Congratulations! First same-sex couples marry in Alabama

PinkNews logo on a pink background surrounded by illustrated line drawings of a rainbow, pride flag, unicorn and more.

The first same-sex couples have married in Alabama, after the Supreme Court refused to step in to block weddings.

District court Judge Callie VS Granade struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban last month, with marriages set to take place from today.

Alabama’s Attorney General Luther Strange had asked the US Supreme Court to stay the ruling and block the impending weddings, but the justices did not do so.

Couples started receiving licenses at 8am Alabama time, making Alabama the 37th state to have marriage equality.

A number of couples queued up in Birmingham and Montgomery this morning, with one newly married woman saying that she was “fixing to go get me a steak” to celebrate.

Olanda Smith and Dinah McCaryer, together for seven years, married today in Jefferson County. Congratulations! First same-sex couples marry in Alabama

Cooper and Jessie, together for 26 years, celebrated their marriage alongside their son, George.Congratulations! First same-sex couples marry in Alabama

On Sunday Roy Moore, the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, ordered the state’s probate judges not to issue marriage licenses to gay couples on Monday morning.

Some counties have decided not to issue licenses in accordance with Moore’s orders. Shelby County have said due to the “conflicting” rulings judges will not be issuing marriage licenses “for the immediate future.”

(Photos: Equality Alabama)