Politics & Government

First Same-Sex Couple Weds in Los Angeles

By City News Service

The first same-sex wedding in the Los Angeles took place early Friday evening.

The marriage took place at City Hall between Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami, a Burbank couple and two of the plaintiffs in the federal case that led to the demise of Prop. 8.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa officiated.

"Today your wait is finally over,'' Villaraigosa told the couple before beginning the ceremony.

"By joining the case against Proposition 8, you represented hundreds of thousands of couples in the fight for marriage equality,'' he said. "You represented America in the fight for marriage equality, in the fight for dignity for all. ... You came out victorious.''

Two other plaintiffs in the case, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, were married late Friday afternoon at San Francisco City Hall, with state Attorney General Kamala Harris presiding.

After the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling was released Wednesday, Harris called on the 9th Circuit to immediately lift the stay. Under federal court rules, however, there is generally a 25-day period to allow proponents of Prop. 8 to seek a re-hearing before the Supreme Court.

With the 9th Circuit lifting the stay, however, Harris quickly wrote on her Twitter page, "On my way to (San Francisco) City Hall. Let the wedding bells ring!''

Dean Logan, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, said he was standing with Zarrillo and Katami shortly after 4 p.m. when he received a call from Harris instructing him to immediately begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

According to Logan's office, the number of deputized marriage commissioners has been increased in anticipation of increased demand, and some extended hours will be offered at some district offices.

Marriage licenses in Los Angeles County can be obtained online at https://marriage.lavote.net/OMLS. Couples are encouraged to fill out the application online and bring the confirmation page to the clerk's office, along with the $90 license fee. The fee for a civil marriage ceremony is $25.

The clerk's main office in Norwalk will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the third Thursday of the month, the office is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pre-scheduled, pre-paid ceremonies will also be performed on Wednesdays and Fridays at county clerk offices in East Los Angeles, Florence/Firestone, Lancaster, the Airport Courthouse and Van Nuys. Ceremonies will be performed at the Beverly Hills Courthouse on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The clerk's office is also partnering with West Hollywood and Long Beach to provide ceremonies.

For more about the lift of the same-sex marriage ban, click here.


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