“You may now kiss your partner.”
It was a beautiful day for a mass wedding, and dozens of committed, same-sex couples took their vows in Chicago’s picturesque Millennium Park.
Same-sex marriage is not legal in the state of Illinois. In January, however, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the law that provides same-sex couples the vital rights married couples enjoy, such as property transfer.
Today’s ceremony was a public recognition of same-sex unions. One of the essential differences between marriage and civil unions is that a civil union is granted by a state while a marriage is recognized all over the world, according to NOW, the National Organization for Women.
Civil union licenses were issued June1, but there is a 24-hour waiting period before a wedding ceremony can be officiated. The same is true for traditional marriage licenses.
The mass gay wedding was hosted by the City of Chicago’s Commission on Human Relations and other local community organizations. Commissioner of the Department of Human Relations Mona Noriega and her partner, Evette Cardona, were among the couples who exchanged vows.
Celebrity gay couple Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith of Food Network’s “The Hearty Boys” were also in attendance.
Photos by Bernard Williams
