Gay couples lined up before dawn today to apply for marriage licenses until an Iowa judge, who set off the rush to the altar by scuttling the state's law against same-sex marriage, put a halt to their bliss.
Less than 24 hours after starting the marriage stampede, Judge Robert Hanson of the Polk County District Court issued a stay to his own ruling that had said Iowa's law restricting marriage to a man and a woman was unconstitutional.
Today Judge Hanson ordered that no more marriage licenses be issued to gay couples at the request of a county prosecutor who wanted a halt until Iowa's Supreme Court can rule on the prosecutor's appeal.
But two Iowa State University students, Sean Fritz (24) and Tim McQuillan (21) beat the judge's stay and got their license, with a waiver bypassing the usual three-day waiting period.
Then they rushed off and found a Unitarian minister to unite them in a brief ceremony in the front yard of his Des Moines home. It was unclear immediately how the stay would affect their marriage and other couples who managed to submit their marriage license applications.
The gay marriage issue is a hot one politically at all levels. Twenty-six US states have constitutional amendments barring same-sex marriage. Three states allow civil unions for gay couples - with only Massachusetts permitting full same-sex marriage.
New Hampshire will allow gay civil unions beginning in January.
Mr Fritz and Mr McQuillan were among about a dozen couples waiting in a line that formed before dawn at the Polk County Courthouse.
Mr Fritz said he proposed to Mr McQuillan yesterday night after hearing about the judge's ruling and then went to a shop to buy wedding rings.
"He instant messaged me over the Internet that this was going on," Mr McQuillan said. "When he picked me up around 9 o'clock he proposed to me on the spot. Besides the obvious shock, I still haven't recovered. Maybe it'll set in later this week."