[caption id="attachment_108393" align="aligncenter" width="608"] Photo Credit: Getty Images[/caption]

The big news today, of course, is that the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and dismissed the Prop 8 appeal. In the wake of those verdicts, California governor Jerry Brown ordered state clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples as soon as possible. "In light of the decision, I have directed the California Department of Public Health to advise the state's counties that they must begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in California as soon as the Ninth Circuit confirms the stay is lifted," Brown said in a statement.

One celeb taking advantage of today's announcement is rocker Melissa Etheridge, who announced her engagement to girlfriend Linda Wallem on CNN today. "It is about family and I love my four kids," Etheridge, 52, said. "I called my now-fiancee. I'm looking forward to marrying my partner of three years . . . I'm going to get married in the state of California. I woke [the kids] up this morning telling them the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA... Love is love and America is beautiful. . . It's just an amazing, amazing day. I'm proud to be an American."

The best part of today's SCOTUS rulings is that Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell and can finally tie the knot (and she can focus on getting the Veronica Mars movie made!) The couple announced some time back they wouldn't wed until Prop 8 was struck down. With today's results Bell actually proposed to Shepard on Twitter (of course she did) tweeting "daxshepard1 will you marry me? #marriage equality #loveislove"

Elsewhere, a gay couple had trouble getting to the altar: Today, Jean-Michel Martin and Guy Martineau-Espel pressed charges against Jean-Michel Colo, mayor of Arcangues in southwest France, for refusing the wed them despite the passage of a law recognizing same-sex unions in the country. "I will go to the gallows" rather than back down," insisted Colo, who could face a $98,000 fine and up to five years in prison. Was it really worth it, monsieur?