Today’s Wedding “Modern Love” contest winners are a straight, military couple; No gays among 4 finalists
Ann Curry of the NBC Today Show on Monday announcing the four finalists for their “Modern Love” Wedding Contest — all of which were heterosexual couples. The winning couple was announced this morning: Melissa McMillin, 21, and Jeremy Gebhardt, 22 who is currently serving in Bagram, Afghanistan. Some controversy over the popular contest was raised earlier this year when GLAAD asked why same-sex couples had been excluded. Several states and Washington, DC now legally allow lesbian and gay couples to be married. Producers of the contest had originally said that the marriage had to be legal in New York state, but they later changed their minds and revised the applicationt from “Groom and Bride” to “Applicant 1 and Applicant 2.” (Today Wedding Contest via Facebook)
”We have waited three long years for each other and I’ve dreamt of the day that I can finally say, ‘Hi! I’m Melissa Gebhardt.”
Melissa McMillin telling her joy about being chosen for the “Modern Love” Wedding contest. She stood on the NBC Today show set alone while Jeremy appeared via video from Afghanistan. (Today / MSNBC)
The contest typically celebrates the expensive planning aspects of wedding ceremonies, and viewers are allowed to vote on the rings, wedding dress, tuxedo, cake, location, honeymoon and hairstyle of the bride. Some people thought it would be a long shot for a same-sex couple to be included since the process of preparing a same-gendered couple for a wedding would not have the traditional diversity of decisions and marketing opportunties.
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