CORONADO, Calif. — The first wedding of Oscar de Las Salas and Gary Jackson was interrupted by hecklers yelling homophobic slurs.
Now, two months later, the renewal of their vows was attended by some 300 strangers at an exclusive waterfront hotel near San Diego.
In August, the couple from Phoenix was married at a small park in Coronado. But during the ceremony, someone shouted insults from a nearby balcony.
For the “do-over” ceremony on Saturday, de Las Salas and Jackson returned to Coronado not really knowing what to expect.
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U-T San Diego reports that for the ceremony, de Las Salas and Jackson found several hundred attendees on a terrace of the Loews Coronado Bay Resort – and not a heckler in sight.
The event was organized by Coronado attorney Alisa Kerr, who felt moved to do something after hearing about the original ceremony. She emailed de Las Salas and invited the couple back.
“It’s not about publicity or gay marriage,” Kerr told the newspaper. “It’s about being kind to everyone, which I think Coronado residents generally demonstrate.”
Most of the guests either donated a gift or service, or offered to help. Donations included the venue, food and a popular cover band.
“Crazy, wonderful,” Jackson said before the sunset ceremony. “Coming out here now is a reaffirmation. It’s a strong message, and it says a lot about the community.”
Jackson, 52, and de Las Salas, 45, brought with them about two dozen friends who could not attend their August wedding.
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