JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Friday's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court making same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states has some people celebrating and others praying.
"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family," Justice Anthony Kennedy, who voted with the 5-4 majority and wrote the majority opinion. "In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were."
Each of the four conservative justices on the court wrote their own dissent.
In Florida, where same-sex marriages have been legal since January after a judge struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, some were elated by Friday's ruling. Other said there is still more work to be done, especially in Jacksonville.
"We are working very hard to pass a fully inclusive human rights ordinance which will prohibit discrimination in the workplace, housing and public accommodations, like restaurants and bathrooms," said Jessica Osborne, of Equality Florida.
Those against gay marriage said that while they expected this ruling, they are still disappointed.
"The first thing I have is to pray and to understand that God was not taken by surprise," said Jerod Powers, of Florida Family Action. "The fact (is) that 62 percent of Florida voters supported the traditional view of marriage, and I believe those men and women will continue to voice their opinions."
Stephanie Sipp and her partner, Cheryl Taylor, couldn't be happier, holding their license to marry from the Duval County Courthouse. They look forward to making their union official July 3.
"It's a historic day and we are so happy that today we get our license when the rest of Americans can join us in marriage," Taylor said. "It's going to be an awesome Fourth of July because we truly feel like we are part of America today."
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had defended the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage in the courts, released a statement Friday saying the Supreme Court's decision "provided the clarity our state and country was seeking."
Bondi said legal efforts were not about personal beliefs or opinions, but rather, "the rule of law."
The Rev. Felipe Estévez, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, released a statement Friday afternoon saying the justices "got it wrong."
"Man and woman were designed by God for each other, and only a man and woman can form a union that brings forth children," Estévez wrote. "The Supreme Court rejected this absolute truth endorsing moral relativism, which endangers the very foundation of the family."
The Duval County Clerk of Court's office issued a statement saying it has issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples since Jan. 6, and "Today's ruling will have no impact on current operations."
And while marriage licenses are available to all couples in Duval County, Clerk Ronnie Fussell put an end to marriages at the courthouse and ordered a wedding chapel built dismantled the week before same-sex marriage became legal in Florida.
Fussell said at the time that some staff members were uncomfortable with performing weddings for gay couples. He did not return a phone call Friday, but some activists continue to push for the ban on marriages at the courthouse lifted.
President Barack Obama, who once verbally opposed the issue, addressed the nation, giving his stamp of approval.
"Our nation was founded on a bedrock principle that we are all created equal," Obama said. "The project of each generation is to bridge the meaning of those founding words with the realities of changing times. A never ending quest to insure those words ring true for every single American."
News4Jax spoke to political analyst and Florida's former lieutenant governor, Jennifer Carroll. She said the decision plays a role in the president's legacy, but with the upcoming election, Carroll believes this could still be seen as a hot button issue, especially for conservatives.
"That's also going to put conservative candidates between a rock and a hard place, because it is something that came down from the Supreme Court that is the law of the land in all of our states," Carroll said. "It also pushes them to make a decision, if this is going to be a hard stance they're going to take, just as they did for the abortion."