Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

A same-sex marriage made in Whistler

More weddings at WinterPride festival boost town’s reputation of being gay friendly
1506same
Husband and Husband A married couple celebrate their pride last year during the Brokeback Mountain Party at Buffalo Bills. Photo by Andy Dittrich, insight-photography.com.

One of Linda Seifred’s most memorable weddings was a small, intimate affair between two men.

There were no more than 15 people at the wedding, and as part of the ceremony, each groom addressed each of their guests.

“They spoke to them during the ceremony about why that particular guest had been invited, and honored each guest,” said Seifred, a local marriage commissioner.

“I’ve never had that happen in a straight marriage,” she said.

Seifred has been performing ceremonies for same-sex couples since the British Columbian government made it legal the summer of 2003.

She said that over the past five years the number of same-sex marriages has increased in Whistler. This increase stems from the fact that it took a few years before people around the world fully realized same-sex marriage was legal in Canada.

According to B.C. Vital Statistics, 14 same-sex marriages were performed in Whistler in 2003, compared to 37 in 2007.

British Columbia has also become a popular marriage destination for gay and lesbian couples from the United States. In fact, more marriages in the province are performed for American couples than Canadian couples. In 2005 alone, over 1000 marriages were performed for Americas compared to just over 900 for Canadians.

Seifred added that men and women from United Kingdom are also starting to journey to Whistler to get married.

Yet while the number of marriages in Whistler has increased over the years, the type of wedding ceremonies same-sex couples request has not changed much.

“Generally, I find same sex marriages tend to be smaller. The guests tend to be true long time friends of the couple. The couple is so happy to be allowed to be married, that’s the love it just kinds of generates. It is just wonderful. I love doing them,” she said.

Seifred added that some marriages have even turned into political statements. For example, Seifred once performed a ceremony for two ladies in their early sixties who had been together for 30 years.

“You have to imagine coming out 30 years ago and how difficult that would have been. And some of their guests wanted to get up and speak during the ceremony. It was a political statement,” said Seifred.

Seifred added the WinterPride weekend is not necessarily a popular week for gay and lesbian couples to say their vows.

“Initially when this (legislation) was first passed back in 2003, everybody thought the first gay week up here would be abundant with marriages, but it was not,” said Seifred.

“And this is what I have learned over the past five years, people who are coming for (WinterPride) generally come to party. Committed couples who are same-sex are committed. They love one another, and they have been together for a long time,” she said.

Dean Nelson, spokesperson for WinterPride, agreed that most same-sex marriages happen outside of the festival. However, a total of 10 ceremonies did take place during last year’s event.

Nelson added that Whistler has created a worldwide reputation for itself as being a gay friendly resort town.

“Some of our international guests, and especially some of our guests from the southern states, what they find most intriguing is being gay in Whistler is so much of a non-issue that it becomes an issue,” said Nelson.

“They say, ‘Well, what do you mean nobody is making a big deal of us being gay?’ Well, it is not a big deal. We celebrate everybody. And they are like, ‘Wow, that is so cool. You guys are so ahead of the times.’”

Nelson said WinterPride organizers have worked hard to make the gay ski week an inclusive event for everyone — regardless if they are gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual or transgender.

In fact WinterPride was initially started in Whistler because of the town’s reputation for being welcoming to all people.

“Sixteen years ago, Brent Benaschak was going to Aspen Gay Ski Week, because Aspen has been doing gay ski week for about 30 years. But 16 years ago, Colorado passed anti-gay legislation,” explained Nelson.

“So Brent told his friend that instead of going to Colorado next year, why don’t you all come to my home town and ski on my mountain where my community is welcoming to all,” he said.

Nelson added that GayWhistler will be one of the first pride organizations in the world to celebrate the 30 th anniversary of the rainbow flag during this year’s upcoming WinterPride festival.

WinterPride will take place from Feb. 3-10 and is expected to bring in over 3,000 people from around the world.

Approximately 50 per cent of foreign attendees will come from the United States, 20 per cent coming from Australia and New Zealand, 15 per cent coming from Europe and five per cent coming from South America.

For more information, visit www.gaywhistler.com.