Connecticut joined Massachusetts as one of two states in the U.S. to perform marriages of same-sex couples on November 12, 2008. Connecticut was the third state to do so, but only the second where the decision was not repealed.
The state enacted a civil union law in 2005 that provides same-sex couples with the same rights and responsibilities under state law as marriage. Connecticut became the second state in the United States (following Vermont) to adopt civil unions, and the first to do so without judicial intervention. The bill was passed by the House on April 13, and by the Senate on April 20. Governor Jodi Rell (a moderate Republican) signed the bill into law later the same day, and it went into effect on October 1, 2005.
The decision to provide for civil unions and not same-sex marriage was controversial and was challenged in the state’s courts. On October 10, 2008, the Supreme Court of Connecticut, in Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health, ruled that failing to give same-sex couples the full rights, responsibilities and name of marriage was against the equal protection clause of the state’s constitution, and ordered same-sex marriage legalized.
On October 1, 2010, all existing civil unions were automatically transformed into marriages.
OFFICIANTS
(860) 536-8808 (Mystic, CT) Weddings, Civil Unions, Vow Renewels. Make your day the best it can be!!! I am able to officiate anywhere! I specialize in weddings from Madison, CT to nearby Watch Hill, RI..
(860) 543-2334 (Ledyard) Ernest Adams, JP ~ Whether you're having a black tie wedding or a backyard ceremony, from casual to elegant, from a state park wedding to a wedding on a yacht, you choose the location and I'll be there.
(800) 935-3565 As wedding celebrants, we specialize in personalized, custom-designed weddings that can be religious, civil, interfaith, non-denominational or spiritual. We also speak Spanish, Italian & many other languages.
(203) 982-3502 (Plymouth) Rev Stephanie Cypher, an inter-faith minister available for weddings, handfastings, commitment ceremonies, blessingways, baby blessings, funerals and other rites of passage.
(203) 775-2669 (Brookfield, CT) Justice of the Peace, Connecticut in partnership with Non-denominational minister to provide the exact service you may wish, and in your budget. Our service area is Connecticut, along with Dutchess and Putnam Counties, NY.
(203) 434-5038 (Norwalk) Get married in one day in CT- No residency requirements.
(860) 878-0710 (Enfield) Justice of the Peace -Wedding Officiant, your day should be as unique and special as you are !!
(631) 332-4623 (Lake Grove, NY) My Wedding Ceremonies are all about you, the Bride & Groom. It’s your day and I want you and all of your family and friends to remember your beautiful ceremony for the rest of their lives.
(203) 826-7121 (Danbury, CT) Licensed to perform ceremonies in Connecticut as a JP, & New York as a Minister. I'm here to serve as your officiant on your special day. I have different ceremonies you can choose; and customize to your wishes.
(914) 941-1616 (Ossining, NY) Your marriage ceremony can be a straightforward declaration of vows - or custom tailored to your needs, philosophy and vision.
(516) 413-4555 (Bayside, NY) As a Captain and wedding officiant, I am here to help you create the wedding of your dreams. A day to remember, a day to cherish forever, a day that will reflect the journey of love.
(401) 769-1731 (Cumberland, RI) Offering the confident experience of hundreds of wonderful weddings, we will be there for you for a relaxed, enjoyable, memorable ceremony. Services throughout RI, CT, MA, and NH.
(845) 337-6996 (Rhinebeck, NY) Hudson Valley of New York, (Catskill Mountain region, Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia, Putnam, Westchester, Orange, Albany, and Greene). Berkshire Mountains of SW Massachusetts, as well as the western portions of Connecticut.
(508) 944-3142 (Raynham, MA) You have come searching for someone to officiate your ceremony which legally, publicly & more importantly, emotionally, represents your commitment to your beloved. Our ministry is non-denominational serving all faiths.
(513) 884-2618 (Cincinnati, OH) "I consider it an honor and a privilege to be invited to participate in one of the most important days of your lives!" Located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Serving Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky & 28 other states.
(917) 692-5085 (Oakland Gardens, NY) Let's create a memorable wedding ceremony that respects the wishes, desires and traditions of the bride, the groom, and their families.
(646) 753-2959 (New York, NY) I honor all faiths and all people, and believe that any two people, who choose to dedicate their lives to one another in matrimony, or in spiritual union, deserve the most memorable ceremony possible.
CONNECTICUT STATE LAWS
2011 Connecticut Code
Title 46b Family Law
Chapter 815e Marriage
Sec. 46b-22. (Formerly Sec. 46-3.). Who may join persons in marriage. Penalty for unauthorized performance.
(a) Persons authorized to solemnize marriages in this state include (1) all judges and retired judges, either elected or appointed, including federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage in their jurisdictions, (2) family support magistrates, state referees and justices of the peace who are appointed in Connecticut, and (3) all ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to this state or any other state, as long as they continue in the work of the ministry. All marriages solemnized according to the forms and usages of any religious denomination in this state, including marriages witnessed by a duly constituted Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is, are valid. All marriages attempted to be celebrated by any other person are void.
(b) No public official legally authorized to issue marriage licenses may join persons in marriage under authority of a license issued by himself, or his assistant or deputy; nor may any such assistant or deputy join persons in marriage under authority of a license issued by such public official.
