Gay enclave hosts 'marriage marathon'

West Hollywood park is venue

By Christina Hoag | Monday, June 23, 2008

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WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) - Same-sex couples across California exchanged vows and wedding bands on the first weekend since the state began allowing gays and lesbians to legally marry.

The city of West Hollywood, a staunch advocate of marriage rights for gays and lesbians, hosted a daylong marriage marathon Saturday, when about 100 same-sex couples planned to wed in ceremonies officiated by council members and administrators.

Accompanied by camera-toting clusters of relatives and friends, couples traded vows under white trellises trimmed with red roses inside curtained cabanas in West Hollywood Park.

Among them were Nancy Vasquez and Sandy Perron, partners of 16 years, who got their marriage license at West Hollywood City Hall on Tuesday and returned Saturday for the ceremony.

"This is just the icing on the cake," said Ms. Perron, a 45-year-old human resources assistant from Gardena. "It's something we've been waiting for."

California became the only U.S. state besides Massachusetts to allow gay couples to marry last Monday, a month after the state Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.

But the wedding spree could be short-lived if voters approve a November ballot initiative that would in turn reverse the May 15 court ruling and amend the state constitution to bar gay marriage.

For Susan and River Mika Coyote of Incline Village, Nev., getting married at the Sacramento gay pride festival was a statement about human rights, as well as their personal commitment. The couple held a ceremony five years ago, legally combined their names and bank accounts, and bought a home together.

River, 38, said she hopes hundreds of gay marriages in coming months will help dissuade voters from supporting a constitutional ban on the November ballot.

"It's easy when people think of gay people as 'those people,'" she said. "If you check that box you're taking away the marriage of River and Susie - it's not 'those people.' We're normal people who want to take care of each other."

The gay wedding boom has been good for business. Tom Rosa, owner of the Cake And Art bakery in West Hollywood, said business has tripled in the past week, and on one day he did as many consultations as he usually does in a month.

Rainbow-colored cakes are popular, but some couples are wild for a silver-studded all-black cake, said Mr. Rosa, who baked four cakes for same-sex couples marrying at West Hollywood Park.

Many couples waited until Saturday to get married so they could share the day with family and friends and not be part of the media hoopla and protests that surrounded ceremonies earlier in the week.

"We didn't want that to take away from our occasion. It means a lot to us," said Pat Melchor of Downey, who married her partner of 11 years, the new Cheryl Melchor, who was clutching a bouquet of white roses as they posed for photos.

West Hollywood Council member John Heilman, who was deputized by the county deputy commissioner of civil marriages to officiate weddings in June, said the day was proving emotional, especially for couples who had been together for many years.

"Everyone's crying," he said. "People are bringing their family and friends. That's what been nicer about today."

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