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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

LGBTQITSLFA December 9 City Hall Wedding Update

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Dec 4, 2012 at 11:20 AM

More than 140 couples have registered to marry at City Hall on December 9, the first day that all couples will be free to legally marry in Washington state. As we announced here on Slog...

On December 6, same-sex couples will finally be able to apply for marriage licenses for the first time in state history, which means that couples itching to get hitched can start holding ceremonies on Dec. 9. City officials are marking this milestone by turning City Hall's immense and lovely lobby into a series of intimate wedding nooks! BUT: In order to be married at City Hall, couples must 1) get a marriage license on Dec. 6 and 2) RSVP here with their names, number of guests, and any special accommodations they might need. Today the city launched a handy FAQ sheet filled with information on the Dec. 9 ceremonies, which I hear are booking up fast.

All the available slots did book up quickly. Mayor McGinn and his team and the judges who are donating their time—all of whom have been wonderful—extended the hours, making more wedding slots available. All of those additional slots quickly filled up. You know me, Slog. I'm not prone to gushing. But I gotta say: All the folks at the city and all of the judges have been wonderful and accommodating and open. I can't thank them enough. But I want to extend a special thanks to Mayor McGinn. The mayor embraced the idea when I proposed it to him—he didn't even mind that I'd scammed his personal cell number from a friend-of-a-friend-of-the-mayor and called him on a Sunday night—and the mayor quickly got everyone at City Hall working together to pull this celebration together. So on behalf of all of the couples planning to marry at City Hall on this Sunday: Thank you, Mike.

Also working hard to make Sunday happen: Jen Zeyl and her team of artists and scene designers. Cienna:

Another word on those intimate, artsy wedding spots: Dan Savage—whose idea this whole thing was—and Tim Keck—whose idea the whole "Dan Savage" thing was—have each donated $1,000 to help local artists, led by Jen Zeyl, create a beautiful wedding atmosphere inside city hall. But we need to raise $5,000 total to finance the installation. A lot of materials and labor are being donated, but some things must be paid for. City officials, judges, and others are donating their time. What can you do? You can help make the day a beautiful one by donating right here.

Jen and her team are busily preparing to move in and quickly transform City Hall on Saturday night so that everyone is ready by 10 AM Sunday morning. There are other wedding events in Seattle on December 9, but most seem to be charging the couples who want to marry. This event—thanks to the mayor, his team, the judges, Jen Zeyl and her crew, folks at the Stranger (Carey, Tone, Renee, Tim, Laurie, et al), and everyone who has donated—is the only one I know about that is completely free for the couples getting married. We've almost reached our fundraising goal to help cover expenses. Please consider kicking in a few bucks to help make City Hall—and the day—beautiful for all the lucky couples planning to marry.

Thanks!

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Comments (34) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Will someone donate to my wedding when I get married?

Posted by You are Kidding Right? on December 4, 2012 at 11:30 AM

Herp, autoplay.

Posted by venomlash on December 4, 2012 at 11:32 AM

And it's fixed.

Posted by venomlash on December 4, 2012 at 11:43 AM

@1: Aww baby :(!
No one is ever going to marry you, ( I mean really, who wants to live under a bridge and eat nothing but billy goat?) so your question is beside the point.

Posted by Lissa on December 4, 2012 at 11:49 AM

Somehow the PayPal link in Cienna's blurb (second-to-last paragraph) got corrupted. The one in her original story works fine, as does the "Donate" button at the bottom of this post.

Posted by rob!

on December 4, 2012 at 11:53 AM

I'd love to know where the gay leadership in Seattle/Washington is going to be on this day. So far it seems like our great straight allies, Mayor McGinn and County Exec Constantine, are being helpful! BUt we haven't heard a peep from the lgbt political leaders.

So where are Ed Murray, Jaime Pedersen, Sally Clark, etc....

Posted by doubtroub on December 4, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Heronswood is offering free weddings to 20 same-sex couples on December 9: http://www.valeaston.com/ (Second post down; Heronswood site is under construction). Winter garden wedding!

Posted by JLDR on December 4, 2012 at 12:05 PM

@1 is not THE Troll

Posted by but it is a good point..... on December 4, 2012 at 12:06 PM

"Please consider kicking in a few bucks..."

One consistent thread thru secular homoliberohumanism-

always with the godam hand out asking for money.

Buy My Birth Control!

Pay For My Abortions!

Forgive My Student Loans!

Give Me Healthcare!

Make City Hall Beautiful For My "Wedding"!

Pay Your Fair Share Of Taxes!

Posted by DannySavage=JimmySwaggart on December 4, 2012 at 12:09 PM

and if "marrying" the one you LOVE does not make your day Beautiful without donated shit then you got no business getting married, loser.

Posted by not that you do anyway...... on December 4, 2012 at 12:12 PM

@4 - Goats are all bones and some kind of nasty goat-oil. Make it lamb, and I'll consider it.

