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class="styl_ntaer__ZKkl3" data-activy-map="social-share-lks-article-top" data-ttid="social-share-menu"><li data-ttid="social-share-facebook" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_facebook__bOW_X"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-facebook"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-twter" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_twter__ww7sF"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-ptert" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_ptert__CaMm1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-ptert"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-email" class="styl_em__b5A78"><a href="mailto:?subject=Tie the Knot: Naval Amy Hosts First Gay Weddg& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-email"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-py" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_py__RACZ3"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-lk"></span></button><div class="styl_pyTooltip__Ut_t1"><span class="in in-alt-check"></span></div></li><li data-ttid="social-share-sms" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_sms__Vohh6"><a href="sms:?&body=Tie the Knot: Naval Amy Hosts First Gay Weddg via nbews - target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-sms"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-prt" class="styl_prt__cw6Gn"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-share-prt styl_in__P3XZT"></span><span class="styl_text___8iNX">Prt</span></button></li><li data-ttid="social-share-save" class="styl_save__ILVuj"></li></ul></div><div class="article-body__date-source"><time class="relative z-1" dateTime="2014-05-10T22:35:44.000Z" ntent="2014-05-10T22:35:44.000Z">May 10, 2014, 10:35 PM UTC</time></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Beneath the magnificent cupola of the Navy’s most regnizable relig stcture, two men — acpanied by their two children and about 100 guts — gathered here Saturday for the U.S. Naval Amy Chapel's first-ever same-sex weddg.</p><p class="">For the Naval Amy, was an historic tone that David Bucher, a 49-year-old Amy graduate who works at the Pentagon, and partner Bce Moats, 50, tied the knot.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div id="taboolaReadMoreBelow"></div><p class="">Before the ceremony got unrway, the uple's weddg day jters mgled wh ncerns they had about opposn to their nuptials.</p><p class="">Moats said that while he and Bucher are not advot tryg to make a polil statement wh their weddg, they do want to ntue the efforts of those fightg for gay rights.</p><p class="">“We’re here to break barriers — and take advantage of the rights we have,” Moats said, beamg.</p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ" data-ttid="vio-player"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="42852933851"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">U.S. Naval Amy Host Its First Gay Weddg</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>May 10, 2014</span><span>00:47</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=U.S. Naval Amy Host Its First Gay Weddg& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">The weddg was not wily publicized, and wasn’t surprisg to Naval Amy spokman Cmdr. John Schofield to see no Amy opposn to the ceremony.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“The Naval Amy is all about creatg lears for the future and embodyg and promotg a culture of digny and rpect,” Schofield said. “And I thk that ’s le wh those valu, those tes that we hold ar, that we have our first same-sex marriage here.”</p><p class="">He said the Amy was proud to hold the weddg — le wh Maryland law. Same-sex marriage went to effect 2013.</p><p class="">As groundbreakg as the weddg was for the Amy, stuck to tradn wh formal prayers, a readg om Corthians and the Uned Stat Navy Hymn.</p><p class="">But Amy Chapla Lt. John Connolly, who officiated the ceremony, said the n-up to the memorable day wasn’t all smooth sailg.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="David Bucher, 49, and Bce Moats, 50, of Maryland kiss at their weddg Annapolis." height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">David Bucher, 49, and Bce Moats, 50, of Maryland kiss at their weddg Annapolis.</span><span class="ptn__source">NBC NEWS</span></figptn></figure><p class="">“Not everyone agre that this should be happeng and took a signifint amount of discernment on my own part as well as this uple’s as they were preparg for the day,” Connolly said.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">But as he got to know Bucher and Moats, he unrstood how love they were.</p><p class="">“The more I met wh this uple, the happier I was to be pridg today,” he add.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><p class="">The road for this gay uple has not been easy. Moats, a director of munitns for the World Bank, grew up ral Wt Virgia. He said he swam agast a ti of poverty and prejudice.</p><p class="">While gettg married at the Naval Amy’s chapel, he stood awe of the venue.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“It’s timidatg to be this grandse settg,” he said, addg that his pre-weddg nerv were pound by “knowg there are some who don’t approve.”</p><sectn class="blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote__quote"><p>“We’re here to break barriers — and take advantage of the rights we have."</p><small class="blockquote__source"><span></span></small></blockquote></sectn><p class="">But for David Bucher, the day was pecially momento — and tged wh a sense of remptn.</p><p class="">The son of an Oh untry judge, he graduated om the Naval Amy and served at the time of Operatn Dert Storm the early 1990s. But after five years, and agast his own wish, he said, he left the Navy.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“As a gay man the ary, the ary didn’t want me,” Bucher said. “There was some aspect of my personal beg that ma me ls qualified, they thought, so that was why I exed the Navy. There was a certa level of rejectn there.”</p><p class="">But on Saturday, returng to the place where Bucher began his reer — and sensg an extraordary effort to wele him and his partner — there was also a feelg of victory.</p><p class="">He’s workg at the Pentagon, has a fay and is married to the love of his life.</p><p class="endmark">“To me,” he said, “that is a triumph.”</p></div><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"></div></div><div class="article-body--right-rail-ntaer"><div class="article-body__right-rail layout-grid-em grid-l-4_5-l grid-l-3_5-xl grid-l-ph-half-xl"><div class="ad article-body__right-rail--ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxrail" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[300,250],[360,360]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="10" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="midrponsive" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[700,1],[5,5]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="300" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div></article></div></div><div id="hfs-footer" class="dn-prt" data-activy-map="hfs-footer"><footer class="hfsf" ><div class="ner"><div class="logo"><a href="><svg class="peack" viewBox="578 62 67 39" xmlns=" fill="currentColor"><g fill-le="evenodd"><path d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M597.563 75.863l9.442 21.613-19.478-13.35c-4.887-3.24-3.896-8.79-1.19-11.237 3.83-3.24 9.245-2.12 11.226 2.97"></path><path class="feather" d="M610.57 70.93l-3.433 24.19-9.772-23c-2.113-5.75 2.64-9.516 5.81-9.583 3.632-.396 8.188 2.38 7.396 8.394"></path><path class="feather" d="M625.494 72.103l-9.707 23.067-3.102-20.82c-.265-3.17 1.716-3.237 2.443-3.832-.133-.463-1.124-.463-1.124-.463h-1.848c-.198-5.42 4.028-7.8 7.462-7.535 3.697.132 7.856 4.428 5.876 9.583"></path><path class="feather" d="M635.338 84.167L615.86 97.584l9.177-21.348c2.775-6.742 9.245-5.42 11.556-2.842 2.51 2.51 3.235 7.6-1.255 10.773"></path><path class="feather" d="M637.448 99.9h-22.515l18.29-12.756c4.49-2.975 9.244-.266 10.498 3.635 1.327 4.36-1.65 9.12-6.27 9.12"></path></g></svg></a></div><nav class="lks"><ul class="lks__wrap" data-l-2="14" data-l-3=15><li><a href=" target="_self">About</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Contact</a></li><li><a href=">Help</a></li><li><a href=">Careers</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ad Choic</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Do Not Sell My Personal Informatn</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CA Notice</a></li><li><a href=">Terms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)</a></li><li><a href=">NBC News Semap</a></li><li><a href=">Advertise</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Shoppg</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Personal Fance</a></li></ul></nav><div class="py"><p>© 2023 NBC UNIVERSAL</p><div class="brands"><a href="><svg viewBox="0 0 120 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-labelledby="nbc_news_logo"><tle class="nbc_news_logo">NBC News Logo

