Monday I sat for an hour and waited for someone who wanted get married. Where were the love birds? Be careful what you wish for. Between 2:00 and 4:25 I did 8 weddings. Every bride was emotional and cried.
The first couple was interesting. They were really sweet. But they had an out of control toddler. Screaming, running around, trying to climb the support beam, he was a perfect ad for birth control. Mom was extremely well endowed in the bosom department. But she didn’t have on a bra. She did have on a draped, low cut top. When she bent over or when the toddler grabbed the top, we had a nip slip. Charming. Dad was a handsome African American young man. He smiled and I nearly died. He had a mouth full of gold grill.
I had one couple who had bought their license in another county. That means if I find errors, we can’t correct them. We also can’t record the license. We have to mail it back to the county where it was bought. So this license had a problem. I did the ceremony, explained all of the above, and told the bride how to begin the process of changing her name. She said, “I’m not changing my name.” But she had given the original clerk her name choice. It is on the license, I did the ceremony, her name is changed.
She was upset, “they told me to put it down and I could decide later.” I told her that now it would take a court order to go back to her original name. I am sure the clerk in the other county did not tell her she could decide later. This law has been in effect for a couple of years. People do not listen, and do not read the license when asked to.
Another license had an error. Bad me, I did not find it until the only witness signed. I looked below her name at the place for a second witness (not required but couples are allowed two) no name but an address. The witness was a volunteer from the lobby and really needed to leave. If we had to reprint to remove the address, she would be held up and be late for an appointment. I raced to the Marriage Desk Clerk, and explained all. She said the magic words, “ I can fix it, no need to reprint.”
As I said, all the brides cried. Mostly from nerves, excitement, and emotion. But one bride did not want to be there. I am sure it was an arranged marriage, they were both Pakistani. He was from California, she was from England. She stood with her arms wrapped around herself with the saddest expression on her face. He answered the questions, even when I tried to talk to her. They walked up to stand under the arch. One of the guests called to the groom for help with a camera.
He walked away and I asked her if she really wanted to marry. She shrugged her shoulders and just stood there. During the ceremony she stood away from him and wouldn’t touch him. After the ceremony everyone, except the bride, was celebrating.
This was my last wedding of the day. I left them with the Marriage Desk Clerk and went downstairs. Marty was waiting out front so I gathered my stuff and left. The groom and all the guests were in the lobby laughing and talking. The bride was outside, alone, sitting on the planter wall. I nearly cried when I saw her.
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