First Gay Civil Unions in New Jersey

ASBURY PARK, NJ -- Thursday was a joyful day for several gay New Jersey couples as they were finally able to formalize their relationships as civil unions, getting the same legal rights as married couples.

New Jersey's new civil union law went into effect Monday, but due to a mandatory 72-hour waiting period after applying for a license, most couples had to wait until Thursday to hold their civil union ceremonies.

In the rainbow colored neighborhood of Asbury Park, NJ, two couples, Thomas Mannix and Kevin Pilla, and Degn Schubert and Mark Rado, were joined in ceremonies after midnight at a party sponsored by the gay rights advocacy group Garden State Equality, AP reports.

The event was part ceremony, part political rally, marking that the fight for marriage equality carries on. The couples were read two sets of vows, first by Rev. Bob Krieset asking the couples to vow to continue fighting for the right to marry. Then Mayor Kevin Sanders led the exchange of civil union vows.

For Schubert and Rado, Thursday's ceremony was the last of seven so far, including a domestic partnership and a marriage ceremony in San Francisco, which were later annulled by the state of California.

Rado said the New Jersey recognition was the most important because it comes with the most protections and benefits.
"I just feel lucky that we live in New Jersey," he said.

Under the new civil unions law, gay couples gain the rights to adoption, child custody, visiting a hospitalized partner and making medical decisions. They also have the right to refuse to testify against a partner in state court.

Click play to see video of the first civil union between Steven Goldstein and Daniel Gross. They were one of the couples who got a "head start" Monday since they had a valid Vermont civil union license: