Same-Sex Wedding Atop Rose Parade Float

Same-Sex Wedding Atop Rose Parade Float

UPDATE: Wedding takes place atop Rose Parade float.

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The newly-wed gay couple, who exchanged vows on a Rose Parade float on Wednesday, chose to stay home on New Year’s eve. Groom Danny Leclair, 45, said that he and fiancé Aubrey Loots, 42, preferred to stay home and watch the ball drop in Times Square on TV.

“Rings, check. Suits, check. Boutonniere, check,” Danny ticked off the accoutrements to bring for their big day. Moreover, the couple made sure they brought some lozenges in case they got hoarse from cheering. Danny and Aubrey planned to go to bed at 10 PM and be up at 6 AM. The parade begins at 8 AM, and the wedding took place about 9:30 AM. “I have never been more anxious for a new year to begin,” Danny said.

Danny and Aubrey own a chain of hair salons and met over ten years ago. “It was love at first sight,” Leclair said. They were married by Rev. Alfreda “Freda” Lanoix. Their witnesses were Sharon Raphael and Mina Meyer, who joined Danny and Aubrey on the float. Sharon and Mina have been married for five years. Mina said she was sad that there has been controversy over a same-sex marriage at this year’s 125th Rose Parade: “I would’ve hoped that that would be over by now.”

There has been a significant amount of negative reaction by some who oppose same-sex marriage and believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman. A Facebook page was established to “Boycott the 2014 Rose Parade,” and received more than 7,100 “likes” as of Wednesday morning. “I can’t think of many things LESS appropriate for families and especially children,” one person commented. “It’s completely the wrong venue for a stunt like this.” 

Rose Parade organizers defended the planned wedding, saying that they were “pleased” to host the same-sex wedding on one of their floats.

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