Fla. could become prime spot for gay marriage in Deep South

Associated Press

YULEE, Fla.

With gay marriage now legal in Florida, same-sex couples from around the Deep South crossed the state line Tuesday as the Sunshine State became a prime regional destination for gay and lesbian weddings still banned back home.

Out-of-state couples lined up outside county courthouses early Tuesday in the Panhandle and northern Florida counties. Some drove for hours to get marriage licenses at the first opportunity.

“As soon as we heard about the ruling, we pretty much decided on a whim to come yesterday,” said Scott Singletary, 22. “We wanted to make sure to do it as soon as possible, in case [the law] changed.”

On that point, Florida’s gay and lesbian weddings seem more secure than the first same-sex nuptials that took place years ago in other states.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a request by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to maintain the state’s marriage ban until a final resolution. After she was sworn in to a second term Tuesday, Bondi said her top attorneys are reviewing whether to continue the state’s appeal.

Singletary and Dustyn Batten, 23, of Waycross, Ga., woke before dawn to make the nearly two-hour drive into Florida’s Nassau County. They had been planning a commitment ceremony in Jacksonville but were thrilled to learn they could get married now that Florida’s gay-marriage ban was lifted.

Walt Disney World and other top Florida destinations have offered commitment-ceremony packages for years, but wedding planners, hotels and resorts are sensing a new tourism boom with more couples wanting weddings.

Thirty-six states, including 70 percent of the nation’s population, now allow gay marriage.