Federal Judge Vaughn Walker kept California’s same-sex couples [waiting at the alter](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/12/MNFA1ERRMV.DTL&tsp=1) today, but he said they’ve only got to endure six more days before weddings can resume. When Walker [declared Prop 8 unconstitutional](https://colorlines.com/archives/2010/08/judge_walkers_ruling_is_about_much_more_than_the_law.html) last week, he offered its defenders an opportunity to demonstrate why the ruling should not immediately take effect–thus allowing gay and lesbian couples to resume getting married. The initiative’s proponents had to show a likelihood of success in their appeal to the Ninth Circuit and prove that letting marriages begin would cause irreperable harm, among other things. Today, Walker concluded Prop 8’s proponents failed on all grounds. But he did allow Prop 8’s defenders time to petition the Ninth Circuit for its own stay. They’ve got until 5 p.m. on August 18 to win such an order. Otherwise, wedding bells start ringing again in gay California. [Read Wallker’s order lifting the stay here.](http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/twip_100812_/GayMarriageStayOrder.pdf)