One of the HRC members, Joshua A. Barro ’05, appealed earlier to the club’s open-list for Republicans to show that the “next generation of Republicans is tolerant and inclusive” by joining in the march.

“It’s not an official club-sanctioned event, but we are coming to show that there are Republicans who support gay marriage,” said Barro, wearing his blue HRC T-shirt. “I think this is the direction the Republican Party is heading.”

Members of the Harvard Christian Fellowship also participated in the procession, though not as an official contingent of the Harvard student group.

“We’re coming out as individual Christians to show our support for the gays and lesbians who are getting married tonight,” said Stephen E. Dewey ’07. “We are very happy for them.”

A large contingent of residents of Pforzheimer House, some of them clearly inebriated, marched along to show their support.

Across the street from City Hall, several protestors were cordoned off behind a row of Cambridge police officers in full riot gear.

“When the government institutes a sin, it’s the job of God’s people to say something about it,” said Ben Phelps, 28, a Topeka, Kan., resident who had traveled to Cambridge with several members of his church group.

“If you spit in God’s face, God hates you and you’re doomed,” said Phelps, who held a sign with the slogan “Fags Doom Nations.”

FOR WHOM THE WEDDING BELLS TOLL

While the events at City Hall did not begin until late last night, nearly a dozen same-sex couples and supporters were camped outside by mid-afternoon, adorning the historic building’s entrance with flowers, beach chairs and decorative swans. National and local media reporters mixed in with the excited couples, at times outnumbering them.

Away from the hoopla, one couple stood in a silent embrace, clutching flowers received from well-wishers.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” said Sasha Hartman, an accounts manager at a Boston advertising agency. Hartman’s words echoed the dazed mentality of the couples on hand, many of whom expressed emotions ranging from disbelief to euphoria as the clock ticked closer to the midnight filing time.

Hartman and her partner Alex Fennell were fifth in line for obtaining a license. The two have been together for nine years and live in the South End.

The chance that the legislature will amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage did not dampen the spirits among the soon-to-be-wed couples, though many admitted it weighed on their minds.

“We just want to get the formality done because there’s been so many efforts to take this away from us,” said Fennell, who is an attorney. “It’s there and it’s something you think about. It’s hard to understand why so many people are spending so much energy to take this away.”