| Mark and Terry had obtained an Iowa marriage license
in 2007 during a window of opportunity between the time
on a Friday morning when a Polk County judge ruled the
state's ban on same sex marriages was illegal and when,
only a few hours later, he filed a stay on the ruling.
Mark and Terry were then married on Sunday (September 2,
2007) at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames.
The following Monday, when they returned to Des Moines
to file their documents at the Polk County Recorders
Office, they were unable to do so because of the stay.
Then on April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court, in an
unanimous decision upheld the judge's ruling, opening
the way for many Iowa gay and lesbian couples to marry.
However, they had to wait until the county recorder
offices around the state were prepared to deal with the
paperwork. That meant Monday, April 27, was the big day
for the couples to go to their respective court houses.
Mark and Terry went to the Story County court house to
finish their paper work. They were surrounded by many
supportive friends.
The first video highlights the
Supreme Court's decision on April 3 and a rally
organized by One Iowa at 5 pm later that day on the Iowa
State University campus near Morrill Hall and the ISU
library. The second video is about Mark and Terry and
their visit to the Story County court house on April 27
to finalize the paperwork for their marriage. The third
is of their wedding in 2007.
Helen shot the footage for all three videos and
edited the first two. Mark and Terry had another Ames
person edit her footage of their 2007 wedding. The
programs can be watched by going to YouTube. Please note
that the channel and URL for the YouTube postings has
changed. That said, however,
the format below is smaller and will offer a
sharper
image. |
