American Idol Season 1 Finalist Jim Verraros 'Marrying' His Partner
American Idol season 1 finalist Jim Verraros is "marrying" his partner Bill Brennan on Sunday in Oak Brook, Illinois.
Said Verraros on the couple's wedding website: "I knew with Bill that I wanted to 'marry,' him. I put 'marry,' only because, sadly it isn't legal in Illinois yet, but we're hopeful that the time is near. Looking back on our four years together, we've come so far and grown so close together. He's not only my partner, but my confidante, my soul mate, my best friend, and the love of my life. When we're apart, I miss him and when we're together, I think to myself how lucky I am that our paths have crossed and intertwined. People ask me how I knew that Bill was the one, and I always say the same thing: 'I just knew. When you KNOW, you know.' This wedding is a culmination of our lives so far, and our lives from this point onward. It is so imperative to the both of us that our friends and family see just how in love we are, and how happy we are to share it with everyone."
Congrats to Jim and Bill.
LOL. A Greek marrying a mick. (How is it said? Something like, "Haters posting in 3, 2, 1..")
Posted by: JT | Sep 4, 2009 12:00:17 PM
Awww, they are so dang cute together, I wish them all the best.
Posted by: RONTEX | Sep 4, 2009 12:05:14 PM
Yeah! Some happy gay news! More please.
Posted by: busytimmy | Sep 4, 2009 12:10:35 PM
Woo hoo for them, but I think this is news because "marry" has to be in "quotes" more so than the "celebrity" status of the grooms.
Posted by: Beef and Fur | Sep 4, 2009 12:27:14 PM
Very attractive couple. I hope they live happily ever after.
Posted by: Hank | Sep 4, 2009 12:47:26 PM
Thats nice but a wedding website seems a bit over the top right?
Posted by: Carl | Sep 4, 2009 12:49:41 PM
A long life together of happiness and growth to the handsome grooms :)
Posted by: Felix | Sep 4, 2009 1:02:06 PM
Hey Andy, Love your site, but please don't put "marrying" in quotation marks. That's what NOM does! Keep up the great work.
Posted by: Mark Squared | Sep 4, 2009 1:09:02 PM
Mark...it's 'marrying' because they are doing it in Illinois and it not legal there, yet.
Carl...the wedding website is not over the top. The site is a platform and people register there. It's just a way to keep friends and family updated on what is going on. It's essentially a photo sharing website that is wedding oriented.
Posted by: Michael | Sep 4, 2009 1:14:26 PM
Andy,
Thanks for posting pictures/stories of men kissing,holding hands and being loving!
Any image in the world that affirms and validates the love,joy and happiness of any two human beings is fantastic. The extra bonus is that it makes the conservative/religious freaks go crazy in their own hatred and inability to control other peoples lives. Bravo.
Posted by: SFshawn | Sep 4, 2009 1:39:42 PM
Congratulations! Ya know, Iowa is right next to Illinois - and gay marriage is legal here in Iowa. Just a short drive...
Posted by: J. J. | Sep 4, 2009 2:11:09 PM
Jim was great in the EATING OUT movies! Congratulations to them both!
Did you know there is a third EATING OUT coming out? Eating Out: All You Can Eat!
Here's the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54o3nbB028s
Posted by: Jarrod | Sep 4, 2009 2:14:14 PM
What a great looking couple. I wish them nothing but happiness and success together. This added a bit of sunshine to my day.
Posted by: Bob R | Sep 4, 2009 2:46:59 PM
Love JV! Hope he makes some more music for us.
Posted by: Randy | Sep 4, 2009 3:38:14 PM
Doug, 3 months after a 4 year relationship??
Why?
Posted by: Rowan | Sep 4, 2009 7:02:14 PM
good luck to them.
at doug berman, y u gotta be a bitch?
Posted by: nic | Sep 4, 2009 7:24:04 PM
Dude! Make your guy an honest man! Cross the border and "put a ring on it!"
Good luck guys!
Posted by: Derek Washington | Sep 4, 2009 8:40:16 PM
Wow.. what a progressive statement: People ask me how I knew that Bill was the one. Hear that folks... somewhere in this world there is the "one" for you. May you live happily ever.
Posted by: Lakas | Sep 4, 2009 8:55:23 PM
J.J. and Derek W.,
From a Sept 3/09 interview:
http://www.examiner.com/x-20225-SF-LGBT-Issues-Examiner~y2009m9d3-American-Idol-contestant-will-be-having-a-samesex-wedding
Examiner: Same-sex marriage isn’t legal in IL, so why did you decide to get married there as opposed to one of the other states that do recognize it?
Jim Verraros: We love each other and want to get married, and we want to have some sort of ceremony to show our friends and family how beautiful and traditional it can be. We’ll also be going to Iowa later to make it legal, but the great thing about doing it here is that some of the guests might not be 100% OK with same-sex marriage. Those people might get more comfortable with the idea after coming to our wedding, and they might go and tell other people how beautiful our event was, and those people might tell other people. It’s a great way to create change.
Posted by: RJ | Sep 5, 2009 6:12:00 AM
I've always liked Jim and I'm so glad he's got a great husband now. Here's wishing them all the best!
Posted by: Rob | Sep 5, 2009 8:33:49 AM
RJ - thanks for posting the explanation. i guess their way is better than waiting until it's legal in our home state of illinois. (though i'm thrilled at the alexi gianoulias story - it would be great to get married in another state then be able to have it recoignized legally in yours even if you can't get married in your home state)
funny, looking at their wedding website and everything, it seemed just like a hetero wedding party. just that it's two guys. i know the question has been asked many times over, but it just drives home the point -- just what are people afraid of? that if gays become as everyday and not unusual as them that they will run out of things to hate?
Posted by: james | Sep 5, 2009 4:03:46 PM
Congrats guys! :-)
I hope that youre happiness never ends!
Posted by: Austin | May 14, 2011 2:23:59 AM
They make such a cute couple. I wish I could find some good Ann Arbor photographers to take pictures of my husband and me. I just love the one of them in the ocean!
Posted by: Rebecca Hurst | Jan 5, 2012 1:24:01 PM