Pop Up Chapel, another point of view

by Chelsea Harris, Universal Life Church Monastery, guest writer for Kaptur talking about her personal Pop Up Chapel experience...

I read about the Pop Up Chapel and I knew I had to go. I didn’t care if it was in New York and I was in Seattle, if my boss wouldn’t send me I would pay for the trip myself.

You may be wondering why my boss would ever send me to 24 gay weddings in Central Park. The brief explanation is I work for the Universal Life Church Monastery. We ordain people to become ministers online, help them navigate the legal logistics of registering with the county clerk and even give them tips on how to write a wedding service. Rough work, considering I can’t marry the person I love in 44 states in the union, including my own.

However, for the gay community online ordinations are integral. Because of the religious exemptions in the Marriage Equality law, religious organizations don’t have to provide service to gay couples. Knowing this, I figured that the people performing these ceremonies were our ministers. So I looked them up, and they were right there in our database. Normally, our ministers are strangers; they become ordained, order products and we never meet them. This would be the first time I had ever seen a United Life Church minister in action.

I was blown away by their sincerity, by the beauty of their ceremonies. All thoughts of the necessity of seminary left my head and I know now that ministers are capable not because of their training but because of their intentions and I had more faith in my job than ever before.

Growing up gay in a conservative small town, I never thought this would be possible. I was convinced that for the rest of my life I would be hated for living my life exactly as everyone else did, happily in love. However, on this day with the hot sun beating down on me, I heard a bystander yell as a couple pulled away from their first married kiss that “the whole state of New York is so proud of you” and I did the only thing you could: I cried. Only instead of being tears of frustration and shame, they were my first gay tears of joy.

If you would like to perform weddings, gay or straight, please feel free to visit us at www.themonastery.org and see if it is a good fit.

Photos provided by Amanda Davidson.

Our Kaptur of a Celebration of Love by Pop Up Chapel and The Knot

What a beautiful day! The Kaptur Memory team was proud to be part of more same-sex marriage celebrations in NY this Saturday when 24 couples were married in Central Park right by the Merchant's Gate. Bex Schwarz, founder of the Pop Up Chapel and The Knot did an amazing job of pulling together this unique event in only 5 weeks and 2 days.

We created a special Kaptur Memory of the day and we'd love to have you be a part of it. If you were there, please add yourself to the Kaptur guest list and add your pictures to this growing collection of memories documented throughout the day. You can see our Kaptur here...



Everything was donated out of Love! Flowers, officiants, photographers, stylists, water, tissues and waterproof mascara were at the ready to make this day perfect for the 24 couples who were getting married. Rumor has it that the gift bags weighed over forty pounds full of great gifts like champagne and mini-wedding cakes.

There was a colorful rainbow chapel, designed by ICRAVE, where couples literally tied the knot and the "Kiss" chapel, designed by Z-A Studios, where 12 couples had their first kiss as a married couple.

There were so many cute tweets from the day, @KapturIt was having so much fun keeping up with all of the buzz...

@TaraAriano I keep seeing random people wander up, ask what's happening, learn about @popupchapel, and have identical happy reactions. It's nice.

@carleyroney Our very first couple married at today's @popupchapel with @theknot Bryn & Leila, congrats!! #DOMA http://lockerz.com/s/125036305

@starbex BEST DAY EVER! 24 same-sex marriages! 24 celebrations of equality! TOO MUCH CAFFEINE. #popupchapel

@girlie_bee A brother just bawled while his sister recited her vows. This is why I do this. This is why I love weddings. #popupchapel

@almagsalon: People celebrating love in central park! So happy to be part of this awesome day. #popupchapel http://twitpic.com/5yezxz

@CityCakes: CONGRATULATIONS to all of the beautiful couples who tied the knot in Central Park at @popupchapel !!! Hope you enjoyed your cupcakes - LOVE!

@popupchapel @starbex THE day has arrived! I walked outside into the glorious day and tears of joy and gratitude flowed already! yay!

So excited to volunteer @popupchapel today! Note to self: SKIP MASCARA #preemptivecrying