Showing posts with label military wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military wedding. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

First Don't Ask, Don't Tell wedding

DADT was repealed yesterday and that immediately prompted 16-year Navy veteran Gary Ross to marry his long-time boyfriend Dan Swezy.

From Vermont:
The couple traveled from Arizona where same-sex marriage is not legal to get married at the Moose Meadow Lodge in Duxbury, the same location as the first same-sex marriage in Vermont back in 2009.



"It means a lot to me just because I'm a part of it. I'm a part of history. So that's what makes it exciting for me," said Greg Trulson, co-owner of the Moose Meadow Lodge.

Though the couple is making history, they say they aren't getting hitched just to make headlines. "We didn't come here at the stroke of midnight to be the first or to make news," Swezy said. "We came here because we wanted to get married for years and we didn't want to wait a moment longer than we had to."

But Ross says hiding his relationship any longer would be a dishonor to his duties. "As an officer in the military I am expected to be a leader. And it would be a huge waste of the taxpayers' money if I stopped leading now just because I was a little bit nervous about people's reactions," Ross said.

Though he says he has some apprehension about returning to work Thursday, Ross hopes it will soon be back to business as usual. "I'm still gonna come to work in my same uniform, I'm still gonna boot up my computer and read my emails, pour my tea, whatever I do… nothing's going to change. And I hope once people realize that that everyone will be OK with that," he said.



Ross now proudly wears his Naval Academy ring on his right hand and a wedding band on his left, displaying his love for his country and for his new husband.

The couple says they made the decision to come to Vermont partially because it's one of six states allowing same-sex marriage and also because it's Eastern Standard time-- they wanted to be married the first moment they legally could.

I'm sure I've mentioned how much I LOVE military uniforms - especially at weddings. I think they're adorable, and I love the matching white-on-white bowties. The Moose Meadow Lodge is very beautiful and masculine at the same time, so it's perfect for them. The website says the Lodge is close to Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory, but remember Misters Ross-Swezy that a wedding is no place for ice cream. Cake or GTFO! :) Congratulations!

-KB

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Free wedding gown for military brides

I normally ignore press releases in the form of "news stories" but this one makes me happy. A charity called Brides Across America, in partnership with many independent gown stores, is giving away wedding gowns to women who have been deployed overseas, or the women marrying deployed soldiers.

Visit the Brides Across America website for a list of participating stores. The giveaway is today, Veteran's Day.

And because I'm failing at finding an appropriate image for this post, please accept this hilariously ugly, patriotic gown.



Patriotically yours,

Kay Banks

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

ICU wedding

I couldn't get through this story without getting a little teary, so get out your tissues...

Janette Villalobos and Michael Arroyo had an urgent need to get married quickly - Michael is in the Navy and scheduled to ship to Afghanistan next month. They planned a backyard wedding and BBQ, but changed plans when they realized that Janette's father Johnny wouldn't be able to attend. Johnny is in the ICU at UCLA Medical Center waiting for a liver transplant.

Since Johnny's health is so fragile, everyone had to wear hospital gowns, masks, and gloves. Real flowers were not allowed so the bride carried faux flowers and the men had boutonnières cut from construction paper.

From Dad: "My daughter means the world to me...She's funny and smart and beautiful. Mike is the right one for her. I hope her life will be as blessed as she has made mine...Today I'm the proudest dad in the world."


This picture is like a vice-grip to my heart. Look at the Dad's face, and his little paper flowers.


The bride wore two gowns


I love military uniforms - so cute

When Michael returns from duty in 18 months the couple hopes to have a bigger, more traditional wedding, and Janette hopes her father will walk her down the aisle.

Me too, Janette! Good luck to all of you.

Kay

From the LA Times