Wedding planners for Florida Governor Charlie Crist’s upcoming nuptials to fiancée Carole Rome may want to consider putting out a few hundred extra chairs. GaySoFla.com has learned that opponents of the recently passed gay marriage ban amendment are planning to crash the event. 

A group called Impact-Florida is organizing a demonstration outside the First United Methodist Church of Saint Petersburg while the couple exchanges vows inside (Friday, December 12, 7:00 PM).  Immediately following the ceremony, demonstrators plan to continue their protest outside the wedding reception at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort, the location Mr. & Mrs. Crist have reserved to celebrate their new constitutionally protected marriage.    

But protest organizers promise to be on their best behavior.  “Our objective will be to celebrate the Governor’s fundamental right to marry,” says Impact Florida spokesperson Lorna Bracewell, in an exclusive interview with GaySoFla.com.  “The demonstration will be peaceful and respectful,” the singer/songwriter and Tampa Bay native assures the online LGBT magazine.   

Bracewell believes that the Governor’s wedding provides a unique opportunity to shine a light on the injustice and unfairness of Amendment 2.  “Governor Crist, an outspoken proponent of Amendment 2, is getting married.  He is exercising the same fundamental right millions of Floridians are now denied because of the passage of Amendment 2,” Bracewell observes.   

Bracewell hopes that her group’s presence outside the Governor’s wedding and reception will make this inconsistency evident to him, his guests and anyone else who might be paying attention. “Perhaps it will inspire him and the many Floridians that voted for Amendment 2 to rethink their positions on the question of what constitutes a marriage,” Bracewell says.   

Bracewell believes the event will draw out a large number of supporters of gay marriage equality. The National Day of Protest, an event that saw almost a million people around the world simultaneously protest against LGBT inequality, was organized in less than a week and executed almost exclusively via the internet.  Bracewell and members of Impact Florida have almost two weeks to spread the word. 

As a sign of unity, organizers ask that everyone participating wear pink shirts and to only carry signs that reflect the spirit of the organizers’ intent; the celebration of everyone’s right to marry.   

IMPACT-FLORIDA members have created a social networking group to provide updates on the Governor’s Wedding Demonstration and generate interest for future LGBT equality demonstrations and events.  CLICK HERE to join the site and receive the group’s updates.  Bracewell can be contacted at lorna@lornabracewell.com  

GaySoFla.com editors would like to suggest that an after-party at the Green Iguana, one of the Governor’s old watering holes, would be a splendidly fitting way to end the day of marital celebration. 

David L. Wylie is the Senior Editor of GaySOFLA Magazine.  Wylie is passionate about creating an online media outlet that will encourage, entertain and educate the south Florida LGBT Community.  Wylie hopes that GaySOFLA serves that purpose.  He can be reached at David@gaysofla.