Gay Couple Uses Skype to Legally Marry in Texas

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.

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Top Comments

exodite Nov 13, 2010, 6:02 PM

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.
23
ecnovaec Nov 13, 2010, 6:58 PM

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
20
rpgplayer Nov 13, 2010, 8:01 PM

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.
20

Other Comments

dogman_1234 Nov 13, 2010, 5:26 PM

Ummm.... uh...IDK. If I say anything, I will be marked down. Mark me down just because I'm Christian. This is completely wrong.
-32
Startingline13 Nov 13, 2010, 5:27 PM

Not really sure what skype has to do with this, other than some people being able to watch them over the internet.
8
coldtortilla Nov 13, 2010, 5:27 PM

I wonder if I can legally marry my dog in Texas?
-19
Startingline13 Nov 13, 2010, 5:33 PM

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)
20
ecnovaec Nov 13, 2010, 5:49 PM

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!
19
exodite Nov 13, 2010, 6:02 PM

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.
23
Gin Fushicho Nov 13, 2010, 6:09 PM

I say Congrats on good thinking. =3
5
megamanx00 Nov 13, 2010, 6:10 PM

That's pretty crazy.

Not fake, but still Gay
6
dallaswits Nov 13, 2010, 6:21 PM

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!"
10
liquidchild Nov 13, 2010, 6:33 PM

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.
-6
gmarsack Nov 13, 2010, 6:42 PM

eww..
-21
ecnovaec Nov 13, 2010, 6:58 PM

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
20
gti88 Nov 13, 2010, 7:15 PM

I think, in 30 years, it will be possible to marry a robot.
11
gti88 Nov 13, 2010, 7:16 PM

Just wonder, if Bible forbids marriage with robots.
17
hoof_hearted Nov 13, 2010, 7:19 PM

They 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
-20
CyberAngel Nov 13, 2010, 7:21 PM

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?
7
rpgplayer Nov 13, 2010, 8:01 PM

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.
20
thejerk Nov 13, 2010, 8:11 PM

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.
9
sinfulpotato Nov 13, 2010, 8:30 PM

Marriage is for procreation, period.
-21
skine Nov 13, 2010, 8:39 PM

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!"
12

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