Wedding bells are ringing for gay and lesbian couples in the nation's capital.
The AP reports that same-sex couples began picking up marriage licenses and tying the knot in Washington D.C. Tuesday.
About 150 couples could pick up their marriage licenses beginning at 8:30 a.m. Those are the couples that applied on the first day the licenses were made available. Many of them stood in line for four or more hours last Wednesday.
Some couples planned quick ceremonies at a church or rights group's office while others said they'll wait and have more decorative celebrations.
Usually the courthouse has four to six weddings a day, but over the next several weeks they are expecting 10 to 12 per day. Some courtrooms and judge's chambers may be used for the ceremonies, as well.
Three morning weddings are planned at the office of the Human Rights Campaign, reports the Advocate.
The court's official marriage booklet has been updated so that the ceremony will end by pronouncing the couple "legally married" as opposed to "husband and wife."
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) signed legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in December and congratulated the newlyweds after their services, saying that the weddings "were a great step forward for equality and for our city that has always been a standard bearer for treating people equally and justly."
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