Wedding

Yesterday I went to a marathon wedding on Long Island. My friends Rich and Luis tied the knot in a very traditional way: a church ceremony, followed by a reception with champagne toasts and a DJ, white floral centerpieces and butter carved into the shape of swans. There was SO much food, too. Holy cow.

I’ve always heard that Long Island is legendary for elaborate weddings, and this was probably as elaborate as I’ve ever seen. It was also very multicultural -- the ceremony included readings from a Korean author and the Native Americans, and the Jewish tradition of smashing the wine glass. Luis is Colombian, so it also had a South American twist here and there.

If any of us had any doubts about how mainstream gay weddings were becoming, we had only to look around. Rich’s parents and older aunts and uncles were all there, along with other guests all up and down the age spectrum: neighbors, friends, nieces, nephews. It was a remarkable thing. Events like this hold an important cultural message for both straight and gay participants, whether technically legal or not. A public declaration of love is always healthy.

Congrats, Rich and Luis. You’re a great couple, and you’re great friends.

(Photo: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, May 2008)