Gay Guy's First Gay Wedding: Champagne? Yes. Bouquet? No.

Straight Guy,

Great job keeping things rolling with the blog last week. Thanks. I got home last evening and am looking forward to catching up.

Today was a big day for me -- I went to my first gay wedding! The District of Columbia legalized same-sex marriage a few months ago, and this is the first time that any of my friends walked down the aisle with the full muscle of the government behind them.

A great day! The wedding was wonderful -- a lovely church, beautiful music and the reassuring language of the Episcopal service. My friends were proper grooms. Most importantly, in addition to their friends, almost all of their family members were there, and everyone seemed comfortable and happy.

There wasn't anything about the service that was out of the ordinary. That was the point that the priest made: same-sex marriage, extraordinary; marrying the one you love, ordinary. Loved it.

If there was anything gay about the wedding, it was the reception. Me, standing around with a drink in my hand, sorting out who's cute, who's straight, who's single. Gay? Or are all wedding receptions like this? Felt more like a Friday night than a Saturday afternoon.

--Gay Guy

8 comments:

Straight in Upstate said...

Yep, that's pretty much a wedding reception. Except for the abject humiliation, when you're single and straight, of being forced to catch the bride's garter. "Look at them, they're single, came here without even a friend date, and probably haven't gotten laid in five years. (More like seven, thanks.) Let's put them front and center and make their lives more pitiful! Maybe catching a magic piece of elastic and lace will turn their luck around!" I've been married almost 13 years but I won't forget that part of weddings. I'm already training my 6 year old son what to do at weddings: "They throw the garter, you go hide in the bathroom until it's over."

Anonymous said...

Weddings have a mythic status of places to meet romantic partners. Might have only ever happened once, but word got around. So, straight or gay, male or female, if you are single, you spend some time shopping the room wearing romantic goggles.

Oddyoddyo13 said...

Yay! You're back! (Not that SG was awful at holding up the fort, but I did miss you GG. :))

I'm so happy that they've allowed same sex marriages. How, in all honesty, is it any different? (Other than the reception, LoL)When you love someone, you should have the freedom of expressing it and having what everyone else does right?

Brutalism said...

Love the "Marrying the one you love -- ordinary" sentiment. Hopefully all will see it that way someday soon.

BosGuy said...

Welcome back GG.

Dorn said...

Welcome back GG. SG, you've definitely held down the fort. I was sad by the ordinary/extraordinary comment. Marrying your love is only ordinary assuming everyone finds their love. I hope that in the near future same sex marriage is the "ordinary" part of love.

Straight Guy said...

That's great news, GG.

Some of the stress of a straight wedding comes from trying to meet many expectations and keeping traditions... maybe a gay wedding can skip some of that and it can just be what it wants to be.

Mine was fine, by the way. A few compromises, but no hard feelings. I also learned to Polka.

By the way, you "standing around with a drink in my hand, sorting out who's cute" sounds exactly like what you did at my reception.

kathryn said...

Honey, that sounds pretty much like every wedding I've ever seen. Even if you bring a date, you're still checking everyone else out....who's wearing what, who definitely doesn't belong with him (total mismatch).

I'm thrilled for the happy couple! And that line from the priest was pure perfection.

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