Courthouse Wedding

"Nice shoes" said a well dressed lady as we passed each other on the sidewalk, walking amongst the big buildings in downtown Seattle.  I said a quick 'thank you' in passing, and thought to myself how in all the hundreds of times I've walked along the streets of downtown, no stranger has ever complimented my shoes before.  It might have had something to do with the fact that I've never had on a pair of Kate Spade's before either.

I was annoyed that the wind was so damn strong and was threatning to ruin my nicely done hair.  I was focused on walking in my heels and not twisting an ankle.  My lips felt dry, was my lipstick still intact?  Only one more block to go, and I'd have an airconditioned lobby to wait in. Manilla envelope in hand, I climbed the steps to the courthouse.  As I was walking in, an older black man was walking out.  He looked me up and down and then proclaimed "dayum baby, you looook gooood."  I smiled. 

The lobby was empty, except for a guard seated next to a metal detector/x-ray scanner like at the airport.  I asked if this was where the marriage ceremonies were performed, and he looked at me with a skeptical glance and said "yes, but I think you are missing someone."  I smiled and said "he's on his way."  The guard was missing some front teeth, and reminded me of the mail carrier turned Nazi in The Sound of Music.  He then said "I hope so."  As I waited for Dave and our witnessess (all in the same car parking) to show up, another bridal group appeared in the lobby.  The groom was holding an envelope matching mine.  The bride was in a taupe racer-back summery dress with a regular blue bra on...which I knew because with her back to me, her straps were visible.  I think that's tacky, but apparently the younger kids these days find showing bra straps as a fashion statement.  A woman with crazy hair ruffled past me and said "girl, that dress is amazing, and you are rocking it.  Your shoes are fabulous."  I laughed a little.  Maybe I should wear a white cocktail dress and blue Kate Spades everyday.  

I decided to check-in at the courthouse on FB, my first choice of locations that popped up was King County Jail.  Who checks themselves in on FB at jail?!  Anyway, the courthouse was a few choices down and I selected it, status updated "about to become a Mrs."  My phone rang, and it was Dave.  "I'm at the courthouse, in the lobby, where are you?"  "I'm in the lobby of the courthouse."  Annoyed, he says "Well WTF, I'm where you told me to be, and I don't know where you are, lalaljafljSWEARlajdfkljdfjlSWEARljadfjkljaldjSWEAR..." I say, "where are you?"  This practically sends him over the edge "I'm on 5th and Cherry, where you told me to be, I don't know what to tell you."  "Ok, I'll go outside and look, I can see all 4 corners of 5th and Cherry, and you aren't there."  Long pause..."Oh.  I'm on 4th and Cherry" click. 

Dave and 4 of our friends walk up the steps to the courthouse and we take a few photos.  We walk back into the lobby, and the guard looks unamused that I didn't get stood up.  We all take turns putting our items on the xr-ay machine and walking through the metal detector.  We make our way up to the 10th floor, and on a 75 degree day, at 5pm, in a LEED certified building in Seattle, it was hot as all get out.  We waited to be check in.  My feet were starting to feel the 2.75" heel. 

We get seated in a waiting room, and then the judge asks to see just Dave and I.  She asks us a few questions, and I like her instantly.  She explains how she typically runs ceremonies, and then asks if there is anything we specifically want, or want to change.  I speak up and start to say that there is only one thing I have an issue with, and at that moment, she interrups me and says "there is no 'obey' in your vows."  I exhale.  Oh, wow, she's a mind reader.  She then says she'd like to take us up to the 15th floor, into the room with floor to ceiling windows and sweeping city views.  Sounds good to me.  We got up there, admired the view, had our quick ceremony that was absolutely perfect- non-religious, to the point, informal, and exactly what I was hoping for.  Our friends took some pictures, signed as witnesses, and then we were married. 

For our after official courthouse nuptuals, we decided to head to the International District for some real chinese food.  I loved the contrast between us being so dressed up and fancy, and then eating at a chinese restaurant.  We got many amazing dishes, each person had such varied tastes.  In the middle of ordering, our waiter cut us off and said "too much food."  And walked away.  My husband and the rest of the table were sort of dumbfounded- um, did that really just happen?  Well, turns out, our waiter was correct in cutting us off when he did.  The amount of food was perfect.  Well, perfect in the sense that we all got our fill and there were no leftovers.  What if we had wanted leftovers?  Kinda funny.  That's only happened to me at bars before. 

Our big celebration party is in our backyard in a week.  We got the boring stuff out of the way, now we can party with 100 of our closest friends and family members. 

Here are a few pictures from the day:

He's so silly



His eyes are closed, but you can see my shoes in this one.