The Gay Wedding Experience

After a bit of research into getting legally married in CT, Tom informed me that we have to contact the Town Clerk of the actual city/town we would like the ceremony to be performed because they have more up-to-date requirements about getting hitched there – and that we can’t just ride into CT to get married. So I took a gander at Metro North. The first stop in CT is Greenwich. Here are the requirements according to the Greenwich Town Hall webpage:

Premarital Requirements in Connecticut
A marriage license is required by the Marriage License Laws of Connecticut. The procedure for obtaining the marriage license and other related information is stated below.

• Both parties must appear in person to apply for marriage license.
• You must apply in the Town where the ceremony will be performed.
• Bring valid government issued photo ID.
• License is valid for 65 days from date of application.

Age Requirements
Applicants (18) years of age or over do not require parental consent to marry in Connecticut.

Exact Name
Full legal name is required. No abbreviations, nicknames or initials. The information for the marriage license should appear as it does on your birth certificate, unless your name has been legally changed (i.e. previous marriage, court order name change).

Civil Ceremony
Please request a list of Justices of the Peace and call someone from the list to make arrangements for a civil ceremony. If you wish to have the ceremony at Town Hall, let the Justice of the Peace know so a room can be reserved for the ceremony or call the Town Hall main number at 203-622-7700.

Then, for additional questions about the requirements I looked here and found answers to other FAQ’s:

Blood Test No Longer Required

• Effective October 1, 2003, Connecticut no longer requires premarital syphilis and rubella screening.  The state finally heeded the counsel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and repealed mandatory blood tests.

Getting Married

• All Connecticut Justices of the Peace may perform marriages anywhere in the state.
• Connecticut does not require any witnesses to the marriage.

Filing the Completed License

• The Justices of the Peace (or whoever performs the marriage) is responsible for indicating (in black ink) the time and place of the marriage on the license  and returning it to the Town Clerk where the marriage took place.. This must be done by the first week of the month following the marriage.
• You can request a copy of the completed marriage license from the Town Clerk’s office. The cost is $5.

This means we have to go in person Monday – Friday between the hours of 8-4 pm to apply for the license.  No appointment is necessary to apply for the marriage license and the fee is only $30.00. The license will be ready for pickup the following business day.

Perhaps we will be able to stay overnight and obtain the license the next day and have the Town Hall Civil Ceremony the next morning… Who knows? We have to figure all of that out and apparently we have to take a couple of days off from work. Who knew you couldn’t just elope and have everything done in one day?