After New York state gained marriage equality, a group of friends and I went down to Stonewall bar to take part in the wild celebration. There was an electricity in the air as people danced and cheered.
Once the glitter from the party had settled, an entirely new discussion began. On Sunday, June 26, the long-time Mimosa and Bloody Mary dialogue in New York City had suddenly evolved from “How do we get the right to marry?” to “When do we tie the knot?” and “Where should we register?”
The answer was simple for the many couples who raced to the altar on Saturday, July 24. Mayor Gerald D. Jennings of Albany married Dale Getto and Barbara Leven at the base of Niagra Falls at the stroke after midnight. That day I watched as crowds of men and women stood in line at the Manhattan City Clerk’s office to tie the knot.
In the coming weeks, Tiffany & Co. was bustling with men and women picking out engagement rings and most companies involved in the wedding business started opening the red carpet to include the LGBT market. Crate and Barrel, a company that long has included same-sex couples in their registries, decided to kick off the party last week by organizing marriage equality wedding event at their Soho store on September 25. Crate and Barrel Soho teamed up with all kinds of local businesses: Cocktail Caters, Sage Events, Atelier Isabey, Billy’s Bakery, Michael George Photography, and Jennifer Paige Designs. DJ Matty with Jarrell Entertainment provided music, and the crowd raced around the store registering and meeting other couples.
GayCities sent our friend, photographer Dana Halsted, to take a few close ups. State assembly member Daniel O’Donnell showed up as the event was kicking off and gave a political thumbs up. And perhaps did a little planning for his own upcoming nuptials.
Slideshow courtesy of Dana Halsted Photography
