Nico Santos and Zeke Smith were pleasantly surprised to find out that their weekend wedding doubled as an LGBTQ+ Pride celebration.
Santos, whose acting credits include “Superstore” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” married the two-time “Survivor” contestant Saturday in Palm Springs, California. The ceremony was officiated by Santos’ “Superstore” co-star, Mark McKinney.
“For us, we’ve been together for almost six years,” Smith told People. “We own a home together, have a joint bank account. We’re each other’s emergency contacts. By all sorts of usual metrics we are married.”
He went on to note: “But actually having the ceremony, making it legal, it’s about becoming a family. We’re in it forever. Through thick and thin and easy and hard. We’re going to be the person that’s there for the other one.”
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Neither Smith nor Santos was aware that the Nov. 4 ceremony would coincide with Palm Springs’ 2023 Pride weekend. However, they opted to use it as an excuse to infuse their nuptials with extra flair.
“It’s a big gay wedding,” Santos quipped. “A lot of our guests are queer as well, so we thought let’s just stick to the date and have it during Pride weekend. So it’ll be extra gay.”
In addition to McKinney, “Superstore” actors Ben Feldman, Colton Dunn, Nichole Sakura, Jon Barinholtz, Kaliko Kauahi, Irene White and Lauren Ash were in attendance. Noticeably absent was actor America Ferrera, who wrote that she’d been “devastated to miss it” on Instagram.
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Smith, an Oklahoma native, was outed as transgender on a 2017 episode of “Survivor” by a fellow contestant. Though he said he was blindsided by the experience, he’s since emerged as an outspoken LGBTQ+ rights advocate.
In 2022, Smith surprised Santos with an onstage proposal at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles. It was a fitting choice for the couple, who were introduced at the 2018 ceremony.
“It’s just really great to finally have met your person who is going to hold your hand and will have your back no matter what,” Santos told People this week. “It just makes life a little less scary to chase your dreams and the fear of falling on your face.”