What could be more exciting than racing across the world for $1 million? According to newlyweds Alex Ali and Lynn Warren -- marriage.

"Getting married is much more thrilling than Amazing Race because the prize at the end is true love, and a happy life ever after," a beaming Warren said shortly after marrying Ali.

The gay couple known from CTV's The Amazing Race wed Wednesday morning in Ottawa as 400 invited guests looked on.

Ottawa radio station Hot 89.9 picked up the tab for the wedding that the two couldn't legally have in California.

"It was very emotional because it was very real," Warren said of the half-hour ceremony. "And it's something that we've been waiting for years and years."

Warren and Ali encouraged every gay couple unable to marry in the United States to come to Canada.

"It's a big world. Come to Canada, come to Ottawa and have a beautiful wedding and celebrate your love. And be with people who celebrate instead of tolerate," Warren said.

For same-sex marriage opponents, Warren had this message: "For all the people in Parliament that aren't voting for it, go to the United States and work for Bush."

Although Ali expected to see some protesters at the nuptials, "I didn't see one," he said. Instead, dozens of adoring fans clamoured to get the best view they could.

Ali's family didn't know he was gay until he went on The Amazing Race. Ali said he probably subconsciously went on the reality show to come out to his parents, who were not at the wedding.

"My father and mother do not support this marriage. They don't believe in gay marriage. But fortunately, I have my aunt and my uncle who helped raise me... here. They are my father figures here," he said.

Warren and Ali are not the only couple to publicly wed since the end of the reality show. Second-place finishers Rob Mariano and Amber Birch tied the knot in a lavish beachfront wedding in the Bahamas last week.

The two couples sniped at one another throughout The Amazing Race. But now that the show is over, it seems the hard feelings may have softened a bit.

"We invited Rob and Amber to our wedding," Ali said. He said they had a limited number of spots for their wedding, so they didn't go to the Bahamas.

"I don't know how we didn't make the cut," Warren joked.

With a report from CJOH's Chris Day