Gay Weddings are Good for Business

Gay Wedding Glossary

Champagne Toast:  Champagne or sparkling wine is frequently passed to guests (along with sparkling water) at same-sex weddings prior to the ceremony to take the edge off, convey a sense of celebration and introduce the Validation and Affirmation portion of the marriage ceremony. Since gay marriage ceremonies are new to most guests, an immediate glass of champagne lets them know that this is going to be a very special event and helps calm nerves.  This has become one of the gay wedding traditions.

Gay Wedding Glossary

Foundation Covenant:  This is a sacred text modeled off of the Jewish ketubah and the Quaker wedding certificate.  This document is typically signed by the couple during their wedding ceremony and is then signed by guests during the reception.  It can be a substitute for a guest book and is one way the guests validate and affirm the marriage.  The Foundation Covenant is typically framed as artwork after the wedding.

Foundation Covenants have become a gay wedding tradition.  They are often custom made but are also produced by artist Daniel Sroka of ModernKetubah.com.

Gay Wedding Glossary

Validation & Affirmation:  The part of the same-sex wedding ceremony where the officiant asks the guests to join in a community vow or toast of the couple using the champagne provided to the guests before the ceremony.  This is typically at the beginning of the ceremony, after the welcoming remarks, and makes use of the pre-ceremony champagne.

The term validation and affirmation came from the frequent comment by same-sex couples that seeing all of their guests supporting them felt very validating and affirming.