Internet strangers acted as witnesses at this couple’s wedding and it was beautiful
A lesbian couple in Toronto had less than two hours to find witnesses for their wedding after friends said they might not be able to make the ceremony.
Einav Morgenstern and Tamar Yahel were due to get married in Toronto City Hall to legalise their relationship in their home country, Israel.
The couple had already held a ceremony in Israel, but the law in the country does not allow same-sex marriages. However, it does recognise marriages performed in other countries.
However, the couples friends who were to act as witnesses informed the couple just two hours before their wedding that they would not be able to make it.
Whilst the couple were sure they’d be able to find some people at City Hall, they decided to take to a Facebook group for some extra help. They posted on Bunz Trading Zone – a Facebook group for trading items or reaching out for help.
The post received hundred of likes and comments on their plea to the group which asked for just 20 minutes time from a few people.
A photographer, Maajid Motala, saw the post and even offered his services to the couple for free after his client cancelled on him on the day.
“They’re special folks. I think this is the type of city that embraces things like this. I’m very much proud to be part of a community that would embrace this and do this for others,” Motala said to Buzzfeed Canada.
Monica Kelly, a mother to a transgender son, saw the post and decided to attend the ceremony after feeling moved by their plea. “I thought, ‘It’s really sad that, in their country, it’s not recognized as a legal union and we need to celebrate that here it is,” she said.
Someone even requested the morning off work to go to the wedding after they felt the urge to celebrate same-sex equality.
Four people in total turned up to watch the pair tie the knot and the officiant let all four sign the license instead of the usual two.
The couple, who have one daughter and another child on the way, explained that they wanted the formal ceremony to secure their rights in Israel for themselves and their children. They were over the moon about the kindness of the strangers that attended their wedding.
Speaking to Buzzfeed Canada, Morgenstern said: “Once we received all that support and people sending their love to us, it really made it much more special.”
“The fact that they dropped everything they were doing and responded so warmly and quickly is truly extraordinary.”
The couple feel privileged that they’re exposed to so many different types of relationships and connections between people.
“We feel as queer people, since nothing is taken for granted, we have the privilege of deciding what we want to take and what we want to do,” Morgenstern said.
“It really gives us the opportunity to have unique experiences such as this one. We don’t take for granted the support and love we received from strangers. And that it was that that made it special for us.”
