Mayor gets married CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke ties the knot on the weekend
Cecil Clarke experienced some highlights this year, but last Saturday’s events certainly took the wedding cake.
Clarke, 50, mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, married his partner Kyle Peterson, 40, originally of Birch Grove, at the St. Matthew Wesley United Church in North Sydney.
The date was significant. “We got married three years to the hour of our first date,” said Clarke.
“Three years ago, at 6 p.m., we went for a drive to Louisbourg to see the lighthouse. It’s humorous, it ended up being too foggy for us to see it that day. The joke was, the fog didn’t dampen the moment.”
Clarke said the date was chosen for nothing other than their own personal reasons.
“We both picked the same day in terms of an important milestone.”
Clarke met Peterson — who works for the Society for the Treatment of Autism — at a charity event three years ago.
“I knew there was something special and meaningful,” he said. “Things like that you can’t describe, you just feel.”
In the new year one night while together at home in Sydney Mines, Clarke proposed.
“I went down on one knee and he accepted,” he said.
“I asked him to make a life commitment. He agreed, and I was very happy and I continue to be very happy for that.”
Clarke said it was simply the right time for it, when other life and career endeavors, such as his political life, are taken into account.
Earlier this year Clarke entered the provincial PC leadership race, in which a new leader will be chosen on Oct. 27.
“I wanted him to know my commitment was strong and real and no matter what happens it’s not going to change my dedication, commitment and love for him. I wanted him to know that.”
The Louisbourg lighthouse that was significant to the beginning of their relationship was also part of the start to this new chapter in their life journey. The wedding had a Maritime nautical theme and included a model lighthouse in the church and the St. Matthew Wesley Senior Choir — of which Clarke and Peterson are members of — singing Jimmy Rankin’s “Lighthouse Heart.”
About 300 people took in the ceremony.
Although word of the pending marriage only began to circulate last week, the wedding was never a secret, Clarke said.
“When you have 300 people coming to an event, most people know about it.”
“It shows the strength of family and friendships because people didn’t go out talking about it but lots of people knew. It tells you how sincere they were in their support for us and their love and affection.”
Prior to the ceremony, Clarke admits he was nervous “beyond belief.” Basically, he sat with friends, relaxing and trying to keep calm before putting on his tuxedo and heading to the church.
Clarke’s best man was his brother, Robert, and Kyle’s was his own brother, Mark. Both mothers participated in the ceremony with the candle lightings.
“My mother told me: ‘Of all the family, this was the day I was waiting for,’” he said.
“She was very proud of me and happy for us. As every
“I think it was the moment Kyle walked into the church and I walked in from the other side.
All the stress and anxieties went away, it became real. We savoured the moment and we’ll savour the memories now.”
Cecil Clarke
mother just wants the best for their children, she feels I’ve got the best in Kyle.”
The highlight of Saturday wasn’t difficult for Clarke to choose.
“I think it was the moment Kyle walked into the church and I walked in from the other side. All the stress and anxieties went away, it became real. We savoured the moment and we’ll savour the memories now.”
But there were memorable humorous moments too, including a mixup the altar.
“Our best men mixed up our rings,” he said, laughing. “I put his on and he — well we fumbled a bit but we got through it. It gave us all a good chuckle.”
Rev. Stephen Mills officiated the ceremony. An emotional moment came as the two men exchanged their own personal vows.
“The fact that one never saw the other’s but both wove together explained why it was the right decision to get married.”
The reception was held at the Hotel North. Clarke said the cake weighed 100 pounds — quite spectacular and, of course, done in a nautical theme.
“We had a great celebration brunch Sunday, all the cake is now officially gone other than the top now saved in the freezer. Both the service and the festivities were very traditional.”
The honeymoon will come but at another time, Clarke said.
“It will come but there’s other things I have to tend to first,” he said, adding with a laugh, “like work.”
Clarke was back on the job Monday including attending
the opening of the Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association’s annual conference in Membertou.
“We’ll have a celebration vacation at some time, hopefully in the near future. We’ll figure out where later on but it will be to somewhere warm.”
Clarke said this past year they’ve both been through a lot and their family and friends have been supportive through it all.
“For Kyle it’s a lot of adjustments and I understand that shows the strength of the relationship, knowing what we are getting into together,” he said.
“Being part of public life brings its own realities and you have to separate it and leave politics at the door.”
“There’s a peace and contentment that comes with being married and there’s also a confidence that no matter where I have to be that Kyle knows that my love and dedication is going to be there with him.”