Ryan-Joseph Nucum and Sumi Jumpana had plans to tie the knot in an elaborate affair at Manhattan’s rainbow room. The date was set for Sept. 5, 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. 

“With everything going on we had a sense of perspective that this is crazy, there is so much going on and folks are losing their loved ones and family. So while we wanted to celebrate, we took into account what was happening,” said Nucum.

Like for so many other couples, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the pair to pivot. And although it’s been a roller coaster of a year to plan a wedding, what is not lost on Nucum and Jumpana is the ability to marry.

They ultimately decided to push the big party to September of this year, but didn’t wait to make it official. They hosted a “minimony” last fall, legally marrying in front of a small group of friends.

“The reason we went through and got married was because of the political climate, how turbulent everything was, with the passing of RBG,” said Jampana, refering to the death last fall of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

For Nucum and Jampana and other same-sex couples, the right to marry is relatively new. June 24, 2021 marks the tenth anniversary of marriage equality in New York State. 

By the time it passed, marriage for same-sex couples was legal in only five other states. Behind the fight for marriage equality was Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell. To him, it wasn’t just politics, it was personal.

“I made it very personal with my colleagues," said O'Donnell. "If they were going to vote 'no,' they were voting against me and John. From the very beginning, John would go to events with me so colleagues could see us together. One of my colleagues said to me 'what’s the last thing you do at night?' I said, 'I call John and say goodnight. He said 'well, then you're already married.' Then I said, 'why can’t I get the piece of paper?'” 

O’Donnell and his husband, John, met in college in 1978 and have been together for more than 40 years. Marriage to them, and to other same-sex couples, meant they’d be afforded certain protections and rights that heterosexual couples had, such as tax breaks or not getting turned away at the hospital should one of them need care. 

Along with State Sen. Tom Duane and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, O’Donnell worked to gain bi-partisan support for the bill. 

"After the Assembly passed it, the Senate chamber was jammed," Glick said. "The halls were filled. There were many people, straight allies who were in tears."

Efforts to legalize same-sex marriage started in the 1990s, decades before it passed in New York and then became law of the land in 2015 with the landmark 5-4 Supreme Court ruling, changing lives and families forever all across the country. 

In just a few short months Nucum and Jampana will join their families together. And while it’s happening later than originally planned, the long-awaited party will be one no one will forget. 

"I haven’t seen my parents in 18 months," Jampana said. "It will be nice to see them and to see everyone."

"It’s not just a wedding celebration, it’s a welcome back celebration, it's welcome back for us, a welcome back to New York, and I think we are" Nucum added. "A lot of friends are saying it's great. It’s a wedding celebration, but to finally see people we’ve missed for so long. Looking forward to everyone being together for a safe time."