A wedding first

Wednesday I thought the afternoon was going to be slow, maybe not even have any couples to marry.  I sat and read over an hour and finally a marriage license was brought to me.  In the remaining hour and a half I did 4 marriage ceremonies and staff did 2.  So business picked up a little at the county building.

We all tend to stereotype cultural groups.  All grey haired Southern women look like Paula Dean.  Northerners are loud, talk too fast, and never develop deep relationships outside of family.  Asian don't show emotion or affection in public.  The French all smoke, don't bathe, and wear incredible clothes.  And on and on.  Very often we have couples who prove the stereotype. 

And then someone breaks the stereotype . . .  I had a couple from Cambodia.  The bride starting crying during the vows.  He held her to comfort her, and when I pronounced them married, they kissed!  Asians rarely kiss, they barely will hold hands.  I was surprised, and tickled at the same time. 

Next was a fun couple.  They had lots of guests.  The bride had on a lovely taupe, knee length, lace dress.  She carried a bouquet of white mums.  Now for the weird part.  The bride had on a black coat sweater that came almost to her knees.  I thought she would remove it for the ceremony.  No, not only did she keep it on, it was belted over the dress.  Not quite tacky but close.  Why, I don't know.  Her dress was lovely and should have been shown off.  The only guess I have is the dress was too little and it wouldn't zip, so the sweater to cover the back.

Now to the wedding first.  Our wedding room looks like a little chapel.  We have lots of dark wood and 4 pews.  It is a really pretty room.  People always are surprised that a government wedding room is so nice.  The couple were cute.  She wore a grey dress and carried a bouquet of white iris.  He had a huge iris just stuck into his shirt pocket.  He wore a straw fedora hat, as did their year old son.  When we turned the corner and the bride saw the room, she burst into tears. No one has ever cried from seeing the room.  She couldn't believe what a nice place she was being married in.  She cried throughout the ceremony, laughing at the same time.  A very happy couple.  There was love in the room.