Featuring queer love storylines on TV and movies nowadays has become the norm as a result of the filmmakers’ effort to mainstream the phenomenon and inform their audience that same-sex love is no different from love between a man and a woman. Fans can’t help but root for them, sympathize with them, and understand that they are also people like the rest of us by offering their favorite the most adored gay love story.
Since 1991, television has come a long way in revolutionizing its programming by showcasing one of the most contentious events—a same-sex wedding—that was considered a deal breaker at the time. But despite the unjustified hatred it faces, the message it conveys is stronger and more beautiful. There are a lot of gay weddings on TV since then that are so moving and unforgettable that fans can’t help but sob.
10 ‘Roseanne’ (1988 – 2018)
Roseanne tells the tale of the Connor family, a working-class family of five people, led by Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) and Dan (John Goodman) as they deal with marriage, kids, money, and in-laws, as well as other major life issues.
Roseanne‘s recurring character Leon, played by Martin Mull, wed his lover Scott (Fred Millard) in an episode from 1995. Although it wasn’t the most elegant wedding ever, it was special because Leon had abandoned Scott at the altar five years previously, adding further sentimentality to the scene.
9 ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ (2005 – )
Grey’s Anatomy is about the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they advance to more experienced medical professionals while juggling their personal and professional lives, narrated through Meredith Grey’s (Ellen Pompeo) perspective.
In the episode “White Wedding” (season 7, episode 20), fans get to witness Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) exchange vows in a traditional opulent ceremony despite having a few conflicts with the family. It’s one of the most memorable lesbian weddings on TV since, like most couples on primetime soap, they didn’t end well.
8 ‘Six Feet Under’ (2001 – 2005)
Six Feet Under follows Nathaniel Fisher (Peter Krause), his wife Ruth (Frances Conroy), and their kids as they run an independent funeral home that provides the best service available nearby. The program is a typical family drama on one level, but it also stands out for its emphasis on death, which is examined from a personal, religious, and philosophical standpoint.
The show featured a fast-forward clip in the series finale depicting longtime lovers David (Michael C. Hall) and Keith (Matthew St. Patrick) at the altar, giving fans the chance to see two fan favorites finally say “I do.” Though the montage also shows how everyone passes away, the union was truly bittersweet for the spectators.
7 ‘Friends’ (1994 – 2004)
Friends follow six friends in their 20s and 30s who reside in Manhattan, New York City as they navigate through friendship, drama, family, love, and comedy while learning valuable life lessons.
In 1996, Friends made a big statement by showing the controversial episode called “The One With the Lesbian Wedding,” in which Ross’ (David Schwimmer) ex-wife Carol (Jane Sibbett) wed her partner Susan (Jessica Hecht). The episode is so progressive not just because of the period it was released but also because of the message it conveys, celebrating same-sex love despite all the prejudice it faces.
6 ‘Brothers & Sisters’ (2006 – 2011)
Following the passing of family patriarch William Walker (Tom Skerritt), the creator of the family firm Ojai Foods, Brothers & Sisters centers on the lives and issues of the affluent Walker family. Storylines typically focused on the family’s sexual connections, commercial success, particularly in relation to control of Ojai Foods, and sibling relationships.
The “Prior Commitments” episode in season 2 of the show included a gay wedding in a season finale for the first time ever, also making it the first same-sex wedding between regulars on network television. The 2008 nuptials of Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke Macfarlane), which marked the end of Season Two of the sitcom, were officiated by Kevin’s sister Kitty (Calista Flockhart).
5 ‘Modern Family’ (2009 – 2020)
Modern Family centers on three different kinds of modern families based in Los Angeles including nuclear, same-sex, and blended, all of which are connected by affluent businessman Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill) and his kids, Claire (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson).not just because of the period it was released but also because of the message it conveys.
In the show’s two of the highest-rated episodes, “The Wedding: Part I & II”, after wildfires approach their wedding destination, Mitch and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) are forced to deal with a disastrous turn of circumstances. Everyone was initially heartbroken, but afterward realized the true significance of everything: love. They move and exchange touching vows in front of breathtaking scenery, surrounded by all their loved ones.
4 ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015 – 2020)
Schitt’s Creek chronicles the struggles of the formerly rich Rose family, who lose their fortune after their business manager embezzles the family business, and moves to the titular location, a little town they originally bought as a joke.
Patrick (Noah Reid) and David (Dan Levy) have the wedding of their dreams despite being forced to locate a new, unusual location which is the town hall after the momentous day is entirely rained out. The tears begin to pour as Patrick begins singing Mariah Carey‘s “Always Be My Baby,” making it absolutely lovely and beautiful.
3 ‘Glee’ (2009 – 2015)
Glee centers on the New Directions, formed by teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), a glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School whose dispersed members struggle with societal concerns, particularly those related to sexuality, racism, family, teen relationships, and teamwork while competing as a show choir.
Glee paved the way for other entertainment companies to embrace queer marriage and partnerships on television. With all of their loved ones and fellow McKinley High graduates at their sides, the two cheerleaders best friends-turned-partners, Brittany (Heather Morris) and Santana (Naya Rivera) were married in a barn. Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) also decide to get married at the ceremony in the same episode, which is a completely unexpected narrative twist, with little encouragement from Sue (Jane Lynch). Thus, making it one of the most iconic gay wedding episodes in TV history.
2 ‘Queer as Folk’ (1999 – 2005)
Based on a British series of the same name, Queer as Folk follows the lives of five homosexual guys in Pittsburgh and is filled with sex, drugs, excitement, friendship, and love. The show also examines important homosexual political and health topics in addition to the five friends’ typical sexual antics.
In the episode “The Wedding” from 2002, Queer as Folk features Lindsay (Thea Gill) and Melanie (Michelle Clunie) exchanging vows. Later on in the show, Ben (Robert Gant) and Michael (Hal Sparks) would also walk down the aisle and tie the knot. Thus, these events establish Queer as Folk as a cable TV pioneer in embracing this trend.
1 ‘Roc’ (1991 – 1994)
In an effort to provide for his wife and children, Roc follows the city garbage collector Roc Emerson (Charles S. Dutton) who combines the demands of work with the regular problems of home life. The majority of the episodes included fairly normal sitcom plots, but on occasion, more serious subjects, including racism, were addressed.
Roc was the first show to feature a same-sex wedding on American network television at the time in 1991. The episode “Can’t Help Loving That Man” in season 1 of the show centers on Roc’s uncle (Richard Roundtree) who comes out as gay, and the family’s following conflict to accept his lifestyle, which eventually ends in Roc conducting the wedding in his home. For its positive representation, the show won a GLAAD award that year, opening the door for other similar marriages to be featured on TV.
