George Takei Marries – Koenig and Nichols Attend [UPDATED w/ Photos + Video]

George Takei (TOS: Sulu) wed his partner of 21 years, Brad Altman, today in Los Angeles. The couple married in a ceremony in the Democracy Forum of the Japanese American National Museum,the museum Takei helped create to honor those forced, as he was, to live in WWII internment camp. In attendance were some of his Star Trek co-stars.

 

Officiated by a Buddhist priest, the ceremony featured koto music and the san-san-kudo sake ritual. Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, exchanged matching turquoise wedding bands designed by Navajo silversmith Clyde Woody. As the couple exited the service, hands clasped, Takei declared in true Star Trek fashion, “May equality live long and prosper!” The famous Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles performed at the reception.

Among the 200 wedding guests were U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan Perry, humanitarian Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton, the couple’s best man Walter Koenig, (Chekov, Star Trek), and “best lady” Nichelle Nichols (Uhura, Star Trek).

News of the nuptials was celebrated by equal rights advocates. “The lifelong promise George and Brad made to each other, in the presence of friends and family, is an affirmation of the love and commitment that they have shared for twenty one years,” says Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

The couple was the first to receive a marriage license in the City of West Hollywood when California began granting licenses to gay couples on June 17 of this year.

Takei and Altman will honeymoon in Argentina and Peru.

PHOTOS UPDATE:


Brad and George exit the ceremony trailed by Koenig (behind George) and Nichelle (GLAAD)


Brad and George cut the cake (GLAAD)

 

More hotos from Just Jared (with many more available)


Brad and George exiting the ceremony (Just Jared)


Koenig and Nichols (Just Jared)

UPDATE 2: AP reports on more including the vows, plus has this picture.


Nichols, Altman, Takei and Koenig

UPDATE 3: VIDEO

Report from the CBS early show

 

Procession (from YouTuber markj517)

More video at CBS2.com.

 

Article cross-posted at the glaadblog. Damon Romine is the Director of Entertainment for GLAAD.

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On behalf of the entire TrekMovie.com team, may I be the first to congratulate George and Brad and a big ‘live long and prosper’ to the happy couple

NOTE ON COMMENTS:
This is a joyous occasion and so lets try and keep the comments in the spirit of the celebration and happy event.

Congratulations Brad and George! Live long and prosper in your marriage.

This is awesome. Good for George and Brad. I hope they’re very happy together!

George is 71?!!!! He doesn’t look a day over 50!

Happiness and Blessings to George and Brad *raises glass*

Congratulations, George! We share a harsh experience in losing family members to Alzheimer’s so I’ve always felt closer to you than any other celebrity, and I’ll never forget that awesome day where I met you at the Alzheimer’s Walk a few years back! Best wishes!

Peace and long life.
May you both cherish the wondrous and vigorous experiences in the times to come.

I sincerely hope they are happy together, although I personally cannot morally condone this kind of union.

Congrats guys! I wish you both well. Have a happy honeymoon!

Haha, thanks for qualifying your well wishes, Samtheman.

My best to George and Brad! With any luck, my partner and I will be able to do the same in the next year (a union that I can certainly morally condone). Here’s hoping that everyone can experience the same kind of happiness.

Shawn P, I wish you both good luck! I hope it is sooner rather than later :)

And yes, everyone is entitled to that kind of happiness.

Congratulations on your marriage, George and Brad! How wonderful that the two of you can finally legally share in each other’s lives. Live long and prosper!

When two people in this world find love and commitment, there are few things in this world that warrant more celebration. Congratulations!

7
please people we dont need this kind of thing, it will only devolve this whole thing and then i will have to close it and so lets just skip this kind of stuff shall we.

Congratulations George and Brad, I wish you both the best. May God Bless the future you two will share. :)

Did they not already get married once a few months ago? Seems to be a dead subject since they already did, ET did a big thing on it when it happened a few months ago.

Yeah, I thought this happened awhile ago?

congrats!

Oh, my! :)

Thank God, *they’re* here. ;)

Peace and long life George and Brad.

Congratulations, George and Brad! Cheers!

FLY HER APART THEN!!!

I once had the unexpected pleasure of having breakfast with Mr. Takei at a convention in West Palm Beach, FL in 1973. Interesting guy to talk to, full of informed political opinions and a real gentleman as well.

