With gay marriage now legal in California, it’s the start of a couples’ crush

Actor George Takei of “Star Trek” fame and his partner were among the first wave of gay couples obtaining marriage licenses today as hundreds of Californians lined up for same-sex wedding ceremonies across the state.

“I think it’s a glorious California morning to make history,” said a beaming Takei, who stood with his mate, Brad Altman, before a clutch of reporters and TV cameras at a West Hollywood park converted into a marriage license facility, where about 200 couples filled out applications.

The actor, who played Mr. Sulu, the starship Enterprise’s helmsman on the original “Star Trek” series, told the crowd: “Congratulations to all of us: May equality live long and prosper.”

Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, are planning a September wedding ceremony at the Democracy Forum at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

In Norwalk, dozens of couples lined up outside Los Angeles County’s main marriage license office, taking advantage of the first opportunity that most gays had to marry in California.

Among the roughly 60 people waiting on a grassy area outside the registrar/recorder’s building were Cindy Gise, 59, a retired teacher, and Elaine Martin, 61, a retired electronics assembler, both from Santa Clarita.

They arrived at 6:15 a.m. wearing matching Hawaiian shirts and khaki pants, and were waiting their turn in line on folding stools. Gise had a cane in one hand and a Kodak camera dangling from one arm.

“We decided we would not have a civil union until it was legal,” Gise said. “We felt like we were already legitimate. We still feel that way. But it’s nice to have a piece of paper and recognition from the state.”

Officials in many counties made special arrangements to accommodate the early crush of marriages after same-sex unions became legal at 5:01 p.m. Monday. Statewide, authorities expected to issue far more marriage licenses than the 460 average for a weekday in June, according to a Times survey of all 58 counties.

Early today, the waits varied greatly at marriage offices, with some locations backed up and no lines elsewhere, often where officials had made appointments to issue licenses.

About a dozen gay couples were married Monday evening statewide in specially arranged events, but today marked the beginning of what some project will be tens of thousands of such weddings in coming months, after the state Supreme Court struck down a ban on same-sex unions. Many of the first couples seeking licenses around the state today had been together many years, anticipating a time when they could formally and legally marry.

“It was the first day available and we wanted to legitimize this as quickly as possible,” Gise said.

In a scene playing out across the state, there was also a voice of protest amid the celebratory mood. Karen Wilson, 51, from Bellflower, arrived about 7:20 a.m. with a Bible and a poster board reading: “Marriage is to be held in honor. Heb 3:4.”

“I want to say something to these people before they go in there,” Wilson said, looking over to a white tent where services were being held. Marriage “has been going on for thousands of years. Why destroy it? The family is already in jeopardy now. What we need to do is strengthen the family.”

Many reclined in lawn chairs as they waited for the marriage license office to open. The county began taking marriage applications on a first-come, first-served basis today.

Earlier, county employees laid out bright red tablecloths on a wood table in front of a sign – decorated with hearts and balloons – that read: “Marriage License/Ceremony Information.”

First in line were Chelsea Thompson, 24, of Anaheim and Bonni Millon, 24, of Long Beach, who arrived at 10 p.m. Monday.

“We’re getting married and we’re showing support for everyone else here,” said Thomas, who wore black pants and a striped button-down dress shirt for her wedding day, calling the attire “sober-festive” because she and Millon had to attend the funeral of a friend’s mother after their ceremony.

Thompson, a research manager and history graduate student at Cal State Fullerton, met Millon, a project administrator for a construction company in Long Beach, online through the website OkCupid nine months ago and dated for seven months.

“When you know, you know,” Thompson said.

“It’s a monumental day,” Millon said. “We’re changing history and we wanted to be a part of that and support the other people.”

Shortly after 9 a.m., the couple stood before acting Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan and a volunteer witness to exchange vows. After Logan pronounced them officially married, the couple kissed and Millon moved her hands to her mouth and then began wiping away tears.

“That was really neat,” Thompson said.

“I feel like I can breathe now,” Millon said. “I’ve been kind of holding my breath for the last month.”

Because of the media attention focused on them as the first couple married at the facility, they were escorted to the parking lot by police.

In a sign of what some forecasters say may be an economic boost for the state in the coming months, Adriana Hinojosa, 34, and Benigna Huerta, 40, arrived from Omaha on Saturday and were married this morning at the courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport.

