This loving, lyrical poem from Faraaz Kazi would make for romantic modern wedding vows. The winner of the 2013 National Debut Youth Fiction Award and also the recipient of the YCOF National Excellence award in Creative Writing apart from being the first Indian author to win the coveted ‘Best Debut (Romance)’ title at the international Goodreads choice awards, Faraaz Kazi has been tagged as the 'Nicholas Sparks of India’ by many and is rated amongst the top male romance writers in the country.

The Skies Bend
By Faraaz Kazi

The skies bend, the time stops, the lanes move and the fires dance,
It can mean only one thing that I am with you.
You are enigmatic yet so beautiful that I have lost my sense,
You are as immaculate as the unadulterated morning dew
And your beauty leaves me in a mystified trance.
I do not foresee what you and I will be
But I promise to be with you till the rocks keep meeting the sea.

Photo by Muara Fatan

Photography by Laurie Rhodes 

From Ellen: While you can plan for, you generally can’t choose how or where you are born. The same can be said for marriage and death – while some societies and religions provide more or less leeway regarding individual rights related to these important life milestones, only a few states in our country afford two women “the right” to marry. And marry we did, on September 22, 2012 in New York City. Not so much because we were politically motivated – though we firmly believe in our rights to fulfill self-evident truths and enjoy unalienable rights – but because we love each other and we want to pursue happiness together. That, unfortunately, is a tall order for two women in the United States today, which is why we planned an intimate, special, private event to celebrate our wedding.

Dan Fehlig and Jim Weitzman from The Upper Crust, Laurie Rhodes, Jeff Pennington and the countless armies behind them made our dreams come true that night. From the second we stepped into the venue at 91 Horatio, the second we realized Laurie’s innate ability to capture people’s hearts and souls from the inside out, the second we smelled the first flower, we were hooked. And so were our guests. The team embraced our love of family – our blood relatives and our closest, longest-term friends alike – and worked with us to ensure everyone felt special, felt loved and felt the magic. Family members who were ill or had passed away felt the love as much as those of us who celebrated together that night as they too, were part of the ceremony that evening. Whether our marriage is ever recognized beyond the State of New York remains to be seen. But thanks to the team who made our wedding so unique, so special and so “us,” our marriage is real and the magic in our lives and the twinkles in our eyes are pervasive, contagious and eternal.

VENDORS
Photographer: Laurie Rhodes
Venue: 91
Catering and Design: The Upper Crust
Flowers: Pennington Flowers

Saturday Night Live introduced a hilarious new sketch on May 18, entitled "Xanax for Gay Summer Weddings" that we just had to share. It addresses the common fear that gay marriage will ruin lives, induce feelings of anxiety and inferiority. Actors Vanessa Bayer, Bobby Moynihan, Bill Hader and Cecily Strong address the most common of causes that produce worry in straight people's hearts: immaculate pastel suits, impressive wedding gifts from other guests, over-the-top wedding favors such as flights to Italy and $40,000 in cash, and guests who show off their Beyonce-choreographed dance moves on the wedding floor. 

Watch the video below:

The American Civil Liberties Union launched a campaign this week to urge the public to RSVP to the wedding of ABC's Modern Family’s Mitchell and Cam. 

The show's gay characters, Mitchell Pritchett (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet), aren’t officially engaged, but are happily partnered and co-parent a sweet (er, sassy) daughter, Lily. ACLU’s Executive Director Anthony D. Romero hopes to persuade show creators Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd that such an episode would be a hit.

With this light-hearted campaign for a TV wedding, there's a serious message motivating it. The civil-rights organization is hoping to draw attention to the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions on the Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, which restrict marriage rights. (The rulings are slated for June.)

"The freedom to marry is being advanced in American living rooms as much as in court rooms," Romero said in a statement. "As we wait for the Supreme Court to rule, we want to keep this issue on the minds and screens of Americans everywhere."

