SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - In ceremonies simple and elaborate, gay couples around Vermont stood before justices of the peace and clergy Saturday to be legally joined as spouses.
It wasn't quite marriage, but Vermont's new civil unions law, which took effect Saturday, granted them all the rights, benefits and responsibilities of marriage in the state. And they were thrilled.
''I think it's about time after 27 years,'' said Lois Farnham, her arm around partner Holly Puterbaugh after they got their civil union license. ''It's nice after all this time to say Holly is my spouse.''
Puterbaugh, 54, and Farnham, 55, were one of three couples who sued in 1997 when their town clerks refused to issue them marriage licenses. The Vermont Supreme Court ruled in December they were being unconstitutionally denied the benefits of marriage.
The justices left it up to the Legislature to figure out how to confer those benefits and lawmakers settled on civil unions, a new legal structure parallel to marriage but separate. The unions are not recognized by other states and they have no marriage benefits under federal law.
Approximately 20 to 30 couples took advantage of the new law on Saturday. The first couple to enter a civil union were Carolyn Conrad, 29, and Kathleen Peterson, 41. At the stroke of midnight, Brattleboro Town Clerk Annette Cappy signed their license and then walked across the street from town hall for a 10-minute ceremony next to a public fountain.
''This is more than I ever thought I'd see in my lifetime,'' Conrad said.
She and Peterson invited eight friends and a handful of media to witness their ceremony. But by the time they walked down the steps of town hall, there were more than 100 well-wishers gathered around the fountain, which had been ringed with small candles. All but about a dozen of the observers were supporters.
Despite the air of celebration in Brattleboro and elsewhere, Vermont remains deeply divided over whether gay and lesbian couples should be granted marriage benefits.
Public opinion polls have consistently shown at least half of the electorate opposed to civil unions and many lawmakers and Gov. Howard Dean face difficult re-election bids.
Underscoring the opposition was a rally attended by about 150 people Saturday morning on the lawn of the Statehouse in Montpelier.
''This is a day of rejoicing but for a small minority of Vermonters,'' said the Rev. Craig Benson.
He said it was sad that the civil unions law went into effect on the Fourth of July weekend. ''We should be proud that the flag is flying high and instead I'm wondering why the Vermont state flag is not at half mast,'' he said.
State Rep. Oreste Valsangiacomo urged people to help elect political candidates this fall who would support repealing the civil unions law.
But the couples who flocked to the handful of town clerks' offices that were open on the first Saturday of a long holiday weekend said they were determined to focus for now on their happiness.
''I'm determined not to have negative thoughts,'' said Pierre Fournier, 53, who planned a late afternoon ceremony in his Hartland Four Corners garden with partner Richard Waddell, also 53.