Maine greets gay marriage with midnight weddings
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Steven Bridges, left, receives a wedding ring from Michael Snell, early Saturday, Dec. 29, at city hall in Portland, Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine are now legally allowed to marry under a new law that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. Associated Press/Robert F. Bukaty |
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A crowd cheers at 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, as the first same-sex couple to be legally married in Maine departs City Hall in Portland, Maine. Associated Press/Robert F. Bukaty |
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Katy Jayne, left, gets a kiss from Lauren Snead after they obtained their marriage license, early Saturday, Dec. 29 in Portland, Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine are now legally permitted to marry under a new law that went into effect Saturday. Associated Press/Robert F. Bukaty |
PORTLAND, Maine — The first couples to seek a wedding under Maine's voter-approved law allowing same-sex marriage have exchanged vows.
The law went into effect Saturday a minute after midnight. Portland, the largest city in the state, held special hours to accommodate couples who didn't want to wait to get married. Other communities in Maine were doing the same.
Voters approved gay marriage in November, making Maine and two other states the first to do so by popular vote. The law is already in effect in Washington state; Maryland's takes effect Tuesday.
