This week I talked with my new wife, Marilyn Rosen, a symphony booking agent, about our recent marriage, which took place at Scullers Jazz Club before an intimate gathering of 80 friends and family members. Marilyn and I have been together for almost 17 years and began planning our wedding after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional in 2013. Elyse Cherry, CEO of Boston Community Capital and one of the architects of marriage equality in Massachusetts, performed our ceremony. It was a nontraditional Jewish service that included the exchanging of vows and rings and the breaking of glass. The guests were then entertained by the world-renowned band Pink Martini, which Marilyn represents nationally for symphony performances.
Marilyn and I talked about our marriage experience and gave our spin on LGBT equality. When asked about our wedding day, Marilyn stated:
We felt like we shared so much joy, so much pleasure, and so much fun with the people we love the most that it excited us even more. We are also fortunate that we are surrounded by people who believe in marriage equality, who believe in equality on every level, and that the people who were coming were, so to speak, pure of heart and only wanted something beautiful for us, and to share something beautiful with us. We were surrounded by so much love without judgment, without a second thought about who was dancing with who, and it made for just a wonderful evening, a wonderful memory, and these people will then take it out into the world and spread it.
LISTEN:
Marilyn is CEO of Marilyn Rosen Presents, a boutique agency specializing in symphonic and international bookings with an emphasis on the American songbook, Broadway and cabaret, as well as global sounds and nostalgia. A 22-year veteran of the music industry, she spent nearly two decades booking tours internationally for artists including Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, Nina Simone, Chris Botti, Chick Corea and Sonny Rollins while developing a new symphony division representing over 20 artists. One of the first groups she signed to her symphony division was the Portland, Oregon-based band Pink Martini, which has since reached worldwide acclaim. In addition to Pink Martini's staggering achievements, Marilyn has bolstered the symphonic profiles of artists including Ann Hampton Callaway, the Von Trapps, New York Voices and many others.
Photos by Paul Robinson
For more information on Marilyn Rosen Presents, please visit marilynrosenpresents.com.
Listen to more interviews with LGBTQ leaders, allies, and celebrities at OUTTAKE VOICES™.
Download interviews on iTunes.