FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How does a wedding chapel differ from a regular wedding venue or church?
A wedding venue is any place where a wedding can be hosted. A wedding chapel is a "one-stop shop," so to speak, where weddings and elopements are exclusively performed by on-site officiants. Wedding chapels differ from churches in that they offer a secular (non-religious) setting. Are your ceremonies legal? Yes. Our wedding ceremonies are 100% legal and binding per Maine state law. What's required to get married in Maine? You don't need to be a resident of Maine to get married here, but both parties must be over the age of 18 and have acquired a marriage license from the state of Maine. The ceremony must be witnessed by two people other than the officiant, and the marriage license must then be signed by the officiant and both witnesses. |
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Do you perform LGBTQ weddings?
Love is love! Firefly Wedding Chapel is an inclusive space that performs wedding ceremonies for everyone.
How do we acquire a marriage license prior to our wedding?
There is no waiting period in Maine. Couples can walk right into town hall and get a marriage license on the spot. If you're traveling here from out-of-state please visit Kittery Town Hall and fill out their application. (Please check their website for current office hours.) They require a photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID), divorce decree or death certificate (if either of you have been married before), and a fee of $40. Your marriage license will be valid for 90 days once issued. (That's the window of time you'll have to get married.) For further info on obtaining your marriage license please visit Maine.gov.
What if we show up without a marriage license?
Ceremonies performed without a marriage license are not legally binding. In order to be wed, a marriage license is a must. (So don't forget to bring it with you!) Vow renewals (where couples are already married), and commitment ceremonies (where couples want a ceremony, but don't want to be legally married) are different from civil ceremonies/weddings and don't require a marriage license.
What if our guest list exceeds your package limits?
Being a wedding chapel means we cater exclusively to elopements and small weddings. We designed it this way to keep our packages affordable. Our 30-minute packages allow for a maximum of two guests, and our 60-minute packages allow up to 30 guests. There are no exceptions. If you decide after booking a 30-minute package that you want to invite more than two guests and need to upgrade to a 60-minute package, please call or email us and we will do our very best to accommodate you.
What is your booking availability?
Our online booking system can schedule appointments as far in advance as one year, and as soon as one week. Appointments can generally be scheduled 7 days a week, between 10:00AM and 6:00PM. (Once a time slot is booked it will no longer show as available.) If you have your heart set on a ceremony outside of those hours, or sooner than one week, please call or email us.
What can we expect on the day of our wedding?
You and your guests may park in our free parking lot right out front. (There is also a large park and ride lot located behind the building.) We recommend arriving a few minutes before your guests, with hair and makeup already done. Your officiant will take your marriage license, then escort you both to your private dressing rooms to get changed in. Once your guests have arrived and you are ready, we will begin the ceremony. After vows have been exchanged and the ceremony is finished, your marriage license will be signed by the officiant and your witnesses. (The license will later be filed by your officiant.) You and your guests are then welcome to mingle and take photos for the remainder of your scheduled time.
We have a special song we'd like to walk down the aisle to. Is that ok?
Definitely. If you email us an MP3 of the song beforehand we can play any song your heart desires. If you don’t have a specific song request we will play our beautiful and original house ceremony song that is unique to our chapel.
Can we bring our own wedding officiant to marry us?
Absolutely. While an in-house officiant is included with every package, if you have someone special whom you'd like to officiate, please let us know and bring them along! Just be sure beforehand that they meet Maine's legal requirements to perform the ceremony.
Can we bring our own photographer?
Yes indeed. We have packages that offer digital images taken after your ceremony on our Fuji X-T3 camera, but should you want your own photographer to be present for a larger photography session you are more than welcome to bring them.
Can we post photos and video on social media?
You sure can. And if you grant us permission, we'd love to share a photo of you on ours too.
What happens if our wedding plans change?
All payments are non-refundable. Like your commitment to each other, we are committing our services to you on your big day. We do understand that life can sometimes throw curveballs, so we offer rescheduling with advance notice, or you may gift your payment to another couple.
We want to get married RIGHT NOW. Can you help us?
As long as you already have your marriage license, and we have an opening at our chapel, the answer is YES. Call us ASAP and we’ll do our absolute best to accommodate you.
Is it customary to tip?
Tipping is not expected or necessary. Instead, please consider leaving us a review on Google. It would be much appreciated!
