Turner and Mesop wed in Arlington. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty.

The first same-sex couples were wed in Virginia today, after the Supreme Court declined to review a lower court’s ruling overturning the ban.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring celebrated the day in Arlington, where Erica Turner and Jennifer Melsop were the first couple to be married after the new licenses became available at 1 p.m.

“Simply put, this ruling allows all Virginians to be full members of our society, with all the rights and responsibilites that come with marriage,” Herring said.

Turner and Melsop, both 26 and from Centreville, told WNEW they were planning to get married in D.C. next year, but were urged not to pass up today’s opportunity.

“She came up to me crying and said, ‘I think we can get married today’,” Turner told NBC4.

Nicole Pries and Lindsey Oliver reportedly hold the distinction of being the first same-sex couple in the state to wed. From the Richmond-Times Dispatch:

Pries, 42, and Oliver, 30, said they have been been together for five years and had a commitment ceremony three years ago Monday.
“Today’s our anniversary,” said Pries.

Couples were also wed in Alexandria.

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