Comments:

The rest...of the story... - 2007-08-30 21:45:55

You can get a free online degree from the Universal Life Church and legally marry anyone you like. Yep. Larry Kestenbaum says:

"Our own county drain commissioner, Janis Bobrin, was married last year by an officiant whose authority came from an Internet-obtained Universal Life Church ordination."

Be like a drain commissioner and Ypsidixit [odd bedfellows, there --Ed.] Do it the free-from-obnoxious-societal-institutions way. Why, I'm even considering getting a Universal Life Church thingie myself and officiating at MY OWN upcoming wedding! Possibly with sock puppets, to add...a note of whimsy. To those who regard with horror this minimalistic approach [hey, those sock puppets take a lot of work! --Ed.] I say, a priceless and beautiful diamond [one that took 40 years to find --Ed.], full of incomparable sparkle and fire, needs no accompaniment, and is only diminished by a lot of distracting window dressing.
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ypsidixit - 2007-08-30 21:46:51

And if a Universal Life Church officiant is too fancy for your tastes, why, Larry also says,

"If your marriage is filed in Washtenaw County, give me some notice (734-222-6730) and I'll be happy to personally sign your certificate."

That's right. You can do the deed with no more than a signature from Mr. K. Hopefully with a nice sparkly-purple-ink pen, for added pizzazz. Or maybe lime green. I like gold, too. And hopefully you get a big wax seal or a shiny ribbon. A gold sticker at least. Ypsidixit can't wait!
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Larry Kestenbaum - 2007-08-30 23:41:56
No, no, I can't officiate [details omitted], but my signature, whether rubber stamped or personally signed, appears on every Washtenaw County certificate regardless of who performs the wedding. Like I said, though, if you want the hand crafted original Lawrence Kestenbaum signature rather than the impersonal rubber stamp, just let me know, and I'll be glad to oblige.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-08-31 08:17:26
Thank you, Mr. K., for visiting this tiny blog and for that good clarification. Yes--you are not officiating, just signature-fying.

Of course, if *you yourself* got the Universal Life Church certification (takes mere minutes!) then we'd have a one-stop takeout deal, very convenient. A drive-through window at City Hall. Marriage a la Mode indeed. "Would you like fries--er, eternal lifelong commitment with that?"
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Ingrid - 2007-08-31 08:18:42
When I got married, Magistrate Pope performed the ceremony which seemed to satisfy the Catholics on my husband's side. I understand your aversion to sterile judge-performed weddings though. Now, I'd probably go with the Buddhists.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-08-31 08:24:24
Ingrid: That is interesting. Would you forgive my ignorance if I ask, what is a Magistrate Pope? It sounds very...magisterial, and...uh, papal. I'm afraid I can't place that office within my knowledge of the hierarchy of the Church. Just curious. Nice to see you visiting, too--thank you!
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Ingrid - 2007-08-31 08:46:45
He's a magistrate for the court whose last name is Pope.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-08-31 09:03:48
Magistrate Pope performed the ceremony which seemed to satisfy the Catholics on my husband's side

Oh, how funny. Sorry, Ingrid--silly me, I didn't recognize the term "magistrate" as a term of the Court. I thought it was a...you know, bishop-y sort of thing. That's very funny. :)
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Anisoptera - 2007-08-31 09:47:54
Wishing you much joy.
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Zygoptera - 2007-08-31 10:01:08
Thank you most kindly, lovely and beautiful Anisoptera.


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Pete Murdock - 2007-08-31 16:10:29
The Mayor of Ypsilanti,or of any other City, can perform the ceremony.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-08-31 18:46:54
How about Steinunn Valdis Oskarsdottir, the mayor of Reykjavik? I'd love to go to Iceland and toast my tootie in a hot spring, yes sir, I would. Take in the stunning scenery. Of ice. And all.

Former Ypsi super-blogger Steve Cherry memorably got married with Mayor Farmer's help. And were you still mayor, Pete, I'd be honored.

Annnnnnnnd, let's leave it at that.
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lynne - 2007-08-31 20:34:54
Can't captains of boats perform the ceremony? Thing of what one could do with a row boat and the Huron River
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ypsidixit - 2007-08-31 21:45:06
Ooh! Yes! Captains of boats CAN perform the ceremony! And I have a boat! And am its, uh, co-captain. My favorite place in the world is the untouched stretch of river behind St. Joe's--we're going there this weekend. Hmmmm. This...could...work! Thanks Lynne!
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Ypsidixit - 2007-08-31 21:53:27
...we could have a carp release instead of a butterfly/dove release. And toss canned corn to the carpies (carp love corn) instead of rice.

Lots of possibilities here.
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maryd - 2007-09-01 06:08:23
A fall wedding, congrats! My friend is an ordained internet "pastor" and has officiated a few times a weddings. Mayor Murdock married John and I, a few years back, over the Huron River on the dock at Riverside.
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-01 07:53:51
Thank you very much for your kind wishes, Maryd! Your wedding sounds just lovely. How nice to be married by Pete. You'd think mayors would retain that power after their terms, in the same manner one calls former presidents "President Carter" or what have you.
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Rod (rodsmith) - 2007-09-01 11:19:39
Congratulations Laura I know an ordained pagan priestess who can legally do a marriage for you...
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Ypsidixit - 2007-09-01 13:37:31
Thank you for your kind words, Rob. Pagan might be just the thing. If you would, might you email her contact info to ypsidixit (at) gmail (dot) com? I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
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