Christine Cohen has been engaged to her fianceé for four years.
But as the law stands now, she and her future wife cannot marry in Pennsylvania because they are a same-sex couple.
"To get married we have to leave the state. And we probably will, to Vermont," she said.
Even if the couple doesn't have the support of the state, they do have the support of Ms. Cohen's two children, Madeleine, 15, and Ross, 13, who made signs and attended the Light the Way to Justice candlelight vigil for marriage equality Tuesday night on Courthouse Square in Scranton.
Nearly 200 people gathered for the event, which was organized by three Marywood University graduate students. The local vigil is part of a larger movement under Equality Pennsylvania this week to bring attention to the United States Supreme Court hearing oral arguments regarding marriage equality for same-sex couples. The hearings could result in a ruling on whether California's Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in the state, and the Defense Of Marriage Act, a federal law which defines marriage as between one man and one woman, are unconstitutional.
One organizer, Nicole Hartung, who is straight, married and expecting her first baby soon, said she wanted to make a more inclusive and accepting world for her child if he or she were gay.
"When my child's born, I want to make sure I fought for rights ... that I did something for them," Mrs. Hartung said.
Participants - gay, straight or questioning - toted lit white candles, rainbow flags and homemade signs voicing their support for the lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual community and their right to marry.
Keystone College professor of political science Jeff Brauer, who is gay, spoke at the event, calling into question the legality of both Prop 8 in California and DOMA specifically because of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizens equal protection under the law, and the Full Faith and Credit clause, which proclaims states must honor judicial proceedings from all other states.
"There's really constitutional principles at stake," Mr. Brauer said.
Michael Dejesus, 19, of Scranton, stood in front of the crowd and spoke in hopes that one day he can marry a man and proclaim his love like anyone else.
"I want to be able to walk into a church, say my vows and get married," he said.
Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter