Story and photo by Noah McLane
MTSU Seigenthaler News Service
The mention of Bonnaroo brings to mind eclectic music, amazing art, extravagant outfits, and maybe even superb food. But for many Bonnaroovians, marriage is an important aspect of the festival, especially for the LGBTQ+ community.
The civil wedding ceremonies that take place on The Farm are officiated by a queer pair of siblings whose love for, well, love is abundant. The way they embrace all gay, lesbian and straight couples makes the experience that much more special.
For the two ordained officiants, Virginia Slim Jim and Otto Von Blotto, this year’s Bonnaroo was the beginning of their foray into the marriage business. Their unique names are their official names appearing on the marriage certificates couples are given.
The Pennsylvania natives said they love traveling across the country promoting the LGBTQ+ community and spreading love in general.
“To be able to foster that safe space and bolster it up even more with these good vibes and celebrate love for what it is…and [to] be queer and marry queer people, it’s like, surely the most beautiful thing,” said Otto.
All of these beautiful things happen inside of a little white barn on The Farm.
The inside of The House of Mat-Roo-mony, as it is affectionately named, is bathed with pink and red hues, plush benches that create a comfortable environment, and the friendly duo of officiants who are passionate about the work they are doing.
One glaring difference between a Bonnaroo marriage and a more conventional one is that most of the guests attending ceremonies at the House of Mat-Roo-mony are complete strangers.
The wedding parties may have a couple close friends or relatives in the crowd but the couples are sharing one of their most intimate and vulnerable moments of their lives with people they’ve likely never met before.
Getting married in front of strangers may sound scary but the love and excitement in the air is tangible.
When speaking on the festival itself, the two said seeing the fans’ devotion to the festival and the amount of people who want to get married here is head spinning in the best possible way.
This year, the duo, dressed in full drag, will marry well over 50 couples in the mid-June Tennessee Heat, a commendable display of the pair’s commitment to love.
Bonnaroo has always marketed itself as a safe place where acceptance is as plentiful as the high fives. That spirit of acceptance is ever evident at the many, many wedding ceremonies that take place throughout the weekend.
Last year, Gov. Bill Lee signed Tennessee’s first anti-drag bill into law but the law was blocked when a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional this past March. However, other states like Louisiana are in the process of drafting similar legislation.
The threat of these laws has not deterred the pair from performing marriages. “Trans people will fight and continue to fight like they have for hundreds of years…So being here just feels validating,” said Vigrinia.
Noah McLane is a staff writer for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact News Editor Kailee Shores and Assistant News Editor Alyssa Williams, email [email protected].
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