First Wedding Anniversary!

One year ago today, on Saturday, August 15, 2015, Aaron and I were legally married in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our wedding had been planned almost six months in advance and once we made the decision, it seemed to be both the longest and the shortest six months in our lives. 

We'd lived together for almost five years. Aaron had met all of my family and I, his. This all had taken place long before we decided to "jump the broom," "tie the knot" and become husband and husband. We met for the first time in June, 2010, at a same gender loving nudist social (no surprise there). It wasn't "love at first sight" but it was a close second. Our first date was the day after we met. The morning after our first date we were both aware that we were indeed "smitten."  

Virginia had passed a constitutional amendment to restrict marriage to one man and one woman in 2006. Since then, legal challenges filed by state equality advocates and organizations wound through the court systems. Finally, on October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declared the amendment unconstitutional thus allowing same gender marriages to take place. Once that verdict was announced, Aaron's parents and mine began a campaign to encourage us to legalize our relationship. 

Unknown to both sets of our parents was that Aaron and I had already discussed the issue of marriage even before the U. S. Supreme Court had rendered their decision and we had agreed to get married in 2015. We had shared this secret with only my brother, Twin, and with Aaron's oldest brother. They both had promised to keep our confidence.  

To this day, we've not told our parents that we planning our wedding even before they began their aggressive nuptial campaign. We both feel that there's nothing wrong with letting them think that they brought us together. We're not lying to them and really, there's no harm in allowing them to believe that they've done a good thing. Plus, they're the only parents we'll ever have so as long as they're happy, we're happy. 

Aaron and I were married in a civil ceremony conducted by a court official and held our wedding reception in the community center facility in our condominium complex. We left on our honeymoon several weeks later. Amazingly, it doesn't seem like it has already been a full year since we promised our vows. 

We froze the top tier of our wedding cake to eat on our first anniversary. Last night, before going to bed, we took it out of the freezer to thaw. Sharing our cake tonight will make this celebration official. 

Peace! Get naked. Enjoy!

Bare With Pride

Author's Note: the photos accompanying this posting are not of Aaron and myself. They were selected because they depict a bi-racial couple, which is exactly what we truly are. Aaron is African-American and I am Greek.