(c) Any person violating any provision of this section shall be fined not more than fifty dollars.
(1949 Rev., S. 7306; 1951, S. 3001d; 1967, P.A. 129, S. 1; P.A. 78-230, S. 4, 54; P.A. 79-37, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-316, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4, S. 27, 58; P.A. 06-196, S. 276; P.A. 07-79, S. 5.)
History: 1967 act specified validity of marriages witnessed by Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is; P.A. 78-230 divided section into Subsecs., deleted reference to county and reordered and rephrased provisions in Subsec. (a) and substituted “may” for “shall” in Subsec. (b); P.A. 79-37 authorized retired judges and state referees to perform marriages; Sec. 46-3 transferred to Sec. 46b-22 in 1979; P.A. 87-316 applied provisions to family support magistrates; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage in their jurisdictions, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (a), effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 07-79 amended Subsec. (a) to add Subdiv. designators (1) to (3), revise provisions re persons authorized to solemnize marriages within the state and make technical changes.
Annotations to former section 46-3:
Minister who solemnizes marriage must be “settled in the work of the ministry”. 2 R. 382. Ordained deacon performing usual duties of minister held to be authorized. 4 C. 134. A clergyman in performing marriage ceremony is a public officer and his acts in that capacity prima facie evidence of his character. Id., 219. Proof of celebration of marriage raises a presumption of its validity. 85 C. 186; 93 C. 47. In absence of proof of authority of justice of peace, marriage void. 129 C. 432. Our law does not recognize common law marriages. Id. Marriage, deficient for want of due solemnization, voidable. 163 C. 588.
Annotation to present section:
Former section General Statutes (Rev. 1949) S. 7302 cited. 182 C. 344.
Sec. 46b-22b. Refusal to solemnize or participate in ceremony solemnizing a marriage on religious grounds.
(a) No member of the clergy authorized to join persons in marriage pursuant to section 46b-22 shall be required to solemnize any marriage in violation of his or her right to the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the first amendment to the United States Constitution or section 3 of article first of the Constitution of the state.
(b) No church or qualified church-controlled organization, as defined in 26 USC 3121, shall be required to participate in a ceremony solemnizing a marriage in violation of the religious beliefs of that church or qualified church-controlled organization.
(P.A. 09-13, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 09-13 effective April 23, 2009.
Sec. 46b-23. (Formerly Sec. 46-4). Joining persons in marriage knowingly without authority.
Any person who undertakes to join persons in marriage, knowing that he is not authorized to do so, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year or both.
(1949 Rev., S. 8595.)
History: Sec. 46-4 transferred to Sec. 46b-23 in 1979.
Sec. 46b-24. (Formerly Sec. 46-5a). License. Period of validity. Penalty for solemnization without license. Validity of marriage ceremony.
(a) No persons may be joined in marriage in this state until both have complied with the provisions of sections 46b-24, 46b-25 and 46b-29 to 46b-33, inclusive, and have been issued a license by the registrar for the town in which the marriage is to be celebrated, which license shall bear the certification of the registrar that the persons named therein have complied with the provisions of said sections.
(b) Such license, when certified by the registrar, is sufficient authority for any person authorized to perform a marriage ceremony in this state to join such persons in marriage, provided the ceremony is performed within a period of not more than sixty-five days after the date of application.
(c) Anyone who joins any persons in marriage without having received such license from them shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, in order to be valid in this state, a marriage ceremony shall be conducted by and in the physical presence of a person who is authorized to solemnize marriages.
(1967, P.A. 313, S. 1; P.A. 78-230, S. 5, 54; P.A. 03-188, S. 3; P.A. 07-79, S. 6; P.A. 09-232, S. 73.)
History: P.A. 78-230 divided section into Subsecs. and made minor changes in wording and added fine provision applicable to those who marry persons without receiving license, designated as Subsec. (c); Sec. 46-5a transferred to Sec. 46b-24 in 1979 and internal section references changed as necessary to reflect those sections’ transfer; P.A. 03-188 amended Subsec. (a) by authorizing a registrar for a town to issue a marriage license when either person to be married is a resident of such town, deleting reference to repealed Secs. 46b-26 and 46b-27, adding reference to Sec. 46b-25 and making technical changes, and amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provision that required marriage ceremony take place “within the town where the license was issued”; P.A. 07-79 added Subsec. (d) to require marriage ceremonies to be conducted by and in the physical presence of a person authorized to solemnize marriages; P.A. 09-232 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting former Subdiv. (2) re authority of registrar for a town to issue marriage license when either person to be married resides in such town and by making a conforming change.
Former section General Statutes (Rev. 1949) S. 7302, as amended, cited and validity of marriage solemnized without marriage license discussed. 182 C. 344.
Sec. 46b-35a. Refusal to provide services or accommodations related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage on religious grounds.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a religious organization, association or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, shall not be required to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges to an individual if the request for such services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges is related to the solemnization of a marriage or celebration of a marriage and such solemnization or celebration is in violation of their religious beliefs and faith. Any refusal to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges in accordance with this section shall not create any civil claim or cause of action, or result in any state action to penalize or withhold benefits from such religious organization, association or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society.
(P.A. 09-13, S. 17.)
History: P.A. 09-13 effective April 23, 2009.
