With a new law soon to go into effect, wedding bells will now be ringing for gay couples as well as straight couples in Maine.

Melanie Voros, a wedding planner, justice of the peace and minister based out of Portsmouth, N.H., who plans and performs weddings all over New England, said she believes the law equals the playing field with other states in the region, which already allow gay couples to marry.

She said she worked with a couple and knew of a place in Maine that would have been a perfect location, but the couple couldn’t get married there and instead had to marry in New Hampshire and settle on having their reception in Maine. She said not allowing gay people to get married in Maine treated them like second-class citizens.

She said since the law passed, she’s more happy to see couples finally able to get engaged rather than the business opportunity for those in the wedding industry to make money.

“It’s nice that Maine has woken up,” she said. “Now, Maine is welcoming everyone to get married, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.”

Maine is a wedding destination for people in other states, she said, and many people have connections here ”“ like family members or a summer home.

Part-time wedding photographer Ember Pelletier of Augusta, who is a college student, plans to move back to her hometown of Biddeford soon. In addition to wedding photography, she is a notary public, and though she hasn’t performed any wedding ceremonies yet, she is eager to begin work as a wedding officiant.

“I would love to marry anyone who is in love,” she said.

She is one of a number of wedding officiants listed on the newly formed website, www.gaymarry.me, and said she believes this summer Maine will see more people getting married, now that the gay marriage law has been passed.

Reuben Bell and Fausto Pifferrer, owners of Blue Elephant Events and Catering in Saco, said they’ve booked four same-sex weddings since the law passed.

The two men have been a couple for 15 years, and though they have not set a date, they plan to get married as well.

Though there may be some same-sex couples who will seek out the Blue Elephant because it is owned by a gay couple, the two said they are not going to market themselves any differently, and will rely, as they always have, on their reputation as experienced wedding planners who do a good job.

“We don’t wear being gay on our coats,” said Pifferrer.

Bell said they will continue what they’ve always done and match couples up to the right venues.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a same-sex wedding or a bride and groom,” said Bell, “everyone will get the same treatment.”

Pifferrer said it doesn’t matter whether a couple is gay or straight or what their budget is, they will work with them to make sure they have the wedding they want.

Bell said that since the bill passed, “a lot of people are licking their lips,” thinking of the possibilities for increased cash flow, but he and Pifferrer said they’d hate to see the new law taken advantage of by people who are just looking to cash in. Pifferrer said he doesn’t want to “see a good step forward go backwards” because of greed.

Although the planners are happy just to see the change here in Maine, the wedding industry is major money maker in this country. Weddings are a good boost for local economies ”“ injecting money into towns and the different vendors needed to make a wedding a success, said Jean Ginn Marvin, innkeeper at Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. The resort hosts about 60 weddings a year, she said, and she believes there will be an increase in weddings for the first few years, after the law goes into effect.

“We’ve gotten quite a few calls,” she said. “We’re pretty excited. When the Nonantum is busy the whole town is busy,” she said.

She said she believes there is “a pent up demand” from gay couples who have wanted to get married for years and haven’t been able to do so.

“I think we’ll see some older couples,” she said.

Marvin said she believes many of the weddings of those who have been in long-term relationships will be more intimate affairs with 50-60 people, as is typical with older couples. However, whether big or small, they’ll work to make the event special, as they do every wedding, she said.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.