The ACLU hopes to attract 750,000 online supporters for the campaign, at which point the organization plans to present its "guest list" to Levitan and Lloyd.

Will you add your name to the guest list? Click below for more information. 

In real life, Jesse Tyler Ferguson is actually engaged to his partner Justin Mikita. Watch their adorable video here, and check out our inspiration boards for their upcoming wedding here. —Kirsten Ott Palladino

Photo via ABC. Image via ACLU.

We're introducing a new series: poetry for your wedding ceremony readings, wedding vows and love letters you might be handing to one another on your wedding day or honeymoon. Our first selection is from the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, whose sensual and exquisite lines romance us with almost tangible forces.

Every Day You Play, from Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair
By Pablo Neruda

Every day you play with the light of the universe.
Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water.
You are more than this white head that I hold tightly
as a cluster of fruit, every day, between my hands.

You are like nobody since I love you.
Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.
Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?
Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.

Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.
The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.
Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.
The rain takes off her clothes.

The birds go by, fleeing.
The wind. The wind.
I can contend only against the power of men.
The storm whirls dark leaves
and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.

You are here. Oh, you do not run away.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Cling to me as though you were frightened.
Even so, at one time a strange shadow ran through your eyes.

Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and even your breasts smell of it.
While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies
I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.

How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,
my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.
So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the gray light unwind in turning fans.

My words rained over you, stroking you.
A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.
I go so far as to think that you own the universe.
I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells,
dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want
to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

For andro lesbians, makeup isn’t usually a main concern, but even the most perfect complexion can look blotchy under wedding photographers’ lenses. The sun and lights can make your skin go from fair to glare, so take a tip from these three butch celebrities, who know how to tweak their makeup routine just enough to battle the close-ups, while still retaining a natural look.



RACHEL MADDOW
Even the first openly gay prime-time host is not above a little powder. After seeing herself on television, and some pushing from her partner, she admitted that a little makeup wouldn’t hurt, “Without it she looked like a dead person,” her longtime partner, Susan Mikala, mentioned in a New York Magazine profile. So she opted to get “done up like a dude.”

Get Rachel’s Look

Face: Basic foundation makes sure every visible surface is covered, keeping her fresh-faced and smooth, even with studio lights beaming down. Follow up with powder, which helps tone down glare.

Eyes: Apply eyeliner to the bottom half to contour the eye ever so slightly so it doesn’t look sunken in on camera.

Lips: Skip the lips and go au natural; just be sure to keep them hydrated with chapstick throughout the day so they won’t dry out. The good thing about this route is that you won’t have to worry about smudging when you kiss your new wife.

ELLEN DEGENERES
We all would give anything to have a face as youthfully fresh as Ellen’s (she’s 53 and looks 35!), and, as the face of CoverGirl, she’s a good person to take cues from.

Get Ellen’s Look

Face: Obviously, she’s a devotee to CoverGirl cosmetics. Her makeup artist uses the CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer/Foundation/Concealer trio. These three products will smooth out your face and cover up any blemishes, and they feel so light, you won’t even realize you’re wearing makeup.

Eyes: A subtle smokey eye adds glamour without being too femme, and plays up her baby blues. Her makeup artist then lines with brown eyeliner, smudges, and then tops with a neutral shadow such as grey and brown mascara. Using brown eyeliner and mascara instead of black gives a more natural look.

Lips: Instead of lining the lip, DeGeneres' makeup artist applies liner lightly to the lip area because it holds the actual color longer (a great wedding-day trick!). Then CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss gives a luxurious, albeit natural, color and shine to finish the look.

JANE LYNCH
Someone who can make a tracksuit look good clearly has style. The Glee star has the ability to glam it up for the red carpet but we think she looks just as fantastic on set.

Get Jane’s Look

Face: Foundation smoothes her skin and barely there blush on the apples of her cheeks show off her strong jawline while adding just a hint of color to keep from looking washed out under bright lighting.

Eyes: Light eyeliner along the outer edges and a subtle brown eye shadow help create definition.

