Though distribution of same-sex marriage certificates began in Washington on Thursday, the state’s three-day waiting period prevented actual weddings from taking place until Sunday. One of the first couples to marry just after midnight on Sunday morning (pictured above) was ironically married by Judge Mary Yu, who volunteered to take the late shift.
Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) noted the momentous occasion on The Huffington Post Sunday:
We have few occasions in life to be witness to extraordinary history. This is one of those days. Today same-sex couples in Washington are getting married under a law approved by the voters. For the first time in the United States, their marriage is legal not because of actions by legislatures or courts but because their equal rights were affirmed by their peers across the state at the ballot box. That shift is momentous and one of which I am incredibly proud. […]
As my own daughters taught me, this is indeed the civil rights issue of our time. There will come a time when, across our country, the ability to marry the person you love will not be an issue. Future generations will look back and wonder why we ever denied this basic human right. We can’t rest until that moment. I will be with you every step of the way.
See many more photos from the day’s celebration from Seattle Gay News, The Seattle Times, and the many marriages that took place at Seattle City Hall.
Among the couples who married yesterday was Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller. The two married in Canada in 2005, but were eager to recommit their vows to each other in their home state and home country. And according to Savage, they planned to celebrate afterward.
Update:
Watch a heart-warming video of supporters congratulating newlywed couples as they leave Seattle City Hall: