Mike and Marvin, together for 30 years, married Tuesday in Wyoming

The groom wore olive shorts and tennis shoes. The other groom wore a navy golf shirt with a Walt Disney World logo.

“We’ve been together for 30 years,” said one of them, 68-year-old Marvin Witt, as he walked into the Natrona County Clerk’s Office for a marriage license. “Let’s get this done.”

After a whirlwind 15 days of legal wrangling that resulted in a federal judge striking down Wyoming’s century-old same-sex marriage ban, Witt and his partner, 51-year-old Mike Romero, became Natrona County’s first gay couple to legally wed.

“It’s kind of cool,” Romero said, as he filled out the marriage license forms. “We wanted to come down here today to be part of history.”

The couple has been waiting to get legally married for what seems like forever, Romero said.

They met in the 1980s in Wisconsin. Both worked as bar tenders. Back in those days, legalized same-sex marriage wasn’t something they even thought about.

Their lives intertwined and the years passed. Work and family brought them to Casper 20 years ago.

Fifteen years ago, while on a vacation at Disney World in Florida, the couple exchanged rings. It wasn’t anything formal. They’re not the type, Witt said.

Now that they’re legally married, everything changes. And nothing changes.

“We’ve always been together," Romero said.

“After 30 years, it’s pretty much said and done,” Witt said.

Yet, marriage guarantees spousal benefits, inheritance rights and the right to make medical decisions for a spouse. They can jointly file taxes.

The couple is planning a honeymoon, possibly to the new Disney resort in Honolulu. But before that, they may travel to Las Vegas for a “mini moon” in December.

Pamela RW Kandt, a nondenominational chaplain, was at the clerk’s office, waiting for couples who wanted to get married right away.

With a marriage license in hand, Kandt, Witt and Romero walked to Pioneer Park, across the street from the old Natrona County Courthouse.

“Will you have this good man, Marvin, to be your husband, your partner, your lifelong friend and lover? Do you willingly accept the challenge and commitment of continuing to make a life with him, loving him on both the good days and bad, standing close to him in both struggle and success, appreciating his strengths, accepting his shortcomings, and always cherishing that he chose you?” she asked.

“I will,” Romero said.

“Will you have this good man, Michael, to be your husband, your partner, your lifelong friend and lover? Do you willingly accept the challenge and the commitment of making a life with him, loving him on both the good days and bad, standing close to him in struggle and success, appreciating his strengths, accepting his shortcomings, and always cherishing that he chose you?” she asked.

“I will,” Witt said.

They exchanged rings and kissed.

by Laura Hancock, Casper, WY Star-Tribune staff writer

Copyright 2014 trib.com. Provided by the Associated Press

The Gayly – October 22, 2014 @ 9:35am