Cold Feet: Adventures in Matrimony with Sonita M. Leak – Wedding Officiant in Greenville, South Carolina

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Cold Feet: Adventures in Matrimony
by Wedding Officiant Sonita M. Leak
January 29, 2018

Greenville, SC
Cold feet. You would think that if any part of a couple had cold feet, they would express it in a major way before the ceremony, right? Well… in my experience as a Wedding Officiant here in South Carolina, I’ve come across a couple or two that experienced a few setbacks AFTER their ceremony with me.

This is how one went down. So, a few years ago, I received an email from one half of a Beaufort County, South Carolina couple. Email correspondence went on back and forth with this male for quite some time. The story? He and his fiance were going to drive to Greenville on a specific date to get married, in short ceremony at the location of my choosing.

So, when the time came for the couple to come to Greenville, I was met with odd questions regarding ceremony attendance, pricing and some other things. No biggie. I didn’t think anything of it.

On the day of the ceremony, the couple met me in Downtown Greenville, at Falls Park at the Reedy River. I’d even made the couple a keepsake, because they said they wanted one with the ceremony. Not a problem. Couple married, license paperwork signed, marriage license waiting in my hands to be mailed to the Beaufort County’s Probate Court.

So what happens? On Sunday night before the next day Monday’s mail drop off of the couples’ license, I receive a call from the Groom, yes, the same one I’d been communicating with for not just a few weeks, but for a FEW MONTHS. He says, “Don’t turn the marriage license in!”

Blank Stare.

My reply, “You mean to tell me you don’t want me to turn in the marriage license?” “That’s correct, ma’am.” May I ask why? Well, see, well, me and my girl wanted to invite more people to the ceremony and well, some of the family members got upset that we got married and they weren’t there.

“Oh, okay.” Even MORE confusion.

So, a few days later, the Bride calls, “You turned our marriage license in, right?” MASS CONFUSION NOW. Wait, you mean to tell me that you guys wanted me to GO AHEAD and turn your paperwork in?”

I eventually came to find out that the couple were involved in a disagreement between one another, it had absolutely NOTHING to do with family members not being able to attend.

For those notaries public who decide to marry couples along with your commission duties, ensure that with each and every couple you join together in matrimony, TURN IN THE MARRIAGE LICENSE NO MATTER WHAT! After ceremony and filling of the paperwork, you are required to turn in the paperwork within 15 days thereafter.

*The message at the end applies to State of South Carolina Notaries Public who marry couples. If you are hearing this and are in another state, your notarial and marriage rules may be different.

This was today’s Adventure in Matrimony.