Gay couples celebrated same-sex marriage legalization in Minnesota and Rhode Island by tying the knot early Thursday morning.
The Minneapolis City Hall was extremely busy, reportedly expecting to marry 42 couples before dawn.
"I didn't expect to cry quite that hard," Cathy ten Broeke, who with Margaret Miles was the first gay couple to be wed at City Hall, told NBC News.
Miles and ten Broeke exchanged vows and rings before midnight Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak had musicians stop playing for a few minutes until the clock struck 12:01 a.m. Thursday, when the law went into effect.
According to NBC News, the crowd burst into applause as Rybak pronounced Miles and ten Broeke married. The couple stood in front of the crowd, holding their 5-year-old son, Louie.
"We do," all three said to more cheers.
Rhode Island and Minnesota on Thursday became the 12th and 13th U.S. states to allow gay marriage, along with the District of Columbia.
Couples wasted no time, as many weddings were scheduled at Minneapolis City Hall, St. Paul's Como Park, Mall of America's Chapel of Love and at county courthouse after midnight.
According to NBC News, a large group planned a cluster of weddings in a Duluth tavern.
"I don't think either of us ever thought we'd see this day," said Mike Bolin, of the Minneapolis suburb of Richfield, who was marrying Jay Resch, his partner of six years, at Minneapolis City Hall. "We met at low points in both of our lives, and to have arrived at this point - there's going to be a lot of tears."
According the Minnesota budget officials, an estimated 5,000 gay couples would marry in the first year. At the end of the celebration Thursday morning, reportedly 63 same-sex couples were married in Minnesota.
Read the full NBC News feature here.
