Hours after the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dissolved its stay on gay marriages, Paul Katami and partner Jeff Zarrillo, a Burbank couple who were plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case, headed to Los Angeles City Hall to be married in a ceremony officiated by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
They were the second gay couple to be married after the U.S. Supreme Court decision, with the two lead plaintiffs, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, marrying earlier Friday at San Francisco City Hall.
Wearing white roses pinned to their lapels, Katami and Zarrillo exchanged vows in the press room on the third floor of City Hall, a site normally reserved for city budget and hiring announcements.
LOOK: photos of the wedding ceremony. Story continues below.
Paul Katami & Jeff Zarillo Get Hitched At LA City Hall
Both men wiped away tears as Villaraigosa officiated the three-minute ceremony. Cheers went up as Villaraigosa announced the couple, who have been together 12 years, were married.
"I don't know if you have a word or can describe how equal feels," Zarrillo told reporters. "My parents have been married for decades, and my grandparents before them for decades, and this is just an amazing feeling."
The couple intend to fly immediately to San Francisco to celebrate with others involved in the Proposition 8 case, they said. The couple said the sudden order Friday by the 9th Circuit surprised them.
The marriage ceremony marked one of Villaraigosa's last high-profile acts as mayor of Los Angeles. The 60-year-old mayor, who spent Friday on a farewell tour of the city, leaves office Sunday. Before the ceremony started, Villaraigosa said he had done a few marriage ceremonies over the years. "But never have I been as joyful as I am today," Villaraigosa added.
"Your relationship is an inspiration to us all. Your bravery in the face of bigotry has made history," Villaraigosa said.
(c)2013 the Daily News (Los Angeles)
Visit the Daily News (Los Angeles) at www.dailynews.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services