First openly gay person elected governor in US history marries partner in beautiful ceremony
Jared Polis and partner Marlon Reis got married on Wednesday (15 September). (Facebook/ Jared Polis)
Jared Polis, the first openly gay person to be elected governor, has become the first US governor to enter a same-sex marriage following a beautiful, intimate ceremony.
Polis, governor of Colorado, became the first openly gay person to be elected governor in US history in 2018. America’s first openly gay serving governor was Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, who came out in 2004, during his tenure.
Now, Polis has made history again.
He and his partner Marlon Reis got married on Wednesday (15 September) at the University of Colorado in a Jewish ceremony officiated by Rabbi Tirzah Firestone.
The wedding was held on the 18th anniversary of their first date.
The couple have two children, who were both involved in the wedding, Polis told CPR News. Seven-year-old Cora was the flower girl, while 10-year-old Caspian Julian, or CJ, was the ring-bearer.
On Facebook, Polis wrote: “Today first gentleman Marlon Reis and I were married in a small ceremony with family and a few close friends.
“We are both excited for this new chapter in our lives together, and our hearts are full with the blessings of health, love, and family.”
Jared Polis proposed to partner Marlon Reis as he was on his way to hospital with COVID-19
Jared Polis asked Marlon Reis to marry him in December, 2020, just moments before Reis rushed to hospital with coronavirus.
At the time, Reis had been fighting COVID-19 for over a week, and had been instructed by his doctor head to the hospital. In that moment, Polis decided to get down on one knee.
Polis told CPR: “I’d ordered the rings, with an inscription from Isaiah, and had them hidden and ready to go. And he was going off to the hospital with COVID.
“I mean, I knew he’d probably get better, but obviously, you never know.
“I thought now’s a good time to give them something to remember here as we leave the house to take him to the hospital.”
Reis told the Colorado Sun: “It was the absolute perfect time.
“I said to him: ‘I couldn’t breathe before. Now I really can’t breathe.’”
Thankfully, he caught his breath and said yes.
