Gay and lesbian couples in Hawaii will
begin marrying at the stroke of midnight on Monday, December 2.
Three of the couples who first
legalized their relationships in civil unions in 2012 will be among
the six same-sex couples marrying at a midnight ceremony at the
Sheraton Waikiki hotel.
More than 1,000 couples, most from
overseas, have used the hotel's convenient marriage license office in
the past year, KITV
News reported.
“People think about if I'm going to
get married or a honeymoon, why not do it in Hawaii,” said Kelly
Saunders, the hotel's general manager. “I think this just opens up
a realm of possibilities. We're looking forward to seeing really
what that future is and capitalizing on both providing an amazing
experience here in Waikiki, but also the revenue that's going to
generate for our properties as well as the state of Hawaii overall.”
A second hotel, the Kona Sheraton, also
has authorized wedding agents on its staff.
The Health Department will opens its
doors at 9 AM to begin processing marriage applications.