Ingham County clerk begins same-sex marriages

Mason residents Lee Chaney and Dawn Chapel were the first same-sex couple to get married Friday in Ingham County after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriages should be legal across the land.

The pair had waited 11 years for their ceremony, the last minutes of waiting taking place outside Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum's office before the ruling was released.

Byrum immediately began issuing licences and two marriages were performed at the Ingham County Courthouse by midday. Byrum pledged to keep her office open on extended hours Friday to issue marriage licenses "until the last person is served."

"Same-sex couples and their families have waited long enough and I cannot imagine forcing them to wait a moment longer. Thanks to my dedicated staff, the County Clerk's Office will remain open today until all loving couples, residing in Ingham County, have a chance to say 'I do.'"

Chaney, 53, said she doesn't care what last name she takes because what's most important to her is the legal partnership.

"I have no problem going Chapel-Chaney or Chaney-Chapel – whatever we decide," Chaney said. "We actually talked about changing our name to Cha Cha!"

Chaney and Chapel, 54, met in the late 1990s when both worked at the Ingham County Regional Medical Center in Lansing, now McLaren Greater Lansing. Chapel said she's grateful that Chaney's children and the entire Mason community embraced them with open arms before the marriage.

Chapel said there were even instances when herself, Chaney and Chaney's ex-husband spent time together. "I just walked into (the family) and I had no hidden agenda," Chapel said. "We were going to have a life together, and I just started going to the soccer games and the parent-teacher conferences. We're very fortunate because everyone in our immediate life has embraced us."

Byrum's office is inside the Ingham County Courthouse at 341 S. Jefferson Street in Mason. While Michigan has a three-day waiting period before marriage licenses are issued, Byrum plans to waive it. The application fee for a license is $20 and the fee for a waiver is $50.

For more information on applying for a marriage license or to have Byrum officiate a marriage ceremony, visit the Ingham County Clerk's website at cl.ingham.org or call 676-7204.

"Today's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court is a momentous victory for freedom, equality, inclusion and—above all—love. I look forward to finally celebrating the fact that all loving couples now have the freedom to marry, and rights they deserve," Byrum said.

In Eaton County, Clerk Diana Bosworth said her office is prepared to issue marriage licenses "right away."

"We have a plan in place," she said. Bosworth said she has no expectation regarding how many people will apply in person Friday.

Couples applying in person need to bring their identification. The license fee for county residents is $20. Applicants outside of the county can apply for $30. "Applying online saves them a trip and there's no fee for applying," she said.

Bosworth said people who apply for a marriage license today are required to wait three days before picking up the license but she said staff will waive the waiting period for couples planning a marriage ceremony later Friday.

The Clinton County Clerk's Office did not immediately respond to questions about whether they would issue licenses to same-sex couples Friday.

Some clergy members said they look forward to performing legal marriages for same-sex couples.

The Rev. Kit Carlson, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in East Lansing, said she was choked up at the ruling. Her church planned a wedding celebration at the Ingham County courthouse for couples, complete with cake, flowers, sparkling cider and wedding favors put together by a youth group.

"We're doing this because we have so many couples in our congregation and it is such a blessing for them to be equal in the eyes of the law," she said. "We will be celebrating with any couple who is down there, gay or straight. Whoever is happy and getting married today, we are happy for them."

Her church is not doing marriages Friday, but will perform them for anyone who participates in its marriage preparation program, she said.

At the Ingham County Courthouse Friday morning, Chaney's sons, Lucas Russ, 22, and Josh Rudd, 20, attended their mother's wedding and were all smiles.

Lucas Rudd said it wasn't easy growing up as the son of a mother in a same-sex relationship, but learned quickly the couple's love was legitimate.

"I truly believe that if people love each other that's the only thing needed for marriage," Rudd said. "That's my belief now, and back when I was 11 I didn't know what to think of it. I just thought they were just friends."

Josh Rudd said he feels blessed that his mother and father, divorced in 2003, are on good terms as friends. It makes the new marriage easier for the entire family to embrace.

"I've seen since day one that my mom is way happier being with who she truly wants to be with," Josh Rudd said. "(After the divorce) I still supported my mom and loved her for who she is as a person. What makes her happy is what makes me happy, and that's all I care about."

Friday's ceremonies were not the first same sex marriages performed at the courthouse. On March 22 of last year, Byrum presided over the first same sex marriage in Michigan when she was one of several county clerks who married same sex couples in Michigan in a brief window following a federal court ruling before a stay of the ruling was issued. Byrum performed 30 weddings, and issued 57 marriage licenses. About 300 licences were issued across the state.

Rachel Greco, Judy Putnam and Steve Reed contributed to this report.