1) Marriage by proxy,
which means someone stands in for a bride/groom who can't be present at
his/her wedding, is limited to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. But of
the four states that allow the practice — California, Colorado, Texas
and Montana — Montana is the only one that allows double-proxy weddings.
Essentially, neither the bride nor groom has to show up. Call us
old-fashioned, but it doesn’t seem like the ideal start to the biggest
commitment of one's life.
2) For a few months
between 2007 and 2008, anyone under 18 could get married in Arkansas
with parental consent. (Yes, even babies — as their parents agreed!) The
original law was meant to allow pregnant teenagers to get married if
their parents approved, but lawmakers forgot to put in an age minimum.
The law was corrected in April 2008, making the minimum age 17 for boys
and 16 for girls.
3) Ever been dared to get married ... as a prank?
Neither have we. But apparently this happens often enough in Delaware
that it's actually an option when couples file for an annulment. Along
with the basic reasons such as marrying "without the capacity to
consent" or "under duress," couples can now check "because of a jest or
dare" when applying to dissolve their nuptials.
4) In Kentucky, it's illegal to remarry the same man four times. Honestly, good for Kentucky: If you've already divorced him three
times, someone should step in. Of course, as long as it's different
men, you can get married and divorced as many times as you like.
5) In Truro, Mississippi, a groom-to-be must "prove himself manly"
prior to marriage by hunting and killing either six blackbirds or three
crows. Manly is a good thing. Dead birds? Not so much.
6) Despite the fact that
the infamous witch trials were over 300 years ago, religious
conservatism is still alive in Salem, Massachusetts — at least on the
law books. Apparently, married couples are not allowed to sleep in the
nude in a rented room. Of course, reflecting on numerous media reports
about germs on hotel bedspreads, who would want to?!
7) In South Carolina it's illegal for a man over 16 years old to propose
marriage and not mean it. Doing so means he's committing a misdemeanor
under the Offenses Against Morality and Decency Act. Not sure if that
means he will be forced to marry the woman in question, or if he can't
ask for a woman’s hand as a way to seduce her. We hope it's the latter.
8) Many husbands would probably say their mother-in-law isn't their favorite person in the world. But for those who really, really
dislike their wife's mother, moving to Wichita, KS, might be a good
option. In this city, a man's mistreatment of his mother-in-law may not
be used as grounds for divorce.
9) Imagine it: You get a
babysitter so you and your hubby can go out for a romantic dinner.
Afterward you take a stroll around town. Caught in the moment, you lean
in for a passionate kiss. Busted! The police can cuff you and throw you
in jail — that is, if you live in Hartford, Connecticut ... and it's
Sunday. Well, maybe not these days, but technically, it’s still illegal
in this city for a man to kiss his wife on the Lord's Day.
10) It’s most likely that
your wedding was officiated by a religious figure or judge. Or, if
you're a bit more eccentric than some, you had a friend become ordained
so he or she could marry you. New Orleans has made it illegal for palm
readers, fortune tellers, mystics and the like to officiate a wedding.
Guess they don't want you peeking at your future — you'll just have to
go into it with blind faith like everyone else!
You can read the entire article at http://glo.msn.com/relationships/10-obscure-marriage-laws-5450.gallery?gt1=49006#stackState=0__%2Frelationships%2F10-obscure-marriage-laws-5450.gallery
Romance Specialist
Order or Book your party today!
www.PartyGalsbyOlivia.com
partygalsbyolivia@gmail.com
Partying in Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, and surrounding areas
