Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell and New
York Governor Andrew Cuomo were among the 400 guests who on Saturday
attended the wedding of Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell to longtime
partner John Banta.
Former Chief Justice of New York Court
of Appeals Judith Kaye officiated over the wedding, the New
York Daily News reported.
O'Donnell, the brother of openly gay
Rosie O'Donnell, and Banta met at Catholic University in 1978 and
began dating two years later. Banta is the director of special
events for the Metropolitan Opera.
Cuomo is often credited with legalizing
gay marriage in New York. However, O'Donnell, 51, has introduced
five such bills in the past four years.
The men married in charcoal suits and
dark ties.
“After 31 years, I'm not worried if
he is the right one, “ O'Donnell told the Village Voice.
Assemblyman Joseph Lentol told the
Daily News that the wedding, held at Gustavino's on E. 59th
Street, was really “elegant and tasteful.”
“The speeches were short, but really
meaningful. Everybody was just engaged and listening and clapping.
The newness of having a same-sex marriage is still there for a lot of
people and they loved the idea of being at this type of reception,”
he said.
(Related: Rosie
O'Donnell, Michelle Rounds engaged.)