Now, we appreciate the sentiment, but this is a time when it behooves you to remember that no matter how willing you personally are to accept gay marriage as valid, the rest of America disagrees, and this mean that it is not the same. Father gives the bride away. Father boycotts the ceremony. Mother makes herself a nuisance by attempting to micromanage every detail, from the placecards on the tables to your choice of manicurist. Mother makes herself a nuisance by coming forward and explaining why these two people should not be joined together in matrimony.
Relatives send expensive gifts.
Relatives are not informed of the proceedings. Crazy Uncle Ted contributes a porcelain garden gnome that must be trotted out once a year when he comes to visit but is otherwise concealed from sight in the root cellar. State cuts you a tax break and gives you custody rights over any children you and your spouse may have or adopt. State pays no attention, and if you are not your child's biological parent your custody rights are not worth a Republican's curse. Event is covered in the society pages of your hometown newspaper, The Smalltown Gazette.