Rochester, New York, Unitarian Universalist Congregations Host Free Same-Sex Wedding Event Amid Rights Concerns

Local Unitarian Universalist congregations organized the inaugural Big Gay Wedding Day, held on a Saturday in downtown Rochester at First Universalist Church. The free event was organized by First Unitarian Church of Rochester, First Universalist Church of Rochester and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canandaigua, and it offered LGBTQ+ couples the opportunity to marry in what the organizers described as a safe and affirming environment.

The event took place amid concern over possible shifts in federal policy. Some worry that such changes could threaten marriage equality and other LGBTQ+ protections under the incoming administration, and advocacy groups have said that hard-won rights for queer and trans individuals may be at risk.

Rev. Lane-Mairead Campbell, minister of First Universalist Church of Rochester and one of the organizers, said that providing certainty and support for LGBTQ+ couples in the face of these challenges “cannot be overstated.” She said that anti-transgender legislation was being upheld and passed in parts of the country, and that the event was a way to provide certainty for the community and space to marry “legally, safely, quickly, inexpensively.”

Local vendors donated flowers, cakes and professional photography to create a celebratory atmosphere. Couples and their supporters gathered for a reception after the ceremonies. Vendors gave their services freely, a practical act of charity and hospitality (Hebrews 13:16).

Rev. Shari Halliday-Quan, lead minister at First Unitarian Church and an event organizer, said her own experience showed why such events matter. In 2012, same-sex marriage was illegal in New York, so she and her now-wife planned to marry in Massachusetts, where their Unitarian Universalist congregation welcomed same-sex weddings. By the time they wed, New York had legalized same-sex marriage, and they were able to marry at home. Halliday-Quan said the need to create safe and affirming spaces for queer couples remains pressing, adding, “We’re helping couples secure rights that they’re worried will be taken away,” and that “queer and trans people have a place in our community, that you are loved and worthy.”

Among the couples married during the event were Caliana and Angelas Rolon Torres, who learned of the opportunity while scrolling through Instagram. The couple said they were grateful to marry without financial barriers, especially after facing financial struggles. Caliana said the fact that an organization was offering such a service, free and ahead of concerns about future rights, was “incredible.”

WXXI News reported that since New York legalized same-sex marriage, more than 25,000 same-sex couples in the state have married. Nationally, there are an estimated 711,000 married same-sex couples in the United States.

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