Their Vision of Love

Maurie Sherman stole thousands of hearts when he proposed to his boyfriend of three years before the almighty Mariah Carey at a show in Vegas on Saturday night. Sherman and his now-fiance, Matthew Almeida, live in Toronto, where they're planning for a legal, Mariah Carey -- laced wedding.

Advocate.com: So, I take it you're big Mariah fans?
Maurie Sherman: He's a huge Mariah Carey fan. I love him to death and would do anything for him and I thought, if given the opportunity, I would love for him to meet Mariah. So when they announced these intimate Vegas shows -- I mean 5,000 people -- I thought maybe there is this chance. It took me six months to do and I didn't know we'd be doing it until five minutes before the show started. He had no idea until they started talking onstage. Her people brought us to the side of the stage, so I said, "[Your] birthday is next month, so happy birthday! I'm going to get you to meet Mariah and you'll get a quick picture."

So, I was brought side stage, by the mixing board, and they handed me her black Swarovski microphone and Mathew's like, "I don't want to sing. I don't want to sing." He had no clue. And it was just awesome and the crowd went nuts and they were talking to us after.

So do you have any wedding plans yet?
Um, it's going to be two or three years in the making. It will be Mariah-themed. We are definitely going to send an invite to her. Of course, she probably won't be able to make it, but at least I want her to know that everything went well. It will obviously be in Toronto.

It was so cool to see him meet his idol. It was just awesome. And it was great in my opinion, especially in the U.S., especially in Vegas, to do something gay onstage -- that's just unheard of, and if given the chance I will wave the flag for equality, no problem.

Let's say the tides were turned and he was proposing to you. Before whom would you like to receive your proposal?
In front of a celebrity, I'd definitely like Madonna. I would certainly love that or my favorite actress, Mariska Hargitay, on the set of Law and Order -- that would be cool. I'm a big fan of doing something special you're going to remember; I don't think it's about the person asking. I think it's more about the person you are asking. I hate people that do it at hockey games and stuff to say, "Oh, I made it on the big screen." No, to me he loves Mariah and this will be something he will never forget. And then Mariah taking all the time with the champagne -- it was just very cool.

Do you think that the action you took sent a message to lawmakers, especially here in the United States?
I think it absolutely does. I think it shows -- especially these people who watch the video and see how happy the crowd was -- I think that sends a message that the crowd is responding. And I think that if all these old people with old views would just relax a little bit and realize that at the end of the day we are all human and who we love or what we want to do is our own personal thing. And I always find it so confusing, that, "No, you can't get married." Well, who are you to say I can't? How are you setting the rules? If you can, I can. 'Cause all marriage is about is the union of love. So what are they saying, that two guys or two women can't love each other like that? So I think that absolutely it sends a message.

You said you will probably have a Mariah-themed, or certainly a Mariah-inclusive wedding.
Well, I mean, Matthew, he is the male version of Mariah Carey, so I mean, when it comes to this wedding, I really have no say.

Does he sing?
No, he doesn't sing, but he's a really good dancer. So, I mean, there is definitely going to have -- I suggested we do candy rings everywhere, 'cause that is what I used to propose 'cause that is what Nick [Cannon] used to propose to Mariah with. So we should have candy rings everywhere, if Mariah-themed, meaning that everything is sort of with butterflies and pink and lavender colors, stuff like that. In the end of the day, whatever makes him happy, I'll go with the flow.

So are going to have a Mariah song for your wedding song?
Absolutely. Once again I have no say. I was thinking a cool one would be her new one, that remake she did, "I Want to Know What Love Is." I think that would be kind of cool, but I think he wants something different, from the Charmbracelet or Butterfly CDs.