For Laredo residents Fernando Salinas and Celso Carré, their wedding had to happen first, and as soon as possible.

The couple has been together seven years, but they knew they wanted to get married in Laredo since year one.

However, a 2005 state constitutional ban on gay marriage prevented them from doing so.

When they found out Friday that the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex couples have the right to marry anywhere in the United States, they couldn’t believe it.

Salinas said he first called friends and county officials to confirm the news.

The couple headed to the Justice Center around 1 p.m. to apply for their marriage license and found a judge to officiate their wedding that same afternoon.

By 3:30 p.m., Salinas and Carré were joined by family members, some of whom teared up, cheered and snapped pictures of the ceremony.

“They’ve been the perfect couple,” niece Shannon Quiroga said.

“For me, they are a role model. They make me believe there is someone out there for everyone … They’re my favorite uncles, period.”

Other details — like the rings, reception and honeymoon — could be planned later, Salinas said.

Governor’s response

Gay and lesbian couples could already marry in 36 states and the District of Columbia.

The court’s 5-4 ruling meant 14 states in the South and Midwest could no longer enforce their bans on same-sex marriage.

According to the Associated Press, Texas was not part of the case before the Supreme Court.

A federal judge in 2013 ruled that the state’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional but declined to enforce the ruling while it was on appeal.

Some Texas counties on Friday decided not to issue licenses, and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said he would take action to protect what he called religious liberties, the Associated Press said.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also urged county clerks this week to hold off on issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until hearing from his office.

Some 24 get licenses

The Webb County Clerk’s Office issued licenses on Friday anyway. Some 24 same-sex couples obtained marriage licenses in Webb County Friday near the end of day, said County Clerk Margie Ibarra.

“If we’re following the Supreme Court, we have to issue (the licenses),” Ibarra said.

“It did throw us off because we had to change our application and the licenses that we issue.”

For the meantime, the office’s officials are printing out the license applications and deleting the words “male” and “female” on them.

While none of the same-sex couples receiving licenses today will technically be the first to marry in Texas, Salinas said the opportunity to marry his partner came much sooner than he expected.

He thought the opportunity would present itself five to 10 years from now.

“I just felt like fainting,” Salinas said after his ceremony.

“Finally it happened, and now we both have the same rights as any other heterosexual couple. Now I can add him to my health insurance.

Everything can be by both of us now.”

County judge needs ‘spiritual reflection’

Ibarra said Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina on Friday asked to be taken off the list of judges available to perform marriages at the moment.

“I will not discriminate anyone who chooses to marry under this new law,” Tijerina said.

“I have, however, taken myself off the official list for spiritual reflection on the issue.”

Bishop James Tamayo of the Diocese of Laredo said he was disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision to “disregard the traditional meaning of marriage.”

“The institution of marriage has made a unique and essential contribution to establishing families and ensuring the common good,” Tamayo said.

“The court’s ruling today, declaring a constitutional right for ‘marriage’ between two persons of the same sex, gravely undermines the institution of marriage as it is written in our very nature as men and women, and as it has been confirmed by divine revelation.”

U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, however, said that the ruling does not take away from the First Amendment rights of religious organizations and persons to teach their own principles and “continue the family structure they have long revered.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of the Texas State Senate on Thursday requested the opinion of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding the religious liberties of government officials involved with issuing same-sex marriage licenses and conducting same-sex wedding ceremonies.

“The protection of religious liberty rights guaranteed under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is of utmost importance to Texans,” the request states.

“May government officials such as employees of county clerks, justices of the peace and judges refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses or conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies due to their sincerely-held religious beliefs that marriage is the union of one man and one woman?”