The water was roaring, the trees were vibrant autumn hues and a rainbow periodically shined over the Bridal Veil Falls as family, friends, public officials and LGBTQ+ allies gathered Friday morning in Niagara Falls State Park to commemorate the marriage of Kitty and Cheryle Lambert-Rudd.
The couple was married in a nearby spot at the state park 13 years ago as New York State’s Marriage Equality Act went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 24, 2011. Their union is said to be the first same-sex marriage to take place in the state.
Friday morning, the couple returned to Niagara Falls to unveil a new historical marker memorializing gay rights in New York State and renew their wedding vows.
Dressed casually, maple leaf stickers printed with the LGBTQ+ flag stuck to their clothes, Kitty and Cheryle Lambert-Rudd promised to keep loving each other forever, sealing those vows with smiles and a kiss.
“The moment of joy I shared with Cheryle standing on the edge of the falls, I hope every single LGBT couple out there gets that feeling when they get to take the hands of the person they will share the rest of their life with, be in love with them, and just know love wins,” Kitty reflected. “Love is not just love. Love wins.”
The educational placard is located at Stedman’s Bluff on Goat Island, right above Luna Island and the Bridal Veil Falls and not far from the Cave of the Winds. The sign tells the story of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in New York State and of Kitty and Cheryle’s historic wedding ceremony.
Ronald Piaseczny, president of Niagara Pride, said the marker is significant because it “shows that the LGBTQ community is part of the Niagara County family. It is part of Niagara Falls. We are integrated into the fabric of the people that come here.”
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