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Clinton News-Record, 1987-02-18, Page 62'Briar' 14 Shoriceev '67 v1Id.6VaneiVViir 4-s .4:f Friday afternoon weddings in Goderich o from page 12 only in the court room. "The Marriage Act says a wedding must take place in a place of dignity and solemnity so that is why t'e decided to perform them in the court room," she ex- plains, adding that this is the procedure for Huron County and that other justices of the peace might perform marriages outside the court room. Of the 200 or so marriages that she has performed, many of the couples are from Huron County. She says that she has married people from other locations in - eluding couples from Toronto and London who drive up to Goderich because they of the delay in getting married in the larger cities. She has also performed marriages where interpretors were required. While many persons entering their first marriage usually have a church wedding, Sturdy notes that some couples being married for the first time do come to her to be married, whether for religious, financial or personal reasons. However, she says the majority of the marriages she has performed are those between people who are being married for the se41s- - cond time. She also notes that there is a wide range of ages among the couples she has married. "The youngest person I have married has been a 16 -year-old while the oldest was a couple in their 70's," she says. Sturdy says she has performed mar • riages for persons dressed in white wed- ding finery and for those who are wear- ing shorts, although most women wear a nice suit or dress and carry flowers while the men wear a suit. Aside from the mandatory marriage For your convenience use our LAYAWAY PLAN With no storage charge WE CARRY �I A COMPLETE LINE OF APPLIANCES 4► Including Panasonic Microwave Ovens and Electrohome Televisions. Zenith Televisions & VCR's BOX FURNITURE Evening Appointments Glady Arranged Free Delivery & Set-up MAIN STREET, SEAFORTH 527-0680 license and registration fee, items re- quired for the civil ceremony include a ring and witnesses, which as Sturdy notes, some people forget. "They have to have a ring. Of the ones that didn't, one borrowed a ring from a witness and one took one out a fellow's ear. For those people who don't have witnesses we have to round some up. Some couples have asked people off the street, sometimes the secretaries will act as witnesses or sometimes we phone a family relative and wait until they get here," she says. Without the wedding rehearsal, Sturdy says many of the couples are nervous and can't help giggling. She also says when she asks whether the bride or groom will take this man or this woman, some have actually hesitated and needed time to think about it. However, of the couples who make it to the court house, none have left not married. Sturdy says that although only two witnesses are required, she does allow more people to attend although she likes to limit the number to 20. Photographs and videos are allowed in the court room where the wedding takes place although confetti is not. Sturdy also recommends that pictures be taken in the memorial chapel on the first floor of the court house and outside during the summer. Sturdy says the number of weddings performed at the court house averages out to about two or three each Friday although she does remember performing six weddings on one December 31. She says that January and February are generally the slow months for weddings at the court house although by summer, the number is up. "People are more romantic in the spr- ing, summer and fall," she contends. Aside from her ability to perform mar- riages, Sturdy describes her job as more often doing ball hearings, traffic court, putting people in jail, court reporting, and sitting in family court where she does such things as make sure support payments are collected. "Marrying people is definitely one of the nicer aspects of the job. It seems so much more worthwhile to do something when you are making someone happy." Enthusiasm • from page 10 But perhaps the biggest advantage of having a dress is the savings. "It's cheaper to have a dress made but it depends on the dress exactly how much you would save," said Mrs. Elliott. "In most cases it is about half price, but the more expensive it would be in the store, the more I would save you." As an example, Mrs. Elliott told the story of a lady who brought in a picture of a dress. Mrs. Elliott figured it would cost her approximately $400 to make it. (Surprised, the girl told Mrs. Elliott that the store price was $3,500. Mrs. Elliott is now making hats and headpieces for the bride and her bridesmaids and finds it quite interesting. "I've just started and have found it to be a real challenge," she explained. However, they are "selling faster than I can make (them." As for her future plans, Mrs. Elliott plans to continue measuring, cutting, sew- ing and shaping wedding dresses of all sizes, styles and colors for her clients. "When I'm sewing, I sometimes wonder how I could just sit and do nothing," she said.