When “Daddy Newsom” Crashes the Party: The Viral, Queer Joy of a Serendipitous Wedding at San Francisco City Hall

Picture this: you’re standing outside the grand steps of San Francisco City Hall, dressed to the nines, photographer at the ready, heart thumping with wedding-day excitement. For most couples, this would be the pinnacle of romantic memory. But for Netflix’s The Ultimatum: Queer Love stars Haley Drexler and Pilar Dizon, fate had a plot twist worthy of reality TV: out of the blue, California Governor Gavin Newsom—aka “Daddy Newsom” to his queer and political stans—descends the steps, right into the frame of their wedding shoot, turning a joyful day into an unforgettable moment of queer history in motion .

The moment was pure serendipity: “The amount of people texting us and they're like,'so did you guys plan that?'” Drexler joked. “It's an honor to have people think that we could have coordinated that, but it was all natural” . As Newsom, ever the icon, graciously stopped to snap photos and exchange congratulations, the newlyweds shouted the viral nickname “Daddy Newsom”—a cheeky term of endearment that has spread across queer social media, blurring the line between meme and political mythos .

On the surface, it’s a story about a celebrity wedding with a high-profile cameo. But for LGBTQ+ folks, the symbolism runs deeper. Drexler and Dizon—already visible as two women in love on national television—chose San Francisco City Hall for its historic resonance. In 2004, then-mayor Newsom famously ordered the city clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, defying federal bans and igniting a nationwide movement. “Of all the people that you could have bumped into… going back to 2004 and signing all of those first marriages and allowing same-sex couples to have that. It just… Yeah. He has a demonstrated history of protecting us,” Drexler reflected on the full-circle energy of the encounter .

This wasn’t just a brush with fame; it was a collision of personal joy and public memory. “The queer ultimatum girls meeting Governor Newsom on their wedding day is the most San Francisco thing I've ever seen,” Dizon quipped. “And the thing was just so San Francisco and queer coded” .

The timing of the wedding and its viral moment is more than coincidental. Drexler admitted she issued the titular ultimatum to Dizon out of concern for the future of marriage equality, with the Supreme Court scheduled to review a challenge to same-sex marriage rights this November . “It was less about being unsure about her love for me and more about really needing to express to her the importance of having that legal protection behind being married,” Drexler shared .

In a year marked by mounting attacks on LGBTQ+ rights and a wave of anti-transgender legislation, the moment felt like an oasis—public affirmation in a time when queer couples are, once again, being asked to defend their basic rights. “In our political climate... LGBTQ (community) is being attacked more than ever,” Drexler stated. “I just feel that Governor Newsom is just doing so much and he's protecting us. I just feel very honored and proud to have him as our governor” .

And in true reality-TV fashion, the moment spread fast: videos and TikToks of the encounter racked up more than 800,000 views in a matter of days, as queer and allied viewers shared, commented, and memed the encounter into legend .

At its core, this wedding crash is about more than just a viral snapshot. It’s a reminder that queer joy—especially when lived out loud, in public, and on platforms as visible as Netflix or the steps of City Hall—is still a radical act. It’s about the way LGBTQ+ history is written not just by headlines and court cases, but by moments of love and recognition, serendipitous though they may be.

Haley Drexler and Pilar Dizon’s union isn’t just a personal milestone—it’s a living tribute to the ongoing struggle for equality, the importance of visible allies, and the magic that happens when queer love refuses to hide. And if “Daddy Newsom” happens to stumble into your wedding photos? That’s just the universe reminding us: the fight continues, but so does the celebration.