Weddings, weddings, weddings

First Happy New Year to All!  May 2014 be a great year for you.   I know we are hoping it is much better than 2013 was for us.

Now why am I a week from the last post?  I have no idea.  But I  have lots of weddings to write about. 

Monday was my normal volunteer day at the Marriage Factory.  Tuesday was New Year's Eve and I went in to help.  They were very worried about huge crowds. 

Monday I have no idea how many weddings I did.  The couples were lined up before we opened the doors at 8:30.  By 10:00 I had a runner bringing up couples to me.  Staff opened another room and decorated it so we could push through the licenses.  When there are 9 licenses on the desk and only one room, couples would have to wait at least 2 hours.  I left at 12:30 and the crowd grew.  Staff called in another volunteer to help the regular volunteer.  By end of business combined we had done 56 weddings. 

Tuesday we had three volunteers and staff available also with two rooms open.  We were like a well oiled machine doing the weddings. I arrived at 9:30 and left about 2:45.  I think we had done 40 weddings and the crowd was growing.  I don't have final numbers on Tuesday's weddings.

Some highlights of the two days.
The clerk brought the license and said they were "cuties". Everyone in the group had on something purple: shoes, shirt, dress,  jacket, flowers in their hair.  They were so sweet and for some reason thrilled my name is Appel.

I  married a Vietnamese couple in their early fifties.  Life has been good to them.  I am talking major jewelry.  When I first looked at the bride I thought nice pendant necklace.  Then I really looked at it,  baguette diamonds surrounding a huge oval ruby.  How huge, probably close to 3/4 inch long.  Stunning.  And she had diamonds rings, yes plural, to go with it.

I asked if everyone is here.  You see this one coming don't you?  Yes, we are all here.  In the room, they tell me someone (who is on the license as a signing witness) is feeding the meter. With couples waiting to get into the wedding room, I have to get them out of the room.  They are not happy, but I couldn't hold up the line of licenses.  Finally the witness shows up and we have a wedding.  The bride was lovely in a long silk burgundy dress.  She  has a chiffon matching stole.  Very elegant, but she was chewing gum.

We had the obligatory "thin" white dress with a black thong.  Next I had a bride in a chiffon column dress.  It was very thin, with slits up to mid hip.  Thankfully she had on white hot pants under it.  Still a little tacky.  Next up tight sweat pants with camel toe. MY EYES!   We then had a bride who was 8 months pregnant in a very tight thin white dress. Her underwear was blue.

Best dressed bride for both days wore a dress from Target and heels from Forever 21.  Her dress was strapless and knee length.  The skirt was stiff and a full circle.  It was black lace over ecru.  Her shoes were black lace over ecru.  She looked like a million dollars. 

Very busy two days.  But having extra volunteers and two rooms helped us to move couples in and out in a timely manner.  And thanks to the great staff for all their hard work.