When I was a kid in high school, I remember loving all the history classes I took.
I would often imagine what it would be like to have been alive and present for many of those great moments. Would I have been a rebel fighting at the picket lines for change- or would I have been a passer-by- watching and wondering what would happen.
This past Sunday I had the opportunity to truly “marry” my affinity for history and my passion for love. I attended the Lesbian & Gay Wedding Expo sponsored by FRONTIERS Magazine in Downtown Los Angeles.
Now for many straight couples this is anything but ground breaking. But for a lesbian woman or a gay man, this may as well have been the first man landing on the moon. After all, it wasn’t until very recently that as a community our relationships were finally being legally recognized by our government.
I will be the first to admit that I have never been to a wedding expo. I imagined it being like a Comic-Con or a Tattoo Convention. I expected their to be booths and people trying to sell me things.
But this was a Lesbian & Gay wedding expo and the gays never do anything sub par. So my expectations were put on hold until I set foot in the door.
On this exciting day, I took team cupid (Courtney & Aaron) with me. After all, I thought it would be fun to take a single straight girl and a young single gay man to a wedding expo. What would they think of all this?
As we entered the lobby, we were greeted with the typical propaganda- booklets to guide us through the event and a swag bag. (Who doesn’t love a big bag of goodies!?)
We were then shuffled through the grand lobby of the Los Angeles Athletic Club—a gorgeous hotel that I instantly wanted to get married in. We then got into an elevator and were directed to the third floor.
With the “ding” of the elevator bell and the opening of the doors, we were instantly transported into a different world.
There were so many people walking about this big room. Where did it start, where did it end? My expectations of the expo started and stopped with in ten seconds. I saw the booths and yes, there were people selling things – but more than that – there was this overwhelming sense of excitement, love and happiness.
My eyes were over stimulated by the amount of wedding planners and their fabulous booths and my ears were filled loud music played by a Dj over the speakers. It was like someone took the expo and put it in a West Hollywood club!
I had to take a moment to soak it all in, so I sat at the bar with Team Cupid and a few mimosas.
It was in that very moment, that I knew this was something special, something historical.
As I watched all the people smiling, talking and moving about, something I heard nearly brought me to tears.
Like a beautiful symphony of words, I could hear people talking about their engagements, their marriages and their love. It came form all directions, lesbians at the bar, gay men speaking with pastors. People were so excited to be there and have an opportunity to finally celebrate their love.
It was in that very moment, that I knew this was something special, something historical.
I wasn’t just at an expo who’s sole purpose was to generate business, I was at the first of many expos that were validating the love and commitment that gay and lesbian couples were told they could not have for decades. For the first time, couples were hearing “Yes- and we can help” instead of, “No, It’s not legal!”
To hear people asking, “When is your Wedding Date,” “Did you get the ring?” and “How did you meet,” it brought an overwhelming sense of happiness and emotion to my body.
It was in that moment that I realized that this is what it must have felt like to be part of history.
I was somebody who fought for this. I voted “no” in 2008 against Prop 8, I went to rally’s in support of Gay Marriage, I marched the streets of LA in fury over inequality and finally, I celebrated when it became legal to marry in the state of California. In retrospect, I was on the front line the whole time, I was part of change every step of the way.
This expo is a celebration of all those people who worked so hard to protect our civil rights. The people who worked the phone lines, the fundraisers, election days and legal fronts- the many unsung hero’s to which every part of this expo would not be possible if they did not do their part.
It was such a pleasure to meet the many gay and lesbian business’ at the expo. It was especially exciting to meet all the big businesses that have opened their homes to the LGBT Community.
With my Swag Bag full and my stomach filled with cake and champagne, the team & I decided to call it a day. We take with us fantastic memories, friendships and enough photo booth photos to fill a scrapbook.
As for my own wedding, I am still putting my thoughts on that together- or will I fall subject “Always a Groomsman and never a Groom?
We will all just have to wait and see.
