Real Wedding: Tia-Nicole and Garnette, Sonoma, California

The Couple

Tia and Garnette were planning a commitment ceremony to celebrate their six years together when, as fate would have it, the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Knowing how quickly that decision could be overturned, they wed quietly at City Hall and then began arranging a larger party. "Ritual and formality are important to us," says Garnette. A year later, in a ceremony rich with symbolism, they repeated their vows in front of family and friends.