Getting Married In Maine

Marriage for same-sex couples is now legal in Maine. 

Before you go to obtain your marriage license, you should call your local town office to find out if they’re going to be open that day. If so, find out when they’re going to be open and whether you need to make an appointment. You can find the phone number for your town office by going to www.maine.gov/local and searching by town.  

If you plan to marry immediately upon getting your license, you should make arrangements with your local town office ahead of time. Some towns are providing officials who can marry you and some are not (you’ll find a list of friendly officiants in the GayMarry.me link below). Call and find out. It’s your very special wedding day – make arrangements ahead of time to ensure it goes smoothly.  

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) offers these tips on getting married:

• To get a license, a couple must go to the clerk’s office in the city or town where either one lives.
• Once a license is issued, a couple has 90 days to get married.
• A marriage can be performed by a judge or justice, a notary public, an attorney or an ordained clergy member.
• The ceremony must be witnessed by at least two people other than the officiant, and signed by the couple, the officiant and witnesses.
• The officiant must return the marriage certificate to the town clerk within seven days of the ceremony.

For help with other legal questions surrounding Maine’s new marriage law, use the GLAD Legal Info Line by clicking here. Or by calling: 1-800-455-GLAD (4523).

For a more complete look at the legal side of getting married in Maine, download GLAD’s “Marriage in Maine: The Basics” by clicking here.

To view the Webinar that was co-hosted by GLAD, EqualityMaine and the Maine Women’s Lobby, click here. 

For other wedding resources, check out these sites:

GayMarry.me
GayWeddings.com
GayWeddingsInMaine.com
PurpleUnions.com

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