Wednesday was busy at the Marriage Factory. I was there a little before 1:00 and they immediately brought me a license. Two hours later I had done 6 weddings with no break. At 3:00 I got to sit down and I got out my book. Five minutes later one more wedding. Then I was done for the day.
One couple didn't plan to get married. They were going to marry later this summer. But then they said,"Why not now?" He was a fuss budget, concerned about how they looked. They had come from work and weren't dressed up. Then he wouldn't take his hat off because his hair was messed up. Finally he agreed to take off the hat. She took off her glasses, she didn't want them in the pictures. During the vows she dropped the ring and she couldn't see to find it. He nearly had a stroke, an interruption in the ceremony! I calmed him down, we found the ring, and I got them married.
The theme of the day was long term relationships. Five of the couples had been together or known each other anywhere from 7 years to 30 years. They were gooey eyed as any young couple. The love in the room gave me goose bumps.
One couple really stood out. The groom T and the bride S each wore a pork pie hat. She wore a long black dress and he wore black slacks and a black shirt. When I called their names they were alone and I asked where the witness was. The groom was upset. The witness had disappeared. They didn't know where he was. I said find him and if you can't we will reprint the license and get the deli volunteer witness. They searched the bathroom, the lobbies, outside. No witness. I said call him and see where he is. The groom told me the witness D had done a lot of acid and other drugs in the 60's and he might not know where he was. We lucked out, D told him he was upstairs waiting for them in the wedding room. The groom is furious and ready to cause a huge scene. I calmed T down, said I would handle the witness, and everything would be just fine.
We walk into the little lobby upstairs and there is D sitting and waiting for us. I mildly fussed at him for upsetting T and S. And then we went into the wedding room.
sidebar: The bride has 3 or 4 missing back teeth, the groom has some missing teeth, and D he has some teeth. D is a happy guy, just grins and laughs. The bride and groom had had something to make them happy too. But not to a point of not knowing what is going on.
Normally that many missing teeth would have been a huge turn off to me, maybe even a yuck moment. But these three had personality. The groom is still upset so I turn to give D another scold and looked at him, really looked at him. This almost toothless product of the 60's is gorgeous. The big grin with about 8 teeth shining at me has me grinning back at him. Then I looked at his eyes. They pulled you in. He has Paul Newman eyes. I told D I couldn't be mad at him because his eyes were so beautiful. This toothless wonder is sexy as hell.
Thirty years ago T and S had been high school sweet hearts and then their lives went into different areas. He was in the Marines for years (where he and D became friends). He was married to a woman he knew he didn't love for 19 years. And then S and T connected again. Love was still there.
I rarely get this much of a story from a couple. These three were my new best friends. I thought I was going to have to tell them it was time to leave. They talked and talked. I know where they are going to live in Texas. I know where D lives in downtown Oakland. I know what restaurants they had eaten at this week. I know what hotel they are in and where the wedding dinner would be.
I marry a lot of couples. Many of them I don't remember by the time I am home. This couple and D, I don't think I will forget.
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