Reimagining The Wedding Ceremony

The marriage rate in this country has fallen nearly 60% in the last half century. So what’s motivating those of us still choosing to say I do? Anita ponders this question with the Hindu officiant who helped her build a ceremony that bridged the gap between her values and her dad's traditional desires. Plus, a comedian and queer ex-nun explains how she takes people from the place of "marriage is a dumpster fire" to a ceremony they're excited about. 

Meet the guests:

- Raja Gopal Bhattar is a consultant, author and officiant who Anita and her family worked with to design her wedding ceremony

- Kelli Dunham, a comedian, nurse and queer ex-nun who officiates weddings and funerals — and refers to herself as "queer secular clergy"

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If you want to hear more of Satish Rao on Embodied:

Mixed (Parent Edition), where Anita talks to her parents about growing up mixed race

Pooped, where Satish gets to share his expertise as a gastroenterologist

Please note: This episode originally aired September 26, 2024.

Update: Raja Gopal Bhattar released an interactive memoir, “Queering Constellations: Mapping This Journey Called Life.”