Rachel Bird and Gideon Codding have thought of themselves as bride and groom since their August church ceremony.
Now the state of California agrees.
The Roseville couple had refused to sign the state's new marriage license forms which had replaced the words "bride" and "groom" with "Party A" and "Party B." Because of this, their marriage was not recognized by the state. The two sued.
On Monday, California state officials, saying they had heard from residents all over the state who want to be identified as "bride" and "groom" on their marriage license, said the state forms will be changed. Again.
Couples filling out the license soon will have the option of declaring themselves bride and groom, bride and bride or groom and groom. They also can leave the space blank. The words "Party A" and "Party B" have been removed from the new forms that will be available in county offices Nov. 17.
"We've been reviewing how to provide options consistent with court rulings," said Suanne Buggy, spokeswoman for the California Department of Public Health.
She said she did not know how much it would cost to change the forms again. "But there will be a cost associated with it, and we're working with the counties," she said.
State officials deleted bride and groom from the forms after the state Supreme Court ruling in May that legalized same-sex marriage, contending that the forms had to use gender-neutral language.
In August, Bird and Codding's marriage license was rejected by state officials after Codding wrote "bride" and "groom" next to "Party A" and "Party B." The state turned down the license because it had been altered.
The couple said the changes were a violation of their rights and refused to sign the new form. They filed their lawsuit against the state last week.
After Bird and Codding learned their license would be recorded with the state after all, they were encouraged.
"We just want to move forward," Codding said. "It's a lesson for us all, that we can change things if we stick to our beliefs."
Buggy said the new forms had been in the works for some time.
Codding said he "had a hard time believing this change wasn't made because of the lawsuit."
"If these changes were coming, they could have told us, but they didn't," he said.
The department sent a letter Friday to the state's 58 county clerks, saying the boxes were optional.
Buggy said other couples who get married between now and Nov. 17 and want the words "bride" and "groom" on their marriage license should contact their county clerk.
Call the Bee's Jennifer Garza, (916) 321-1133.
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