The Star Trek actor, George Takei, 71, is eager to marry boyfriend of 21 years, Brad Altman, in a California ceremony. The day after the state government lifted the ban on gay marriage, Takei was the first in line, along with comedian Ellen DeGeneres and thousands of other same-sex couples. The wedding date is set for September 14, one of the most popular months in California to walk down the aisle. Asked to attend are Star Trek costars Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols, who will play the role of best man and maid of honor.
The proposal came as a surprise to Takei, who had his mind set on formally asking Altman for his hand in marriage the moment the ruling on gay marriage was announced. “We were at home in the kitchen and we had the TV going, and when the word came down suddenly Brad got on his knees in front of me, and I said, ‘What are you doing?’ He said, ‘George, will you marry me?’ I said, ‘Yes. You beat me to it. I meant to ask you.’”
Although the proposal was more impulsive than Takei would have liked, he was ecstatic and overjoyed nonetheless. The wedding will be a highly formal gathering at the Japanese National Museum in Los Angeles. The good news: the reception venue is complimentary because Takei is one of the founders. The wedding will be collective effort that reflects both of the men’s taste and ancestral background. Scottish bagpipers will be played during the wedding ceremony and the nuptials will be directed by a Mexican-American Buddhist officiate. Last but not least, the reception will feature a combination of Japanese-Mexican styled cuisine.
The happy couple has even picked out their wedding rings for one another. After much deliberation they settled on matching Native American turquoise stones set on a platinum band.
This is a busy year for Takei, who is not only getting the wedding preparations together but also getting ready for the premiere of the new comic Adam Sandler movie, Don’t Mess With the Zohan. He remains as one of the most active advocates of gay rights, just recently honored for his work on same-sex marriages at the Night Out for Equality gala in Bethesda.
Takei is a frequent guest on the Howard Stern show on which he has discussed his sexuality at length. Although Takei has been gay since childhood, he didn’t become more comfortable with it until he met Altman back in the 1980’s. During the course of their relationship, Altman has been like a saint to Takei, even helping to take care of Takei’s terminally-ill mother before her passing. We can only hope that the couple will live to see another 20 blissful years together.