Caliana and Angeles Rolon Torres get married at the Big Gay Wedding event in Rochester, New York
Three Unitarian churches in Rochester, New York, came together last weekend to host the Big Gay Wedding event, a free opportunity for LGBTQ+ couples, many of whom are fearful that marriage equality will be in jeopardy under the next administration and are rushing to get married before inauguration day.
The event was hosted by the First Universalist Church of Rochester, the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canandaigua and bolstered by donations of cake, photography, and flowers from local vendors.
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“Headlines and state legislatures are looking to repeal same-sex marriage and marriage equality,” Unitarian Church of Rochester lead minister Shari Halliday-Quan told Spectrum News. “We thought, great. One of the things churches do really well is rites of passage like weddings. And so that’s the thing that we, the Unitarian Universalist congregations, can offer.”
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Rev. Lane-Mairead Campbell, Minister of the First Universalist Church of Rochester, told WXXI that the event was “a way that we could provide some certainty for our community and be able to provide some space to be able to get married legally, safely, quickly, inexpensively.”
Caliana and Angeles Rolon Torres are one couple who were married at the event. Caliana said being able to marry without financial burden “means the world.”
“The fact that we can do something like this, and there’s any organization doing something like this that enables people to get married, not only for free, but also before people are worried about it and things like that, is incredible. Like, outside of the marriage itself, the fact that this is happening is an amazing concept.”
Halliday-Quan told WXXI that creating safe and affirming spaces “matters deeply.”
“We’re helping couples secure rights that they’re worried will be taken away. We all hope that that won’t be the case. But what I want folks to know, and what I think today really celebrates and uplifts, is that queer and trans people have a place in our community, that you are loved and worthy.”
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