#146 "Marriage Means Family" A Transgender Wedding

Brenda and Mason have been through a lot to get to where they are now: newlyweds celebrating each day they have together as a married couple. In this episode, a couple shares their individual stories of transitions that led them to each other, and explain what marriage means to them. Big Takeaways Self realization plays a huge part in the love story of Brenda and Mason. Each came to their true identities later in life, although they took pretty opposite roads to get there. When they met, they fell in "love at first sight." The journey from there to the altar was brief. But the journey to self love that each of them took prior to that first date was the more profound step to their happily ever after. You know the old saying - you can’t love someone else until you love yourself. Or something like that...you know the one. The vague platitude has never been more true than in Brenda and Mason’s case. For many LGBTQI couples, a wedding day has a different meaning and tone to it. First of all - the guests there may be a chosen family, as in Brenda and Mason’s wedding. And the act of marriage itself - the choice - carries a ton of meaning, because it wasn’t available, legally, even a few years ago. Marriage is not something that transgender couples take for granted. It is not an inevitable decision, to enter into marriage, like it is for so many straight cis-gender couples. Mason summed it up beautifully when he said that for him, marriage means family. It’s simple and it’s vital. It means that when Brenda and Mason go out together as a couple, today, living their truth, they don’t feel questioned. It means that Mason beams with pride every time he refers to Brenda as his wife. It means that they ride in the same car when caravaning to an event. Each has chosen to transition in life, and each questioned whether a traditional wedding and marriage would ever be possible. It is. And they never take it for granted. This episode is personal and we feel honored to tell their story - or rather, to listen as they tell it. Visibility, representation, and equality are all important to us and we’re proud to use our platform to reflect that. We sincerely hope you like this episode as much as we liked producing it! Links we referenced www.indochino.com promo code BIGWEDDING (any premium suit for $359!) The Big Wedding Planning Podcast is... Hosted and produced by Michelle Martinez. Edited by Veronica Gruba Music by Steph Altman of Mophonics On Instagram @thebigweddingplanningpodcast and be sure to use #planthatwedding when posting, so you can get our attention! Inviting you to become part of our Facebook Group! Join us and our amazing members. Just search for The Big Wedding Planning Podcast Community on Facebook. Easy to get in touch with. Email us at [email protected] or Call and leave a message at 415-723-1625 and you might hear your voice on an episode On Patreon. Become a member and with as little as $6.99 per month, you get 2 exclusive, ad-free episodes, + Zoom Happy Hour with Michelle and fellow patrons every month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices