Love, growth and becoming more fully yourself came together in a beautiful celebration for transgender beauty influencer Briel Adams-Wheatley and her husband, Adam.
Five years after they first married, the couple celebrated their anniversary with another wedding ceremony on June 13, 2026. They returned to the same backyard in West Bountiful, Utah, where their original wedding had taken place.
This time, however, the celebration represented a new chapter in their lives.
Celebrating Five Years Together
Briel and Adam originally married on June 12, 2021. Briel later publicly came out as transgender in 2023.
As their fifth anniversary approached, the couple decided they wanted new wedding memories that reflected who they are today.
The celebration was held in Briel's brother's backyard and attended by around 150 guests. Rather than creating an overly formal event, the couple wanted something relaxed, welcoming and focused on enjoying the moment with the people they loved.
For Briel, there was another special part of the day: finally getting the chance to wear the beautiful wedding gown she had dreamed about.
She chose a corseted gown from The Bridal Studio in Salt Lake City. Because Briel was born without arms or legs, the dress required extensive alterations. Local seamstresses at Pink Seams adapted it while preserving its original look.
A Wedding That Reflected Who Briel Is Today
The ceremony carried a deeper meaning because Briel's life had changed significantly since the couple's first wedding.
She publicly came out as transgender two years after marrying Adam. Briel has spoken openly about Adam's support during her transition and about their relationship as she became more comfortable living authentically.
Their anniversary celebration allowed them to create wedding photographs and memories that represented Briel as the woman she is today.
The ceremony itself was short and personal. Instead of making the day complicated, Briel and Adam focused on their commitment to one another and the life they have built together.
Afterward, guests enjoyed a simple celebration that included cookies, fruit, lemonade and vanilla wedding cake.
Recreating a Favorite Memory
One of the sweetest moments came at the end of the celebration.
At their original wedding in 2021, Briel and Adam spontaneously jumped into the backyard swimming pool.
Five years later, they decided to do it again.
Adam jumped in wearing his suit, while Briel changed from her wedding gown into a lighter outfit before joining him.
For Briel, swimming has its own significance. She learned to swim while growing up and has described the activity as an important part of her independence.
Recreating the pool moment brought their story full circle.
Briel's Journey as a Creator
Briel has also built a large online following by sharing beauty, makeup and everyday-life content.
Born in Brazil and adopted as a baby by a family in Utah, she was born without arms or legs. She learned from an early age to find her own ways of doing everyday activities.
During the pandemic, makeup videos helped her reach a much larger audience online. She eventually turned content creation into a career and has used her visibility to challenge assumptions about both disability and transgender people.
Briel publicly shared that she is transgender in 2023. She has since continued documenting different parts of her life while speaking openly about confidence, beauty, disability and identity.
A Story About Growing Together
Briel and Adam's anniversary wedding was more than an opportunity to put on beautiful clothes and take new photographs.
It celebrated a marriage that continued through significant changes in their lives.
Briel has described marriage as accepting one another while continuing to grow and learn together. Their fifth anniversary offered a visible example of that idea.
Five years after their first wedding, they returned to the same place and celebrated the same relationship, but with new experiences, new memories and a fuller understanding of who they had become.
Their story is a reminder that love does not have to remain frozen at the moment two people first meet.
Sometimes love grows with the people inside it.