Cuban Gay Man, Transsexual Woman Plan Wedding On Fidel Castro's Birthday (VIDEO)

WATCH: Cuban Gay Man, Transsexual Woman To Tie Knot On Castro's Birthday

A Cuban transgender woman and gay man are set the mark the 85th birthday of former president Fidel Castro by getting married.

As The Advocate is reporting, 37-year-old Wendy Iriepa and 31-year-old Ignacio Estrada will tie the knot Saturday in an effort to emphasize the significance of their union for Cuba's LGBT community.

"I am in love," Iriepa told the BBC. "I cannot live without knowing that this man is at home, or without touching or just knowing he is there. That's why I decided to marry him."

Though same-sex marriages are not legal in Cuba, Iriepa is now legally registered as a woman following her 2007 sex change, Reuters is reporting. The couple said the wedding would be both a first in Cuba's once-persecuted gay and lesbian community and a birthday "gift" for Castro.

Still, like many brides, Iriepa says she's more concerned about details of the ceremony rather than making an overt political statement. "I'm going to wear a strapless dress," she told Reuters. "Nothing traditional, I don't like traditional weddings, I can't stand them, I want my wedding to be as simple as possible."

Watch BBC's report on the marriage here:

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