I highly recommend the venue at Lesbian Dad

I highly recommend the venue

Published July 14th, 2008 in Mostly a picture, On marriage and commitment.

[Kids' eye view photos thanks to D.Legg.]

Inscribed in the rotunda, reconstructed following the devastating 1906 earthquake:

SAN • FRANCISCO
O • GLORIOVS • CITY • OF • OVR
HEARTS • THAT • HAST • BEEN
TRIED • AND • NOT • FOUND
WANTING • GO • THOV • WITH
LIKE • SPIRIT • TO • MAKE
THE • FVTVRE • THINE

I’d say that’s pretty apt. Indvbitably.

The event itself was an impromptu, extemporaneous riff , eleven years in the making. Make that over thirty, if you consider that’s how long I’ve known our “solomnizer,” my sister’s best friend and my surrogate sister. About that long, too, if you consider the lengthy battle over this institution in this state. The post-event party was thrown by my sister (abetted by a small crowd of worker-bee family members) as a gift to us, and featured a repast to be remembered. It was far more moving than can be rendered a few words. Suffice to say, it made us — and all our party-goers — want us to get hitched annually.

Now go thou with like spirit to make the future thine.

[Many, many thanks to all for all the warm congratulations.]

29 Responses to “I highly recommend the venue”

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1 wyliekat Jul 14th, 2008 at

Congratulations. It’s nice to see a family able to celebrate themselves, regardless of circumstance.
2 Vikki Jul 14th, 2008 at

You are both gorgeous. Oh…and those kids aren’t too bad either! Congrats to you all.
3 AngelaSunShine Jul 14th, 2008 at

I always read this site, but couldn’t find my password or get the thing to send me one so I finally just reregistered.

Anyway,

I am so THRILLED for you guys. Your wedding looks like it was beautiful and your wife looks lovely. How sweet does she look getting married with one of your children on her hip?
4 lulazoid Jul 14th, 2008 at

Brava! You’ve made an honest woman out of one another (I’ve always wanted to be able to use that expression on someone ).

Wonderful news all around and glad you had such a splendid celebration.

Let us now how married life agrees with ya Any different from the chapter just closed?
5 ColleenSchmitt Jul 14th, 2008 at

Congratulations! You all look lovely.
6 face121 Jul 14th, 2008 at

Congratulations! Your family is beautiful!
Found you through Look, Daddy! Glad I did.
7 Liza Jul 14th, 2008 at

Many, many congratulations!

And you both look splendid in aubergine and taupe.
8 LesbianDad Jul 14th, 2008 at

Thank you thank you, all. Little peanut is currently in need of a nap, so I will have to say simply that a few posts are circling the proverbial airport, hopefully eventually doing justice to (1) the day itself, from the taking of the rotunda steps to the basking in my family’s generosity and (2) the befuddling position of being now legit, after so many years of illegitimacy. Different from the chapter just closed? Good question. Hope aircraft (2) makes some headway toward an answer.

Meanwhile, what may be one of my favorite images of the day, captured on a chum’s iPhone:

That would be me hugging my Pops, who never EVER thought he’d see this day. And was probably the most in awe of it all.
9 LesbianDad Jul 14th, 2008 at

Liza!! Aubergine and taupe! Thank you! That is soooooo much better sounding than purple and tan! And my inner gay man has to agree with you: a fabu color combination. It was the beloved’s dress from our ceremony 11 years ago, plus a fun new top — ha! I said “top,” not shirt! see? a gal can learn! — that she added to the ensemble. Something old, something new, I guess. My sister’s hair was still blue from an earlier punk DIY dye job, so we had most things covered w/out even really trying. Per my post sometime back, I always consider my kids on loan from the universe. So I suppose that covers it.
10 Vikki Jul 14th, 2008 at

The pic of you and your dad brought me to tears. Simply beautiful.
11 Chris Jul 14th, 2008 at

A hearty congratulations! I’m looking forward to the post from aircraft (1) and (2).
12 SJnky Jul 15th, 2008 at

Many congratulations, of course - but on a side note, when did the little guy’s hair get so long and gorgeous!! Man, I’d never ever want to cut that.
13 megincl Jul 15th, 2008 at

Goosebumps, chills, and a bit of blur to the eyes, thanks to the post and the images. Heartiest congrats, and enjoy the journey of wrapping your head around the legality of it all. I still find myself a bit befuddled at times.
14 Shereen Jul 15th, 2008 at

I teared up. Ah, a day basking in the love of your joint family is a thing of beauty, isn’t it? Looking forward to the coming essays, and I’m just so, so happy for you. Whatever the ramifications, or complex feelings - congratulations. Truly.
15 sussabmax Jul 15th, 2008 at

Congratulations! I love the pictures of your family and you and your dad! I am very happy that you all have the choice to be legit now, whatever mixed emotions you have about the institution itself (and I hear you, there, believe me!).
16 wyliekat Jul 15th, 2008 at

It’s always been my notion that marriage should change nothing in a happy relationship.
17 RaJen Jul 15th, 2008 at

Beautiful! I look forward to essays. AND MORE PHOTOS!
18 Tina-cious.com Jul 15th, 2008 at

OMG — that’s the same shirt I wore when I married MY baby. http://tina-cious2.blogspot.com/2007/01/is-married-now-i-said-is-married-now_01.html

Holy crap!

Congratulations!!!

