After all the angst and hoopla, the first full day of same-sex marriage in California on Tuesday turned out to be almost placid, if you discounted the whoops of celebration or the courthouse crushes of brides and brides, and grooms and grooms.
The weight of history, the sense that this was a signal moment in the decades-long battle for gay rights, was lightened by joy and relief as couples -- some of whom had waited decades to marry -- took their vows amid smiling friends, proud relatives and beaming government officials.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday, June 19, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 50 words Type of Material: Correction
Focus on the Family: An article about the first full day of same-sex marriage in California in Wednesday's Section A referred to the head of Focus on the Family as the Rev. James C. Dobson. Dobson is not a clergyman. He has a PhD from the University of Southern California.
Aside from a few low-key demonstrations, opponents of same-sex marriage largely stayed away from the celebratory scenes being played out at county buildings statewide, concluding that acrimony would probably detract from their November ballot measure to change the state Constitution to outlaw the practice.
Behind the scenes, though, the seeds of what could be an epic political battle were being sown.
For hundreds of gay and lesbian couples, Tuesday was a day that intertwined the personal and the political.
Chelsea Thompson, 24 of Anaheim and Bonni Millon, 24, of Long Beach arrived at the Los Angeles County clerk's office in Norwalk at 10 p.m. Monday to save their place in line.
"It's a monumental day," Millon said shortly before the clerk's office opened Tuesday morning. "We're changing history and we wanted to be a part of that and support the other people."
"I think it's a glorious California morning to make history," said "Star Trek" actor George Takei, who got a license in West Hollywood to marry his longtime partner, Brad Altman. Paraphrasing a line from the television show, he added: "Congratulations to all of us. May equality live long and prosper."
By the end of the day, well over 2,300 marriage licenses had been issued statewide; the vast majority appeared to be to same-sex couples. The statewide average for a weekday in June is 460, according to a Times survey of all 58 counties.
Los Angeles County issued 648 licenses and performed 279 wedding ceremonies, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan said. That is well above the daily average of 133 licenses in June.
In Orange County, 121 couples received licenses, up from an average of 30. San Diego County issued 230 licenses, surpassing its old record of 176 set on Valentine's Day 2005.
Opponents of gay marriage, largely anchored by Christian fundamentalists, have not given up their fight to overturn last month's California Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex unions.
