California Same-sex weddings to start at 5 p.m. June 16

by Paddy


Congratulations to all my GLBT friends!! If I got a chance to screw-up a marriage, everyone should.

Wedding bells will begin ringing for California's same-sex couples at 5 p.m. June 16, state officials said Thursday.

And San Francisco city officials are planning to marry large numbers of couples, possibly up to 500 a day, late into the evening and for days on end.

The state Office of Vital Records notified county clerks across the state late Thursday that they could begin issuing marriage licenses as soon as the Supreme Court's decision granting marriage rights to same-sex couples takes effect.

"Its decision on same-sex marriage will be final at 5 p.m. June 16, 2008, (and) the California Department of Public Health's Office of Vital Records directs county clerks to begin using the new state marriage license forms at that time," said Suanne Buggy, spokeswoman for the records office.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said this week he wanted the city to begin issuing licenses "the minute" the Supreme Court decision takes effect. City officials are coordinating volunteers to help issue licenses and perform ceremonies, City Administrator Ed Lee said.