Same-sex couple first to marry in Wake live on TV
SURPRISING EVERYBODY.
THEY ARE NOW EXCHANGING RINGS.
RINGS THAT THEY HAD FOR A LONG
TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS DAY.
LET'S LISTEN IN.
>> WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY
TO JOIN MATT AND CLIFF IN
MARRIAGE, ACCORDING TO THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
THE HAPPINESS AND WELFARE OF
MANKIND AND TO BE ENTERED INTO
AND DISCREETLY, AND WITH
GOODNESS.
DO YOU CHRIS TAKE THIS MAN TO
BE YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED SPOUSE?
I DO.
>> DO YOU CHAD TAKE THIS MAN TO
BE YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED SPOUSE?
>> I DO.
>> CHRIS, WOULD YOU PLACE THE
RING ON CHAD'S FINGER, AND WILL
YOU REPEAT AFTER ME.
I GIVE YOU THIS RING.
>> I GIVE YOU THIS RING.
>> AS A TOKEN AND PLEDGE.
>> AS A TOKEN AND PLEDGE.
>> OF MY CONSTANT FAITH.
>> OF MY CONSTANT FAITH.
>> AND ABIDING LOVE.
>> AND ABIDING LOVE.
>> CHAD, WOULD YOU PLACE THE
RING ON CHRIS' FINGER, AND WILL
YOU REPEAT AFTER ME.
I GIVE YOU THIS RING.
>> I GIVE YOU THIS RING.
>> AS A TOKEN AND PLEDGE.
>> AS A TOKEN AND PLEDGE.
>> OF MY CONSTANT FAITH.
>> OF MY CONSTANT FAITH.
>> AND ABIDING LOVE.
>> AND ABIDING LOVE.
>> WILL YOU JOIN BOTH HANDS AND
FACE EACH OTHER.
CHRIS AND CHAD, BY THE POWERS
VESTED IN ME, BY THE STATE OF
NORTH CAROLINA, I NOW PRONOUNCE
YOU MARRIED.
YOU MAY KISS.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
>> Reporter: AND THERE YOU HAVE
IT.
YOU HAVE JUST WITNESSED THE
VERY FIRST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BY
LAW IN WAKE COUNTY, POSSIBLY IN
THE STATE, THEY WERE THE FIRST
COUPLE TO GET THE MARRIAGE
LICENSE AND THEY HAVE BEEN
STANDING HERE ALL DAY, BUT
AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST BEEN A
JOURNEY THAT LASTED FROM 8:00
THIS MORNING UNTIL 5:30.
IT LASTED FOR ABOUT 2 1/2
YEARS.
SO AGAIN, A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
VERY PLEASED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING BACK TO
THE REGISTRAR OF DEEDS OFFICE
TONIGHT.
THEY LEFT THINKING THERE WASN'T
GOING TO BE A DECISION, THAT IT
MIGHT NOT HAPPEN UNTIL NEXT
WEEK, AND THAT CHARLOTTE JUDGE
CAME IN, MADE THAT RULING LATE
TODAY JUST AS THE OFFICE WAS
CLOSING AND THIS IS THE RESULT.
FOLKS ARE GETTING MARRIED HERE