As soon as I walked into the county building, the staff commissioner handed me a license. I wasn't even at my desk yet. She continued upstairs with the couple she had. That was a sign of things to come. A nicely paced busy afternoon. I did six weddings. Some were very normal, some stand out for different reasons.
We had some interesting things happen. I picked up a license and started checking it. The groom had put in his name and spelled it Joeseph, yet he signed two documents Joseph. The bride had put in her last name was Smith. The next box says last name if different at birth. She put Smith again. Now notice I said they put in. All of the license information, except the witness and officiant information, is put in the computer by the couple. They are told to check the clerk's computer screen before she prints. They go yeah that's right. No one reads it. Luckily I read. And usually I catch the errors.
My first wedding was so sweet and goose bumpy. The bride had on a black pencil skirt with a white lace top. Her daughter wore a full black skirt with a white ruffled top. The ruffles were edged in black. And the groom wore all black. Guess what, I wore black and white also. The daughter who was probably third grade was the witness. Mom told me the little girl had been practicing all week signing her name.
The next wedding was memorable for a couple of reasons. Background for those not in the Bay Area: yesterday was game 5 of the World Series, which the San Francisco Giants won. Their colors are orange and black. Back to the wedding. One of the male witnesses wore an Orange silk shirt and black slacks. This was not a fashion statement, he is a fan. Other interesting note. The bride was 34 and this is her third marriage. The bride wore an interesting black dress. I think it is called a cut ribbon dress. There is an underskirt and the top part is strips hanging with gaps that show the underskirt. Unfortunately the underskirt only went to the top of thighs. The rest was see through. Still it was better than the thin white dresses.
My favorite wedding was a Confidential marriage. No witness required and it takes a court order to get any information about the license. They were a good looking couple (K and L) and K had a four year old son. This child was beautiful. He had a big smile, blue eyes, and silky curly brown hair. He was polite, sweet, and adored his Mother and Step father to be. When we entered the Wedding Room the little boy asked, " Are we going to get married now?" Mom held the little boy during the ceremony. I asked the bride and then the groom do you take this . . . and they both said I do. I began the vows and the little boy asked, "What about me? Don't I get to say I do?" So I asked him, "Do you take K and L as your parents?" And he answered, "I do." Then we had to halt the wedding for kisses, hugs, and tears. It was so sweet and touching.
And that folks is why I do marriages ceremonies. It doesn't get any more feel good than that.
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