Stories
Real People. Real Stories of Love and Commitment.
We are your neighbors, co-workers, family members, and friends. These are our stories. We hope that you’ll be touched and inspired by these voices of real couples from all backgrounds talking about why marriage matters to them.
Jamila and Michelle
They like to say it was love at first strike. Michelle and Jamila met in a bowling alley in Austin, Texas in 1990. As chance would have it, their lanes were neighboring one another. “We just struck up a conversation,” Michelle says
Tobi and Karen’s Story
“We call ourselves the gay Cleavers,” say Tobi and Karen. “If you look at any traditional American family, we’re it – except our daughter has two moms. We both work; we love each other and our daughter. All we want is to be recognized as a family.”
Kate and Nicole’s Story
Kate and Nicole say they're doubly lucky – because they found each other, and because they were able to get married in their home state of California during the brief window when it was legal.
Chris and Donna’s Story
Whether they're floating down a river in a dodgy motorboat in Borneo or exploring an underground city in Turkey, Chris Maffia and Donna Crinnian know at least one thing for sure: they're in it together.
Leslie and Katina’s Story
Just about every person who's in a serious relationship remembers that moment – the time when they realized that the other person was "the one." For most, it’s an everyday moment when it hits that you would be happy to spend the rest of your life with this person. That's what happened for Leslie Herod and Katina Banks, who have been together for seven years.
Kathy and Carmah’s Story
Kathy Glass and Carmah Lawler have a good sense of humor about their age – and they say that sense has also helped keep them together for over 30 years. Kathy is 79 and Carmah is 82.
Laura and Dyana’s Story
How do you know when you've met the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with? Laura McGinnis and Dyana Mason might have gotten it down to an equation that's deceptively simple – but you have to know what you're looking for.
Sako and Diana’s Story
Before they got together, the chances of Diana and Sako Brockmann bumping into each other were pretty low. Diana lived in Washington, DC and Sako was 4,300 miles across the Atlantic in her native Finland. Luckily, Sako loves travelling to exotic locales – and taking lots of pictures.
Thom and Jeff’s Story
It's a question that every couple gets: "So how did you two meet?" Thom Watson and Jeff Tabaco have an answer that's pretty common these days – they met on the internet. But their story has a twist – they found each other not through an on online dating site, but thanks to their personal blogs. You could call it a 21st century love story.
Carmen and Anisia’s Story
Together 30 years, Carmen and Anisia Machado eagerly awaited New Jersey's Supreme Court marriage decision. "We were next door neighbors since grade school, we always liked each other and got along," says Carmen of their meeting. "Our parents and families tried to keep us apart but somehow we survived it all."
Chris and Juan’s Story
For Chris Williams and Juan McCoy, family definitely comes first. "As parents, we do everything the kids want to do, from tennis to basketball to just being out in the yard," says Juan. They've got five children aged 9 to 14. "We eat dinner together around a big table every night, just like a typical TV family from the 50's – which is not so typical these days," says Juan. But as a gay couple, Chris and Juan can't get married in their home state of Maryland.
Darin and Carl’s Story
Darin Henderson and Carl Cox aren't the only ones who are excited about their upcoming wedding day. And we're not talking about their mothers either, who are over the moon about it. With votes from thousands of strangers, the couple from DC managed to win a $100,000 contest to pay for their whole wedding.
Chris and Tim’s Story
Why do people get married? There are plenty of practical reasons that might not be so romantic – but for most of us, it's to bring a relationship to the next level. It's a declaration of love and commitment in front of family, friends, and the world. That was the reason for Chris Herbert and Tim Long. Their wedding north of New York City last fall happened to get a bit of a higher profile by being featured in Martha Stewart Weddings (Chris is Martha's nephew).
Videos more →
Service Members Speak Out for the Freedom to Marry
Three military veterans who, together with their friend, U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant T. Ashley Metcalf represent 45 years of military service. Sgt. Metcalf is gay, and his band of brothers support him and the freedom to marry.
Freedom Oklahoma: Cuyler Family on Why Marriage Matters
This new video focuses on Ed Cuyler, a retired Army colonel who served in the Army for 12 years, with 22 years in the Army reserves. He has received a Purple Heart and speaks here about why he wants his daughter to be able to marry the woman she loves.
William & Marge Bradshaw for Utah Unites for Marriage
William and Marge Bradshaw have 5 children and 18 grandkids. Above all, they know marriage is about love and commitment—and all loving couples deserve the rights that only marriage can provide.