Posted by MacCrocodile

on December 4, 2012 at 12:15 PM

You can always do a kickstarter ...

Posted by Will in Seattle

on December 4, 2012 at 12:16 PM

can't play the video.

Posted by scary tyler moore

on December 4, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Shoot! I had assumed only same sex couples could get married that day at City Hall and have therefore not spoken to the bf about it... I'm not 100% certain my bf would want to get married, but I have been saying since my home state (Michigan) banned same sex marriages, that if I ended up with a man I would not get married until I could have if I ended up with a woman. I want to get married Dec 9th with everyone else! I wonder if he'd say yes. ;)

Posted by ScienceNerd on December 4, 2012 at 1:17 PM

Done and done.

@1 Some of us, who may not be able to participate, want to help make this event as awesome as it possibly could be. But don't think your posts don't have an effect: I doubled my donation to add a sum of money in your name. That way you've helped the homosexual agenda!

Doesn't it fill you with the warm fuzzies?

Posted by Pick1 on December 4, 2012 at 1:21 PM

@1 and 10

Traditionally, straight people get lots of donations when they marry; the donors usually refer to their contributions as "gifts."

I have given a gift to make December 9 for the happy couples. It was my pleasure to do so.

Posted by Clayton on December 4, 2012 at 3:16 PM

So glad I could help out. Can't wait to see pics, especially Dan and Terry.

This has been a long time coming and I'm so happy for y'all. Congrats, Washington!

Posted by despicable me on December 4, 2012 at 3:21 PM

This is so beautiful!

Posted by Soupytwist

on December 4, 2012 at 4:50 PM

@16: So nicely put! I work right up the block, and am so very excited by the whole thing! I just got straight married in September, and the fact, that at last, in our state everyone can have what I have, makes me very grateful.
Now I have something in my eye.....

Posted by Lissa on December 4, 2012 at 5:04 PM

That is Kathryn Rathke in the photo. I think she is cute.

Posted by Buzzy on December 4, 2012 at 5:08 PM

Glad to donate to such an awesome event! Congratulations to everyone who will be there!

Posted by serabelle on December 4, 2012 at 5:59 PM

@17 - Are Dan and Terry planning to get USA-married at the event?

Posted by random_lez on December 4, 2012 at 7:07 PM

@1 and @10 - @16 is exactly right. My straight cousin got married a few years ago. By the time I got to his wedding registry a few weeks before the wedding, almost all of the moderately-priced things had been purchased, and most of the expensive ones, too. They received many tens of thousands of dollars in wedding gifts. (And the parents on both sides paid for everything, so they profited considerably.) It made me a little (quietly) bitter, actually. If I were to get married, I know that we'd be expected to pay for 100% of everything.

Posted by Kevin_BGFH

on December 5, 2012 at 9:32 AM

16

Interesting.

Do they traditionally broadcast blanket appeals for cash?

Maybe National Geographic could do a story about the mating rituals of secular homoliberohumanists.

Posted by .....fuck rice. please throw cash. on December 5, 2012 at 10:15 AM

Happy to.

Posted by kim in portland

on December 5, 2012 at 10:54 AM

Chipped in $5. Wish I had more to give. This is all so beautiful.

Posted by Namae nante iranai! on December 5, 2012 at 11:07 AM

Here you go, @24 http://www.missmanners.com/ask-miss-mann…

Posted by agony on December 5, 2012 at 4:32 PM

I don't have a lot to give, being recently hospitalized and it being Christmas, but Dan has done so much for me personally that I had to chip in $5.

Posted by tree166 on December 6, 2012 at 8:32 AM

How about those of us who have legitimate minister credentials showing up to marry the people who didn't make the cut? I'm looking for such an opportunity.

Posted by ilynne on December 6, 2012 at 8:32 AM

Woot!! Congratulations Dan, and good luck with event logistics! :D

Posted by happyday on December 6, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Wish we could join the celebration and be married with everyone else, but I left Seattle 4 years ago to join my partner here in the UK seeing as how US immigration law does not recognize us as a couple and I can not sponsor him for immigration into the country. Please don't forget us bi-national couples as we struggle to have the same rights as hetero couples!

Posted by seattlejon on December 6, 2012 at 9:04 AM

If I had a dime to spare, it would go to this. Best wishes to all!

Posted by Marley on December 6, 2012 at 9:15 AM

OMG, the cuteness! Congratulations, Dan and Terry, may you have many happy year of wedded bliss together!
http://www.sfgate.com/news/slideshow/Dan…

Posted by gr8lakesgrrl on December 6, 2012 at 1:54 PM

My Mom told me just yesterday that my young cousin Olivia and her girlfriend Regina will be among those getting married tomorrow in Seattle. That's beyond cool, and I hope SCOTUS will let me and my partner follow their example. After 38 years, isn't it about time?

Posted by Steve T. on December 8, 2012 at 9:28 PM