June 17 is Marriage Day
Posted on May 30, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 35 Comments
Hey, I just noticed that the day that California will start allowing same-sex couples to marry is June 17.
By coincidence, June 17 is the day I got married. And in California, no less.
So to same-sex couples in California planning to get married as fast as they possibly can: I will be absolutely delighted to share my anniversary with you. And I am likewise delighted that such a significant day for marriage here in the United States just happens to fall on the date my own marriage occurred. It adds to the day, in my opinion, and makes my anniversary that much more special. I hope your wedding on that day will be as wonderful as ours was. And I hope your anniversaries will be, too.
It’s too bad they didn’t make it June 12, the anniversary of Loving v Virginia, the Supreme Court case that struck down bans on interracial marriage. (And, incidentally, my own wedding anniversary.)
June 17th will, coincidentally be my last full day as a legally single man. (Been separated since last year.)
However, June 18th, I will be diving back into the murky waters of matrimonial bliss. No, this is not why marriage #1 ended. It is, however, the culmination of a whirlwind romance.
I find it ironic the chapel pointed out its policy of no-fee rescheduling for up to a year in the event of, among other things, injury to one of the wedding party. Why the irony?
Our joint bachelor/bachelorette party will be white-water rafting on the day before.
It’s strange how such a small piece of writing such as this can mean so much.
I’m glad you’re not going to be spending your anniversary running around foaming at the mouth and wailing “ZOMG! Teh Sanctity of my marriage is to be teh ruined!”
OK, that is just all kinds of awesome.
Come to Ontario, Canada to get married. We’ll gladly export Marriage!
But if all these gay couples have their anniversaries on the same day as yours, doesn’t that dilute the value of your own marriage? Aren’t you just outraged?
Come on! Feel the outrage! The Party needs your outrage!
I think the sanctity of gay marriage needs to be protected from the Scalzis. I shall be drafting anti-Scalzi marriage legislation shortly.
Numerologists will tell you that the 17th is a fateful day (it’s an eight). Congratulations in advance, John, and to all the gay couples who intend to get married. More power to them.
Hey John, I don’t supposed you want to go around and renew your vows with Krissy in all the other states that don’t allow gay marriage yet? I mean, since you have such a good track record now.
May all those Gay Californians who wind up sharing your anniversary be as happy as you in your own married bliss.
Good for them. You know, I used to be in favor of it just because I’m a minarchist. Over the last year or so, I’ve just become in favor of two people who love each other being able to enjoy the thrill of having it publicly and legally recognized.
Hey John, I don’t supposed you want to go around and renew your vows with Krissy in all the other states that don’t allow gay marriage yet?
What a great idea! The Scalzi-pa-looza Travelin’ Get-Hitched Tour!
Oh, excellent. I’m happy to share my birthday with all of these anniversaries as well (including yours, Scalzi!)
And I thought having National Talk Like a Pirate day as a wedding anniversary (Sept. 19) was cool. This is way more memorable.
I was under the impression that June 17th is when the state will start issuing licenses. Can people get married on the same day? I have no idea.
Yes, we’re nuts out here on the Left Coast, but every once in a while something happens to make me proud to be a Californian. This is one of them. Mazel tov, all you soon-to-be-married kids!
By the way, gay couples, while some married folks are going to blame you for the destruction of their marriages, I’m going to blame you for my being single. Because, you know, it certainly couldn’t be my fault.
Bob, it is true that every lesbian wedding removes two women from the possibility of marriage to you. But remember that those two women wouldn’t be interested in you anyway, no matter what those porn flicks claim.
Along with congratulations on anniversaries and weddings upcoming, I would like to offer some practical advice to gay couples planning to wed in California:
Please please PLEASE talk with a qualified financial planner/advisor (like a CFP), attorney, etc., before you head to the altar. According to a comment made by the CFP in my networking group, just getting married will not, unfortunately, get you the same tax and other benefits as marriage gives straight people.
