Gay Couples Begin Marrying In Minnesota & Rhode Island

In public celebrations and intimate ceremonies, gay couples exchanged vows Thursday in Minnesota and Rhode Island, as the number of places where same-sex couples can wed grew to more than 25 percent of U.S. states.

Dozens of gay couples began getting hitched at the stroke of midnight in Minnesota, the largest Midwestern state where it is now legal to do so. In Rhode Island, the last New England state to allow same-sex marriage, weddings began at 8:30 a.m., when municipal offices opened. Zachary Marcus and Gary McDowell were married Thursday afternoon at Providence City Hall by Mayor Angel Taveras. McDowell, 28, a Harvard Medical School researcher, was born in Northern Ireland. The recent Supreme Court decision striking down a law denying federal benefits to married gay couples means he can petition for permanent residency.