Set-up started early the morning of January 6, 2015. Pure white Chiavari chairs were in place by 7:30AM and the Orlando Gay Chorus rehearsed song after song in complete harmony; the voices of angels. It was a truly overwhelmingly joyous occasion of history in the making. Balloons read “LOVE,” symbolic red roses accented the floral arrangements adorning either side of the red carpet, and the four-tiered wedding cake embodied the new flair on tradition with fondant rainbow ruffles.

The forty-something couples were the celebrities, and we—the guests, vendors, and camera crews—were the paparazzi.

News teams swarmed into a circle of organized chaos upon the Mayor’s arrival, prepared to press him with relevant questions. In the background, you could hear the religious protestors on the corner chanting for Jesus and against LGBT recognition.

The Rotunda at City Hall was alive…really alive.

The ceremony commenced at 9:00AM with a procession of gay and lesbian couples splitting to either side of the podium. Victory, freedom, and love flashed across the faces of those to be married. From the crowd came continuous cheers of approval and support, and speakers recognized those who fought for the cause, both past and present. They also verbalized gratitude for the same-sex couples whom refused to hide from their truths.

Finally, the moment came for the simultaneous reciting of the vows. Some couples cried, some laughed, and some grinned from ear-to-ear as rings were swapped with promises of forever. In modern-day fashion, men whipped out their phones to text their closest friends and family members of the good news, while women snapped usies for proof on social media. Acknowledgement could no longer be suppressed in the state of Florida.

Love prevails. Unity prevails. Equality prevails.

Congratulations to all of the lovely couples who finally received their fairly-tale ending! We’re glad we could experience the moment with you and will cherish it for years to come.

Thank you to all of the talented event professionals who worked together to make this day an incredible experience for the many newlyweds. A big thanks to Michael of John Michael’s Events, Lee Forrest Designs for the beautiful florals, Laure Hitzig and Sasha Voss of the Four Seasons Orlando, who designed the fabulous wedding cake, and to Bruce Reynolds of Treasured Moments for capturing the monumental event in this fantastic video:

Photographs by Event Industry Marketing by BeatCreative.