No, I don’t know why. But until that flaw gets worked out, the aforementioned professionals should be able to get you properly started.
John, you rock. It’s that plain. It’s that simple. Now, if we could just get the scores of angry anti-same-sex marriage onboard.
Added bonus: now people from New York can get married in California (or Canada, closer) and have it recognized in New York.
( I am not able to sort out the tax situation of those who marry in CA, fly back to NY, get divorced, but then, this isn’t a legal blawg.)
The angry same-sex marriage opponents are fighting a battle they’ve already lost. This particular social trend is irreversible. Gays may be a minority, but the percentage of the population that supports equal rights for them is not a minority anymore.
In fifty years, the people who rail against the immorality of gay marriage will be held in the same regard as we now hold the people who rail against interracial marriage.
Of course, by then, the zealous fundies will have moved on to a new target. Gotta keep the congregation believing they’re under attack, otherwise the pews and collection baskets stay empty on Sundays.
Yay! I only wish I had a boyfriend that I could drag to CA.
#18: Maybe that, for Federal purposes, they are still unmarried has something to do with it.
#20: Since NY now recognizes same-sex marriages, I’d think that gay NY residents can now head to MA to be married because the marriage would not be “void” in their home state. (Canada would actually be closer to some parts of NY, but MA is closer to other parts.)
Shut up, Cam. We needs to keeps all our marriages here. IF we go givin’ marriages away to all them ‘Mericans, we won’t have none left fer us.
@ #23
I’m pretty sure Massachusetts actually has some pretty strict requirements preventing out-of-state couples from marrying here if they are not allowed to wed one another within their home state. The requirements were, I believe, originally enacted to prevent out-of-state interracial couples from marrying in the Commonwealth, and this rule has been enforced since the recent(ish) gay marriage decision.
So gay couples resident in New York who want their union recognized without wanting to establish residence in the Bay State (and why is it the Commonwealth, but also the Bay State?) will have to use California, assuming California (unlike Massachusetts) will let them.
Well said Mr Scalzi. I just don’t understand what the big deal is. People really need to mind their own (expletive deleted) buisness.
I hope California will allow anyone from anywhere get married here. Nothing wrong with grabing a little extra tourist money while we are at it.
We are full of fruits and nuts here but it makes for a tasty trailmix of a society.
DH and I will celebrate 19 years on June 10th. We’ll have to have an extra glass of champagne in the 17 th celebrate the anniversaries and weddings.
What a nice excuse for more bubbly.
In California, a marrriage license can be used immediately with no waiting. And since California has no residency requirement, some of those couples will probably be from New York and every other state. Many many folks will very happily share John’s anniversary.
I’m going to a wedding June 17. Wedding and celebration bash are being thrown by an old family friend for her daughter. She didn’t think she’d live to see her daughter able to marry her partner. She’s 93.
10 States Ask California To Delay Same-Sex Marriage:
http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=42653
States involved are Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah.
As a New Hampshireite, I sincerely hope CA tells my state to get bent on this particular issue.
I am very happy that they finally are allowing gays to marry in CA. I have a couple friends who are going to finally get to marry each other after years together. Of course I also know a couple who has been together 20+ years who said “Nah, we prefer to live in sin, we like sin!”
RE:#29, I saw that in this mornings paper. See the third sentence of my post at #26. Considering the fact that all ten of these states have laws that make same sex marriges illegal why don’t they just admit that they will not recognize them from other states. They can keep their self rightousness.
We got married on the 17th of June too. I just wish people would look at what hasn’t happened in Massachusetts. Same sex marriage has not imploded the state, nor has it caused more divorces or any of the other doom that was supposed to happen.
My wedding anniversary is also June 17th! My husband and I are so proud to share it with all the same-sex couples who married yesterday.
I am collecting the names and years of people who married on this day for a new art project. Please email me (mjaquis at rise-ind.com) with both partners’ first and last names and the marriage year to be included.
June 17 is my favorite day! It is my birthday, but only since 1957.