WEDDINGS AND HUGS

Yesterday was slow, only four weddings. But such nice weddings. I saw a couple and their friends in the lobby all dressed up. Suits, white dress, pretty "church" dresses, and flowers. I looked at them as I took another couple up and thought older couple. Well, when I checked their license, he was 46 she was 40. They had not aged well. They were attractive, they just looked like they were at least in their 50s. They were so in love and so sweet. They thanked me and thanked me for doing the wedding with dignity.

I think most people think if they are married at the county building it will be about three hurried sentences and at the counter. Not us. We all try to make each ceremony special.

I was given a license sold in March. The clerk only had to type in the witnesses' names and addresses. She didn't need to check anything else, since it was just a ceremony. But I have to check everything. Place of birth for the bride, groom, and two witnesses was PW. Now that can be a state or country. I didn't know what it was so asked the supervisor to check our acceptable abbreviations. Nothing. One of the clerks called the couple over and asked where they were born. PALAU Does anyone see a W in there? Palau may sound familiar to you, two Survivor shows were filmed there. We fixed it and they re signed the license and I did the ceremony.

One couple was young, early twenties. They had a child 5 months old. Both the groom and bride were dressed nicely in black. He had on a gorgeous black shirt and she had on a black cocktail dress. Now the dress had a very deep V in front. But for some reason it did not look cheap or like the girls would spill out. It was just a nice dress. The witness was beside himself with happiness. He had to have taken 100 pictures from the time we entered the room. The groom got the giggles and then went on into deep laughing. Which became contagious. But we finished on a serious note. After the wedding the groom grabbed me and hugged me and hugged me. He was so happy. And then the bride hugged me and so did the witness. I am thinking FLU, and then thought, what the hell. I have Purell on my desk and there is soap and hot water in the restroom. I hugged them all back.