With celebrations, NJ has 1st gay marriages
Source: AP
LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. — LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Gay couples in a handful of New Jersey communities exchanged marriage vows in the first minutes of Monday morning, becoming the first to take advantage of a court ruling that forced the state to become the 14th in the nation to recognize same-sex nuptials.
In Lambertville, Beth Asaro and Joanne Schailey smiled through a ceremony in the same crowded municipal courtroom where almost seven years ago they became one of the first couples in the state joined in a civil union.
"We remained optimistic and hopeful that we would be able to gather together to do the right thing, the just thing, and see our two friends get married," Mayor Dave DelVecchio, who led both the 2007 ceremony and Monday's, said before leading the couple of 27 years through their vows as their 13-year-old daughter served as the flower girl. "We're floating on air," Asaro, in a salmon pink suit said afterward. "It's like winning the Super Bowl," said her wife, who wore a black pant suit.
At Newark's City Hall, where seven gay couples and two heterosexual couples were wed, there was a brief disruption from a protester who cried out, "This is unlawful in the eyes of God and Jesus Christ," before Mayor Cory Booker, a Democrat elected last week to the U.S. Senate declared Gabriela Celeiro and Liz Salerno "lawful spouses." After the protester was removed, the mayor, choking up, paused, put his hand over his heart and said, "This is very beautiful."
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/celebrations-nj-has-1st-gay-marriages
Seven PHOTOS here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/20/cory-booker-same-sex-marriage_n_4134116.html
Also... The police dragged the 'protester out'
-
In Newark, Mayor Cory Booker was marrying the first of several couples when someone attempted to disrupt the ceremony.
Booker had asked if anyone had reason to object to the marriage and a protester screamed "This is unlawful in the eyes of God and Jesus Christ."
Booker, who was elected to the U.S. Senate last week, called for the person to be removed and police dragged him out.
As Booker continued speaking, "...not hearing any substantive and worthy objections," thunderous applause erupted.
-snip-
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nj-gay-couples-final-hours-wedding-planning
