by Leah Justice
leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

For the first time in history, two same-sex couples were legally united in marriage at the gazebo at Stearns Park Monday morning, Oct. 13, after receiving marriage licenses at the Polk County Register of Deeds Office.

Thomas William Hayes and Bruce Lee Waters waited in front of the Womack building on the rainy Monday for the register of deeds office to open and were the first in the county to receive their license.

Following closely behind were Resa Edwards and JoAnn Cook Smith, who have been together for 20 years.

There was a crowd of friends and family there to support both couples.

The couples didn’t know each other prior to Monday morning, but when Smith said she is an ordained minister and could marry Hayes and Waters immediately, a ceremony followed across the street. Edwards and Smith were married after Hayes and Waters’ ceremony.

“We are gathered to celebrate the love of Bruce and Thomas,” Smith said. “To unite you as husband and husband.”

Smith’s ceremony also included the words, “legally, finally.”

“I’m super excited,” Waters said following the ceremony. “Now we can share a lifetime of memories in a place where it can be recognized and legal.”

Waters said when the only other couple walked in and Smith said she would marry them, he thought to himself, “it must be meant to be.”

Hayes and Waters have been together for five years and seven months and raise Waters’ two daughters.

Later on Monday another couple obtained a marriage license at the register of deeds office.

Same sex marriage licenses were made legal last Friday at 5 p.m. following a federal judge striking down North Carolina’s same sex marriage ban. U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr., in Asheville, ruled that the ban on same-sex marriages voters approved in 2012 was unconstitutional.

Cogburn’s ruling followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s announcement last week that it would no longer hear appeals of a ruling in July by the 4^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. striking down Virginia’s ban.

Cogburn wrote that North Carolina’s laws prohibiting same-sex marriage are unconstitutional as a matter of law. Cogburn also said the issue before the court is neither political nor moral but is a legal issue.

The Buncombe County Register of Deeds Office in Asheville stayed open late last Friday to issue marriage licenses to dozens who waited for the ban to be struck down.

Waters said to be the first same-sex couple in Polk County to be married means a lot to them because they live in Polk County and plan to spend their lives here.

Hayes said he’s had a ring since month three of their relationship.

“I have two daughters and I couldn’t have found a better person for them,” Waters said.

Hayes plans to legally change his name to Thomas William Hayes Waters so the family can all share the same last name.

The couple plans a larger wedding and reception in December.