Lips: Jane plays up her natural lip color with Smith’s Rosebud Salve that keeps them moisturized and looking healthy.

Photos: Rachel Maddow courtesy of MSNBC; Ellen DeGeneres and Jane Lynch courtesy of IMDB.com

When I got engaged, I had no idea what type of wedding dress I wanted to wear. Flat shoes or high heels? Would I wear a veil or a flower in my hair?

One thing I knew I wanted to wear without a doubt: fake eyelashes. While they may seem overly dramatic, especially compared to your normal beauty routine, they make a huge impact—framing your eyes and making your look pop in photographs.

If you’ve never applied fake eyelashes yourself, don’t be nervous. It just takes a little practice and a little patience. Here are10 easy steps on how to do it yourself!

Gather your supplies: eyelashes, glue and a few cotton swabs. While you can apply the glue directly from the container, using a cotton swab is usually less messy and provides better control.

The eyelashes are packaged the way you should put them on, with the smaller lashes on the inside corners and longer lashes toward the outside. Take one lash out of the container—they’re a bit sticky—to get started.

Take the lash between your forefinger and thumb on each end and bend them slightly so they will conform to the shape of your eye.

Draw a small line of glue onto the length of the eyelashes so they will curl up and away from your eyes.

Lightly close your eye as you place the lashes as close to your natural lash line as possible, pressing down on your eyelid.

Hold down the lashes, pressing lightly, making sure the corners are adhering well.

The glue will appear white at first, but as it dries it will disappear.

Apply mascara to blend your real eyelashes together with the fake ones.

Compare the difference between your regular, natural lashes (right) and the eye with the fake lashes! Beautiful!

TIP: Never apply the lashes immediately after applying the line of glue. You want it to be tacky, but not wet.

Learning to glue on a full set of lashes is usually easier, at first, than applying the small clumps of lashes individually. But if you want only to fill in the outer corner of your lashes and make them fuller, individuals are the way to go.

Photo: Real Wedding Annie and Sylvia, photography by Rachel McCauley Photography

By Jennifer Dome

Brooke + Joana in Miramar Beach, Florida
Love-filled seaside nuptials punctuate an aquatic-colored DIY wedding

By Kirsten Ott Palladino

Joana Rodriguez was waiting for the perfect opportunity to propose to her girlfriend Brooke Rollins. She already had the engagement ring, which featured a square peridot gemstone to match Brooke’s sparkling eyes, and, conveniently, her birthstone.

“It was a Sunday morning and we were in the middle of mountains of homework as always,” recalls Joana, “and the movie ‘Up’ by Pixar was playing in the background. The movie is about a man who loses his soul mate after years and years of marriage, but lives out her dream of adventures. They meet as children and are together for a very long time. The husband is a quiet kinda person, as I am, and the wife is talkative and full of life, as is Brooke. At one point in the movie when they are still children Lilly, the wife, looks at the husband and says that she wants to spend forever with him having adventures, it was then that I pulled out the ring from my pajama pocket and asked Brooke if she would spend forever having adventures with me. As I expected, she was overjoyed and full of excitement and began to cry, so I giggled and asked, ‘So I guess this means yes?’ She then answered with a ‘yes.’”

When planning their beach wedding, Decatur, Ga., residents Brooke Rollins and Joana Rodriguez searched everywhere for an LGBT-friendly venue. The lesbians found it at the Atlanta Pride Festival: The Embassy Suites in Miramar Beach, Fla.

“I am not going lie,” says Joana, whose confident presence was what attracted Brooke to her. “I was afraid that it was going to be difficult to find a place that we could be ourselves and celebrate and relax all at the same time. It was at Pride that we found the Embassy Suits; it was there that I realized that discrimination can be set aside and your love can be celebrated. Go where you are welcome, and you will have the time of your life.”

