Imagine a wedding: guests are chatting, drinks in hand, comparing outfits, sharing travel stories, and buzzing with anticipation. There’s the perfect first-dance song, and everyone is secretly hoping the rain holds off. This sounds like any typical wedding, right?
Well, at 9 p.m. on a recent Friday, during the ‘All Things Go’ music festival in Queens, Grammy-winning musician Lucy Dacus took to the stage not just to perform, but to officiate nine weddings! Thousands of concertgoers erupted in cheers as each couple exchanged ‘I do’s.’ Adding to the charm, actor Havana Rose Liu gracefully moved about the stage, distributing roses to the elated newlyweds, almost like a real-life flower girl.
But let’s be clear: this was far from a typical wedding. The idea originated in July, when Ms. Dacus (who is openly queer) put out an Instagram call for couples interested in marrying onstage during her tour. This unconventional offer came amidst a political climate where the Trump administration was actively working to diminish protections and programs for LGBTQ+ individuals.
The musician described the response to her call as ‘overwhelming.’ She reflected on the political undertones of her act, acknowledging that everyone involved—from those on stage to the audience—was acutely aware of the fragility of rights. ‘I wish it was routine and not a reminder of threats to people’s rights,’ Dacus stated, referring to the ongoing debates surrounding same-sex marriage. ‘There’s no escaping the thought that this might be a fleeting moment.’
Yet, amidst this solemn reflection, Dacus expressed a hopeful perspective. She believes that couples choosing to marry now are incredibly brave, recognizing the profound commitment they are making. ‘You’re choosing who your family is and you’re choosing who knows you well enough to represent you when times are tough,’ she elaborated. An image shows Lucy Dacus playing guitar onstage at Forest Hills Stadium, illustrating her role in uniting couples, following her public call for participants.
Dacus has been inviting couples onto the stage during her performance of ‘Best Guess,’ a beautifully honest love song that speaks to the role of chance in relationships. She explained, ‘It’s a song that is basically admitting that you can’t control anything, you can’t predict the future, but you can make your best guess.’ This philosophy has shaped her own understanding of relationships. ‘I think actually the more that I accept the idea of divorce, the closer I am to the idea of marriage,’ she mused. (For context, Dacus is in a relationship with fellow musician Julien Baker; both are members of the acclaimed supergroup boygenius, alongside Phoebe Bridgers.)
Before the momentous occasion, the excited couples gathered backstage. Amidst the lively sounds of the festival, Dacus’s team offered last-minute instructions. Nerves and anticipation filled the air as couples shared hugs, made final adjustments to their attire (many wore white), and prepared for their grand entrance. Tears of joy flowed freely, even among Dacus’s crew. An image captures four couples dressed in white outfits on stage at Forest Hills Stadium, ready for the ceremony.
Huddled together, shoulder to shoulder, their hearts pounding, the couples resembled a sports team bracing for a championship game. But for them, the stakes were far greater that night.
Among those tying the knot were Mac Craighead and Frankie Terrone from Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. Their seven-year relationship began after a serendipitous meeting at a drag show where Mr. Terrone was performing. Dacus’s music, they both shared, held significant meaning for them. Mr. Craighead, a paraprofessional and drag performer, revealed, ‘The first love letter I ever wrote Frankie had a lyric from her song ‘Trust’ in it.’ The couple, both 32, decided to apply for the onstage wedding ‘on a whim’ after spotting Dacus’s Instagram announcement. Mr. Terrone, an event producer, lightheartedly added, ‘We joked it’s the most convoluted way to get an autograph.’ An image shows smiling Mac Craighead and Frankie Terrone holding an envelope, celebrating their union.
Ashley Huynh and Matt Moore, who met as children in a suburb of Atlanta and played in the school band, also joined the group. Ms. Huynh, a 28-year-old software engineer, vividly remembered her first impression of Mr. Moore: ‘Who is the tiny little guy holding this massive saxophone?’ (She played the flute.) Together since 2017, Ms. Huynh and Mr. Moore, 27, now reside in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They had gotten engaged in August and initially planned a courthouse wedding followed by a larger celebration. ‘This kind of sped things up,’ Ms. Huynh remarked, ‘which ended up working really great for us.’
Other couples married on-stage included Alex Escaja and Casey Knepley, and Maria Botero and Bella Langlois. Two images depict couples backstage and kissing. Maria Botero and Bella Langlois, from Norwich, Conn., shared an emotional journey, having met in high school and evolving from friends to college roommates before their relationship became romantic. ‘Coincidentally, we met in chemistry class,’ said Ms. Langlois, a 25-year-old public relations professional. Ms. Botero, 24, who works at a public school, became tearful while discussing their decision to come out as a couple. ‘It felt really scary at the moment, but afterward, it just felt so natural and right,’ she recalled. She expressed that it felt ‘really special’ to be part of a ‘statement wedding with lesbians, by lesbians just celebrating love proudly,’ especially given the current political climate.
As the couples headed to the stage, they encountered Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, who was preparing for a later cameo. Several couples paused to greet Mr. Mamdani, shake his hand, and take photos, receiving his warm congratulations.
Ms. Dacus and her band then began to play ‘Best Guess’ as the couples flowed onto the stage, dancing with each other. They swayed, peered into the crowd, twirled, and giggled, exchanging sweet, final words before thousands. As the song concluded, Ms. Dacus paused her singing and began the ceremony, with her band continuing to vamp the music.
‘Are you all ready to get married?’ she asked the couples. She then read a brief ceremony from a piece of paper: ‘Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the love of all these people.’ She read each couple’s names, allowing the crowd to cheer in between. A video shows Ms. Dacus officiating the mass wedding and the couples exchanging vows and celebrating on stage. The transcript of the ceremony includes: ‘Do you freely promise to give yourself in marriage to the partner in front of you? And if so, answer “I do.” Do you freely promise, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, to care for each other in your marriage? And if so, answer “I do.” ‘
The group recited their vows in unison, though their words were lost amidst the band’s music and the roar of the crowd. It didn’t matter; the powerful love radiating from the stage resonated through the entire venue. Ms. Dacus swiftly moved across the stage, greeting each couple individually before returning to her microphone as her band wrapped up their performance. An image shows four couples dancing onstage as the audience looks on.
While Ms. Dacus, ordained by the Universal Life Church, legally officiated two of the nine marriages, a clerical issue prevented her from solemnizing the others. Instead, an employee from her management team stepped in as officiant, with Ms. Dacus signing their marriage certificates as a witness. An image shows Jessica Bajorinas and Grace Messimer, two women in white mini dresses, celebrating with an emotional friend.
Outside the stadium after the ceremony, newlyweds Grace Messimer and Jessica Bajorinas were wrapped in a hug with several sobbing friends. One friend lightheartedly quipped, ‘I don’t even know any Lucy Dacus songs,’ offering a playful apology to Ms. Dacus, but emphasizing she wouldn’t have missed the wedding for anything. Their mothers and siblings were still inside enjoying the show, Ms. Messimer noted. As for an after-party, the couple had low-key plans: ‘Maybe get ice cream, ice cream seems good,’ Ms. Messimer added.