A sweet Valentine’s Day
by David Atkins
The Empire State Building and its sweeping New York City views offered enviable backdrops to two couples who made history this Valentine’s Day — becoming the first same-sex couples to marry atop the landmark.
All weddings are special, of course, and a wedding on Valentine’s Day is especially sweet. But only Stephanie Figarelle, 29, and Lela McArthur, 24, two personal trainers from Anchorage, Alaska, can say that they were the first-ever same-sex couple married at the Empire State Building.
They were followed by three other couples, including another same-sex couple, all of whom were winners of an online contest that played out on Facebook, with fans voting on planning details. Winners had their dream events designed by celebrity event planner Colin Cowie, who makes regular appearances on “The Today Show” and “The Ellen Degeneres Show.”
The four couples received wedding rings from DeBeers, gowns from Kleinfeld, hair and makeup by Estee Lauder, a two-night stay at a posh Manhattan hotel, the services of a celebrity photographer and, as the commercials say, that’s not all! Each couple has the chance to win $100,000 if they get the most Facebook votes following the nuptials, according to Huffington Post Weddings.
The ceremonies took place in an events area on the 61st floor, and were followed by a photo shoot on the observation deck that looks out on Manhattan’s famed skyline from the 86th floor.
“I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” Figarelle said to her partner as they exchanged rings, reported the Associated Press. “I will always love you forever, with every beat of my heart,” McArthur, who is taking her partner’s name, was quoted as saying.
I can feel my marriage coming apart at the seams as I type this. How could it possibly survive? Somebody get me a Constitutional Amendment to stop this horror of horrors, STAT!
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