Mass wedding planned for end of Kelowna Pride Week

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July 28, 2017 - 9:55 AM

KELOWNA – For the first time in Kelowna, a mass wedding and vow renewal will take place at the end of Pride Week.

After seeing success in larger cities like Vancouver and Los Angeles, Cristin Platt approached Okanagan Pride with the idea to hold one in Kelowna this year.

“I’ve got same sex and opposite sex couples already registered,” she says. “I would love to see 30 or 40 couples there.”

The legal ceremony requires couples purchase ahead of time and bring a copy of their marriage licence, but it will also be a chance for those already married to reaffirm their commitment.

“Some couples who were married a long time ago never had a large ceremony,” Platt says. “Some people don’t want to spend a ton of money on a wedding, either. They would rather spend it on a house or their children’s education. A mass wedding like this gives a lot of people an opportunity to have a huge celebration for a grand total of $30.”

The approximately 30-minute ceremony will take place Saturday, Aug. 19 on the main stage at Waterfront Park.

“You can dress any way you want, it’s kind of like an already-made party,” she says.

For a complete list of events planned for the 10th annual Okanagan Pride week running Aug. 12 to 19, visit the Okanagan Pride Society website.

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