Norwalk: After the wedding, the political campaign

In Norwalk on Tuesday morning, Adam Pearson, 32, and Matt Armendariz, 38, of Long Beach wiped away tears of joy at being married but said they were not going to be having a reception. Instead, they said, they might have a benefit to raise money for the political campaign.

Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, estimated that same-sex marriage supporters might need to raise more than $20 million to match spending by proponents of the November ballot initiative that would amend the state Constitution to ban gay unions.

On Tuesday, after returning from a wedding celebration, Kors sent an e-mail to his organization’s supporters warning them that the conservative Colorado-based Focus on the Family had contributed $250,000 to an anti-gay marriage political action committee. He asked for donations to counter that money.

In an interview, Kors noted that his organization and several others have set up registries on their websites. Similar to department store programs where couples can register for wedding gifts, the site allows them to instead direct political contributions to PACs in support of same-sex marriage.

-- Jessica Garrison

Photo: Spencer Weiner

Matt Armendariz, left, and Adam Pearson wait this morning at the county clerk's office.