The Bigelow Report: Third Time's a Charm

Catherine Bigelow, 7x7's new Society Editor at Large, returns to the scene to cover the opening of San Francisco's cultural season. 

Click here to view all posts.

Longtime couple celebrate their third (and finally, legal) marriage in Cloverdale

photography by Catherine Bigelow


Newlyweds, all - Steve Kawa and Dan Henkle (center) with Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Mayor Gavin Newsom

It was a hot time (literally, 105-degrees in the shade) on September 6th up in bucolic Cloverdale where City slickers (descending upon the modest streets in limos, town cars and the Mayoral Hybrid SUV) and neighbors celebrated the marriage of Dan Henkle (senior vice president of social responsibility for Gap Inc.) and Steve Kawa (Mayor Gavin Newsom's Chief of Staff) at Henke-Kawa's country home.

Now this wasn't the first time down the aisle for the longtime couple. The pair became domestic partners in 1995 and were one of the few couples personally married by Mayor Newsom during the "Winter of Love" in 2004.

But in 2008, standing beneath the shade of an old tree in their Cloverdale backyard with their daughter, Katherine Henkle-Kawa, and son, Michael Henkle-Kawa, and dear friends, Karin and PJ Johnston and their children, Madeline, Rosie and newborn William Johnston, it was the first time their commitment was legally sanctioned.

"For those of you who don't know me," explained Eleanor Johns (former Mayoral Chief of Staff for Willie Brown and dear friend to the couple), "I was surprised when Steve and Dan asked me to perform their marriage ceremony. But Steve claimed it was because he knew I could put the fear of God into the State of California!"

Among friends and family toasting the couple: Mayor Newsom and his bride, Jennifer Siebel Newsom; City Hall poobahs such as Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Controller Ed Harrington, Protocol Director Matthew Goudeau and Dept. of Telecommunications and Information Services CAO Ron Vinson; a bevy of SF Supervisors including, Bevan Dufty, Sean Elsbernd and former Supervisor Tom Hsieh, who with his wife, Jeanette Hsieh, served as "surrogate parents" at Steve and Dan's first wedding.

Roasting the couple, former Mayor Willie Brown (for whom Steve served as Deputy Chief of Staff) teased: "I've done all three pre-nups for the weddings of these two -- mostly to protect Dan from Steve!"

Also providing cheer and economic benefits to the couple? Dan's boss, Eva Sage-Gavin (Executive vice president of human resources, communications and corporate social responsibility, of Gap Inc.).

"I told Steve that Eva's gift to us was allowing him to now use the Gap's employee discount for spouses," said Dan. "Even though we shop at Gap and Banana Republic all the time, Steve didn't realize that I am the only one who was allowed the discount."

"Eva went to the powers-that-be on Friday and said, 'I want the Gap's policy changed to include employee discounts for same-sex couples by 5 p.m. tonight'!" explained Dan. "Which is a huge deal -- aside from changing the policy across the board at Gap, it also involved federal tax issues."

Talking of the commitment and work that a marriage entails, Newsom related that he and his bride actually had their first marital spat en route to the wedding over the exact location of Cloverdale: "So, this is where they make all the milk!"

As the Henkle-Kawa clan has been long established in love, commitment, home and family, they had no need for things such as coffee makers or crudite carriers. Instead they asked guests to make a donation to Equality California's No on Proposition 8 (Stop the Marriage Ban) up for vote (Nov. 4) on the state ballot.

(And though he was not in attendance at the ceremony, actor and hunky uber-dad Brad Pitt just gave a big fiscal thumbs-up to No on Prop. 8; backing up his oft-cited promise that, "Angie and I will consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.")

Even as a veteran newlywed, Steve Kawa said this time, his marriage to Dan actually did feel different.

"Because of the recent decision on same-sex marriage by the California State Supreme Court, Dan and I knew, finally, there was no question as to the validity of our marriage," said Steve. "And when Eleanor read those words, 'By the virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of California, I know pronounce you spouses for life,' I really felt -- this is it!"


Cutting of the cake


Dan Henkle reads his vows


Former Mayor Willie Brown, Dan Henkle, Eleanor Johns, Steve Kawa and Mayor Gavin Newsom


Guests Ron Vinson, Danielle DuCaine, Dr. Markus Watson, Sophie Middlebrook and Boe Hayward


Jeanette Hsieh and her husband, former Supervisor Tom Hsieh with Supervisor Sean Elsbernd


The couple enjoys toasts and ... roasts


Supervisor Bevan Dufty and his daughter, Sidney with  Mayoral Special Events officer Martha Cohen


Rosie Johnston and her mom, Karin Johnston


PJ Johnston (left) is still amused by his former boss, Da Mayor Willie Brown


Newsom For California Finance Director Paige Barry, Protocol Director Matthew Goudeau and City Treasure Jose Cisneros

Catherine Bigelow, 7x7's new Society Editor at Large, returns to the scene to cover the opening of San Francisco's cultural season. 

