More Gay Weddings Set for San Francisco

Three hundred more couples rush to San Francisco to get married today to get married on Valentine's Day.

SAN FRANCISCO Feb. 14 — Gay and lesbian couples from across the country answered this city's Valentine's Day invitation to wed in an unprecedented spree of same-sex marriages that has challenged California law and sent conservative groups scrambling for court intervention.

About 300 people lined up Saturday morning outside City Hall to secure marriage licenses and then take each other as "spouse for life" in brief vows that have given San Francisco's seat of government the feel of a Las Vegas wedding chapel.

I think it's great but, as jonnyboyca pointed out in the forums, "My boyfriend of almost 4 years and I live about an hour away from San Francisco and we thought about rushing to SF to go get hitched too BUT we decided that to us marriage is something sacred and that when we do get married we'd like our friends and family to participate/witness our proclamation of love. So we will wait until we are truly ready."

I think there is a lot to be said for that. All of this is happened way too fast for most of us to be able to take in. The thought of being able to be married and to hold a marriage license is intoxicating, but it is what we really want. I think part of it is what we want. We want to be recognized as being equal in the eyes of the law and a simple piece of paper that says "Marriage License" on it is a big part of that, even though it is done in defiance of the law.

But, as Jonny points out, there is more to it than that. Kent and I could easily go to Canada and get married. In our case, since we have no friends around in Canada to witness our marriage after being together for 30 years, I think it would seem hollow to me. In the first place, when I returned home, it would only be a piece of paper; not recognized in any state.

In the second place, being married around strangers is not how I envisioned my wedding to be. I thought it would be a joyous occasion that I could share with my friends. Michelle suggested that I go and get married, then come home and have a celebration on my own turf. Perhaps that's the answer.