4th Annual mock gay wedding comes to Rowan

In a celebration of love, the Gay-Straight Alliance held the 4th Annual Mock Gay Wedding Wednesday afternoon in the Student Center pit.

According to Gay-Straight Alliance president, sophomore civil and environmental engineering major Nicole Aszman, the goal of the ceremony was to prove that even though gay and lesbian couples cannot legally get married in New Jersey, they can still love each other, commit to each other and spend the rest of their lives together.

“Our goal is to make the ceremony as true to a real wedding as possible,” Aszman said.

Freshman chemical engineering major Peter Schwalenberg and junior English major Antoine Jones walked down the aisle of the Student Center pit proceeded by their wedding party, which was made up of fellow Gay-Straight Alliance members.

Although they aren’t dating, Jones and Schwalenberg volunteered to be a part of the mock gay wedding. In contrast to previous years where the weddings were between two females, the group wanted this year’s ceremony to be between two men.

“I want to get married one day and I hope it will be called a wedding and not a civil union,” Jones said.

The pit was lined with chairs to resemble church pews and decorated with a purple and white theme. The minister recited an alternative take on the traditional vows under an arch covered in purple flowers.

Jones and Schwalenberg said “I do” after promising to be each other’s life partners through wealth and poverty, in tears and happiness, in sickness and in health as long as they both shall live. The ceremony drew about 50 attendees andcaught the attention of countless onlookers who stopped and surrounded the outside of the pit.

SGA members, friends of the couple and onlookers moved to Room 129 after the ceremony for a catered reception where wedding cake was served. The couple fork-fed each other as the crowd cheered them on.  Jones and Schwalenberg had their first dance to a cover of The Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” from the “Across the Universe” soundtrack, with lesbian, gay and straight couples joining them on the dance floor.

“Legalizing gay marriage would show how truly diverse New Jersey is and how accepting we can be,” Jones said.
Even though gay marriage is not currently legal in New Jersey, it didn’t seem to faze the couple as they danced to Lady Gaga in tuxedos alongside their friends, supporters and fellow SGA members.