Gay couples begin marrying in Vegas

Associated Press

LAS VEGAS

Gay couples began getting married Thursday in Las Vegas — the self-proclaimed marriage capital of the world — ending a dizzying legal fight that had kept them waiting for days.

Thomas Topovski cried as the Clark County clerk announced to cheers that marriage licenses would finally be issued. He and Jefferson Ruck, his partner of 14 years, returned Thursday for their marriage license after standing in line for hours the day before.

About 10 same-sex couples were standing in line as the announcement came shortly after 5 p.m.

“It’s amazing, this is it,” said Theo Small as he stood next to his partner, Antioco Carillo, and looked down at their marriage license, the first issued in Las Vegas.

“We’re walking on clouds,” Carillo said. “This is unreal.”

State Sen. Kelvin Atkinson wed Sherwood Howard shortly after gay couples began receiving marriage licenses. Atkinson, during an emotional legislative debate on same-sex unions last year, stood before the chamber and announced that he is gay.

A few feet from the crowd that had gathered to witness Atkinson and Howard’s union on the steps of the marriage-license bureau, Dave Parry married Morgan Floyd under a tree just outside the bureau’s doors.

“Oh, my, gosh. It’s done,” Parry said, before embracing Floyd.