Seattle has another connection to this year’s controversial Grammy Awards other than local musicians, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert.

Brittany Pennington and Sally Beaver are a Seattle area couple who were among the 33 couples who were married during the “Same Love” production number live on stage at this year’s Grammy Awards by Queen Latifah. Mackelmore, Lewis and Lambert performed their hit marriage equality anthem, live on stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with the assistance of Madonna, while the 33 couples, a mix of straight and gay partners, were legally wed during a break in the song. California is one of the few states were gay couples can legally wed.

Pennington and Beavers are natives of Arizona who met in high school. The couple moved to the Seattle area last year following a motorcycle accident where Beavers was seriously injured and the Arizona area hospital was less than hospitable in allowing Pennington to visit her partner. That experience prompted them to move to Washington State last year.

As for the Grammy Award wedding, the couple applied via an open casting call seeking couples to marry at a large public ceremony. They didn’t learn that it was to be the Grammys until a few weeks before the event and it wasn’t until the day BEFORE that they learned it was to happen during the performance of “Same Love”.

Here is Ms Pennington’s first hand account of the Grammy Awards marriage experience…which includes the thrills and nervousness of being married in front of one of her idols, Katy Perry. You might want to keep a few tissue handy for this one, kids…

For a year my partner and I were planning our wedding but when we got the opportunity to get married live on the Grammys to Macklemore’s song “Same Love”,  that was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. I had to keep this wedding a secret for a whole month and I couldn’t wait for the world to see this. As I walked down the aisle I could see some of the biggest celebrities crying. These people were crying at our wedding and that’s when it really hit me: Love is love and love is so beautiful! Katy Perry, who is one of my inspirations, was standing two inches from me as Sally and I exchanged rings and I looked over to see tears streaming down Katy’s face…that moment I will never forget. It’s one thing to follow a celebrity whose music or movies you like but when you see them show emotion for something that is so important to you, it’s just such an overwhelming feeling of joy.

There was so many beautiful couples in this ceremony…some that I will never forget. Ever. As part of our gift for getting married we all received tickets to the Grammys after party. I was so excited to go and meet people but I was even more excited when hundreds of people were coming up to all of us and asking to take there pictures with us. People said that this was “historic”, “monumental” , “they were so touched and happy to see this happening”. A lot of the people saying these things were straight. That’s when I realized the world may have discrimination but there are people all over rooting for gays and I am so happy and blessed to have had this amazing experience to get to marry the love of my life in front of the world.

Brittany Pennington

Congratulations to Brittany and Sally and all the couples married at the Grammy Awards!

Tags: Brittany Pennington, Grammy Awards, Grammy Awards Marriage Equality Wedding, Katy Perry, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Sally Beaver, Same Love, sgsapp