SAME SEX COUPLES MAKE WEDDING PREPARATIONS IN HOPE OF JUDGE LIFTING STAY OF PROP. 8 RULING
Media Contacts:
Molly McKay, Media Director (510) 332-0872, media@marriageequality.org
Molly McKay, Media Director (510) 332-0872, media@marriageequality.org
Pamela Brown, Policy Director (510) 384-3655, policy@marriageequality.org
Oakland, California: Same-sex couples are making preparations this weekend to tie the knot on Monday if Judge Vaughn Walker lifts the stay of his historic ruling finding Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Couples are busy picking out wedding rings, planning ceremonies and celebrations, and filling out marriage license applications.
Eric Ross, who hopes to marry his fiance, said, "We are shopping for wedding rings this weekend that will symbolize our love and commitment to each other. We are very hopeful that the Judge will lift the stay."
Vanessa Judicpa, will exchange vows with her partner Maria Ydil in a long-planned wedding ceremony with friends and family on Sunday evening. She and Maria had hoped to marry immediately after Judge Walker's decision was issued and received an application prior to the Stay being issued. She hopes to be able to marry Maria legally on Monday. "Our dearest family and friends will join us Sunday to celebrate our lives together. Maria and I could imagine no better wedding gift than to marry legally in California on Monday."
Teresa Rowe, and Kristen Orbin, from Solano County will receive a blessing of hope that they can marry soon from MCC Church in San Francisco where they are regular attendees. MCC Church is located at 150 Eureka St in San Francisco and services are at 11am. "We will head straight to City Hall the second the stay is lifted but it is really important to us to also have a ceremony at our church afterwards. We thought for a second the stay might be lifted this weekend and my entire retail store where I work was ready to shut down and go with us."
Thom Watson, who hopes to legally marry his life partner Jeff Tabaco next week, stated, "Last year we had what otherwise would have been a perfect wedding celebration at the historic Cliff House, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, but we couldn't marry legally because of Proposition 8. This weekend we are filling out our marriage license application so if the stay is lifted we can have a fully legal marriage just as everyone else can."
There are several more couples available to share their lives and speak to press as well.
"My wife, Davina and I have enjoyed wedded bliss for the last two years of our 14 years together- it was awful when Proposition 8 slammed the door behind us. We are so happy that all couples who are ready to make the commitment of marriage will be able to legally marry again in California and don't have to fly to Iowa or Argentina to be married. We are so grateful to our Governor and our Attorney General for encouraging Judge Walker to lift the stay of his ruling quickly so that all loving, committed couples in California can live out their dream of legally marrying the one they love," said Molly McKay, MEUSA Media Director, "It's great being just an old married couple."
"Marriage is a fundamental right and while everyone is free to express their personal opinion, no one should ever be able to vote to take that fundamental right away," said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. "Eighteen thousand same-sex couples married and the defense presented no credible evidence to show the State suffered any harm as a result, because only good comes from allowing loving couples the right to marry. As we wind through the lengthy legal process, same-sex couples should not have to continue to suffer the denial of this fundamental right. Let freedom ring and let marriage equality return."
Eric Ross, who hopes to marry his fiance, said, "We are shopping for wedding rings this weekend that will symbolize our love and commitment to each other. We are very hopeful that the Judge will lift the stay."
Vanessa Judicpa, will exchange vows with her partner Maria Ydil in a long-planned wedding ceremony with friends and family on Sunday evening. She and Maria had hoped to marry immediately after Judge Walker's decision was issued and received an application prior to the Stay being issued. She hopes to be able to marry Maria legally on Monday. "Our dearest family and friends will join us Sunday to celebrate our lives together. Maria and I could imagine no better wedding gift than to marry legally in California on Monday."
Teresa Rowe, and Kristen Orbin, from Solano County will receive a blessing of hope that they can marry soon from MCC Church in San Francisco where they are regular attendees. MCC Church is located at 150 Eureka St in San Francisco and services are at 11am. "We will head straight to City Hall the second the stay is lifted but it is really important to us to also have a ceremony at our church afterwards. We thought for a second the stay might be lifted this weekend and my entire retail store where I work was ready to shut down and go with us."
Thom Watson, who hopes to legally marry his life partner Jeff Tabaco next week, stated, "Last year we had what otherwise would have been a perfect wedding celebration at the historic Cliff House, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, but we couldn't marry legally because of Proposition 8. This weekend we are filling out our marriage license application so if the stay is lifted we can have a fully legal marriage just as everyone else can."
There are several more couples available to share their lives and speak to press as well.
"My wife, Davina and I have enjoyed wedded bliss for the last two years of our 14 years together- it was awful when Proposition 8 slammed the door behind us. We are so happy that all couples who are ready to make the commitment of marriage will be able to legally marry again in California and don't have to fly to Iowa or Argentina to be married. We are so grateful to our Governor and our Attorney General for encouraging Judge Walker to lift the stay of his ruling quickly so that all loving, committed couples in California can live out their dream of legally marrying the one they love," said Molly McKay, MEUSA Media Director, "It's great being just an old married couple."
"Marriage is a fundamental right and while everyone is free to express their personal opinion, no one should ever be able to vote to take that fundamental right away," said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. "Eighteen thousand same-sex couples married and the defense presented no credible evidence to show the State suffered any harm as a result, because only good comes from allowing loving couples the right to marry. As we wind through the lengthy legal process, same-sex couples should not have to continue to suffer the denial of this fundamental right. Let freedom ring and let marriage equality return."
Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. For more information go to www.marriageequality.org
