Weddings, new rules. Old rule I don't like so much.

In the past when a bride or groom didn't speak English we were allowed to use someone in the wedding party to translate.  This wasn't a great plan since we had little idea of what was said to the non English speaking person.  But we watched for body language and hoped for the best.  Well as of Monday, we can only use staff who are certified translators.

This will be a problem.  We don't have translators for a lot of languages: such as Farsi, most dialects of India, French, Mongolian, some Chinese dialects, many many more.  That means fewer couples to be married at the county building.  So less income for the county.

This week I married a total of 12 couples.  Most were nice, average in love couples. There was one couple who were up to date on technology.  I have had couples have a phone on so distant family could hear the ceremony.  Monday the couple had a phone line open to his father. Also they had a laptop to use Skype for other family members.  That was pretty cool.

My last wedding Wednesday was very upsetting.  In the state of California if someone younger that 18 wants to marry, they must petition the court.  I hate this rule/law that will allow under age marriages. Clerk R brought me the license and the birth date for the bride was 1994.  The bride was born in December 1994.  Do the math, she is 16.  I went out to R and said the bride is too young to marry.  And she said, "We have court papers, it is legal."  I said, "I have to see them."  As first that ticked off R, she thought I was doubting her.  No, I had to see those papers for my heart.

Oh, did I mention the bride had a month old baby?  That means she was 15 when the groom who is 20 got her pregnant. They did not seemed thrilled to be marrying, yet her mother was happy.  They didn't hold hands or kiss after the ceremony.

After the ceremony I talked to the clerks about the wedding.  We decided he cut a deal with Mama or the court.  He would marry her if they dropped the statutory rape charges. I don't know that of course.  As it says above,  I Have No Endings.