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Queer Women Go Wild for Brides Who Tandem Deadlifted at Their Wedding

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When Lisa Yang and Wek Hernandez got married in a Brooklyn park, they lifted 253 pounds in tandem to symbolize their strength and unity. 

When Lisa Yang and Wek Hernandez got married earlier this month, they looked beyond the standard repertoire of wedding traditions and tried something new-- the tandem deadlift.

The brides, who said their "I dos" on October 1, in Brooklyn's Prospect Park, performed a tandem deadlift of a bar and plates that weighed 253 pounds mid-ceremony while in their wedding gowns. They performed the lift three times, according to Women's Health.

The women, who are Olympic weightlifters, toyed with several ideas for their wedding be arriving at the deadlift.

"We thought about the usual candle lighting, tree planting, sand pouring, and none of those things represented Wek and I," Yang told Women's Health.

"We were joking about doing a tandem deadlift. At the time, it seemed ridiculous because we're Olympic weightlifters, deadlift isn't even our main sport. But a snatch or clean-and-jerk in dresses might be a bit dangerous, so we settled on three deadlifts."

Weightlifting is a big part of who they are as couple, often incorporated the sport into date nights, so it was the perfect fit for the wedding.

"Weightlifting to us is very special," Hernandez said. "We lift with our local team in Brooklyn. They're family to us, and the whole weightlifting team was at our wedding."

But the deadlift wasn't just for show since both women can lift the 253 pounds individually. The women really considered what they're tandem lift symbolized.

"It was meant to not only be a symbol of unity but also a statement -- Individually, we are strong, capable women, but together we are stronger. 'Til deadlift do us part, right?" Hernandez said.

Here's how social media users responded to the happy couple.

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Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.
Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.