Rice is a symbolic feature of wedding ceremonies across the world, not to mention a cheap form of confetti. The strict civil laws issued by Toronto City Hall, however, suggested that we should leave our 16 tons of newly delivered, Pretty Girl Long Grain in it’s new home at the HarbourFront, leave our colleagues at work and head the several blocks north up Bay Street.

Bernadette and I, at the allotted hour, left the frenzy of the get-in in our Elizabethan courtier outfits (helpfully loaned from the Constance Brown costumes) and made for City Hall and the 1pm wedding of Nina and Rebecca Jane. Where Toronto is strict on confetti, it is celebrated as liberal in it’s offering of Marriage Certificates to same sex couples (A Civil Partnership is the best on offer back home). And what an opportunity for NW & RJ to tie the knot while Nina is here working on the show.

The two of them were being very discrete about preparations, had invited few because they “didn’t want anyone to feel like they had to come” and seemed infectiously scared.

We met them outside the Star Trek nostalgio-futurism of the new City Hall in brilliant sunshine and the following 30 minutes was utterly joyous. Nina’s composed soundtrack to the ceremony set a beautiful, moving tone as both Rebecca and Nina, in their own words and with found texts expressed the depth of their love with a raw honesty. 21 years together, the significance of Maytime, the consolidation of all their attentions, tribulations and all their desires wrapped in this declaration of the new. My hastily applied make-up runneth…

In the blissful excitement that immediately followed, official photos were taken. These are not they, but pending their arrival you can see more of mine by clicking here…

Bernadette and I hailed a cab and headed back south for further rice action.