Bar Harbor Weddings
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Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,820. A port of entry for Bay Ferries from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. Bar Harbor is home to the largest parts of Acadia National Park, including Cadillac Mountain the highest point within 25 miles (40 km) of the coastline of the Eastern United States.
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Bar Harbor Weddings
A Maine Wedding on the doorstep of Acadia
Nestled along the shore of Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor has long attracted visitors, sports enthusiasts, and artists. The gateway to gorgeous Acadia National Park, the town is a year-round center for outdoor activities – hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, birdwatching, sailing, and kayaking, to name just a few. For a quieter, indoor day, there are numerous restaurants, shops, and art galleries to explore. Accommodations range from campsites and hostels to country inns and grand hotels. Bar Harbor has something to delight visitors of all ages and interests.
Traditions
Marriage License Requirements
A marriage license is obtained from the Town Clerk. (207)-288-4098
Where do I apply?
Maine residents apply in the Town where they reside.
If the bride and groom are from different towns, they must apply in one of the resident towns.
Out of state residents must file in any town or city in Maine and may be married in any town or city within the state.
STEP 1:
Marriage Application/Worksheet
The bride and groom must complete an Intention of Marriage (available for download HERE) form either in the presence of the Town Clerk or by mail (notarized signatures required).
The completed Intention of Marriage form must be on file in the Office of the Town Clerk where the marriage license is issued.
The marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date the intentions are filed.
Record of Social Security Numbers
The bride and groom must sign an affidavit of their Social Security Numbers at the time of picking up their marriage license. This document is not for public inspection.
Filing Fee - The filing fee is $30.00.
Previous Marriage(s)
If either the bride or groom has been previously married, a certified copy of the death or divorce decree, whichever ended the previous marriage, must be presented to the Town Clerk.
STEP 2:
The completed Intention of Marriage and death/divorce decree(s), if applicable, along with the filing fee, must be forwarded to the municipal clerk.
Couples filing in Bar Harbor, please forward the paperwork to:
Town Clerk - 93 Cottage Street Bar Harbor ME 04609-1400 Telephone: (207) 288 4098 or via E-mail: clerk@barharbormaine.gov
STEP 3:
Both the bride and groom must appear in person at the Town Clerk's Office, prior to the ceremony, to sign the marriage license, and affidavit of their social security number. Couples who file in Bar Harbor may appear in the Town Clerk's Office Monday - Friday 8:30AM - 5:00PM. The office is closed weekends and holidays, no exceptions.
STEP 4:
The marriage license is completed by the officiant legally qualified to perform a marriage in Maine, and signed by two witnesses. The officiant returns the license to the issuing Town Clerk's office for filing. Certified copies are available, through the Town Clerk's Office, by request only. The fee is $10.00 for the first copy and $5.00 for each additional copy, per request. Certified copies requested through the Bar Harbor Town Clerk's Office, please make checks payable to the Town of Bar Harbor, and include the bride's and groom's names and date of ceremony.
Why Bar Harbor?
How To Get There
Get in
By car
- 30 mins from the city of Ellsworth via Route 3.
- 45 mins - 1 hour from Bangor, Maine, depending on traffic. Take I-395 and Route 1A to Ellsworth. From Ellsworth continue on Route 3 to Bar Harbor.
- 3.5 hours from Portland, Maine. Take I-95 to exit 182, I-395 and follow the directions from Bangor. Alternatively, take I-95 to Route 3, exit 113, just north of Augusta, and follow Route 3 east to Belfast, and then to Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.
- 5 hours from North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
- 5 hours from Boston, Massachusetts
- 7 hours from Burlington, Vermont. Take I-89 South to Montpelier, get on Route 2 West and follow until Newport, Maine. Get on I-95 North and take exit 185 to the "Acadia Region". Follow the signs along Route 1 to Bar Harbor.
- 7 hours from Quebec, Canada
By bus
There is a small Vermont Transit Bus Line terminal on Main Street, with service from Boston. Bus service to and from Boston is available only in the summer. During the remainder of the year there is bus service to Bangor, 74km/46 miles from Bar Harbor.
By ferry
- The Cat, 121 Eden Street, Phone: +1 207 288-3395, Fax: +1 207 288-9521. (Catamaran), "North America's fastest car ferry" is located on Route 3 about 1 mile out of town. The ferry provides service to and from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and from Yarmouth to Portland between mid May and mid October.
By air
The Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport is somewhat of a misnomer, actually located in Trenton on the outskirts of Ellsworth, on the mainland adjacent to Mount Desert Island. There is scheduled air service to Boston. During the summer there is free bus service between the airport and Bar Harbor, which takes about 15 minutes,depending on the amount of traffic. Taxi service and rental cars are also available.
Get around
Depending on the time of year you find yourself in town, and your intended goals, your visit may necessitate different modes of transportation. With many of the nearly 3 million annual visitors arriving in the summer months, getting around town by motor vehicle is a bad idea. Bar Harbor is much, much quieter between October and April.
- Driving a large truck or SUV is ill-advised, as parking in Bar Harbor is not suited to such vehicles. On the bright side, bringing less stuff requires befriending of locals, improvisation, and overall a more fun Maine experience.
- The central area of Bar Harbor is quite small and easily explored by foot. This includes the shopping and eating establishments on Main St. and Cottage St., as well as the activities at the town pier.
- Bicycles can be rented in town and may be put on the front of the buses.
- Island Explorer buses, (207) 667-5796. With just a bit of planning ahead on where you would like to see, this increasing fleet clean, propane powered buses would be a great decision for those who envision leaving their car at the hotel and letting someone else do the driving.
Stay Safe
While Maine has relatively low crime rates compared to the rest of the United States, Bar Harbor is rather different during tourist season. Locking of one's car is advised, although car theft is almost unheard of.
Get out
- Acadia National Park
- Blue Hill
- Ellsworth
Insider tips
Best Time To Go
Climate
Bar Harbor, ME Weather
Bar Harbor, ME climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 79.80 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 10.00 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 21 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Bar Harbor is 57.30 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is November with an average rainfall of 6.42 Inches.
Normal Climate
Normal Temperatures
(ACADIA NATIONAL PARK Weather station, 4.15 miles from Bar Harbor) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Max °F 31.9 34.4 41.6 52.7 65.0 74.2 79.8 78.2 69.2 57.9 47.1 36.9 55.7 Mean °F 21.0 24.1 32.0 42.4 53.7 62.8 68.5 67.3 58.7 48.2 38.0 26.8 45.3 Min °F 10.0 13.8 22.3 32.0 42.3 51.3 57.1 56.3 48.1 38.4 28.8 16.7 34.8
Normal Temperatures
(ACADIA NATIONAL PARK Weather station, 4.15 miles from Bar Harbor) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Inch 5.94 4.52 5.46 4.93 4.53 4.10 3.38 2.93 4.42 4.86 6.42 5.81 57.30