So my partner and I got married last Monday. We went to San Francisco for a week, had an amazing time, and got married on our last full day there. We've been together for a long time and we didn't want to make a huge deal of it. People have been coming out of the woodwork hinting at invitations--I even have clients who seemed to want to come. It would have had to be huge. And for us it really was about tying up legal loose ends and, more importantly, I wanted to make sure it stayed all about us. We love San Francisco so we figured eloping there could be special but simple. San Francisco city hall is beautiful. We got married by a big ol' lesbian who was awesome. She married us, chatted with us quite a while, took pictures of us, had us go kiss Harvey (the bronze bust of Harvey Milk) and took pictures of that. She spent so much time with us that as we were leaving she went to go with us--it was at that point that the last couple (there were four) reminded her somewhat distressedly that she had forgotten to marry them. Oops! It didn't occur to me to even think about it until they asked us whether we had prepared our own vows. I still love what my partner said at that moment: "We've been together for 17 years; we've said all our own vows. Now it's time to say the State's." I didn't honestly think it would make that much of a difference, the whole marriage thing. But both of us teared up as we exchanged rings. And it's not exactly like it feels different but in a way it does. I wouldn't have thought we could feel more responsible for each other and yet somehow I think we both do. We are hyphenating our last name, so that's been a whole thing--the DMV, Social Security, banks, etc. Because of all my licenses and professional designations my firm is very insistent that I not conduct business under any name other than my legal name. Because California actually changes your name as part of the marriage ceremony I came back to a new name. The firm ordered me new business cards while I was away and they even replaced the glass in my office where my name is etched. The whole new name thing has been a little weird. It makes it all so public. I am pretty open personally with my clients and the gay thing isn't even an issue when it comes up. But I hadn't thought about the fact that changing your name brings it up with every single person you sit with who you have already met, even if you have only ever met them once. It kind of dramatizes how many people I know through work where my being gay has just never come up. People have been awesome though. They've been universally congratulatory. Many people have come back the next day with cards or gifts. Women all want to see the ring, men all want to joke that you're making a huge mistake... Anyway, I just wanted to update. It's been awesome.
Hey congratulations man! That's huge. I was going to make the joke about it being a huge mistake but sounds like the others beat me to it. (!)
Congratulations! I can't even imagine how amazing it must feel to slip that ring onto the guy of your dreams knowing you get to spend the rest of your life with him.
Awesome! Congratulations! ... and you were in SF and didn't let me know you'd be there? I'm only about an hour away. But then again, I'm sure you had much more exiciting things than EC on your mind.
That will be amazing! Make sure, aside from just seeing Paris, you head out to Versailles. I think the gardens are probably one of the most romantic palaces in the world.
hey Congrats. keeping it about you is wonderful, it is your's and your Husband's day after all. i told my neices and nephews go get married, come back and we'll have a hugh party.
