppliers - everyone we spoke to and enquired with was so understanding and accepting of the situation, and it really showed the wedding industry in a positive light for us.

Away from this, the other big issue was purely logistics - how to stand as a three, where we would get ready, and how to co-ordinate a first look with three people (shout out to Nicki Shea & Electric Reel for pulling this off).

If you could live one moment from your wedding on repeat, what would it be?

Dan - Being surrounded by our closest friends at the end of the night singing Noah Kahan - The View Between Villages. 

Gemma - The entrance to the wedding breakfast with the song Laid by James playing, seeing everyone amped up and feeling like all the scary parts of the day were over.

Lauren - When we were reading our vows to each other, despite how nervous and shaking we all were, this felt like all of our planning had come to this moment.

And finally, what advice would you give to LGBTQ+ to-be-weds currently planning their wedding?

Suppliers will make or break your day. There are so many inclusive suppliers (definitely check out Rebel Love Directory) out there despite what you may think. Our key point when choosing suppliers was "Would we go for a pint with them?"

Closing Thoughts

Dan, Lauren, and Gemma’s wedding was a bold, joy-filled celebration that broke boundaries and radiated love from start to finish. From being walked down the aisle by their dogs to hosting a Western Disco complete with karaoke and a rodeo bull, their day at The Giraffe Shed captured exactly what queer weddings are all about - love, laughter, and authenticity.

Their experience also highlights the power of inclusive suppliers like Nicki Shea and The Giraffe Shed, who not only welcomed them wholeheartedly but helped make their day as seamless and affirming as possible.

We’re so grateful to this incredible throuple for sharing their story, and to Nicki Shea for submitting it to be featured as part of Our Queer Love Stories.