LICENSED TO WED

L EGALLY YOURS licenses & permits

45 BOTH PEOPLE

GETTING MARRIED

must visit the town office in person to apply for a marriage license. If either of you were married before, bring a copy of your divorce decree. You do not need to apply in the town where the wedding is planned. Different rules apply depending on where you are from, so check out maine.gov for information. A Maine marriage license is valid for 90 DAYS.

If you are getting married at a PUBLIC

PLACE, such as a park or a beach, check to see if you need permits, especially for alcohol.

Getting married in the OFF-SEASON (aka winter) may save you money on the reception site and the vendors you choose.

49 W E KNOW WHAT WE’ RE TA L K I N G ABOUT sage advice There are only so many Saturdays in the summer! Consider having a wedding on ANOTHER DAY OF THE WEEK, like a Friday or Sunday — especially if the venue you want to use is already booked.

It is an urban myth that throwing rice at weddings is harmful to birds, but it does make a very real mess. Think about another FESTIVE KIND OF SEND-OFF: blow bubbles, play musical instruments, throw birdseed, or light sparklers.

Licensed to Wed

Maine marriage license basics

GETTING MARRIED IN MAINE? YOU NEED A LICENSE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT LEGAL. HERE’S HOW.

FILE MARRIAGE INTENTIONS: The first step in obtaining a marriage license is to record the marriage intentions in writing. Both of you must sign the intentions stating you are free to marry.

WHERE TO FILE: If you are both Maine residents, file your intentions at the municipal office in the town or city where at least one of you resides.

If only one of you resides in Maine, then both of you must file your intentions at the municipal office in the town or city where you hold residency.

If neither of you is a resident of Maine, you can file intentions at any municipal office in Maine.

If either of you happen to be divorced, remember to bring a copy of your Divorce Decree. If you don’t have one, this can be obtained from the District Court where the decree was issued. This needs to be an original document issued by the Court with an embossed seal, not a photocopy. Present this to the clerk when you apply for your license and you will be good to go!

Once your intentions are filed and the license is issued, you are free to marry anywhere within the state. ISSUING LICENSE: There is no waiting period in the state of Maine. Once your intentions to marry are filed, the license may be issued immediately with your signatures. The license must be used within 90 days (not three months) from the date the intentions were filed and can only be used in the state of Maine.

AFTER CEREMONY: The person who performed the ceremony is responsible for completing the appropriate section of your marriage license. This includes obtaining the signatures of two witnesses (traditionally your maid of honor and best man) plus the signature of the officiant.

FILLING OUT & FILING: The marriage license must be completed in black ink only. The officiant is responsible for filing the license with the municipal clerk at the municipality where the license was issued. They have seven days from when the ceremony took place to file. Once it’s filed, you’re officially married.

For further information, contact the Maine Office of Vital Records at 207-287-6490 or visit www.maine.gov.