Today is the first day that gay marriage is allowed in New York, and one couple wasted no time:
In Niagara Falls, Lambert and Rudd chose Luna Island at the foot of the Falls for the site of their ceremony, following in the tradition of countless other couples who’ve been marrying there for more than a century. The waterfalls were lit, for the first time, in the hues of the rainbow, the symbol of gay equality and pride.
The couple planned a ceremony that would have them saying “I do” at one second past midnight, following a candlelit procession. Plans were for a municipal clerk to be on hand to sign their marriage license after midnight, along with a state Supreme Court judge to waive the 24-hour waiting period.
Here are the Buffalo News and New York Times stories on the day. The whole New York economy, especially Niagara Falls, will get a little boost from the thousands of weddings that will be held in the next days and months.
Alwhite
So – has the world come to an end yet?
Linda Featheringill
Congratulations to everybody getting married today and in the coming days! Many years of happiness and joy!
Frankensteinbeck
Alwhite:
No, it takes a few months for the army of man-turtle hybrids to reach maturity and overrun us.
General Stuck
So cool. While I am not a big believer in the institution of marriage for anyone, I do support equal rights under the law, and it is nice to see that happen in the great state of New York. Can’t wait till it spreads to PA, and Rick Sanitorium’s head esplodes.
geg6
This is so wonderful! Congratulations to all the about-to-be newlyweds!
And thank FSM that there is one small, bright spot of hope and good in a week that seemed to bring us nothing but stupid and evil.
MikeJ
Edroso has a pic of the falls in their rainbow lit glory.
Punchy
Yet all those innocent, hardworking muni clerks gubmint Fundies were forced to quit because their Turn-the-Other-Cheek, Love-Your-Neighbor Jeezus somehow tells them that teh ghey is somehow teh icky.
demkat620
Congrats to all the Newlyweds and welcome to married life.
Has the world ended yet?
Ron
@Frankensteinbeck:
We’re going to be attacked by an army made up of Mitch McConnell clones?
Ron
@demkat620: This was my status on Facebook shortly after there was news that some couples had gotten married:
PurpleGirl
Time Warner’s NY1 televised the first ceremony in NYC; Manhattan I presume. It was a lesbian couple — Phyllis and Connie — together for over 20 years, ages 75 and 85. I felt a lump in my throat. I should have taken down the clerk’s ending about growing in the love that let’s you cope with the challenges of life, cause it was such a nice sentiment. This is a good day, indeed.
Frankensteinbeck
demkat620:
Not yet. It’s still the weekend. I’ve put together an educational packet teaching elementary school students how to have sex with department store mannequins, but it won’t be until Monday that I can force teachers to teach it to all of their students, and they can’t do their homework until class lets out.
Ron:
I was promised that gay weddings meant men would have sex with turtles. If Mitch’s parents did anything illegal before this law passed, that’s not my fault.
demkat620
@Ron
Mine too seems to have survived. Can Obama do nothing right?
cat48
Congratulations to all newlyweds in NY & around the World!
On another happy note, the GOP is developing a new Global Reputation:
PurpleGirl
From the Easter liturgy, remembered from the Lutheran iteration:
This is the day that the Lord hath made, be glad and rejoice in it.
I think it fits.
Amir_Khalid
@cat48:
The developing right-wing narrative seems to be that it was Obama who chickened out of a deal. I wonder (he said innocently) who’s going to believe that.
cat48
@Amir_Khalid:
The GOP might want to see Obama cranky again, like the press conf. Friday. heh I think Obama spooked Wall St b/c I read last nite that they expected the Markets to be nervous on Monday:
HRA
Congratulations to all the newly wed couples.
To add to the list here of our weddings still safe -the falls did not shut off either.
I am very proud of my state.
RalfW
Congrats to Kitty and Cheryle!! (Lambert-Rudd?)
This is very happy news. And soon, we’ll find that it’s no news at all, except for the families and friends of brides and grooms, and I eagerly await that day, too.
Joey Maloney
My marriage, like Generalissimo Francisco Franco, is still dead. The events in New York do not seem to have made it any deader.
Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen
The money side of equal marriage will have a huge impact on laws passed in other states. A picture of a restaurant owner near Niagra rolling about in piles of cash would be a huge boost to the cause
(I’m being an unromantic chump and talking about cash because the pictures are making me choke up.)
Alex S.
Very fitting choice of song
RossInDetroit
In a generation same sex marriage will be a non-issue.
Today it’s a victory to celebrate.
Amir_Khalid
Conventional society in Malaysia is, in some ways, more tolerant than in America of gay/transgender people, and their artistic expression is welcomed — as long there is no flaunting of their sexuality. (Heck, the merest flaunting of straight sexuality is still frowned upon here.) But we’re a long way from allowing same-sex marriage, even though (as I point out to my disapproving straight friends) it should be no skin off a straight person’s nose if gay people get married.
So congratulations to the gay and lesbian newlyweds of New York State. May you couples share much love and many years together, all that Heaven will allow.
JCT
I remember commenting on the original thread the night Marriage Equality passed that the “Styles” section of the NYT was going to be a blast — and it was great this AM. Just spent a lovely 30 minutes reading through all sorts of happy stories. Great way to start the day given the colossal clusterfuck in DC. There was a great quote in one of the articles where one couple commented on the baby explosion for many of their gay friends, such a nice bonus, happy, healthy wanted kids.
Strongly recommended!
Happy day to all of the newlyweds and their families and friends.
karen marie
Reading the story in the Buffalo Times brought tears to my eyes! Congratulations, everyone!
Nylund
Yeah, but I bet the chapels on the Canadian side of the falls are pissed. No longer do you have to cross over the boarder to get marriage equality.
licensed to kill time
The spousal unit and I woke up this morning and carefully examined our matrimonial estate for signs of diminished solemnity and holiness and are pleased to report no change.
We celebrate those who wish to enter this estate of their own free will, and are glad that the No Trespassing signs have been taken down in New York. ¡Felicitaciones!