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Same-Sex Couples In New Jersey Begin Legal Process Of Getting Married

COLLINGSWOOD, N.J. (CBS) -- Same sex couples throughout New Jersey visited local municipalities Saturday to fill out marriage license applications after the state supreme court denied an appeal Friday to block the order.

Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley opened the doors of the community center for four hours so couples could fill out paperwork in order to get married as soon as possible.

"The court's order allowed marriages to happen on Monday," Maley said. "This is just the administrative process so that marriages can happen on Monday."

Marriage licenses in New Jersey aren't official until 72 hours after the application is complete.

"I'm blessed to have a chance. Doing weddings is always the best part," Maley said. "These are extra special because it's people that never thought they would be able to get married. It's really great."

Elizabeth Lee and her partner Heidi Giglio have been together for about four years. They are getting married at the community center in a few weeks.

"We're actually getting married in this community center on November 8th," Giglio said. "So it's nice it's all the same building, so we'll have fond memories."

"We don't feel any different as far as our commitment," Lee said. "Just to have legal recognition, if we have children that we don't have to be as concerned with the legalities as we would have been before."

Lee is a new resident to Collingswood and says it's a lot different than where she grew up in Tennessee.

"I've already fallen love with the town," she said. "This just makes it so much better."

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