1) It's loads of fun to be the only gay couple in this part of the state. Seriously, it is. I got the feeling that the plurality of the wedding guests had never seen an actual gay couple before. I would introduce myself, "Hi. I'm Matt Sweet. I'm the bride's cousin. And this is my partner Jason." And people would just stare at me for a second, and then they would get this look on their face--not exactly a look of shock or disgust; it was more like the kind of fascinated look that people get when watching a car wreck. These days, when same-sex couples are on every damn corner, it's nice to be considered exotic and sinful again.

2) The church had a little wooden model of Uncle Sam praying with a caption that read, "The nation that praises My name will be blessed in my sight," or something to that effect. It made me want to send a check to MoveOn.org.

3) The groom's men and the ushers were all wearing black Wranglers, black Stetsons, pink shirts, and monstrously large belt buckles. (The belt buckles were the most interesting to me--These were the kinds of buckles that usually indicate that one is the heavyweight champion of the world. Many of the buckles had little slogans on them--I guess they are like bumper stickers for cowboys.)