They did the usual tourist outings – visiting Santa Monica, Disneyland and Universal Studios. But their main purpose was to tie the knot – even if their home state of Nebraska would not recognize it, they said. “It’s just a way to make it official,” said Hinojosa, a Spanish interpreter at the county courthouse in Omaha. They stood in line, wearing matching blue dress shirts and black pants, and readied themselves to obtain their license and then marry in the chapel at the clerk’s office.

Together five years, the couple had a religious ceremony to mark their commitment to each other in Omaha in 2003.

On the south lawn of Los Angeles City Hall, against the backdrop of an upright piano, Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti officiated at a wedding of two women who met while working as members of his staff.

With Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa traveling in Israel, Garcetti is the acting mayor. And since he recently was deputized to officiate at weddings, Garcetti was able to preside at the wedding of Shane Goldsmith and Monica Granados.

“In front of friends and family, they proclaim their love to the world,” said Garcetti, standing next to a lectern and a vase full of white roses. Granados and Goldsmith, both residents of West Los Angeles, kissed after the councilman read the vows.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Granados said.

Janey Kapgan and Serena Josel stayed up late Monday night baking cookies to bring to the Beverly Hills courthouse. The women, both 29 and both heterosexual, brought baskets filled with heart-shaped sugar cookies, frosted in red and with red sprinkles, and tied in bags with red ribbons. They passed the treats out to people in line and as couples came out of the courthouse.

“So far in my life, this is the most momentous civil rights thing to happen,” Josel said.

Back in Norwalk, Ciro Barbaro, 56, and Steven Van Zile, 44, got caught up in the sweep of the historic day. They had only intended to get a license today for a later ceremony, after filling the paperwork online Monday just after 5 p.m.

But the couple said that when they arrived at 7:45 a.m. at the courthouse, they changed their minds.

“We saw all the colored balloons in the parking lot, so well-organized, and we thought we’d just get married,” Barbaro said.

So the pair picked up their cellphones, called their witnesses and summoned them to Norwalk.

At the West Hollywood park where Takei obtained a license, gay rights activists turned a walkway and steps into a makeshift wedding altar, with white rose petals strewn across a blue carpet and a big white ribbon and balloons. A banner read: “Happy Nuptials! It’s a Celebration.”

The atmosphere was festive with gay couples posing for photographs. A publicist for a bakery handed out sets of cupcakes with the symbols for men and women decorated on them.

In San Diego, Bob Lehman and Tom Felkner wed underneath an arbor of bougainvillea outside the San Diego County clerk’s office, with palm trees swaying and a view of the harbor.

The men, both 43, became the first to marry each other in a county known for its conservative politics.

“Their decision to stand here today shows their love has stood the test of time,” said Lehman’s brother, Jeff, who was deputized for the day to officiate at the 7:22 a.m. ceremony.

“I’m a Marine. I like to do things first,” said Bob Lehman, a veteran of the 1991 Persian Gulf War who served 10 years in the military and wore a dark suit with Marine Corps and American flag pins on his lapel.

The California Supreme Court on May 15 struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage in a broadly worded decision that would invalidate virtually any law that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation.

The 4-3 ruling declared that the state Constitution protects a fundamental “right to marry” that extends equally to same-sex couples. It tossed a highly emotional issue into an election year while opening the way for tens of thousands of gay people to wed in California.

The majority opinion, by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, declared that any law that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation is now constitutionally suspect in California in the same way as laws that discriminate by race or gender, making the state’s high court the first in the nation to adopt such a stringent standard.

The decision was a surprise from a moderately conservative, Republican-dominated court that legal scholars have long dubbed “cautious,” and experts said it was likely to influence other courts around the country.

But the court’s decision could be thrown into question by an initiative already heading toward the November ballot. The initiative would amend the state Constitution to prohibit same-sex unions.

The campaign over that measure began within minutes of the high court’s decision. The state’s Catholic bishops and other opponents of same-sex marriage denounced the court’s ruling. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who previously has vetoed two bills in favor of gay marriage, issued a statement saying he “respects” the decision and “will not support an amendment to the Constitution that would overturn” it.

 tony.perry@latimes.com

 tami.abdollah@latimes.com

Times staff writers Rich Connell, Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Maria LaGanga, Joe Mozingo, Jennifer Oldham, Catherine Saillant and Sam Quinones contributed to this report.