SAN DIEGO (KGTV) CALIF. — Bookstores are the perfect place to find a good read, but at Mysterious Galaxy, the owners want to help people start their own romantic chapter with the first words being "I do."
Matthew Berger loves the books he stocks on his shelves, but what he loves most are the stories that come to life in his cozy bookshop.
"It was just a fun thing for me to do with my sister, and we held the wedding here in the bookstore," said Matthew Berger, co-owner of Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore.
Berger got ordained in 2023. He first saw it as an opportunity to officiate his sister's wedding at his store and roast her in the process. But now, he says it's time to turn the page.
"Now that I'm ordained, it feels like I might as well extend the offer to more people in the community," Berger said.
He's offering to officiate marriages for LGBTQ+ couples and allow them to use the shop as their venue for a low cost.
"This is just one way we'd like to show our support and be a part of their story," Berger said.
The backstory for why he's doing this goes even deeper.
"LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, and that includes gay marriage. You know, if they're willing to overturn Roe v. Wade, they're definitely gonna be willing to overturn gay marriage," Berger said.
10 years after the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, the justices will consider whether to take a case that asks them to overturn the decision this fall.
Berger says he wants to show his support for the community in the best way he knows how.
"If there's an opportunity to show the world that you love someone and that you are who you are, that you should absolutely take that opportunity," Berger said.
If you're interested in using the store for your wedding, you can visit their website or email them at mgbooks@mystgalaxy.com.
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