A same-sex marriage in NC?

It's been some time since I said anything on here. I'm pretty sure that it isn't possible for things to have been any busier than they already were. In the past week, I've moved to a new apartment with my partner, Nicole. I've all but quit my old job because of distance becoming an issue (OK so I'll actually still be working there off and on, but not as my "real job" anymore). Oh yeah, and I'm getting married in 3 days.

I think it's a fair assessment to say that we're both very stressed, but at least I can say that a week ago, it was a whole lot worse. Now that the whole "move to a new place" thing is over with, we're finally able to focus on all the last minute details of an upcoming wedding.

As I've sorted my life and my identity out the past few years, Nicole has supported me every step of the way. Even when she didn't understand, we talked, argued and worked things out. I know she's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. So that brings me here--a traditional marriage in North Carolina--where the state, the pastor, and and probably a three quarters of the attendees think that it's a woman and a girly looking guy getting married. Oh the joke's on them, little do they know of my grand disguse! Ha.

Honestly, I wish that everyone would have known by now. I would have loved to have a wedding where everyone sees and supports both of us for who we really are. It's a bit depressing to be reasonably certain that such a thing isn't an option, not when you want conservative parents and grandparents to attend, anyway.

It's hard. Family is a funny thing. Whatever in us that would like to tell more of them, it's mostly being overridden by the desire to have people we care about actually attend and participate in a day like this with us. Half of me just wants to let the everyone know, then give gracious thanks to those that still showed up, and the finger to the rest. Ah well. I'm not certain, but I think I'd like to have another small ceremony after I'm full time, and don't have to keep switching back and forth in presentation. I've definitely had a part in helping to plan the wedding, but there are also parts that I would've done very differently if it weren't for family.

So we're here; I really am excited. Nervous too. But it'll all work out, and in the end, eventually, we'll be in the legally awkward position of being a same-sex couple in a state-sanctioned marriage. Not sure how NC is going to feel about that one. I'd imagine it would only become an issue around the time that one of us needed to actually exercise one of those civil benefits that married couples enjoy.