A Week for U.S. History Books: 12 Beautiful Gay Marriage Moments

This week, same-sex couples across the United States flocked to courthouses with hopes of securing marriage licenses and a place in history.

The Supreme Court refused to hear five states' appeals of pending gay marriage cases on Monday, essentially clearing the way for same-sex marriages to take place in Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. Those states began issuing marriage certificates earlier this week. The ruling has also affected marriage equality in Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Colorado and Wyoming.

In other states, though, there has been some confusion. In Nevada, same-sex marriages got the greenlight on Tuesday due to a separate decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco; Idaho was also affected by the decision. But on Thursday, Nevada was forced to stop issuing same-sex marriage licenses for a period of time after Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy made a mistake. And only on Friday were same-sex couples finally given the OK to tie the knot in Idaho.

In Las Vegas, Democratic Sen. Kevin Atkinson and his partner Sherwood Howard became the first gay couple to wed in the county on Thursday, joining thousands of other happy couples. Take a look below.

Tara Traynor, right, and her partner Cathy Grimes wait outside of the Marriage License Bureau, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Las Vegas. The two were waiting to see if they could get a marriage license.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vicky Pierce, of Denver, holds up her marriage certificate to spouse Nikki Holmlund during a rally staged by Why Marriage Matters Colorado on the steps of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver on Wednesday. The couple was the first same sex couple married in Denver after the Supreme Court ruling earlier this week.

IMAGE: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The first same sex couple married in Denver after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling of earlier this week, Vicky Pierce, left, and Nikki Holmlund, right, hold their 5-year-old daughter.

IMAGE: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jefferson Ruck, right, and Thomas Topovski react as they hear they can get a marriage license at the Marriage License Bureau Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Las Vegas.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jefferson Ruck cries after getting a marriage license with his partner Thomas Topovski at the Marriage License Bureau.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sherwood Howard, left, kisses partner Nevada State Sen. Kelvin Atkinson after they got a marriage license at the Marriage License Bureau, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Las Vegas.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sherwood Howard, right, and Nevada state Sen. Kelvin Atkinson get married by Nancy Allf, a district court judge, outside of the Marriage License Bureau.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Antioco Carrillo, right, smiles at his partner Theo Small as they get a marriage license at the Marriage License Bureau Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Las Vegas. The two were the first ones in line to get a same-sex marriage license in Las Vegas.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Charles Northcutt, left, embraces Ryan McCord in the back of a limo during a drive-thru wedding Friday, Oct. 10, 2014, in Las Vegas. The two, from Chandler, Ariz., married on the second day same-sex marriages were legal in Nevada.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Machelle Migneault and her partner, Ms. Smith, embrace after being the first ones to arrive the the recorder's office to attempt to get a same sex marriage license at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho on Friday, Oct. 10, 2014.

IMAGE: OTTO KITSINGER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dayvin Bartolome and his husband Daniel Carroll pose for wedding photos at the Vegas Weddings chapel.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dayvin Bartolome, right, kisses his husband Daniel Carroll after they got married at the Vegas Weddings chapel Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Las Vegas.

IMAGE: JOHN LOCHER/ASSOCIATED PRESS