To honor their commitment, Brooke, who legally took Joana’s last name after the nuptials, devoted a considerable amount of effort to bringing to life their theme of an eclectic mix of modern vintage with personal touches added to reflect their individual personalities, such as Brooke’s handcrafted vintage brooch bouquet and a superhero-themed cake for Joana.

The bride and broom (a term for masculine brides coined by Equally Wed Magazine Publisher and Cofounder Maria Palladino and used by readers, including Joana) wed on May 5, 2012, at a sunset beach ceremony which included gathering words, guest declaration of support and the exchanging of vows and rings. “The focus of our ceremony was the tying of the lover’s knot, which symbolized the intertwining our lives and our families,” says Brooke. “With one strand of natural fiber manila line—a nod to Joana’s service in the Coast Guard—each of us did our part to create the fisherman’s knot, also known as the lover’s knot.”

The bride wore a sweetheart gown with a beaded bodice and layered organza skirt, which was given a funky update with a turquoise crinoline skirt made by Ann Swank at Swank Underpinnings. The look was complete with her turquoise-and-green ballet flats. Brooke carried a bouquet of her own making: She wired 30 vibrantly colored antique and new brooches and assembled them together to make “a small, but surprisingly hefty nosegay,” she says. “The brooches were given to me by my mother, my wife-to-be and my friends, and each brooch held personal meaning. My bouquet took seven months of assembly, four packages of floral wire and two rolls of tape, a box of band-aids and one scare—or maybe two. It was worth every ounce of effort and all of the love that went into it.”

A jovial reception accentuated by turquoise and green included a photo booth complete with props for wacky photos, tables outfitted with handmade centerpieces comprised of silver charges, turquoise French flower pots filled with dried hydrangea and greenery accented by one antique tea cup and saucer from Brooke’s grandmothers collection and three LED pillar candles; the dinner buffet which featured Joana’s mothers Mexican feast for a Cinco de Mayo-themed celebration and a homage to Joana’s heritage; a bar, a candy and cupcake buffet, a cake table and a reception table. Brooke surprised Joana, a devout superhero fan, with a four-layer cake featuring Captain America, Superman, Spiderman and Batman, accompanied with a handmade background of a cityscape equipped with city lights.

 Listen to Brooke and Joana's first-dance song on Spotify:

Brooke and Joana danced together for the first time as wife and wife to Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” sung live by Jamie Heart and accompanied by acoustic guitarist Kato Estill. Heart and Estill, both friends of the couple, sang songs of their own and covers at various points in the evening.

After the wedding reception, the Rodriguezes and their 38 guests oohed and aahed over a display of fireworks on the beach and then let the ocean air carry away biodegradable paper lanterns into the sky, which Brooke says symbolized “our wishes for our healthy, happy future.”

The Rodriguezes, who honeymooned in Sandestin, Fla., welcomed a healthy baby girl on May 14, 2013.

A version of this article was published in Atlanta Gay Weddings, 2012/13. 

VENDORS
Photographers: Alisha Sams of Imaginarium Studios, Kory Garner of Faux Toe Images
Venue and Caterer: The Embassy Suites, Miramar Beach, FL
Cake: Melissa Donovan
Cupcakes: Over the Top Cupcakes, Stuart, FL
Vocalists, guitarist: Jamie Heart, Kato Estill
Attire: David’s Bridal (Brooke), Macy’s (Joana)
Hair: Barbie at Avant Garde Salon, Destin (Brooke)
Officiant: Ray Ward
Jewelers: Hon Ngai Jewelry, Etsy.com (Brooke’s engagement ring), Worthmore Jewelers (Joana’s band), The Mobley Company, Villa Rica, GA (Brooke’s band)
Flowers: A Perfect Day, Destin, FL

There is big news for the Midwest on Monday as Minnesota Senate passed by 37-30 vote a marriage equality bill, which passed in the House last week by a 75-59 vote. Now the bill heads to Gov. Mark Dayton who solemnly promises to sign it into law on Tuesday, making Minnesota No. 12 for states which allow gay and lesbians the legal freedom to get married. This victory of three states passing marriage equality laws in two weeks is indicative of the spread of fairness across the country, and is hopefully telling of what will happen in June when the Supreme Court rules on DOMA and Prop 8.

