Same-sex couples are now able to marry in Vermont (as of 9/1/09), but don’t expect a tidal wave of weddings, officials say.
“It’s not a weekend, it’s not a holiday,” say Willie Docto, who heads the Vermont Gay Tourism Association. “There are practical reasons why people aren’t getting married on September 1st. I think expectations are too high for that one day.’
The Associated Press surveyed several town clerks and found only a handful of licenses have been issued for gay marriages in the month of September, nothing like the rush seen around civil unions in 2000. But gay marriage advocates say there’s an easy explanation for this.
Greg Trulson, a Duxbury Justice of the Peace who says he is preparing to perform several same-sex marriages, said, “What I have found, that a lot of the gay marriages that I’m officiating starting September first are other civil unions that I have officiated in the past. And they’re coming back to get married. What we’re finding is they’re coming back on the day of their civil union, to keep the same day [as their wedding anniversary].”
Vermont Public Radio reports many couples are planning small, low-key ceremonies: “Some say they’ve already had several celebrations of their relationship over the years and don’t plan a big wedding.”
My lovely partner/wife and I are going back up to Vermont next June to celebrate our 10th anniversary and convert our civil union to a civil marriage. Not that it will be recognized by our state (Missouri) but whatever. One day. We decided to wait until then because the date is important to us, plus it’s one less extra anniversary to have to remember. I already have three to screw up (dating, commitment ceremony, civil union).
Anyway, Vermont is going to get a pretty good economic boost, what with us taking the majority of my immediate family plus a bunch of friends. Not to mention how much actual wedding stuff costs (BIG SIGH). We’re not planning a huge wedding but we’re planning more than just a 2 minute ceremony. Vermont has kind of been our “home of the heart” ever since we got our civil union there, which is why we’re going back there instead of Iowa which is closer.