Washington State Begins Issuing Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples
via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Love made history in Seattle on Thursday.
In the predawn darkness 300 couples got licenses that will allow them to marry their same-sex partner.
The event began at 12:01 a.m. as men and women stood in line to take advantage of the marriage law that the Legislature passed early this year and voters approved in November.
They formed an eager, festive crowd, with couples young and old braving a night-time chill and wee-hours wait for the chance to make history at the normally dull King County Administration building. Supporters cheered for them with roses, coffee, hand-warmers and serenades of "Going to the Chapel."
The licensing marathon was expected to last more than 18 hours. By 6 a.m., more than 300 licenses had been issued.
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Nationally known sex-advice columnist Dan Savage and his partner were also among the first couples to pick up a marriage license."It's really a remarkable journey we've been on and such a remarkable sea change," he said. "And not just for gay people, but straight people have changed, too. It's gotten better for us because straight people have gotten better about us."
King County issued 1,889 marriage licenses to heterosexual couples during July. It expects to equal that number in the first three days of licensing.
"The marriages will be the real fun," said George Bakan, editor-in-chief of Seattle Gay News. On the other side of James Street, City Hall will play host to 142 marriage ceremonies on Sunday, the first day that same-sex couples can get hitched.
Dan Savage is planning something special on Sunday at City Hall.
On Sunday, Dan Savage, gay columnist and founder of the It Gets Better Project, plans to host a mass same-sex wedding inside Seattle City Hall, reports Towleroad. Savage teamed up with set designer Jen Zeyl to create beautiful, intimate settings more than 140 couples wanting to get married at City Hall, and will be orchestrating the mass weddings free of charge.
