Home > Lawrenceville.Talk > Archives > 2006 > August > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USLooking for a cheap wedding?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Love is grand. Wedding ceremonies are twenty grand.
Minister, florist, limos, cake baker.
Pianist, caterer, wedding planner, dressmaker.
Can’t you hear the never-ending sound of the cash register?
At the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville, taking on a better half doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can also eliminate months of Runaway Bride-style wedding planning since getting married here is as simple as two-stop shopping.
First stop, Probate Court for the marriage license. Show some government-issued ID, sign a few dotted lines, swear to your identity, and pay the grand total of $51.
Or take a qualifying premarital education course from a man (or woman) of the cloth, or a shrink with a legitimate degree and a good leather couch. Taking six hours of certified premarital education before you apply means your marriage license is only $16.
Next stop, Magistrate Court. Same building. Same address. Just show up during business hours and pay zero dollars and zero cents. But swear to be a good spouse, so help you God. Amen.
The downside?
There are no Saturday weddings, no Christmas ceremonies or November nuptials right before the Thanksgiving turkey is carved because the courthouse is closed on holidays and weekends. There are no elaborate decorations, or long prayers and salutations. But for $0 what more do you want?
As for the 16- and 17-year-olds thinking dressing up for the prom just wasn’t exciting enough, a new law regarding applying for marriage licenses was enacted just for you last month.
Beginning July 1, both parents are legally required to be present and sign their consent for their 16- and 17-year-olds applying. No more 55-hour “Oops, I made a mistake!” weddings like your favorite pop star Britney Spears did before she dumped that boyfriend.
Considering the obscene amount of money my parents spent on a wedding that ended in divorce, I’d say “I do” next time on Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. I’d let a judge confine me to a lifetime of arguing about which way the toilet paper should hang.
With divorce rates hovering around 50 percent in this country, does it really matter where the knot is tied? Or would it feel strange to tie on a spouse at the courthouse?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Jacqueline Bullard
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By PJ
August 23, 2006 6:51 AM | Link to this
My husband and I were married three years ago at the Justice Center. Members of our immediate families were present, and Judge Joe Clark was a delight. He even posed with us for pictures.
I suppose the bells and whistles are important for young folks, but for 50-something second timers like us, the no muss, no fuss route was the way to go.
By katie
August 23, 2006 7:29 AM | Link to this
It’s sad that some people think getting married is ‘no big deal’, it is and should be a celebration. I’m not saying that one has to pay thousands of dollars for a wedding but to just go to court house, there’s no romance in that.
By k
August 23, 2006 8:21 AM | Link to this
Amen to that. Second time around for both me and my fiance, we are getting married at home with family and close friends present, maybe totalling 20 folks. Get a cake from Publix and some lunch trays and call it a day. Love is so much more than spending money for a big wedding, our cash is better put to a new home for our family. Getting married is a big deal, but should not be big money. Love shouldn’t cost a thing.
By Amanda
August 24, 2006 2:10 PM | Link to this
I had my wedding 4 months ago at the Duluth Festival Center (town green). Being a resident living in the city limits, the rental was very reasonable. The food came from Smokey Bones ($700 for 100 people). I was fortunate enough to have relatives, or in-laws, who did the photography, hair and makeup, and flower arrangement. I got the flowers from a wholesale grower. Of course, I could have saved the roughly $5000 that the wedding cost, but I wanted that day. It was affordable and it was perfect for me. I couldn’t imagine going to the “courthouse” and missing out on the beautiful ceremony. There are ways to have a less expensive but still lovely wedding. You just have to utilize all of your resources.
By Sally Pattison-Cisna
August 24, 2006 3:41 PM | Link to this
This is a great piece,Jackie..and AJC. It was light, informative and very, very creative..a real fun read. Thanks to both of you. Keep up the great column!
By Warren Davis
August 25, 2006 10:14 AM | Link to this
Jacqueline, I have great news for you. Anyone can have a ‘free’ wedding 24/7. And, even though we perform weddings in the evenings, weekends and all holidays at the Detention Center (jail), no one has to ‘go behind bars’ to have the ceremony performed. All of the info is on our website at (www.gwinnettcourts.com > magistrate court > wedding ceremonies > FAQs. While getting married ‘in the jail’ has proven to be a psychological deterrent for some, we have had entire wedding parties show up in formal regalia; most often when the designated officiant became unfortunately unavailable. One time a couple appeared on a Saturday, he was wearing bib overalls and she was in a halter top and shorts. He said, ‘judge, I told her if she helped me change that transmission, I’d marry her. Here we are.’ The blushing bride held up her grease stained hands. So, if you want to get married on Thanksgiving, an evening or any other holiday, come see us. We’ll be there and the ‘I do’s’ are always on us. We love doing weddings. It is a lot more fun than our family violence cases. And not everyone in our community can afford a formal church wedding. We are there to help.
Warren Davis, Chief Magistrate.