Usually when I am doing marriage ceremonies, I make notes before and after each one. Otherwise I wouldn't remember details to write about. But when we have a day like last Monday, no time for notes. I didn't have a ceremony until close to 10:00, and from then until the next volunteer arrived around 12:30 we had a steady flow of couples. I did 11 ceremonies in that time and others did Spanish and Cantonese ceremonies. When the next volunteer arrived there were 8 licenses lined up on the on the desk and more kept coming. While I waited for Marty, I checked licenses and did paper work for her.
My first ceremony was a do over. An Indian couple had divorced 5 years ago and now were remarrying. Their teenage daughters were the witnesses. After I pronounced them married I said "Congratulations, you may kiss." The groom said, "Oh, we can't in front of our daughters."
There were several same sex marriages. The witnesses for two women told me I had married them on the first day it was legal for them to marry in 2008. They gave me big hugs and told me they were so glad I was doing the ceremony for their friends.
One bride was heavily pregnant and told me a sad tale. She and her "husband" had had a cultural religious ceremony. Later the priest told them they weren't legally married because he hadn't told them to buy a license. They spent a couple of years trying to find a way to have the marriage declared legal. They would need a lawyer, a judge's ruling, and to spend a lot of money. Some kind person told them just go get married with a license. She was embarrassed, and wanted this done before the baby was born. I told her they were not the first couple we have married who thought they were married. She seemed to be relieved that it happens to others.
I had a May/December wedding. The bride was around 20 years older than the groom. (I love to see brides who are older than the grooms. Reminds me of my mother and Papa Jack.) She adored the groom, huge smile all through the ceremony. She wore a pink chiffon beaded skirt. Her top was in matching shades of pink and also was beaded and sequined. The groom was very stoned face until I pronounced them married. Then he broke out in a huge grin.
One group won the prize for best dressed wedding party. The women had the most wonderful shoes and purses ever. They were all gussied up in beautiful outfits. The groom wore a dark blue suit. The bride wore a dark blue knee length dress with a bell skirt. The dress was a satin material with an overlay of a sheer blue material. But on her head the best little fascinator ever. It was just perched on the side of her head and made quite a statement.
My favorite couple, a quiet Asian bride and groom. Both seemed very prim and proper. He was almost stone faced. And then he started saying his vows and started giggling and laughing. He was fighting to not laugh, but it wasn't working. Then she started laughing and so did I and all the guests. Finally he got through the vows and was back to stone faced. I started the ring ceremony and he lost it again, red faced belly laughs. I loved it.
There are other stories, but the above are the best. Love was in the room and in their hearts.
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