AP: 666c036a-7631-4e52-9b51-f03b16b738f6
Retired U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Nancy Monahan, right, wears her dress uniform and holds her marriage license as her soon-to-be bride Deb Needham wipes away tears as they wait at Seattle City Hall to become among the first gay couples to legally wed in the state on Sunday. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seattle holds first same-sex weddings

BY MyNorthwest.com  on December 7, 2012 @ 2:47 pm (Updated: 9:14 pm - 12/9/12 )

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It felt like a "royal wedding," said one same-sex couple as they left Seattle City Hall Sunday.

They were met by hundreds of supporters who lined the stairs and streets to congratulate some of the first gay and lesbian couples to get married in Washington state.

"Everyone is really happy and excited," said Laura DeMarco, who handed newlyweds pink and yellow roses as they came outside. "People are blowing bubbles, there are bells and everyone's smiling. Everyone is just really happy to be here and to watch these people get married today."

City Hall hosted 140 weddings Sunday.

Sixteen judges volunteered their time and performed ceremonies from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the grand lobby, which was bustling in preparation for the event early in the morning.

Volunteers rushed to put final touches on a reception area and five alters, which were decorated and designed by local artists Jennifer Zeyl and Celeste Cooning.

Each ceremony lasted roughly 15 minutes.

Keith Bacon and Corianton Hale, who have been together for six years, struggled to hold back tears as they read their vows to each other.

"We're elated, excited, and super-proud," Hale said afterward.

The couple was congratulated by Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, whose wife was also present and burst into tears as Hale and Bacon were pronounced "husband and husband."

"We're a stronger city when people can marry who they want and be who they are," Mayor McGinn told reporters.

He declared Sunday "Marriage Equality Day" in the city of Seattle.

Crowds gathered on City Hall's Fourth Avenue Plaza and enjoyed food trucks and coffee throughout the afternoon. For those who could not attend, the city offered a live stream of the event, photos and personal stories in the Seattle blog, and Twitter updates with the hashtag: #MEdayWA.

A large public reception was planned at the Paramount Theatre from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Wednesday, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a measure legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington state. The law took effect Thursday. King County and Thurston County opened their auditors' offices shortly after midnight Wednesday to accommodate those who wanted to be among the first to get their licenses.

Because the state has a three-day waiting period, couples had to wait until Sunday to get married.

The law does not require religious organizations or churches to perform marriages, and will not subject churches to penalties if they don't marry gay or lesbian couples.

Married same-sex couples will still be denied access to federal pensions, health insurance and other government benefits available to heterosexual couples because the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, bars federal recognition of gay unions.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it will take up gay marriage sometime during the current term. Several pending cases challenge the federal benefit provision of DOMA, and a separate appeal asks the justices to decide whether federal courts were correct in striking down California's Proposition 8, the amendment that outlawed gay marriage after it had been approved by courts in the nation's largest state.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
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Comments (36)


  • Add A Comment

  • FalconClaw wrote...
    Not my words
    December 9, 2012 5:44 am
    Leviticus 20:10
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @religious folks....
    December 9, 2012 7:20 am
    Come on folks - you have your opinion and that's fine. Can you comment without the 'hater' tone? Not everyone is required to follow your religion, or more specifically your version of your religion. I myself am Christian, but I also realize that the Constitition is the law of the land, and that more than one religious point of view and beliefs are allowed. So at least, can you be respectful? If you are, you'd find yourself feeling a lot less persecuted by others. And in fact, you'd receive a lot less 'hater' response from others who don't agree with your beleifs or point of view.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Danutdlp wrote...
    @sarge
    December 9, 2012 9:56 am
    Hey, doesn't nature itself show you that a penis and vagina go together in harmony and that a penis and penis or a vagina and vagina DO NOT go together. This is the most simple argument against gays. It's SIMPLE, you have to be stupid not to understand that. Gays are sick and they need to be euthanized.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cw1997 wrote...
    So How Long Will It Be
    December 9, 2012 7:39 am
    Until well you see I love two guys so why cannot the three of us get married?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • chellesbelles wrote...
    @cw
    December 9, 2012 12:12 pm
    not long, I suppose. Then it will be, 'I really love my dog and my cat, maybe we should go ahead and make it legal.' Not long at all...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • PaperMachete wrote...
    Really?
    December 9, 2012 7:33 pm
    This old tired argument again? It's not hard to see the difference between two consenting adults getting married and a person marrying an animal.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Shplunker wrote...
    New Holiday?
    December 9, 2012 7:51 am
    so....I'm expecting announcement tomorrow from Mayor McBikepath and Gov. Gregwhore...that December 9 will be a new holiday...GAY DAY!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • R L M 456 wrote...
    Courthouse open sunday for Marriage
    December 9, 2012 9:14 am
    Your taxdollar at work
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Special Rights
    December 9, 2012 7:52 pm
    Not Equal Rights....Forced Tolerance = Intolerance.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • don over taxed wrote...
    Gay Unions
    December 9, 2012 2:08 pm
    Which one is the husband?????
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Some Of My Best Neighbors
    December 9, 2012 2:28 pm
    Over the years were gay. I tend to live in rural areas because privacy and and not having a house just 20 feet from my home was important. I have had 4 different sets of gay neighbors. Always very respectful and there to help out. I learned a lot from these people. My attitude changed for the better. I am curious how many of the people that are against these people being married actually have any as friends?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Danutdlp wrote...
    Wsualumn
    December 9, 2012 2:43 pm
    I personally know many gay couples as well and the truth may be that they are very kind people. Some of my customers I also worked for were gays as well. That is no excuse for what they do being a horrible sin in my opinion. There is nothing I can do to change them but I don't appreciate the gay community using our tax dollars to have special services for them and changing the meaning of marriage which has been in existence for thousands of years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Drool wrote...
    Slavery Has Been in Existance for Thousands of Years...
    December 9, 2012 4:10 pm
    ...and is sanctioned in the very same book of myths that I presume you use to claim that homosexuality is morally wrong.

