Two activists from Poland, where same-sex marriage is illegal, got married abroad in an act of defiance.
Jakub Kwiecinski and David Mycek held the ceremony in Portugal on 9 June. They won the right to get married there back in January of this year.
They took only 20 of their closest friends and family. While they wished their grandparents could join them, they would not have coped well with the nine hour long flight it would take to get to Madeira Island from Poland.
Same-sex marriage is currently illegal in Poland, with the Prime Minister remaining stubborn in his point that ‘marriage in accordance with the Polish Constitution is a union between a man and a woman’.
The couple first garnered fame for a lip sync video of a Roxette song, and then started their #PolandWakeUp campaign. It encouraged Poland to open their eyes to the lack of equality for LGBTI people.
Speaking to Gay Star News, Jakub said: ‘The whole ceremony was wonderful but the most emotional moment for us was when we said “Yes I do” and then looked at our guests who were sitting behind us.
‘It was our closest family and friends and almost everyone had tears in their eyes.
‘When we looked at them that was really touching – seeing all the most important people in our lives sharing these moments with us.’
The couple added: ‘It’s all about equality and dignity. We can get married abroad but this is not the point… Our marriage won’t be recognized by Poland so according to the law we are two strangers to each other.
‘That’s really sad and that needs to be changed.’
Unlike most couples, because their wedding was abroad, Jakub and David were forced to plan everything online. This meant ‘planning was very strange’ and they felt ‘robbed’ of the excitement people normally have while in these stages.
‘A few days ago when we tried on our suits – that was the first time when we felt that we are getting married.
‘Normally you have a chance to see the place, you can taste the wedding cake, you can choose decorations…’
They added: ‘Everything was like a huge surprise for us, but luckily everything went perfect.’