Click here to view all posts.

Longtime couple celebrate their third (and finally, legal) marriage in Cloverdale

photography by Catherine Bigelow


Newlyweds, all - Steve Kawa and Dan Henkle (center) with Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Mayor Gavin Newsom

It was a hot time (literally, 105-degrees in the shade) on September 6th up in bucolic Cloverdale where City slickers (descending upon the modest streets in limos, town cars and the Mayoral Hybrid SUV) and neighbors celebrated the marriage of Dan Henkle (senior vice president of social responsibility for Gap Inc.) and Steve Kawa (Mayor Gavin Newsom's Chief of Staff) at Henke-Kawa's country home.

Now this wasn't the first time down the aisle for the longtime couple. The pair became domestic partners in 1995 and were one of the few couples personally married by Mayor Newsom during the "Winter of Love" in 2004.

But in 2008, standing beneath the shade of an old tree in their Cloverdale backyard with their daughter, Katherine Henkle-Kawa, and son, Michael Henkle-Kawa, and dear friends, Karin and PJ Johnston and their children, Madeline, Rosie and newborn William Johnston, it was the first time their commitment was legally sanctioned.

"For those of you who don't know me," explained Eleanor Johns (former Mayoral Chief of Staff for Willie Brown and dear friend to the couple), "I was surprised when Steve and Dan asked me to perform their marriage ceremony. But Steve claimed it was because he knew I could put the fear of God into the State of California!"

Among friends and family toasting the couple: Mayor Newsom and his bride, Jennifer Siebel Newsom; City Hall poobahs such as Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Controller Ed Harrington, Protocol Director Matthew Goudeau and Dept. of Telecommunications and Information Services CAO Ron Vinson; a bevy of SF Supervisors including, Bevan Dufty, Sean Elsbernd and former Supervisor Tom Hsieh, who with his wife, Jeanette Hsieh, served as "surrogate parents" at Steve and Dan's first wedding.

Roasting the couple, former Mayor Willie Brown (for whom Steve served as Deputy Chief of Staff) teased: "I've done all three pre-nups for the weddings of these two -- mostly to protect Dan from Steve!"

Also providing cheer and economic benefits to the couple? Dan's boss, Eva Sage-Gavin (Executive vice president of human resources, communications and corporate social responsibility, of Gap Inc.).

"I told Steve that Eva's gift to us was allowing him to now use the Gap's employee discount for spouses," said Dan. "Even though we shop at Gap and Banana Republic all the time, Steve didn't realize that I am the only one who was allowed the discount."

"Eva went to the powers-that-be on Friday and said, 'I want the Gap's policy changed to include employee discounts for same-sex couples by 5 p.m. tonight'!" explained Dan. "Which is a huge deal -- aside from changing the policy across the board at Gap, it also involved federal tax issues."

Talking of the commitment and work that a marriage entails, Newsom related that he and his bride actually had their first marital spat en route to the wedding over the exact location of Cloverdale: "So, this is where they make all the milk!"

As the Henkle-Kawa clan has been long established in love, commitment, home and family, they had no need for things such as coffee makers or crudite carriers. Instead they asked guests to make a donation to Equality California's No on Proposition 8 (Stop the Marriage Ban) up for vote (Nov. 4) on the state ballot.

(And though he was not in attendance at the ceremony, actor and hunky uber-dad Brad Pitt just gave a big fiscal thumbs-up to No on Prop. 8; backing up his oft-cited promise that, "Angie and I will consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.")

Even as a veteran newlywed, Steve Kawa said this time, his marriage to Dan actually did feel different.

"Because of the recent decision on same-sex marriage by the California State Supreme Court, Dan and I knew, finally, there was no question as to the validity of our marriage," said Steve. "And when Eleanor read those words, 'By the virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of California, I know pronounce you spouses for life,' I really felt -- this is it!"


Cutting of the cake


Dan Henkle reads his vows


Former Mayor Willie Brown, Dan Henkle, Eleanor Johns, Steve Kawa and Mayor Gavin Newsom


Guests Ron Vinson, Danielle DuCaine, Dr. Markus Watson, Sophie Middlebrook and Boe Hayward


Jeanette Hsieh and her husband, former Supervisor Tom Hsieh with Supervisor Sean Elsbernd


The couple enjoys toasts and ... roasts


Supervisor Bevan Dufty and his daughter, Sidney with  Mayoral Special Events officer Martha Cohen


Rosie Johnston and her mom, Karin Johnston


PJ Johnston (left) is still amused by his former boss, Da Mayor Willie Brown


Newsom For California Finance Director Paige Barry, Protocol Director Matthew Goudeau and City Treasure Jose Cisneros

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