    We managed to shed slavery in spite of it being allowed by the Bible....in spite of people holding the Bible in the air using it to JUSTIFY slavery.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    The Slavery Argument
    December 9, 2012 7:55 pm
    Is stupid, tired, old, pathetic and an insult to all who have fought and given their lives to abolish the hideous scourge upon humanity. Gay people getting married is not even remotely close to the horrors and ugliness of slavery. Having said that, have fun and get married if you like. You deserve all the happiness that the institution has to offer.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Danutdip
    December 9, 2012 4:35 pm
    Marriage has been around for thousands of years and it is an institution that was created by man, just like the Bible. They both have their flaws just like man. That doesn't mean that I don't believe in God either. I say live and let live and let God be the judge. To be honest with you, I believe people are born gay and God loves them just as much as he loves straights.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Danutdlp wrote...
    Wsulaumn
    December 9, 2012 8:34 pm
    Oh don't worry, I believe God loves them as well but absolutely Hates what they do and they WILL end up in hell in a special place if they don't change their ways. Don't tell me it's not possible either. One of my friends told me about a lesbian he knew for 30 years. She even had a partner that she lived with for 20 years. My friend saw her one day and she was completely changed. She didn't have short hair and didn't dress like a guy anymore, she then told my friend how God showed her the light and she repented and changed her ways. God helped her and she was able to change. If a gay or lesbian truly wanted to change their lives God would help them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • PaperMachete wrote...
    danutdip
    December 9, 2012 7:35 pm
    Marriage has been in existence for thousands of years, and it has been redefined several times before. Polygamy was allowed in the Bible. Same with having concubines too. Should we go back to that definition of marriage?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    To all the homophobic people reading this blog,
    December 9, 2012 4:49 pm
    has your life changed because people who love each other and happen to be the same sex were allowed to wed today? I think not. I bet your day tomorrow and all your days in the future won't be affected either. Try, and I emphasize try, to live and let live. Everything will be OK.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • don over taxed wrote...
    Marriage
    December 9, 2012 5:54 pm
    The husband is in the uniform.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • serzsa wrote...
    this one's easy, indeed,
    December 9, 2012 6:11 pm
    but what about other ones? Where they're dressed exactly the same? Sporting those same parts down below?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    I'm amazed
    December 9, 2012 7:09 pm
    At the negative posts on this issue. My guess is that the posters who disagree with gay marriage do not have a friend or relative who is gay. It's not a choice. A gay person can choose to live his or her life alone or choose to have a companion for life like hetero marriages. There will be separations and divorces just like any relationship. You people who wonder which one is the "man" are living under rocks. There is no difference in gay relationships, get it? Probably not, but maybe someday you homophobic people will see the light.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • serzsa wrote...
    from under the rock...
    December 9, 2012 7:18 pm
    so what is really a purpose of the family? Originally secured by marriage?

    Put another way for you, on the surface person, can the gay "family" naturally procreate?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    So if a family can't procreate
    December 9, 2012 7:32 pm
    They should not be allowed to marry?

    A guy needs to prove he ain't shooting blanks?

    A woman needs to prove her fertility?

    No marriages for post menopausal.

    None for guys with ED.

    Those guys need to prove they can get it up before the license is issued.

    The ladies need to prove the can conceive.

    What an utterly ridiculous "argument".

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • serzsa wrote...
    if a normal family can't procreate
    December 9, 2012 7:40 pm
    that's in one or another sense is abnormal. Gay family by definition is abnormal therefore. As long as it's recognized, I'm fine with it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }