USA: Newlyweds Fredy Kaplan and Anthony Cipriano recount their historic wedding, as one of the first same-sex marriages in New York state

Record ID: 277475

  • Title: USA: Newlyweds Fredy Kaplan and Anthony Cipriano recount their historic wedding, as one of the first same-sex marriages in New York state
  • Date: 26th July 2011
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 25, 2011) (REUTERS) NEWLYWED COUPLE FREDY KAPLAN (LEFT) AND ANTHONY CIPRIANO (RIGHT), PLAYING WITH THEIR DOGS MORE OF COUPLE PLAYING WITH DOGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FREDY KAPLAN, NEWLYWED NEW YORK RESIDENT, SAYING: "The first day being the day that it became law, it's just historic. It's just being part of living in such an
  • Embargoed: 10th August 2011 13:00
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  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVABKITCBNLGGSORNHIEEBTFBER5
  • Story Text: Meet the Kaplianos!
    After over six years of domestic partnership, Fredy Kaplan and Anthony Cipriano are spending their first week as husband and husband.
    The couple tied the knot on Sunday (July 24), as hundreds of gay and lesbian couples married on the first day that same-sex marriage became legal in the state.
    "It's just historic," said Kaplan, who describes the moment where the judge proclaimed their union was official.
    New York is the nation's sixth, and largest, state to allow gay marriages, repealing a federal law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
    "She said I now pronounce you husband and husband and I thought that was just really so much more meaningful and all our friends and family were in the room. It's a small room. Everyone's just gushing at that, you know. And for me it was beautiful. It really was."
    But Cipriano admits to a different reaction.
    "He's more emotional," said Cipriano, who claims that their opposite behavior is what makes them attract.
    "I'm more smiley. I just get stupid, smiley. I just, you know, I just big smile and he was a little teary and I just rubbed his back a little bit."
    The pair live in Manhattan's East Village with their two dogs Buddy and Zach.
    And just like every other relationship, they admit to their ups and downs.
    But despite their commitment to stay together, getting married was an important symbol of their love.
    "Even though I considered ourselves married for the whole time we were domestic partners, it did actually feel different to actually say 'I do,' and to legally be married. It felt different. I don't know how to put it in words, but it wasn't the same and for the first six years, I would say we're married, you know, that's, we're married," Cipriano said.
    "But now we're married." The couple also have each other's initials tattooed on their ring fingers.
    City officials said 659 couples braved a summer heat wave and long lines to obtain their marriage licenses.
    "One of the greatest things about yesterday is you saw how many couples dedicated, been together for years, you know, some even less than us, a lot more than us," Kaplan explained.
    "And everyone was there to really, really to get married and not take it for granted, but to really really share in the moment and take it serious."
    The couple, who refer to themselves as the Kaplianos, say they were thrilled their friends and family could join them for the 15-minute ceremony.
    Anthony's mother Linda Thill happened to be visiting from Florida when their appointment was confirmed.
    "I love them dearly and just watching them and you could feel the love and expressed how their expressions were and you could just see it, not just feel it," said Thill.
    "It meant the world to me to be here."
    New York joins Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia in the other states who allow same-sex marriage.
    While Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois and New Jersey have approved gay civil unions, gay marriage is specifically banned in 39 states.
    The law still prohibits same-sex couples from receiving marriage-based federal benefits such as Social Security survivor benefits, health benefits and the right to file taxes jointly.
    The Kaplianos hope to obtain full equal rights in the future, but say they are are pleased at the moment, to have their love recognized by the state of New York.
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