Many happy couples celebrated their love in downtown Columbus by obtaining marriage licenses on Valentine's Day.
When Jimmie Beall and Mindy Ross went to the counter, they were denied.
"Basically what I just need to tell you is the court has to follow the law," Magistrate Bill Reddington told the couple.
The law in Ohio doesn't acknowledge or allow same-sex marriages. It is a frustrating reality for the couple, reported ONN's Stephanie Mennecke.
"We care about each other. We've been together a long time. We have children," Beall said.
"The law in Ohio by both statute and constitution is that only a man and a woman can be united in marriage," Reddington said.
He was called upon several times on Monday to break the news to couples, Mennecke reported.
Holly Hahn wants to get married. While holding a bouquet of flowers, she congratulated numerous couples walking by.
"We don't want special rights, we want the right to get married like everyone else," Hahn said.
That message was also taken to the streets on Monday. A group of equal rights activists protested in downtown Columbus.
"It is a civil rights issue; we are full citizens. Why would a country afford certain citizens rights, but they don't give them to others," said Get Equal Activist Tom Morgan.
Citizens for Community Values answered that question on their website, saying, "The traditional family is one father, one mother, and their natural or adopted children That structure is the basic building block of society."
It's reasoning that doesn't sit well with the group of protesters, which is why they decided to take a stand.
"Valentine's Day is a very romantic day, even for us gay people," Morgan said.
In the United States, gays and lesbians can legally marry in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and Washington, DC.
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