It’s been one week since Arizona started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and Pima County has seen an overall uptick in applications.
The Pima County Superior Court has issued 244 marriage licenses since gay marriage was legalized in Arizona. The clerk’s office does not make a distinction between licenses issued to same-sex and heterosexual couples, but daily average is about twice the norm of 25 licenses, said Mary Albright, a clerk in the office.
The Pima County Superior Court Clerk’s office started issuing licenses after Attorney General Tom Horne announced last Friday morning that he would not appeal an earlier court declaration that Arizona’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
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On the first day gay couples could get marriage licenses, 86 were issued.
The plaza outside the Pima County Superior Court became a pop-up chapel complete with clergy, roses and cupcakes.
At least ten couples swapped vows in front of county workers, reporters, family and friends.
Robert Gordon and his partner Stephen Kraynak were one of the couples to marry, though they had been together for 16 years.
The celebratory spirit continued throughout their weekend. A pre-planned dinner with friends included surprise balloons and cake, and they received a standing ovation at their church.
“That was kind of wild,” Gordon said.
Now the couple looks forward to filing joint taxes and changing Kraynak’s health-care plan to save money.
“It has quieted down and it’s fine with me,” Gordon said.
Delle McCormick, a senior minister at Rincon Congregational United Church of Christ, married more than six couples outside the courthouse.
She said another pastor from the church, Tracy Hughes, married four more couples outside the courthouse the following Monday.
“I think what happened on Friday was such a powerful antidote to a world filled with hate and fear,” McCormick said. “Love won on Friday.”
