“It’s a very exciting day for us,” Royce said.
The couple plans to be married July 24 by Judge Thomas Trempe at the Clark County Municipal Court. They’ll be joined by family and friends. They plan to do a bigger, country-themed wedding in the future.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 last month that the U.S. Constitution requires states to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples and recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
The couple was planning to get married in Illinois until the Supreme Court ruling was issued last month — the same day as their one-year anniversary as a couple.
“It was more convenient to do it here,” Royce said. “It will save us time and money.”
Greene and Royce were surprised to hear they were the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in Clark County. Most surrounding counties have already issued same-sex licenses.
“I was just shocked,” Greene said. “I didn’t think we would have been the first ones, but here we are.”
The Champaign County Family Court issued its first same-sex marriage license June 29.
The Clark County Probate Court issues about 700 marriage licenses per year, but does not perform weddings. However, other judges in Clark County will perform marriages at the courthouse.
Trempe performs about 50 weddings per year, he said. If a couple has a marriage license and requests to be married, he’ll perform the ceremony.
“It’s the law of the land now,” Trempe said. “We do a number of weddings. It’s just another wedding.”
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