When cupid gets to work, no power in the world can prevent the unexpected from happening. Shannon saw Seema and fell in love instantly. Within some time, Seema reciprocated. And now, six years after they met, the two gorgeous ladies have found peace and solemnity by taking the sacred vows of marriage.
Shannon and Seema married in a traditional North Indian wedding ceremony with all the rituals and traditions. Family and friends thronged the ceremony and enjoyed every moment of it. For Shannon and Seema, the fact that their families and friends wholeheartedly supported their relationship was the biggest gift they could get on their special day.
Shannon first saw Seema when she was teaching in one of her boot camps. The moment Shannon set eyes on the beautiful girl, she felt her heart flip over and said, “This is the girl I am going to marry!”
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That was no ordinary claim because back then, same-sex marriages were not allowed in California, U.S. However, forgotten was the fact that law would not let them meet. Forgotten was the fact that the two women were from two different cultures, faith and religion. Like they say, when cupid strikes, nothing matters. And, they eventually got married in June 2013 at the SmogShoppe in Los Angeles, California.
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According to Shannon and Seema, there is nothing awkward about their relationship. They are a typical couple. When they made a commitment, they found solace, love blossomed, and they remained loyal to each other all through the half a dozen years.
The recent ruling by the court of California that made same-sex marriages legal, gave them the impetus to take their relationship to another level.
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What surprises these two lovely ladies is the flood of support, admiration, and best wishes that have been pouring in for them from across the globe. Although they meant their wedding to be a private affair, the photographs were made public and before they knew it, they had become global figures.
Seema and Shannon are glad that the news of their wedding went viral and feel that their move is going to encourage many other people to take the leap of faith and do what they really believe in.
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Spectators say that there was a lot of love that consumed the SmogShoppe that evening. Friends and family came pouring in with smiles, hugs and tears. Seema, came in a palki with a traditional Indian wedding song playing in the background. Whereas, Shannon came with a bouquet of flowers and was escorted by her mom.
The wedding was just the perfect amalgamation of Indian and American wedding rituals. The key highlights of the wedding were- sindoor, mandap, varmala, Indian sweets and even a panditji, and as well as bouquets, walking down the aisle and finally the ‘kiss’ moments.
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After exchanging the varmala, couple took pheras, applied sindoor, and took blessings by touching the elders’ feet. As for Shannon, “These traditions run deep in the Indian culture and seeing them firsthand was breathtaking and made me fall in love with Seema, even more.” After that, they walked down the aisle and finally sneaked a kiss as true to American culture.
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The newlyweds also talk about courage. They say that you are courageous, if you feel fear but do not let it stop you from doing something that you really want to do. “If you love someone enough to spend your life with them, you can create exactly what you have always dreamed of. Always follow your dreams and create the future you want,” says the couple.
Well, we live in a society where let alone homosexual, even love and inter-caste marriages are looked down upon by majority. In a scenario, where live-in relationships are condemned, married couples without kids are seen as outcasts, and unmarried women in their 30s are no less than a national issue, how open are 'WE' in accepting ‘Shannon and Seemas’?
This has now been partially answered by our apex court. As per the Supreme court verdict on December 11, 2013- gay sex is a criminal offence under section 377, a 19th century law banning sex against the order of nature.
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Homosexuals have to deal with immense social stigma, outright rejection of their sexual identities, and are even compelled to marry people of the opposite sex. Same-sex marriage, as a concept is more or less a subject of ridicule and jokes.
Acceptance continues to be a big issue for the ‘morality keepers’. Unless this dispute between humanity and hypocrisy comes to an end, same-sex marriages will always be a distant reality for India.
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As this beautiful couple enters a new phase of their life, we wish them a blissful married life ahead. And, for all our readers, we bring you a few more glimpses of this lovely wedding. Take a look:
