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Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe officiates at lesbian couple’s wedding

Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe officiates at lesbian couple’s wedding
Gov. Terry McAuliffe  (D-Va.) presides over the wedding ceremony of Renee Bradley (right) and Katherine Bradley-Black, on Friday, October 10, 2014.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) presides over the wedding ceremony of Renee Bradley (right) and Katherine Bradley-Black, on Friday, October 10, 2014. Virginia Governor's office

RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Terry McAuliffe has become the first Virginia governor to preside over a same-sex wedding ceremony.

McAuliffe officiated Friday at the wedding of a lesbian couple, Renee Bradley and Katherine Bradley-Black of Northern Virginia, and said he feels honored to be part of the “important occasion.”

The U.S. Supreme Court effectively legalized gay marriage in Virginia on Monday by declining to review a lower court ruling striking down the state’s ban on same-sex marriages.

On Friday, McAuliffe’s office announced that the governor was sending notice to local social services divisions that married, same-sex couples can now adopt children.

Last month, McAuliffe became the first sitting governor of the state to attend Virginia’s annual LGBT Pridefest.

Associated Press contributed to this report.
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