U.S. Rep. Barney Frank married his longtime partner Saturday evening, becoming the first member of Congress to marry someone of the same gender while in office.
Frank's office said the 16-term Massachusetts Democrat married Jim Ready, a small business owner and photographer from Maine at a Boston ceremony officiated by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
The two pledged "to love each other and be each other's best friend, in sickness and in health, in Congress or in retirement, whether the surf is up or the surf's flat, for richer or for poorer, under the Democrats or the Republicans."
Three hundred family members, friends and colleagues attended the ceremony, Frank's office said.
Frank's spokesman said in January that the couple had plans to marry, but at the time had no details on when the ceremony would take place.
Massachusetts is one of six states that allow same-sex marriage. The first same-sex marriage in the United States was performed in 2004 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Frank, 72, has represented the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts since 1981 and has said he will not seek re-election.
