Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Marriage Factory on Monday

Monday the clerks were busy, couples were buying their marriages licenses ahead of time for Valentine's Day.  We are expecting a mob of people on Friday.  Monday we already had 8 hours of weddings booked.  We know there will be more booked and a gazillion walk ins.  This is the first time same sex couples will be able to marry on Valentine's Day, it is on a Friday, and the topper is it is a 3 day weekend. We may set records again.  Several rooms will be decorated for ceremonies and several volunteers will be there to do the ceremonies.

 But now to Monday's weddings.

The brides had had a huge "wedding" a couple of months ago.  They came on a Friday to buy their license for their big wedding on Sunday.  Oops, they forgot papers to prove a name change, IDs did not match, so no license could be issued.  Monday they had their legal wedding.  Even though they had done a big ceremony, they were much more moved than they expected. Again a same sex couple told me how wonderful it was to finally be real.

Two grooms with their mamas as witnesses were next.  One of the mamas was so nervous and emotional.  She cried with happiness during the ceremony.  The grooms were so pleased with the beauty of the words in the ceremony.  As they left, the nervous mama hurried back to me and hugged  me and kissed me.  She thanked me and the clerks for the wonderful wedding for her son. 

I called the next couple.  A man (age 44, never married this is important later) walks up in a gorgeous gray suit with a red rose boutonniere.  I ask for the bride and he says with great pride, " She is the pregnant one over there."  Now their were 6 + women standing there who could have been pregnant:  large bellies, over blouses, just being female.  I looked around and I was not going to address anyone.  No woman wants to be identified as pregnant if she isn't.  I said you are just bragging, as a very pregnant woman in a white lace dress with a red and white roses' bouquet identified herself.  And all the women laughed

I thought OK that was funny, now to the elevator.  As the doors closed the groom's sister's says to him, "Are you sure you aren't gay?" He yelled, "I am not gay"  Then others started in on him, are you sure?  It was a family joke.  It seems his parents kept asking if he were gay because to them he was a little long in the tooth to be single. The groom was crying and the bride kept wiping his eyes.  Everyone was happy and fun, and excited for the couple. 

Monday was so calm, like the calm before the storm.  This weekend I will post about Valentine's Day.


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