Twice Told Tuesday - The New State Law

Twice Told Tuesday features a photography related article
reprinted from old photography books, magazines, and newspapers.

"Adam lay down and slept—and from his side
A woman in her magic beauty rose;
Dazzled and charmed, he called that woman 'bride'
And his first sleep became his last repose."

~Unknown ~



Here's The Proper Way To Be Married
April 12, 1908

The New State Law

Since Jan. 1 of this year the old marriage law of New York State has been changed, and now both the bride and bridegroom-to-be must perforce to go personally to the Registry Office at City Hall to sign and obtain their marriage license, and this should be done some days before the marriage is to take place, although of course, the religious ceremony may be solemnized immediately after the State Certificate has been returned to the city officials.

The clergyman, too, must be visited not less than a week prior to the date determined upon for the wedding, that the State certificate may be signed by him and that the certificate of the church may be filled in and signed by the contracting parties, and naturally also the minister must be consulted in regard to the time, date, and place for the service. To have all the plans carefully made out and invitations issued and then to find that the desired prelate will not be able to officiate simply because the importance of his being present had been temporarily overlooked has be known to have occurred more than once, and the disappointment ensuing was no less great because by that time unavoidable

Under the new statutes a marriage license must be taken out in the town or city of which the bride, not the bridegroom, is a resident.

If the bridegroom is under 21 years of age or the bride under 18 the consent of the parents must previously be obtained, but this last is not new law, although, perhaps, more frequently violated than all others of recent years.

Sources:

Anonymous. "Here's The Proper Way To Be Married." The New York Times, 12 April 1908. Online archives. http://hngraphical.proquest.com/ : 2009.

Photographs:

Sneve, Willie & First Wife. Unknown. Cabinet Card. Unknown. Privately held by the footnoteMaven, Preston, Washington. 2009.