In honor of Gay Pride month, and the monumental news about MARRIAGE EQUALITY in this country, Starlight is celebrating by remembering some of our favorite same sex weddings…
Debra Morris & Holly Haygood married on August 26, 2004 in a stunning extravaganza at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. Debra Morris, owner of Eventsful and producer of hundreds of luxury events, chose Starlight to entertain her industry friends. Deb and Holly stood up before family and friends many years before the country embraced the legalization of same sex marriage. Innovators and lovers of life, we celebrate them today as we did 11 years ago!
When long time sweethearts Dennis Basso & Michael Cominoto decided to “tie the knot”, they asked Starlight to produce the music. Theirs was the FIRST SAME SEX wedding at the Pierre Hotel held on November 22, 2011, and
was designed by Susan Holland Events. The ballroom opened as a lounge and speakeasy, and was later transformed into a smoking hot disco.
Preston Bailey & Theo Bleckmann‘s incredible wedding was officiated by Joan Rivers on February 14, 2013. A midnight extravaganza at the top of the Empire State Building at the stroke of midnight on Valentine’s Day – could it be any more romantic? Starlight was honored to design a custom-crafted music program to underscore the many DRAMATIC AND THEATRICAL elements from guests’ arrivals through the unusual wedding ceremony. We had months of creative planning meetings to achieve a truly innovative and exciting “marriage” of production elements. Theo, a Grammy winning performance artist, sang as he walked down the aisle. Preston designed a kabuchi screen drop to highlight a spectacular reveal. We are always so gratified when our industry colleagues choose us to entertain at their own personal events.
We also had the pleasure of providing the wedding music for Albert Zdenek and Alain Briscadieu-Farjas, an international couple who both came down the aisle in white tie, tails and canes! This October 2012 wedding was planned by Leslie Mastin Events and was the first gay wedding at the Mandarin-Oriental in NYC. Starlight played French-themed music for the reception and the crowd went wild when the Pointer Sisters showed up as a surprise.
LOVE WINS! ! Take a look at the Starlight Orchestras and Valerie Romanoff Instagram accounts for more!