Gay marriage comes to Florida! We took some midnight wedding photos

On 12:01am on Tuesday morning, Florida’s gay marriage ban was lifted after a long and tedious courtroom battle. Hundreds of couples lined up at select courthouses in the state to receive their marriage licenses.

Related: Attention Florida: We Want to be Married

Fusion went to the Broward County courthouse—the most liberal county in Florida—to chat with the couples who had been waiting for this moment to make things official.

Caroll Sabino and Kim Tyler

“It finally feels like gender doesn’t matter. It’s not a big deal. Your sexual preference is something you do in your bedroom. It’s unbelievable that we can finally be like everyone else.”

Blake Whealy and Daniel Hekman

“I think it’s important to go to work and say ‘I’m married’ and not have to field questions. Now I’m just another person in the state of Florida who’s part of a committed relationship.”

Father Phillip Grant and Glenn Camarillo

“I was standing here remembering what it was like growing up a little sissy boy in a mill town in Maine. The shame that went on all my life. That was then, this is now. This is the end of it. It’s the end of it.”

Nedege Augustin and Crystal Evans

“There are just so many happy and joyful people here, we’ve been smiling all night.”

Aaron Woodard and David Currie

“As a law enforcement officer I can put married on all my documents for work, and that’s important. I’ll be honored that it is recognized.”

Johnnie Bowls and Will Hill

“We were just sitting watching the news and got excited about it and said, ‘Wanna go get married? Let’s throw on some clothes.'”

Dennis McWilliams and Victor Ramos

“This is a part of history so we wanted to be a part of that. We have a lot of people here that are getting married so we’re excited.”

With Florida’s ban lifted, and estimated 70 percent of the U.S. now lives in the 36 states and the District of Columbia where same-sex marriages are allowed, according to the Human Rights Campaign. On Friday, Supreme Court justices will meet in private to consider whether to pursue cases that could solve the issue on a national basis.

Alexandra DiPalma is a producer for Fusion Lightworks, Fusion’s In-house Branded Content Agency.