First gay marriage in Sonoma County

Sonoma County helped usher in history Monday as the first gay marriage was performed at 5:20 p.m., with the newlyweds wiping away tears and laughing nervously at the vows.

"It's great," said Mark Gren of Santa Rosa, adding that the ceremony was everything he and his husband, Chris Lechman, hoped for.

The wedding was business as usual for the couple despite a flurry of attention to the county's first legal gay wedding ceremony.

"It felt a lot like crossing the T's and dotting the I's," Lechman said.

Cheers and shouts from a nearby room where gay couples lined up to sign licenses echoed through Gren and Lechman's vows.

But the circus-like atmosphere only made the event seem more historic, Gren said.

"We recognized those who paved the way for us and hopefully this will be a stepping stone for other rights to follow," Gren said.

Thirty-six people gathered late Monday afternoon at the Sonoma County Clerk’s Office in Santa Rosa to take early advantage of the state Supreme Court's May 15 ruling legalizing same-sex marriages, which took effect at 5:01 p.m. Monday.

 First gay marriage in Sonoma County
Santa Rosa Press Democrat, CA