Monday weddings

For my readers who only are interested in weddings, read this post very slowly.  Savor it, I will not be writing about weddings for another week or so.  Wednesday I didn't have a car so I couldn't go in to do wedding ceremonies.  This coming Monday I have a doctor's appointment, so will not go in then either. 

Monday was slow and things did not always go as planned.  The first bride had red eyes and tear stained makeup.  She was still crying.  I told her they had 90 days to use the license.  The ceremony did not have to take place then.  Oh, she was fine.  No problem about marrying, she explained she was pregnant and it was just hormones.  As they were all leaving after the wedding, I saw a cute pink purse on a guest's arm.  I like purses as much as shoes.  So I went over to look at it and nearly died. The decoration I saw was words, F*#k you!  Isn't that charming.

The next wedding I didn't do.  The bride's English was very limited.  We could have struggled through, but it would have been really hard on her.  So a commissioner was found who speaks Mandarin.

After the next ceremony the couple wanted the license reprinted. It didn't have her married name at the top.  We explained the license is issued in the name a person has when she/he walk in the door.  At the bottom is the name she/he take after the ceremony.  Again, they were shown all this before they signed the license. Why not question it then?  But as we all know, no one reads the license when the clerk tells them to.

I go out for the next couple.  We have a man, a woman, and a little boy.  I asked is everyone here and is the child their witness?  They said yes.  (There is no age requirement for a witness. As long as he can write his name it is legal.)  I head them toward the elevator and they asked me to wait a minute.  "Can we wait for our witness who is up at the counter?" What is going on?  They said the son is the witness.  Do we have an English problem?  I tell them when the witness is ready to knock on the door and I will take them up them.

I go back to my desk and wait, and wait, and wait.   Clerk B comes up and grabs the license.  The witness left, we have a new witness, and we have to reprint.  The new witness is a witness in the next wedding.  I can see the bride in white, little boys in tuxes, grandmother in a wheelchair. Lots of guests.  Looks like a fun wedding to end the day. 

After the wedding the volunteer witness and I go back downstairs.  I told her as soon as I checked the license, I'll be right back out.  There is no license on my desk.  I go out to the clerks and ask them where's the license.

It seems there was a problem.  The bride is not 18.  She is too young to legally marry.