first gay wedding in usa

It was an historic tone that uple David Bucher and Bce Moats wed at the U.S. Naval Amy Chapel on Saturday, the venue's first gay weddg.

Contents:

HOW THE FIRST GAY WEDDG AMERI TOOK PLACE 50 YEARS AGO

SOURCE: “WHY MARRIAGE MATTERS: AMERICA, EQUALITY, AND GAY PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO MARRY, ” BY EVAN WOLFSON (2004). (The Goln Girls had aired a gay "mment ceremony" earlier 1991, but the word marriage wasn't said. Near the end of the episo, Roc says he's not yet fortable wh his uncle beg gay, but he's learng to be "fortable wh beg unfortable, " which is a big step for him.

"Can't Help" is chock full of the sorts of easy gay jok that typified a lot of '90s edi featurg gay characters. At one pot, Andrew sists that he didn't thk black people uld be gay, bee they weren't scend om "sissy" Europeans. When Andrew tells him this is jt a phase, spurred by havg married an "ugly woman, " Rsell says that, no, he's been gay his whole life and jt lyg to himself.

What ma the battle for gay rights so different was that anybody uld be gay, so, siarly, anybody uld be prejudiced. The characters don't make all of the way to full acceptance of gay rights by the end of the episo. " Roc posns the fight for gay rights as on a ntuum wh all other civil rights battl, and that was somethg few other elements of pop culture were alg wh at the time.

WATCH: TV'S FIRST GAY WEDDG IS A PERFECT SUMMATN OF HOW FAR AMERI HAS E

Beg homophobic is simple when you don't know any gay people. It's far more plited when your own brother or uncle is gay.

Naval Amy Chapel's first-ever same-sex the Naval Amy, was an historic tone that David Bucher, a 49-year-old Amy graduate who works at the Pentagon, and partner Bce Moats, 50, tied the the ceremony got unrway, the uple's weddg day jters mgled wh ncerns they had about opposn to their said that while he and Bucher are not advot tryg to make a polil statement wh their weddg, they do want to ntue the efforts of those fightg for gay rights.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* FIRST GAY WEDDING IN USA

