( CNN ) -- Lawyers for groups opposed to same-sex marriage in California petitioned to reverse a federal appeals court order that OK 'd the resumption of such unions -- doing so a day after that ruling . Attorneys applied Saturday to the U.S. Supreme Court for `` an immediate order vacating '' a decision Friday by the Ninth U.S . Circuit Court of Appeals , according to copies of the document from ProtectMarriage.com and the Alliance Defending Freedom . That appeals court Friday lifted a previous injunction on same-sex marriages in California , `` effective immediately . '' `` Without the immediate relief requested by this Application , the Ninth Circuit will circumvent the proper rules and procedures established by this Court , '' the application says . Those on the other side of the debate , meanwhile , think the appeals court acted appropriately . `` The Ninth Circuit had broad discretion as to whether to stay the injunction pending appeal , '' said Manny Rivera , a spokesman for the American Foundation for Equal Rights . `` Now that the Supreme Court has decided that the injunction against Proposition 8 must stand , it was entirely appropriate for the Ninth Circuit to dissolve its stay of that injunction . '' California 's Supreme Court struck down the state 's ban on same-sex marriage in May 2008 , ruling that the state 's constitution gives `` this basic civil right to ( marry to ) all Californians , whether gay or heterosexual , and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples . '' But months later , 52 % of voters backed Proposition 8 to once again restrict marriages so that they can only be between a man and a woman . The measure put gay and lesbian marriages on hold , though lawsuits followed . State officials declined to stand behind Proposition 8 -- and , thus , its prohibition on gay marriage -- though private parties did step in and offer to do so . A federal appeals court later ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional , though it still issued a stay on same-sex marriages until the U.S. Supreme Court could weigh in . That happened in a 5-4 decision Wednesday , when the high court dismissed an appeal of that federal court ruling on jurisdictional grounds . That meant Friday 's news -- the resumption of same-sex marriages in California -- was expected , even though it was n't known when it would happen . Supreme Court cases rest of citizens who sued , made history . ProtectMarriage.com and Alliance Defending Freedom say it should n't have happened then , at the least . In their emergency application , affiliated lawyers claimed the Ninth U.S . Circuit Court of Appeals `` lacked jurisdiction to issue its order purporting to dissolve the stay . '' They reasoned that this appeals court was n't authorized to weigh in until the Supreme Court `` sends a certified copy of the judgment to the Ninth Circuit . '' Among other arguments , the application also stated that `` permitting the Ninth Circuit to prematurely dissolve its stay order would effectively deprive petitioners of a meaningful opportunity to exercise their right to petition for rehearing . '' Such petitions for the Supreme Court to reconsider a case must be filed within 25 days after a ruling has been made . It 's unclear if and/or when the high court might consider this request . Justices recently began a recess after issuing a number of pivotal rulings last week . And there 's no immediate indication it will have any impact on same-sex weddings taking place around California . Gov . Jerry Brown issued a directive on Friday telling authorities in `` 58 California counties that same-sex marriage is now legal in California and that marriage licenses must be issued to same-sex couples immediately . '' Attorney General Kamala Harris , in fact , performed one of the first such unions -- between Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier , who were one of the couples who sued to stop a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage from taking effect -- at San Francisco 's City Hall . Process begins to allow federal benefits for same-sex spouses . CNN 's Erica Henry contributed to this report .
Lawyers : Court should n't have lifted a stay on same-sex marriages in California . They ask for `` an immediate order '' vacating that decision , after which weddings resumed . A gay rights spokesman says the appeals court 's actions were `` entirely proper '' U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for the appeals court 's move with a ruling Wednesday .