Congrats and best wishes, Mr. Takei.

We all live for a future with complete equality. George and Brad have taken the first steps in securing it for all of us. Many blessings to two wonderful people I’ve never met, but would be proud to call my friends.

#15, 16

You may be thinking of when they got their marriage license at city hall in West LA coupla months back. There was quite a bit of media there.

Anyway, best wishes to the happy couple! Cheers, dears!

Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-)

I think it is very cool that with all the friends they both must have, that they chose Nichelle and Walter to be best man and best lady. Nice to see the Star Trek friendship has endured 42 years.

May you both have a long and happy life together.

I met Mr. Takei at the Star Trek 40th Gala Conference in Seattle, he seemed like a very kind and warmhearted man. Ive had the pleasure of talking with him, and I wish him well. May You Live Long And Prosper George and Brad!

Mr. Takei is awesome. Back when I first got the net, I found his email address and he actually emailed me back. Great guy.

Congrats George and Brad! Many happy years together!

Kigs :)

I’ve met Mr. Takei on two occasions, and both times, he was the warmest, kindest, most friendly individual. May you have years and years of happiness, and may equality and love always, always, ALWAYS and forever reign true over bigotry and narrow mindedness!

Congratulations George and Brad! Best wishes to the happy couple! :-)

Is Brad Altman related to Mark Altman?

Congratulations! Joy and happy lives together.

…the adventure continues…

Congratulations George and Brad! *sniffle* Weddings always make me cry.

Many happy years together!

I thought they had allready done that. Did I miss something?

Wonder how Demora feels about this.

Today is my Birthday. I consider this joyous occasion, this manifestation of IDIC, this sign of progress, as one of my birthday presents. Thank you George, and I wish you all the best.

Mr. Pascale, why are we not allowed to speak freely on here? At the risk of being deleted, I support “samtheman” at least he was willing to speak his mind. Yes, I know this is not a debate forum, but shouldn’t we be able to say what we want? as long as it’s within reason, which I think his comment was.

#35: Of course you are allowed to speak freely. This, however, is Anthony’s board, and he has every right to ask politely that on this board, we honor the joyous event being celebrated.

Naturally, if you feel otherwise, you are free to say whatever you wish, elsewhere.

Congratulations, George and Brad!

This is NOT a joyous day…still no pictures of the E or a trailer to keep us going…c’mon, we’re dying here.

I think to find true love is a very special thing that many people take for granted or don’t realize, I hope I’m as lucky to find someone one day.

For some reason, I thought they were already married. I think I mentally confused their engagement with their marriage. Well, congratulations to George! (And to Brad)

Best of wishes to George and Brad, love can come in so many forms and we should all celebrate it’s expression. It is so difficult in this world to find that person who you love, and who in turn loves you so much that you wish to spend your lives together. I am so happy for these two fine gentlemen on their wedding day.

I feel sad for those who can not enjoy this expression of love, and hope that they find some peace and love in their own life and maybe then they can appreciate the sanctity of love in all of its forms.

Best of Luck, George and Brad!

Congratulations!
Live long and propser :)

YAY! Happy moon cake/wedding day, George-san and Brad-san! Dif-tor heh smusma! Have fun on your honeymoon! WOOT!

Where is Shatner? LOL!

awwwww….

and chekov and uhura were part of the wedding party!

i find that exceptionally adorable :P

Congratulations! I met Mr Takei when I was a page on the Paramount Lot back in the early 1990s when they were filming the “Star Trek – Voyager” episode titled “Flashback”. He was a very kind man that always had a smile on his face. May he and Brad have many more happy years together!!

Great news! Many congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple. It’s a beautiful thing that Brad and George have found lasting true love and can now be honored with the rights and dignity everyone should have.

Well. George and Brad. Congradulations on your Wedding and May you to Love birds. Live Long and Prosper. Now. George and Brad. This may not be traditional but can you give us a present. Like getting J.J to give us a Trailer Already.lol. Anyway All our best to you and Weather it be in the Federation or the Empire or The U.S. Be happy and be Blessed.

CONGRATULATIONS George and Brad!

Congratulations Gentlemen:

All the best

They’re both wearing white… in their 70’s? Who are they kidding!

Just kidding. I’m sure they’re very happy. At the rate things are going, I won’t be married till I’m in my 70’s either.