I read on a blog, maybe feministing, that one couple feels their wedding is ruined because it says Party A and B and not Bride and Groom, maybe it's the same couple. They said that this proves that same sex marriage adversely effects opposite sex marriage. Which just is lame to me.

Personally I like the seperate religious and civil ceremonies. Plenty of people don't get married in a church or with a religious ceremony. My aunt is a Notary Republic and she married a couple who got married at a lake in swim suits. They jumped in afterwards.

I have a couple, both friends, who had two completely different weddings. The first one, which is the LEGAL one AND the religious one, was performed by a shaman.

A week later, they had the fluffy dress family wedding, and skated around the issue of signing the license. The officiant was the grooms old art teacher, and he was in the know, but I don't think the fam know, to this day.

My friend A is currently on her second of three marriages - one about a month ago at the JoP, one Muslim ceremony two weeks later with his (Egyptian) family, and one planned for the spring in Costa Rica for all the friends

Since marriage is a contract, it IS easier to just use the one the state has already written for you. Here's Calif. statutory law re marriage [link] This + case law and you're all set.

Probably was the same couple, Askye. I was repeating off of the top of my head, though I'm pretty sure it wasn't on Feministing, might have been though.

Greg and I were married by a Catholic notary friend of mine, because he was Catholic, and blessed by my pastor, in an office building. It had been planned for the park, but we got torrential rain.

I saw the story on Salon Broadsheet. My eyeballs just about rolled right out of my head.

Calif. statutory law

That's a very long document.

It may have been from a link to Salon. One of the people on my flist is highly political and I've followed some of her links.

I'ma go to bed now. I meant to say hello and give hairpats where wanted, but I'm suddenly exhausted. It's been a very long day.

sj, I'm sorry about the SSI mess, but you did light a bulb in my brain that should have been lit long ago. We're going to check on benefits for Aidan. We could use some help, especially with extra pairs of glasses and adaptive technologies.

Deena! How are you? How are the kids doing in school this year? I sent you a couple of e-mails last week, but it may have been when your power was out.

Deena, you should definitely be able to get benefits for Aidan, at least until he is 18. However, they love to deny everyone at least once. If that happens, get a lawyer who specializes in this sort of thing.

I'm a big fan of marriage and enjoyed all 3 of my weddings immensely. I considered the government thing and the wedding thing completely separate. Marriage is an important part of the commitment for me personally, being the product of my parents and life experiences. It brings me joy to see loved ones that were denied the right to marry finally having that option. I believe future generations will be shocked that this was ever prohibited.

Still as important as the commitment of marriage is to me personally, it would neither surprise nor upset me if the boys didn't feel the same way. They have enjoyed the weddings they have attended, so maybe I'll get to do the mother of the groom thing.

Survived the long day, kinda. Somehow I managed to screw up the car reservation so we just canceled DH's flight and hotel for tomorrow. I clearly remember seeing the confirmation page and printing it for the car, and yet, no record of that ever happening. At this point I think it was a delusion. So it cost me $75 to cancel the air and nothing to cancel the hotel. Still feel odd, but apparently it wasn't meant to be.

Perhaps more sleep would be a good plan.

edit to remove extra random y