My gosh, love is beautiful. At PAX Aus 2024, I was caught off-guard by just how beautiful it can be, regardless of personal connection or social barriers.
In the atrium space between the MCEC theatres and the show floor, Devolver Digital and Massive Monster curated a very special Cult of the Lamb-themed altar where, from Friday to Saturday, attendees could go in and “praise the lamb” to celebrate their personal fandom. On Sunday, the altar was transformed into a wedding chapel, where two lovely couples were married – in real, legally-binding ceremonies – in front of hooting and hollering PAX-goers.
I attended the first wedding of the day, and was overwhelmed with joy for the wedded couple – Tanner and Jasper – who were wearing their furry suits for the ceremony.
I am not a part of the furry community, and it has always been a curiosity to me. But you didn’t need to understand furries to appreciate the love and affection the couple had for each other. It takes a lot of courage to get married at PAX Aus, in front of many strangers. It takes a lot of courage to do so in furry suits, knowing this community often faces prejudice from those who don’t understand, and don’t wish to understand them.
But Tanner and Jasper proved that love is stronger than any unfair judgement at PAX Aus 2024, and in their union, folks attending were clearly able to see just how strong love can be, when two people share such strong interests and passions.
Read: Cult of the Lamb: Pilgrim Pack paid DLC revealed
As a precursor to the wedding itself, I spoke to the lovely couple about their personal Cult of the Lamb fandom, and how they met. As it turns out, it was serendipity that led to their meeting, and a shared love of Cult of the Lamb that strengthened their bond.
“We felt it would be very fitting to get married by a game that we both enjoy very much, and actually helped us to get to know each other in the early part of our relationship,” Tanner told GamesHub. “It honestly has been such an honour being a part of this amazing and life changing process and event.”
Pre-wedding, both Tanner and Jasper expressed appreciation for the Devolver Digital and Massive Monster teams working behind the scenes to make the wedding happen, calling them all “amazing and passionate” about the incoming weddings.
It was clear, even as an outsider, that the team producing the weddings put their hearts and souls into this process – in the design of the altar, the costuming, the procession, and every other detail. Yes, it’s good press. But this was well beyond a stunt or a spectacle to simply promote Cult of the Lamb. Even down to the tiniest detail, the weddings were incredibly well-organised, and well thought through.
The other couple who were married at PAX Aus 2024, Blake and Shania, shared similar thoughts about the organisation process, pre-wedding, noting the Cult of the Lamb team helped to organise everything, including the formal legal proceedings needed to perform an actual wedding ceremony.
“We always wanted to have a big memorable wedding, and over the 13 years that we’ve been together we could have NEVER thought of something so creative and unique!” Shania told GamesHub. “Everything that the COTL team has done for us has been so incredibly supportive, helping us to navigate both the fun and legal side of it all! I truly don’t think we could have done better ourselves, and we’re both so thankful for that.”
“The whole team have been so amazingly supportive of all of us, guiding us through each step of the process and ensuring we get to share the most amazing day of our lives together with everyone!” Blake added.
Attending Tanner and Jasper’s wedding personally was such a wonderful experience at PAX Aus 2024. The crowd was raucous where appropriate, sombre where needed, and absolutely celebratory throughout. When the vows were exchanged, and the couple embraced as a married couple, I was even getting teary. There were people all around me who felt the same – and I know at least one of my friends was crying far below.
I didn’t know the couple beyond our email exchanges. Those on the top floor of the MCEC didn’t know them. But we were all brought together, and brought to tears, by such a beautiful, well-put-together, well-meaning ceremony.
Love is an incredibly powerful thing, and through Cult of the Lamb via Devolver Digital and Massive Monster, everyone who attended the dual weddings at PAX Aus 2024 saw just how special it can be.
