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December 7, 2012

Portland readies for influx of gay marriage licenses

Portland officials announced that City Hall will open at midnight on Dec. 29 to hand out marriage licenses to gay couples awaiting a new law taking effect that day.

The Portland Press Herald reported that the decision followed a state announcement that the law would take effect on that day, a Saturday.

Shortly after the November vote that approved same-sex marriage in the state, The Associated Press reported that businesses like Clay Hill Farm, a popular York wedding location, began receiving requests from gay couples looking to set a wedding date.

The AP reported that a study from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law estimates that wedding-related spending for in-state couples is projected to be about $16 million in Maine. Including nonresidents traveling to Maine to be wed, the study estimates gay marriages could boost the state economy by $25 million in the next three years.

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