The next state we're watching for marriage equality is Illinois.

Keep up with marriage equality news on Twitter @EquallyWed and Facebook /EquallyWedMagazine. —Kirsten Ott Palladino

Jeff + Sebastian at Lake Tahoe, Nevada 
California grooms tie the knot in an outdoor summer wedding outfitted in white and blue

Photography by Nick Kova Photography

Wedding design by Merrily Wed

Jeff and Sebastian were married on June 30, 2012, at a private lakefront estate on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. The grooms are both busy professionals from San Francisco and wanted a destination experience for their guests. In fact, a casual summer camp vibe was the inspiration for the day including their s’mores wedding cake complete with marshmallow cake topper figurines.

A gorgeous hydrangea blue with pops of orange kept the look summery and fresh with natural, organic elements. Guests signed cards, which they tied to ribbons dangling from a decorated arch that the wedding party and the happy couple walked under so they could be showered with friends’ and family’s well-wishes as they started their processional.

If it's your wedding dream to pledge your forever love on the sandy shores of a beach, it will take some planning. Preparing for the trip is just as vital a part of making your wedding day perfect as preparing for the ceremony itself. When it comes to packing, how comfortable and memorable the wedding is will depend on what items you bring. Here are five must-haves for a destination beach wedding.

Comfy Shoes

From running around pulling together last-minute details to exploring the locale post-wedding, having shoes that provide a comfy home for your tender toes is a must. Shop for shoes that are comfortable and versatile so you can wear them when running to the store or walking along the beach. Pack more than one pair to ensure you have choices for each day, and should one pair get wet you have a fallback.

Bathing Suits

The whole point of going to a beach is hanging out on the shore. Instead of filling your suitcase with clothes you'd wear every day, put extra effort into your bathing suit packing choices. Purchase a collection of new bathing suits, including one in a bridal-appropriate white. For when you are walking along the beach or touring the little street shops nearby, you'll want a cute cover up. Pack a collection of classy cover-ups, giving you the coverage you need to feel comfortable while still keeping you beach appropriate.

Tour Book

Many destination-wedding couples elect this wedding option because they share a love of experiencing new places. Equip yourself with a tool to use in exploring the location in which you land by taking a filled-to-the-brim tour book. While you likely wont have time to tour the locale before your wedding, after your ceremony you will find yourself with more time to look around.

Sun-Protectant

A sunburn can instantly ruin your perfect wedding and honeymoon. Prepare yourself to fend off the sun's rays by packing sunscreen of at least 45 SPF and using it religiously. Pack some aloe lotion in case some of the suns rays do manage to penetrate your layer of protection. Slathering on this cooling lotion can immediately take the sting out of your sunburn, making it easier to handle.

Reading Material

Pack something that will help you take a break from the hectic wedding planning and post-wedding celebration. Tuck your eReader or a collection of traditional paperbacks into your suitcase. If you wear contacts, consider prescription sunglasses. You can order custom frames and lenses from online retailers such as Vision Direct, and you can even get fashionable brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley. Each time you need to unwind, take your reading material and venture to the beach for some ultimate relaxation. When you run your toes through the sand while reading your book and you will feel your stresses melt away. —Caroline Spencer

Top photo: Jerry and John married on the beaches of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Read their Real Wedding feature here. Photo by Karen Lisa Artistic Photography

Fresh, real, live, bountiful flowers in bridal hairdos never fail to send us swooning. We've rounded up some of our favorite images to inspire your wedding-day 'dos. Plus, some wedding music to enjoy!

Source: Feather and Twine Photography

“She wore flowers in her hair and carried magic secrets in her eyes.” —Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things

Source: Long Hairstyles How To

"Earth laughs in flowers." —Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Source: Pinterest

"Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair." —Susan Polis Shutz

P.S. You should like Equally Wed on Facebook.

