Miami-Dade County became the first place in Florida to allow same-sex couples to marry on Monday, half a day before a gay-marriage ban that has been ruled unconstitutional is lifted in the rest of the state, reports the Miami Herald.
Weddings began around 1:30 p.m. ET, less than three hours after lifted the legal stay she had placed on her sweeping July decision declaring the ban discriminatory.
Two of the six couples who had sued — Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello of Coconut Grove, and Jeff and Todd Delmay of Hollywood — were the first to be married, by Zabel herself.
“In the big picture, does it really matter whether or not I lift the stay or leave it until tomorrow?” Zabel said from the bench. “I’m lifting the stay.”
According to the report, Pareto, of Coconut Grove said, “I feel good. I am relieved. I feel vindicated.” She and her partner of more than 14 years, Arguello, arrived in cream-colored dresses, ready to get hitched. They were the first couple to obtain a marriage license Monday.
“Finally,” Arguello said. “Finally, our family will not be treated any differently.”
