Expansion of the previous note to self

[jbsegal]

Tonight, I married a chinese couple who wanted to get married before the end of school, when one of them is returning to China. I had a bit more than 24 hours notice.

Their english is, of course, infinitely better than my chinese. That said, it wasn't very good.

A) I need to remember to never have non-english speakers repeat the vows... They should just be asked "Do you..."

B) beyond that, I don't know what would make it more meaningful.

Krissy: I always make sure to talk with people for a bit before-hand to get across the legalities and to sanity-check consent... I just want a better ceremony.

I almost did this one as just a conversation, some questions, and a pronouncement, but something better often seems warranted...

Comments

congrats on the weding

[wolfdancer.livejournal.com]

I understand how you feed. No manter how well or how bad it seems, things will work out.
I have had to step in at the last moment to offical a few times.
beinng a ULC has its advantages/disavantages.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

perhaps in addition to "do you" have them give each other vows in their fluent language?

[kimberlogic.livejournal.com]

perhaps a least a phonetic chart for various languages to cover the basic phrases in a ceremony? that way you'd be *closer* to saying something they can understand and it would be a nice gesture.

[feydn2.livejournal.com]

There are universal concepts regarding marriage, most importantly the concept of joining two into one... Any sort of "ritual", a ceremonial sort of action indicating the willing acceptance/consent to that joining, would be meaningful, whether any words (English or otherwise) were spoken at all. That may be a path to your "something better"... I've seen water rituals, sand rituals, hand fastings, broom jumpings, etc.- all express the same concept. Perhaps all you need to establish in this situation is what sort of ceremonial or ritual gesture would express that concept most meaningfully for the parties involved?

I performed a Dr. Seuss rhyming style ceremony last weekend that had guests and participants all laughing and crying because it so perfectly suited the couple- it was their way of expressing themselves. That's all that really matters. The rest is all just legal stuff, and while required, should be secondary to the declaration the participants are making.

(Just my 2 cents worth...)

Is there a Dr. Seuss wedding season? ;)

[akrissy.livejournal.com]

I'm working on a wedding ceremony with a couple for August that will also be using Dr. Seuss. The opening of "Oh the Places You ll Go".

[akrissy.livejournal.com]

I agree, a meaningful ceremony is the goal in every circumstance. :)

The one that scared me once; The guy spoke english and the woman mostly smiled and nodded. My internal alarm bells were going off and it wasn't because I thought it was a mail-order bride but because I wasn't sure she understood what was happening, even after the getting the license from the court house. Creepy.

[bouncingleaf.livejournal.com]

I toured an apartment once with a real estate agent. I don't remember how we got on the topic but somehow it came up that she was engaged. She said that she and her fiance might get married on their lunch break the next day, if their schedules would let them. If not, maybe later in the week.

So different from what I'm used to.