California Marriage License Forms To Restore 'Bride' And 'Groom'

San Francisco, CA (AHN) - The California Department of Public Health officials announced it is restoring the words "bride" and "groom" on all marriage license forms issued in California starting Nov. 17.

The move was in response to the clamor by many couples who still prefer the traditional terms instead of the gender-neutral "Party A" and "Party B," introduced to replace the words "bride" and "groom" when same-sex marriage was legalized on June 16.

The decision also came as California voters have an initiative on the November ballot over Proposition 8, that could overturn the legality of same-sex marriage in the state.

The latest paperwork, will begin on Nov. 17, when all marriage license application forms will have blank spaces for the applicants' names and personal information next to the words "First Person Data" and "Second Person Data" and optional boxes for checking "bride" or "groom."

Couples have the option to check the "bride" and "groom" box in both sections to indicate marriage between two men or two women.

According to the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, a think tank based at the University of California in Los Angeles, an estimated 11,000 same-sex couples have exchanged vows since the law was enacted.