What is your COVID-19 protocol?
Our team has been fully vaccinated and our venue is equipped with an HVAC system. State recommendations and community levels can be found via the Office of the Governor. If you are immunocompromised and have special needs or requests (masking or otherwise) please let us know. Your safety is our priority.
What if I have a question not answered here?
Reach out to us anytime! Our email and phone number can be found on our contact page.
Love is love! Firefly Wedding Chapel is an inclusive space that performs wedding ceremonies for everyone.
How do we acquire a marriage license prior to our wedding?
There is no waiting period in Maine. Couples can walk right into town hall and get a marriage license on the spot. If you're traveling here from out-of-state please visit Kittery Town Hall and fill out their application. (Please check their website for current office hours.) They require a photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID), divorce decree or death certificate (if either of you have been married before), and a fee of $40. Your marriage license will be valid for 90 days once issued. (That's the window of time you'll have to get married.) For further info on obtaining your marriage license please visit Maine.gov.
What if we show up without a marriage license?
Ceremonies performed without a marriage license are not legally binding. In order to be wed, a marriage license is a must. (So don't forget to bring it with you!) Vow renewals (where couples are already married), and commitment ceremonies (where couples want a ceremony, but don't want to be legally married) are different from civil ceremonies/weddings and don't require a marriage license.
What if our guest list exceeds your package limits?
Being a wedding chapel means we cater exclusively to elopements and small weddings. We designed it this way to keep our packages affordable. Our 30-minute packages allow for a maximum of two guests, and our 60-minute packages allow up to 30 guests. There are no exceptions. If you decide after booking a 30-minute package that you want to invite more than two guests and need to upgrade to a 60-minute package, please call or email us and we will do our very best to accommodate you.
What is your booking availability?
Our online booking system can schedule appointments as far in advance as one year, and as soon as one week. Appointments can generally be scheduled 7 days a week, between 10:00AM and 6:00PM. (Once a time slot is booked it will no longer show as available.) If you have your heart set on a ceremony outside of those hours, or sooner than one week, please call or email us.
What can we expect on the day of our wedding?
You and your guests may park in our free parking lot right out front. (There is also a large park and ride lot located behind the building.) We recommend arriving a few minutes before your guests, with hair and makeup already done. Your officiant will take your marriage license, then escort you both to your private dressing rooms to get changed in. Once your guests have arrived and you are ready, we will begin the ceremony. After vows have been exchanged and the ceremony is finished, your marriage license will be signed by the officiant and your witnesses. (The license will later be filed by your officiant.) You and your guests are then welcome to mingle and take photos for the remainder of your scheduled time.
We have a special song we'd like to walk down the aisle to. Is that ok?
Definitely. If you email us an MP3 of the song beforehand we can play any song your heart desires. If you don’t have a specific song request we will play our beautiful and original house ceremony song that is unique to our chapel.
Can we bring our own wedding officiant to marry us?
Absolutely. While an in-house officiant is included with every package, if you have someone special whom you'd like to officiate, please let us know and bring them along! Just be sure beforehand that they meet Maine's legal requirements to perform the ceremony.
Can we bring our own photographer?
Yes indeed. We have packages that offer digital images taken after your ceremony on our Fuji X-T3 camera, but should you want your own photographer to be present for a larger photography session you are more than welcome to bring them.
Can we post photos and video on social media?
You sure can. And if you grant us permission, we'd love to share a photo of you on ours too.
What happens if our wedding plans change?
All payments are non-refundable. Like your commitment to each other, we are committing our services to you on your big day. We do understand that life can sometimes throw curveballs, so we offer rescheduling with advance notice, or you may gift your payment to another couple.
We want to get married RIGHT NOW. Can you help us?
As long as you already have your marriage license, and we have an opening at our chapel, the answer is YES. Call us ASAP and we’ll do our absolute best to accommodate you.
Is it customary to tip?
Tipping is not expected or necessary. Instead, please consider leaving us a review on Google. It would be much appreciated!
What is your COVID-19 protocol?
Our team has been fully vaccinated and our venue is equipped with an HVAC system. State recommendations and community levels can be found via the Office of the Governor. If you are immunocompromised and have special needs or requests (masking or otherwise) please let us know. Your safety is our priority.
What if I have a question not answered here?
Reach out to us anytime! Our email and phone number can be found on our contact page.