The Minnesota House has passed a measure to legally recognize same-sex marriage. The vote was 75 to 59.

The measure now goes to the Senate, which will take up the issue Monday.

The Star Tribune reports:

"Debate in the House got underway in the early afternoon, as thousands of supporters and opponents gathered outside the chamber. House Democratic leaders and the bill's supporters were confident it would pass. If it passes Monday in the Senate, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton could be sign it into law by early next week and make Minnesota the 12th U.S. state to legalize gay marriage.

"My family knew firsthand that same sex couples pay our taxes, we vote, we serve in the military, we take care of our kids and our elders and we run businesses in Minnesota," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Karen Clark, a Minneapolis Democrat who is gay. "... Same-sex couples should be treated fairly under the law, including the freedom to marry the person we love."

P.S. You should like Equally Wed on Facebook.

The tale of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby comes to the silver screen, with The Great Gatsby opening in theaters May 10, and we're predicting an onslaught of chic bobs, intense attention to detail, sharply dressed gents and butches and glamorous wedding gowns, and even a fun Charleston dance number at the reception as brides, grooms and brooms pay tribute to the Roaring '20s with themed weddings, rehearsal dinners and parties. We've gathered a myriad of Gatsby-inspired wedding ideas for you, from jewelry to attire to cocktails, hair, makeup and more. Cheers! —Kirsten Ott Palladino

"No amount of fire could challenge the fairytale he had stored up in his heart." —Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), The Great Gatsby

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P.S. You should like Equally Wed on Facebook.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Ent.

Earlier we broke the news that Delaware was the 11th state to pass marriage equality. Gov. Jack Markell is set to sign the bill into law tonight! And immediately afterwards, he's hosting a Google+ Hangout to chat with you. Details below:

Where: Google+ Hangout hosted by Sensible Politics
URL: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cg2062b47oq6hutepmvt8hom0tc
When: 7:45pm EST, Tuesday, May 7

BREAKING NEWS: Delaware has just passed its marriage equality bill (HB75). The final vote was 12-9 in the Senate moments ago. The bill passed the House on a close vote April 23. The bill passed 23-18, receiving two more votes than were required for passage. Gov. Jack Markell has said he will sign it into law.

Photography by Jessica Hill, A Brit and a Blonde

Gay and lesbian Minnesotans could have the freedom to legally marry as early as Aug. 1. There's a bill that is scheduled to be debated and voted on by the Minnesota House on Thursday. The bill would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. House Speaker Paul Thissen has previously said that scheduling the vote would be a signal that the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (the state affiliate of the Democratic party) leaders secured the 68 votes needed to pass the bill.

If the House passes the bill, the next vote would be in the state Senate. But its passage has been seen as more secure there than in the House. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton has promised to sign the bill, which would allow gay couples to start getting married in Minnesota on Aug. 1.

The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to give a last committee look at the bill on Tuesday.

—Andrew Coffee

We've been writing about gay and lesbian weddings at Equally Wed Magazine for more than three years, but we have yet to see a man in a wedding dress. It's not that it hasn't been done for fun at a Pride festival or a drag show, but on an elevated level, we've been seeking to illustrate how gorgeous a man can look in a wedding gown. James, a professional model at Let's Pose Studios in Cornwall, England, had a similar dream.

"This shoot was something I wanted to do for some time as I've always dreamed of my own perfect wedding," says James. "Wearing a stunning white dress like this also gave me an idea of how special it can make you feel once the makeup and hair is complete. If I choose to wear a dress on my own day, it would have to be a high-end one by my favorite designer Vera Wang."

What do you think, guy readers? Would you opt for a wedding gown on your wedding day? Butch lesbians certainly wear suits deliciously well, and I think James does a marvelous job of rocking a frock. –Kirsten Ott Palladino 

SEE MORE FROM THE PHOTOSHOOT 

Photos by Neil Hartley