Jessica Chesnutt, 25, and Natalie Sauro, 24, are lesbian couple who recently got married on top of the Empire State Building along with 12 other couples on Valentine's Day. Since they're a same-sex couple, however, their vows were considered a part of a commitment ceremony. Following their whirlwind few days, Jessica told us a little bit about the experience, New York's progress with marriage rights, and more.
How did you meet? Natalie and I met while we were both seniors at Smith--but we met at a bar, not in class.
Can you tell us about the proposal? There's a joke about how gay people have to keep getting married over and over to prove they really mean in. Our engagement was a lot like that—we had discussed marriage often, and I had dropped to one knee a few times to prove I meant it, including during the annual Marriage Equality March over the Brooklyn Bridge in 2007. However, the proposal that seems the most real now happened when we found out I won the Brides.com contest. I proposed to Natalie in the middle of our living room, complete with a ruby ring (though not "the" ring because I knew Natalie would want a say in its choice!).
What was your back-up "venue" for a commitment ceremony, if the Empire State Building didn't work out? Since we thought we wouldn't get married until 2011 or so, I think we would've tried to get the Tobacco Warehouse in DUMBO.
What was it like to be a part of the Valentine's weddings up there?
The whole day was a whirlwind. We were secluded from the other couples and the tourists for the whole preparation and ceremony. Everything seemed very normal as far as weddings go, with the exception of all the news cameras and reporters. It wasn't until we went to the Observation Deck for photos that we were bombarded with curious crowds.
Do you feel New York will one day permit same-sex marriages? I think that New York is on the forefront of LGBT rights progress, and I do believe that our state will one day grant full marriage rights. I think the larger and more important battle lies in the repeal of DOMA and the extension of federal recognition to same-sex couples.
Please share your strangest "only in New York" story. Just this past week Natalie and I were lucky enough to win access to the presentation of Leanne Marshall's Fall '09 collection. The clothes were gorgeous and the party was filled with fabulous Runway alums. Though we felt out of place among the more stylish, there is no way that we could've been at such a party in any other city.