Many weddings, many things to remember

This week there were lots of weddings.  There were weird, funny, interesting things that happened.  Some were fun, and some ticked me off.

Monday when I arrived I checked for licenses waiting for a commissioner.  As I picked it up I was handed another license.  I checked the first one and the witnesses had already signed, and then I saw some one had signed as the wedding officiator.  I then realized the license had been put on the shelf and not in the inbox for D.

My first wedding was a couple with a toddler in the bride’s arm.  This child had the most incredible eyes (the clerks commented on his eyes also).They were a piercing grey while green at the same time.  Before I began the ceremony I asked if they were ready.  The little boy answered, “yes”.  We began with a laugh.

Then I had a Korean couple.  As I am talking I realize he isn’t saying anything, she is doing all the talking.  He spoke no English.  The clerk should have figured that out.  I took them downstairs and they refunded the couple the money for the ceremony.  They reprinted the license and told them how to find a translator or someone who could marry them with the bride translating.  We are not allowed to do that.

Two more weddings and this time the bride speaks no English.  We do have a Cantonese translator who can do the wedding ceremony.  Again, clerks please figure out if they both speak English.  The couples get really upset when I have to bring them back downstairs and find a translator.

Wedding of the week, the groom is from Trinidad, she is from Ethiopia.  They have one guest and the three of them are chatting in English, perfect English.  I start asking questions and the bride keeps turning to the groom and asking what I said.  I don’t understand, I know she speaks perfect English.

I ask what is wrong.  She says I am speaking too fast.  Me, too fast????  I am laughed at for being Southern.  Southerners  talk slowly.  Very slowly.  I have been told to hurry up and spit it out.  The groom (and he has that lovely Trinidad accent) said she has trouble with accents.  When they went to Trinidad she couldn’t understand anyone.  So I did the ceremony slowly, really really slowly.

I love days that are busy with weddings.  December is as busy as June for weddings.  I enjoy doing the weddings and meeting the couples.  The couples are interesting, irritating, fun.  Volunteering is a great way to spend your days.

Weddings

If you read my blog on Tuesday, November 23, you will understand why I was nervous doing weddings on Wednesday.  Luckily nothing awful happened.  Very nice couples and fairly normal problems.

By the time I got upstairs with the first couple, I had figured out the bride spoke very little English. I had to go to the Marriage Desk Clerk and have her call several people to get a translator.  I wish the clerks would talk to both the bride and groom.  We have commissioners to do foreign language ceremonies.  I sometimes think some of the clerks just don't want to bother tracking down a bilingual commissioner.  They want me to take it to the Marriage Desk Clerk and let her do the work. 

I shook hands with the next bride and groom and their toddler walked up and stuck his hand out too.  So I shook hands with him.  This couple was young, each 22.  They had 2 children, the little boy and an infant. The bride wore a black and white satin dress and the groom wore a white dress shirt and white slacks.  They had close to 20 people with them and all were dressed for the occasion.  The groom was a nervous wreck.  I was worried he would pass out before we finished the ceremony.  He made it OK. The family was so thrilled with the marriage.  Lots of love in the room.

One more problem couple.  The couple and the witness were Iranian.  He was 68 and she was 56.  He was very debonair looking:  Silver hair, ascot, sport coat and dress slacks, major jewelry. His English was perfect.  The bride said hello and then was quiet.  I asked them if they had rings and the witness started translating to the bride.  I stopped her and asked if the bride spoke English.  They said just a little.  I explained I could not marry them if she didn't understand me.  Oh, they would translate, I said no you can't.  Why?  So I explained that women could be brought in from other countries and married and not know what was  happening.  I don't know what they are saying and brides don't know what I am saying.  So for their protection only our translators may speak for the bride.  We have to be sure they know why they are here.  The groom and the witness were floored.  Who knew there were evil people out there. I questioned the bride, why was she here, did she want to marry, could she understand what I said.  Turns out she could understand basic things.  So I did the ceremony.  Because vows are not a legal part I let the groom translate them and they said their vows in Farsi.

I hated being hard nosed about the translating.  But the rules are the rules.  Good thing the bride could answer my questions.  Because to my knowledge we have no Farsi translators.