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Gay Couple Uses Skype to Legally Marry in Texas

By - Source: Tom's Guide US

You've heard of a long distance relationship but what about a long distance marriage? And by marriage, we mean the ceremony, not the subsequent relationship.

We all know how useful Skype can be for maintaining relationships that otherwise wouldn't be possible. However, a couple in Texas took things to the next level by getting married over Skype. Though a Skype wedding is pretty remarkable in itself, there's something else extraordinary about this marriage ceremony: It is the first legal same-sex wedding in Texas.

Mark Reed and Dante Walkup had been together ten years when they decided it was high time they tied the knot. Unfortunately, though they wanted nothing more than to get married in their native Texas, theirs is a state that does not legally allow same-sex couples to marry. However, Reed and Walkup were not to be deterred and the two came up with a way to have a legal wedding without flying family and friends to another state.

Jay Morris writes that the couple traveled to Washington D.C. back in May to receive their certificate of marriage. Fast forward five months and the two were married in Texas, with a D.C. official (accompanied by several witnesses) marrying them via Skype.

Check out Mark and Dante's video below.

Own Your Equality - Texas Gay Legal Wedding

There are 100 Comments.
Top Comments
  • 23
    exodite , November 14, 2010 2:02 AM
    dogman_1234Ummm.... uh...IDK. If I say anything, I will be marked down. Mark me down just because I'm Christian. This is completely wrong.

    I have a hard time determining which is worse; your bigotry against gay marriage or your implication that all christians are equally bigoted.

    Regardless, wish granted.
  • 20
    theshonen8899 , November 14, 2010 5:00 AM
    I think it's great. I also don't understand why two people marrying is anyone else's business.
  • 20
    rpgplayer , November 14, 2010 4:01 AM
    hoof_heartedThey should call it something besides 'marriage' (maybe homosexual union or something of that nature), after all marriage is a religious ceremony and defined as such. Next thing you know, they are going to remove the anti-gay parts from the Bible

    hoof_heartedThey should call it something besides 'marriage' (maybe homosexual union or something of that nature), after all marriage is a religious ceremony and defined as such. Next thing you know, they are going to remove the anti-gay parts from the Bible


    easiest and more sensible step would be to remove the bible.
Other Comments
  • 8
    Startingline13 , November 14, 2010 1:27 AM
    Not really sure what skype has to do with this, other than some people being able to watch them over the internet.
  • 20
    Startingline13 , November 14, 2010 1:33 AM
    dogman_1234Ummm.... uh...IDK. If I say anything, I will be marked down. Mark me down just because I'm Christian. This is completely wrong.


    Who cares what someone's religious values, or thoughts are on it - how about we talk about the tech behind it (hence it being a tech news site)
  • 19
    ecnovaec , November 14, 2010 1:49 AM
    dogman_1234Ummm.... uh...IDK. If I say anything, I will be marked down. Mark me down just because I'm Christian. This is completely wrong.


    i'm so sorry that you had to find out about this marriage. are you going to be ok? I don't see how you can possibly go on living knowing this happened. Hopefully one day they will ban this type of atrocity from happening!! I mean knowing that someone is married to someone else, but they have the same body parts... OMG THE APOCALYPSE IS HAPPENING!
  • 23
    exodite , November 14, 2010 2:02 AM
    dogman_1234Ummm.... uh...IDK. If I say anything, I will be marked down. Mark me down just because I'm Christian. This is completely wrong.

    I have a hard time determining which is worse; your bigotry against gay marriage or your implication that all christians are equally bigoted.

    Regardless, wish granted.
  • 5
    Gin Fushicho , November 14, 2010 2:09 AM
    I say Congrats on good thinking. =3
  • 6
    megamanx00 , November 14, 2010 2:10 AM
    That's pretty crazy.

    Not fake, but still Gay

    :lol: 
  • 10
    dallaswits , November 14, 2010 2:21 AM
    Ill say this.

    Give technology enough time, and it will free the planet from its self imposed ignorance towards those different from ourselves.

    I live in Dallas (with my wife and child), and i say, "Congratulations!"
  • -6
    liquidchild , November 14, 2010 2:33 AM
    Congrats gay dudes...TAKE THAT REDNECKS!!!! Unfortunately i still think its only a "legal marriage" in the state they were married in. My sister had to fly to New Hampshire when she tied the knot, and its only legal there.
  • 20
    ecnovaec , November 14, 2010 2:58 AM
    dogman_1234Itis moral like this that brings our country down.


    you're right... this country is heading into the toilet because we aren't enforcing YOUR beliefs on everybody... that makes sense. Who are you to tell others how to live their life? I'm not even gay but I'd gladly marry a man just to piss morons like you off
  • 11
    gti88 , November 14, 2010 3:15 AM
    I think, in 30 years, it will be possible to marry a robot.
  • 17
    gti88 , November 14, 2010 3:16 AM
    Just wonder, if Bible forbids marriage with robots.
  • 7
    CyberAngel , November 14, 2010 3:21 AM
    Can one really enforce their beliefs to someone else?
    Would that even be legal?
    Everyone has free speech, those who oppose or support or don't care or...take your pick

    Anyway I was wondering if I could get married via Skype in USA/CA (she would be there)
    while still living in Finland?
  • 20
    rpgplayer , November 14, 2010 4:01 AM
    hoof_heartedThey should call it something besides 'marriage' (maybe homosexual union or something of that nature), after all marriage is a religious ceremony and defined as such. Next thing you know, they are going to remove the anti-gay parts from the Bible

    hoof_heartedThey should call it something besides 'marriage' (maybe homosexual union or something of that nature), after all marriage is a religious ceremony and defined as such. Next thing you know, they are going to remove the anti-gay parts from the Bible


    easiest and more sensible step would be to remove the bible.
  • 9
    thejerk , November 14, 2010 4:11 AM
    It's pretty widely accepted by well... anyone other than Evangelical Literalists that Paul's letters to Rome, which are most often quoted when Christians argue homosexuality is a sin, were mostly against the Roman lifestyle at the time. It was full of hedonism and debauchery. It was a way to encourage Christians to lead a more virtuous lifestyle. Screwing everything with (and some things without) a heartbeat was just one of his (many) bullet points.
  • 12
    skine , November 14, 2010 4:39 AM
    Ah, the old gay marriage online debate.

    I will send a cookie to anyone who can think of an argument that doesn't boil down to one of these:

    -"I disagree with heterosexual marriage law."
    -"My religion/acquaintance says that it's bad."
    -"Eww, gross!"
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