An outburst of emotion broke out in Annapolis after the Maryland State Senate narrowly approved a measure legalizing same sex marriage.

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This comes less than a week after the House approved the measure. Md. Governor Martin O'Malley has already said he will sign it into law.

“Our friends went to marry elsewhere and we stayed we wanted to marry where we live,” said Pasadena, Md. resident Chris Vogt.

Maryland is now poised to become the eighth state to allow same sex marriage, the first on the East Coast below the Mason-Dixon line.

“It’s a remarkable day for the people of the state of Maryland and I’m just so proud to have been a part of it,” said Democratic Sen. Richard Maladeno of Montgomery County.

But opponents of the measure say they're not backing down, they're vowing to bring the measure to a referendum in November. Over 55,000 signatures are needed to put the issue on the ballot.

“Advocates that wanted to see the bill done didn't want to address those issues and I think that will just create more energy for the referendum,” said Md. State Senator E.J. Pipkin, a Republican.