Jay Z and Beyonce's musical number was hot and the Metallica/Nine Inch Nails number was dramatic, but both were blown away with this over-the-top yet sweet event. Queen Latifah officiated the wedding of 34 couples to the tune of "Same Love" sung by Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Mary Lambert. Oh yeah, and Madonna! Holy moly, did we really just see all of that happen on television?
If you were watching, you know there were same-sex couples, hetero couples, old couples, young couples, sweethearts from different races and ethnicities. It was a huge celebration of love for all. In a night filled with egos and competition, this mass wedding was surprising for its sincerity and generosity of spirit.
A little background: "Same Love" has become a gay marriage anthem this year, and couples have been proposing on stage during the song at Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concerts. So it seemed fitting that the duo open their arms even wider to embrace unions between all kinds of people. But to do this at the Grammys -- wow, that's a bold statement.
It was personal, too. One of those couples was Ryan Lewis' sister and her fiance. And in case you're wondering if those marriages are legally binding, yup. Queen Latifah was temporarily granted legal power to marry in the state of California -- a power that expired at midnight. Doesn't that make her like a fairy godmother? The mass wedding definitely felt magical.
On one hand, I thought the mass wedding was kind of cheesy and overblown -- especially when Madonna popped out! It's so like the music industry to pull something like this off. But I stop short of calling it a stunt, because behind all the dramatics, there was such a strong current of sincere inclusiveness. How can I possibly begrudge such an all-embracing tribute to love? It was crazy, but it was beautiful. I hope it touched everyone who saw it.
(Note: Some news outlets report 33 couples marrying, not 34.)
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
What did you think of the Grammys mass wedding?
Image via CBS