Proudly Tying the Knot

IRVINE —  The groom wore a black double-breasted blazer over a black zip-front jersey. The other groom wore emerald-green slacks and no shirt.

Before 75 beaming friends and relatives, Antoine Johnson and Marc Howlett pledged their eternal love and troth, along with two other same-sex couples, as the eighth Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival and Celebration got underway Saturday afternoon.

Organizers expect 12,000 to attend the two-day event at UC Irvine’s Aldrich Park. Featuring rock concerts, dance tents and information booths sponsored by local businesses, the festival continues today from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a parade at noon.

But all eyes were trained Saturday on the coffee tent, where gentle harp music was calling three couples toward a makeshift altar.

“A true spiritual marriage is the holiest of all our relationships on Earth,” said the Rev. Rosalind Russell of Laguna Beach. “There will be many challenges to your wisdom and patience, but your love can meet them all.”

From a seat near the front, Johnson’s mother watched the ceremony with a dubious smile. The woman, who politely refused to give her name, was asked her impressions of the wedding.

“If I haven’t given them to him,” she said, referring to her son, “I’m certainly not going to give them to you.”

Though the federal government appears poised to invalidate same-sex marriages--with polls showing three out of four Americans opposed to such unions--none of the participants Saturday seemed concerned with questions of legality.

“We needed a public forum to provide some confirmation of these relationships,” said Bill LaPointe, publisher of the Orange County Blade magazine, which not only selected the couples from among its readers but funded the ceremony.

Standing on either side of Johnson and Howlett, two lesbian couples also took their vows. Shari Langley, 28, and Hazel Pagkalinawan, 29, both of Long Beach, said they’ve yearned to wed for quite some time.

“We wanted to make a commitment to each other,” said Pagkalinawan, who wore a creamy silk wedding gown with a pearl-embroidered bodice.

“We met through a mutual friend,” said Langley, nervously clutching a bouquet of roses, orchids and Casablanca lilies.

Carol Metzger and Janie Delossantos of Garden Grove admitted to feeling a few butterflies before the ceremony, even though they’ve been together 22 years.

“Taking the plunge,” said Delossantos, grinning. “Everybody has to do it sooner or later.”

Once each couple recited their personalized vows--which were barely audible over the heavy bass of the Latin dance tent next door--Russell smiled and said:

“I now pronounce that you are spouses, and I charge you to be mindful of these vows that you have taken before everyone, and God.”

Then, prompting loud and long applause, she added:

“For the first time in the history of the universe, I introduce all these married couples!”

As the couples strolled down the aisle to the strains of Purcell’s “Trumpet Voluntary,” vanilla cake with lemon filling was served, along with cold champagne and lots of coffee.

Like every newly married couple, Langley and Pagkalinawan took pains to divide their time evenly among friends and family. But while they were chatting with guests and answering questions, a 5-year-old girl was trying desperately to get their attention.

Finally, Langley wheeled around and asked little Eren Timario what she wanted.

“Which one,” Timario asked timidly, “is going to get pregnant?”