They are not the only ones. New York has become something of a haven for a small community of gay men and lesbians from former Soviet countries. Alone or in pairs, some seek asylum from persecution at home, others a brief respite. Often they do not speak English, and they struggle to figure out the subway.

The one thing they can do is marry.

No matter that for many the weddings are largely symbolic, that any rights and protections melt away the moment the couple leaves American soil. They are seeking something deeper. “I’m perhaps conservative and traditional enough to believe that marriage is a logical continuation of a human relationship, that on a spiritual level some kind of transformation occurs,” Taras said.

For those who have settled here, such weddings have become a favorite pastime.

Before Taras and Kolya’s ceremony, word went out on Facebook and by email: Time for another one. Come. Celebrate.

And they came: several asylum seekers from Russia, including one who used to work for the press service of the Moscow City Hall; a pair of activists from St. Petersburg; a Russian businessman in town for a few days. Some had met the grooms only days before.