I love the baby on the waist!!
19 LesbianDad Jul 15th, 2008 at

Holy crap, Tina! (Love your post caption, by the way.) You’re so right! Well. Shows you righteous femmes have good taste. And the baby rarely left the waist. Though his older sister nearly exited the building.

Here, RaJen! We’re in the beautiful North Light Hall where a few weeks earlier the place had a rope line snaking the brides & grooms toward the counters filled with happy clerks. Now it’s business as usual. Except the ratio of hetero to homo is just a tad different than it was before.
20 imjudypooh Jul 16th, 2008 at

How lovely. I read this post yesterday and cried. Today I just looked at the photos and read the comments and cried again. What a beautiful family, you are so blessed.
21 LesbianDad Jul 16th, 2008 at

Thank you. Now how to smear the blessings around, far and wide.
22 oldc Jul 16th, 2008 at

Happiness to you all.
I wish your mother could have been there too.
Even without knowing her, I imagine she would look at your beautiful family and feel a deep familiar connection. I’m sure she would give you the biggest hug ever.
23 Vikki Jul 16th, 2008 at

Yowza! I love the new look!
24 s00ki Jul 19th, 2008 at

Congratulations on your legal nuptials!
25 Chumpy Jul 19th, 2008 at

Belated BIG CONGRATS!!

Hey! isn’t that Hugh Grant in some of the photos?
26 Lesbian Dad Jul 19th, 2008 at

OMG (I think that’s how it’s spelled) woman! I LOVE you!
27 awholelotofnothing Jul 22nd, 2008 at

HUGE congrats!

This is my first time commenting and found you from BlogHer posts, and I’m glad I did.

Going to read more.
28 librarygrrrl Jul 24th, 2008 at

Goosebumps and tingly happiness for handsome you, your gorgeous wife, and your perpetually adorable kids!
29 Lesbian Dad Jul 24th, 2008 at

Many, many thanks, sister. Now I have to post another supplementary pic, just ’cause you got me all nostalgic.

I could just munch munch munch him up. Might have to consider submitting this to the Marriage Equality campaign as a morale booster when the going gets visciously hateful this fall. As, alas, we all know it will. Sigh. Hope springs internal, though.

[Poster says: Vow to vote NO on the marriage ban.]

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Featured election news/analysis:

From "Gay marriages in California surpass those in Massachusetts,", Jessica Garrison, on 7 Oct., 2008, at the Los Angeles Times.

Data released Monday (6 Oct 08) by UCLA's Williams Institute found that an estimated 11, 000 same-sex couples were married in CA since June 17, when the court began to allow them. (Since May 2004, over 10,000 have married in Massachusetts.)

Pastor Jim Garlow of Skyline Church in La Mesa, who has been rallying voters to pass the constitutional amendment, said: "The fact that there are big numbers doesn't change the reality that it is still bad for the country."

Garlow, who along with hundreds of other Christians, is observing a fast until election day as a way to show his support for the proposed amendment, added: "There are enormous numbers of people doing cocaine right now. . . . Simply because large numbers of people are doing something does not make it right."

"Foes of gay-marriage ban say poll shows Prop. 8 leading," by Jessica Garrison, 8 Oct., 2008, in the Los Angeles Times:

The opposition has enjoyed a healthy lead in several surveys taken by polling organizations that do not have a stake in the campaign. But officials with the No on 8 campaign held a conference call with reporters Tuesday to announce that their own poll showed the measure would pass by four points. Opponents attributed the result to fewer television ads, which is, in turn, a result of the No on 8 campaign falling behind in fundraising.

From Geoff Kors, Equality California, in an email to EQCA and No on 8 supporters, 7 Oct., 2008:

Our worst nightmares are coming true.

Today we learned of the massive $25.4 million our opponents have raised so far. They are using this war chest to broadcast lies: 24/7 and up and down the state of California.

And the polls show the lies are working. We need your donation now.

Yesterday’s CBS 51 poll shows that:

“…likely California voters overall now favor passage of Proposition 8 by a five-point margin, 47 percent to 42 percent. Ironically, a CBS 5 poll eleven days prior found a five-point margin in favor of the measure's opponents.”

People change their minds about Proposition 8 when they hear the lie that churches will lose their tax-free status if they won’t marry same-sex couples – EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT TRUE!

So this is crunch time. With less than a month before the election, we must get on the air now to answer these lies and swing votes back to our side.

And the ONLY way to do that it to raise more money. The generous $15.8 million that our supporters have given isn’t enough. Not when the other side has nearly $10 million more than we do and the fundraising gap is growing.

Earlier:

Ellen DeGeneres: "My Political Point... And I Do Have One," on 24 Sept., 2008 at her site.

Previous election news/analysis links can be found at this here Election news links page.

	Date
Terry Baum brings No on 8 benefit performance to B-town!	10/10
Good news from Connecticut*	10/10
Ten years ago today*	10/07
Register to vote! And then hang on tight to it!	10/06
Weekend bonus shot, 09.04.08	10/05
Some timely borrowed content re: the alien landing we saw last night on the TV*	10/03
Up and down and round and round	10/02
What do you give the couple who has everything?	9/30
Weekend bonus shot, 09.27.08	9/28
Posting kiddle pix while Rome burns	9/25
San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders’ statement on same-sex marriage	9/23
A little lite diversion	9/22
Weekend bonus shot, 09.20.08	9/20
Marriage equality & our former babysitter	9/19
The sagacity of hope	9/18