PHOTOS: Mainers Finally Get Married

Today couples began marrying in Maine after a long campaign to make marriage equality legal there, including a loss at the ballot box in 2009 when voters banned gays and lesbians from marrying.

As part of a wave of successes for LGBT activists in November, Maine became the first state where voters approved a referendum initiated by marriage equality advocates. The measure won 53% to 47%. And the governor certified the results 30 days ago, which set up couples to begin marrying after midnight.

USA Today reports that the first couple to wed — Steven Bridges and Michael Snell, a retail manager and a massage therapist respectively — were serenaded by crowds gathered outside the Portland city hall with the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love."

Below check out photos and comments on Twitter.

Huge crowd at Portland City Hall. Several hundred strong ready for the first wedding of the night. #yeson1 twitter.com/dfarmer14/stat…

— David Farmer (@dfarmer14) December 29, 2012

Portland City Hall is open for business! Marriage equality is a reality in Maine! glaad.org/blog/maine-mar… #ME4M #marriageequality #LGBT

— GLAAD (@glaad) December 29, 2012

And now the wait for the certificate to be certified. #m4me twitter.com/ccsquirrel/sta…

— Caroline Cornish (@ccsquirrel) December 29, 2012

Maine's 1st married same sex couple exchanges rings. #m4me twitter.com/SethKoenig/sta…

— Seth and the City (@SethKoenig) December 29, 2012

The first couple is married!

— EqualityMaine (@EqualityMaine) December 29, 2012

The first couple to get married in Portland is Steven Bridges and Michael Snell || #yeson1 #me4m #lbgt twitter.com/alexsteed/stat…

— alexsteed (@alexsteed) December 29, 2012

One lonely protestor singing bible songs and preaching against "sin" outside City Hall #m4me twitter.com/KristerR/statu…

— Krister Rollins (@KristerR) December 29, 2012

Gay marriage legal; joyous couples begin marrying. Great news for ALL Mainers - and the sky didn't fall this morning.bit.ly/Wbky3F

— Steve Woods (@SteveWoods2014) December 29, 2012