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class="styl_ntaer__ZKkl3" data-activy-map="social-share-lks-article-top" data-ttid="social-share-menu"><li data-ttid="social-share-facebook" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_facebook__bOW_X"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-facebook"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-twter" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_twter__ww7sF"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-ptert" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_ptert__CaMm1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-ptert"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-email" class="styl_em__b5A78"><a href="mailto:?subject=Tie the Knot: Naval Amy Hosts First Gay Weddg& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-email"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-py" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_py__RACZ3"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-lk"></span></button><div class="styl_pyTooltip__Ut_t1"><span class="in in-alt-check"></span></div></li><li data-ttid="social-share-sms" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_sms__Vohh6"><a href="sms:?&body=Tie the Knot: Naval Amy Hosts First Gay Weddg via nbews - target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-sms"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-prt" class="styl_prt__cw6Gn"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-share-prt styl_in__P3XZT"></span><span class="styl_text___8iNX">Prt</span></button></li><li data-ttid="social-share-save" class="styl_save__ILVuj"></li></ul></div><div class="article-body__date-source"><time class="relative z-1" dateTime="2014-05-10T22:35:44.000Z" ntent="2014-05-10T22:35:44.000Z">May 10, 2014, 10:35 PM UTC</time></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Beneath the magnificent cupola of the Navy’s most regnizable relig stcture, two men — acpanied by their two children and about 100 guts — gathered here Saturday for the U.S. Naval Amy Chapel's first-ever same-sex weddg.</p><p class="">For the Naval Amy, was an historic tone that David Bucher, a 49-year-old Amy graduate who works at the Pentagon, and partner Bce Moats, 50, tied the knot.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div id="taboolaReadMoreBelow"></div><p class="">Before the ceremony got unrway, the uple's weddg day jters mgled wh ncerns they had about opposn to their nuptials.</p><p class="">Moats said that while he and Bucher are not advot tryg to make a polil statement wh their weddg, they do want to ntue the efforts of those fightg for gay rights.</p><p class="">“We’re here to break barriers — and take advantage of the rights we have,” Moats said, beamg.</p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ" data-ttid="vio-player"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="42852933851"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">U.S. Naval Amy Host Its First Gay Weddg</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>May 10, 2014</span><span>00:47</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=U.S. Naval Amy Host Its First Gay Weddg& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">The weddg was not wily publicized, and wasn’t surprisg to Naval Amy spokman Cmdr. John Schofield to see no Amy opposn to the ceremony.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“The Naval Amy is all about creatg lears for the future and embodyg and promotg a culture of digny and rpect,” Schofield said. “And I thk that ’s le wh those valu, those tes that we hold ar, that we have our first same-sex marriage here.”</p><p class="">He said the Amy was proud to hold the weddg — le wh Maryland law. Same-sex marriage went to effect 2013.</p><p class="">As groundbreakg as the weddg was for the Amy, stuck to tradn wh formal prayers, a readg om Corthians and the Uned Stat Navy Hymn.</p><p class="">But Amy Chapla Lt. John Connolly, who officiated the ceremony, said the n-up to the memorable day wasn’t all smooth sailg.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="David Bucher, 49, and Bce Moats, 50, of Maryland kiss at their weddg Annapolis." height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">David Bucher, 49, and Bce Moats, 50, of Maryland kiss at their weddg Annapolis.</span><span class="ptn__source">NBC NEWS</span></figptn></figure><p class="">“Not everyone agre that this should be happeng and took a signifint amount of discernment on my own part as well as this uple’s as they were preparg for the day,” Connolly said.