Sound and Visual Collection
In April 2011 Republican lawmakers introduced a bill proposing a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage by asking voters to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. During the November 2012 election, Minnesota voters rejected the constitutional amendment 52-47%. Several bills supporting same-sex marriage were introduced during the 2013 legislative session, including HF 1054 that defined marriage as "between two persons." On May 9 the bill was passed by the Minnesota House of Representatives and by the Senate on May 13. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed HF 1054 into law on May 14, 2013, making Minnesota’s marriage law gender neutral. The law officially went into effect on August 1, 2013.
In response to this historic event, the Minnesota Historical Society sought to document the recognition of equality for all by establishing the History is Now! Celebrating Marriage Equality Project and collecting digital photographs of same-sex weddings held in Minnesota during the month of August 2013.
Digital masters of the image files are maintained on the Society's secure digital collections storage servers and are managed and preserved in accordance with archival best practices.
Accession number: AV2014.41
Catalog ID number: 990082416410104294
A view of the couple standing together with children in dresses nearby during their ceremony officiated by Scott Dibble in the council chamber in Minneapolis. Photograph by Matthew Crockett.
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Gregory Johnson (right) and Nicholas Frey (left) at their wedding ceremony conducted by Chief Judge, Teresa Warner in the Memorial Hall at Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul at 12:01 am. The Vision of Peace memorial statue is shown directly behind them.
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The couple is shown wearing suits and holding champagne glasses. They were the first male couple married in Minneapolis in a ceremony officiated by R.T. Rybak.
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Nguyen wedding with their 11 year old son, Todd. Wedding was officiated by Mayor R.T. Rybak at Minneapolis City Hall at 2:15 a.m.
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Megan Hoffman and Katie Jackson hold hands during their wedding ceremony officiated by Mayor R.T. Rybak.
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Multi-couple ceremony in Loring Park, Minneapolis officiated by Grand Avenue Wedding Officiants. Photograph by Christine A. Schorn.
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Back view of the couple holding hands and walking along a sidewalk by the Excedra at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is visible in the background. Photograph by Rebecca Jean Lawrence.
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Wedding portrait of the couple kissing. Their ceremony was held at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Photograph by Amy Wurdock.
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Photograph of the couple on their wedding day at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Photograph by Amy Torrance-Coopersmith of Coopersmith Photography.
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Elevated view from a stairwell looking down at people gathered in the lobby of Minneapolis City Hall taken just after midnight following the passing of the same-sex marriage bill. Photograph by Craig Johnson.
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Nagle (left) and Frogge (right) exchanging rings during their wedding ceremony at their home in Prior Lake held on their nine year anniversary. Photograph by Tammy Frogge.
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Helfand and Woods with their 10 year old daughter, Rachel Anne, in front of the Hennepin County Court House.
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Closeup of Flotten and Wood's hands. The couple was married at the Duluth Courthouse and the officiant was Judge Sweetland. Photograph by Jocelyn Pihlaja.
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Seated portrait of the couple holding hands. Photograph by Rebecca Pavlenko.
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Ceremony photograph of Monica Devers and Debra Hildebrand. The couple hold hands and carry boquets of white flowers during their ceremony at Town Green, Maple Grove. Officiant: Pastor Mark A. Nelson. Photograph by Aleah Clements of Created by Me Photography.
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Portait of Janee Harteau and Holly Keegel.
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Family portrait from their wedding at Muriel Sahlin Arboretum in Roseville, MN. Pictured is the couple and their four children.
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Photograph of judges Wilson (left) and Brenden (right) holding hands and exchanging vows during their wedding ceremony in the chambers of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Ceremony was officiated by Judge Mary Beth Dorn and records the first same sex wedding held at the Minnesota Supreme Court. Photography by Phil Eckhert.
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Ceremony at Hillcrest Golf Club of St Paul in St. Paul. The couple had been together 32 years at the time of their wedding. Photograph by Heidi M. Garrido of HM Photography, LLC.
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"Portrait of the wedding party on their farm, on Clinton Falls Bridge in Clinton Falls Township in Steele County. Pictured are the grooms: Lowell Gordon (Center Left) and John Ostgarden (Center Right) with Lowell’s groomswomen: Left of Lowell, from Left to Right, Timeka Kuhnley, Timari Robison, Stephanie Durkin (Best Woman) and John’s Groomswomen: Right of John, from right to left: Sandra Cain, Karen Groebner, Debbie Yilek (Best Woman)."
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View of the couple's wedding ceremony from behind their officiant with friends and family visible behind them.
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Photograph of the couple exchanging rings during their ceremony at the Hennepin County Courthouse in downtown Minneapolis. Their ceremony was officiated by Judge Pamela Alexander.
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Michael D. Fleming (left, formerly Michael D. Vloedman) and Micheal D. Fleming (right) exchange rings during their wedding ceremony. Officiating was a friend of the couple, Annalise Backstrom.
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Photograph of the couple in their wedding dresses with boquets at the Pittsburgh Blue Restaurant in Maple Grove.
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Photograph of the couple and their 10-year old son, Mason G.M. Rounds, following their marriage ceremony at the Ramsey County Juvenile and Family Justice Center in downtown St. Paul. Also pictured is their officiate, Ramsey County District Court Judge Gail Chang Bohr.
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Photograph of the couple at their celebration dinner at Gandhi Mahal following their backyard ceremony held at their South Minneapolis home.
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Photograph of the couple wrapped in a tallit (prayer shawl) at their ceremony at Beth El Synagogue in St. Louis Park. Photograph by Amber Procaccini Photography.
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A view of the couple during their ceremony in a park in Columbia Heights. The ceremony was officiated by Unitarian Universalism Minister, Reverand Meg Riley.
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Wedding ceremony held at the History Center in St. Paul. The Minnesota State Capitol building is visible in the background.
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Group portrait of three couples who were married in Brainerd. Pictured, left to right, Coleen Carder, Ann Turnbull, Deb Lundberg, Shirley Barten, Deb Muzzy, Deb Griffith. Photograph by Joey Halvorson.
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Image of the couple kissing with an unidentified young man with sunglasses to their right clapping. Photography by Dreya Layman of Fuzzy Pants Studio.
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