'Bride' and 'groom' being restored to California marriage forms

"Do you, Party A, take this Party B to be your lawfully wedded spouse "... ''

Nah. Never did sound right — so the state of California is now changing the way people can identify themselves on its new gender-neutral marriage licenses.

Now the bride and groom can choose to be called, well, the "bride" and "groom."

Or, for that matter, the bride and bride. Or the groom and groom.

Since June 17, when gay marriage became legal in California as the result of a state Supreme Court ruling, two people getting hitched had only one option when filling out their marriage license form. One had to be identified as Party A. The other had to be known as Party B.

"Following the Supreme Court decision in May, we moved quickly to make that change to be consistent with the ruling,'' said Suanne Buggy, spokeswoman for the California Department of Health, which oversees marriage licenses.

Perhaps too quickly.

Many Californians, even those who support the right of gays to marry, thought "Party A, Party B'' sounded too cold, too bureaucratic.

Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder Regina Alcomendras said Monday that she's heard few complaints from people obtaining marriage licenses since the gender-neutral form took effect. But Alcomendras said county clerks in rural counties have received a lot more flak.

 

'Bride' and 'groom' being restored to California marriage forms
San Jose Mercury News,  USA