Midge Detro and Sandy Simmons waited at San Francisco City Hall (Rachel Dornhelm/KQED)

U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker issued a ruling lifting the hold on same-sex marriages. The ruling will not take affect until August 18 at 5 p.m., giving Proposition 8 supporters a chance to appeal his decision and continue the hold on same-sex marriages.

Proposition 8 supporters will probably ask the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to issue another hold on same-sex marriages. It could, however, take days for the Ninth Circuit to make a decision whether to uphold the stay.

If the Ninth Circuit does not act by August 18 at 5 p.m. then there could be a window where same-sex marriages are once again legal in California. If those marriages do take place, they could later be nullified by a Ninth Circuit Court decision.