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">But as he got to know Bucher and Moats, he unrstood how love they were.</p><p class="">“The more I met wh this uple, the happier I was to be pridg today,” he add.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><p class="">The road for this gay uple has not been easy. Moats, a director of munitns for the World Bank, grew up ral Wt Virgia. He said he swam agast a ti of poverty and prejudice.</p><p class="">While gettg married at the Naval Amy’s chapel, he stood awe of the venue.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“It’s timidatg to be this grandse settg,” he said, addg that his pre-weddg nerv were pound by “knowg there are some who don’t approve.”</p><sectn class="blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote__quote"><p>“We’re here to break barriers — and take advantage of the rights we have."</p><small class="blockquote__source"><span></span></small></blockquote></sectn><p class="">But for David Bucher, the day was pecially momento — and tged wh a sense of remptn.</p><p class="">The son of an Oh untry judge, he graduated om the Naval Amy and served at the time of Operatn Dert Storm the early 1990s. But after five years, and agast his own wish, he said, he left the Navy.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">“As a gay man the ary, the ary didn’t want me,” Bucher said. “There was some aspect of my personal beg that ma me ls qualified, they thought, so that was why I exed the Navy. There was a certa level of rejectn there.”</p><p class="">But on Saturday, returng to the place where Bucher began his reer — and sensg an extraordary effort to wele him and his partner — there was also a feelg of victory.</p><p class="">He’s workg at the Pentagon, has a fay and is married to the love of his life.</p><p class="endmark">“To me,” he said, “that is a triumph.”</p></div><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"></div></div><div class="article-body--right-rail-ntaer"><div class="article-body__right-rail layout-grid-em grid-l-4_5-l grid-l-3_5-xl grid-l-ph-half-xl"><div class="ad article-body__right-rail--ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxrail" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[300,250],[360,360]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="10" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="midrponsive" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[700,1],[5,5]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="300" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div></article></div></div><div id="hfs-footer" class="dn-prt" data-activy-map="hfs-footer"><footer class="hfsf" ><div class="ner"><div class="logo"><a href="><svg class="peack" viewBox="578 62 67 39" xmlns=" fill="currentColor"><g fill-le="evenodd"><path d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M597.563 75.863l9.442 21.613-19.478-13.35c-4.887-3.24-3.896-8.79-1.19-11.237 3.83-3.24 9.245-2.12 11.226 2.97"></path><path class="feather" d="M610.57 70.93l-3.433 24.19-9.772-23c-2.113-5.75 2.64-9.516 5.81-9.583 3.632-.396 8.188 2.38 7.396 8.394"></path><path class="feather" d="M625.494 72.103l-9.707 23.067-3.102-20.82c-.265-3.17 1.716-3.237 2.443-3.832-.133-.463-1.124-.463-1.124-.463h-1.848c-.198-5.42 4.028-7.8 7.462-7.535 3.697.132 7.856 4.428 5.876 9.583"></path><path class="feather" d="M635.338 84.167L615.86 97.584l9.177-21.348c2.775-6.742 9.245-5.42 11.556-2.842 2.51 2.51 3.235 7.6-1.255 10.773"></path><path class="feather" d="M637.448 99.9h-22.515l18.29-12.756c4.49-2.975 9.244-.266 10.498 3.635 1.327 4.36-1.65 9.12-6.27 9.12"></path></g></svg></a></div><nav class="lks"><ul class="lks__wrap" data-l-2="14" data-l-3=15><li><a href=" target="_self">About</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Contact</a></li><li><a href=">Help</a></li><li><a href=">Careers</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ad Choic</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Do Not Sell My Personal Informatn</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CA Notice</a></li><li><a href=">Terms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)</a></li><li><a href=">NBC News Semap</a></li><li><a href=">Advertise</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Shoppg</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Personal Fance</a></li></ul></nav><div class="py"><p>© 2023 NBC UNIVERSAL</p><div class="brands"><a href="><svg viewBox="0 0 120 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-labelledby="nbc_news_logo"><tle class="nbc_news_logo">NBC News Logo.

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