At least five same-sex couples have received marriage licenses in a Pennsylvania county defying the state’s ban on gay unions. Montgomery County’s register of wills, Bruce Hanes, says he decided to begin granting licenses to gay couples because he wants to be “on the right side of history and the law.” A lesbian couple, Alicia Terrizzi and Loreen Bloodgood, got married right away in a ceremony attended by their two young sons.

Alicia Terrizzi: “We believe in it, not only for ourselves and the love that we have, but we think it’s really important to show our children that we are a family and we are just like their friends who have moms and dads. And it’s important for us to stand up for what we believe in, and we want to do that because we think that’s a great example to set for them.”