The Walden Effect: Farming, simple living, permaculture, and invention.

Off to the Court House!

Mural at the marriage registryYesterday was the big day no one but me and Mark knew about --- we ran off and got married at city hall!  For weeks, I've been holding my tongue whenever I talked to anyone I care about, dying to spill the beans but knowing I'd better not.  At night, I fought off nightmares where my friends and family forced me into dresses and veils and churches.

I'm the one woman in a thousand who never dreamed of her wedding day, who disavowed the notion of a church and state sanctioned relationship.  But after three and a half years living in each other's pockets, we decided to throw a big party for our friends and family --- kind of a commitment ceremony.  And that got me thinking, so I took a look at our taxes and realized we'd save $500 by signing the sheet of paper.

We set the date for the day after the solstice so that even I could remember when our anniversaries roll around.  I also like the symbolism of the light returning to the earth.  And, of course, there's the fact that we had to get married before the end of the year to get the tax break. 

Yesterday we set out, picture IDs in hand, to the county courthouse.  But ten minutes from home, Mark got cold feet.  Read more... (Like my cliffhanger?)



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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.



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It was really quite funny reading the email about city hall. It was chock full of all the nitty gritty details and frequently asked questions. Very matter of fact, very factual actually... Heh.
Comment by Maggie Tue Dec 23 09:26:44 2008
Ha! Glad you liked my FAQ! :-)
Comment by anna Tue Dec 23 19:09:36 2008
Best wishes on the happiest of futures together! I'm happy for you and love your wedding style and that you are growing your own food for your celebration. Truly inspirational.
Comment by Jessica Tue Dec 23 22:51:40 2008
Thanks, Jessica! I'm actually pretty excited about trying to grow most of the food for our feast! It makes it feel much more real.
Comment by anna Wed Dec 24 10:48:17 2008

Congratulations you crazy kids;-) I'll be doing my best to get there for September... Love and hugs and Holiday wishes to you both.

Jay

Comment by Jay Wed Dec 24 18:32:30 2008
Thank you, Jay! I'd be so thrilled if you could make it in September, though I'd understand if you can't. Have a great Christmas!
Comment by anna Wed Dec 24 18:59:14 2008

Congrats guys!! And if you are 1 in a thousand, then I am the second in the two thousands.. I never planned for a wedding and can think of no worse hell on earth than to go through the traditional wedding day! We eloped! We got married in a church, but it was such a cute little old church next to a stream in the mountains I couldn't resist. No one there but me, Sweet Husband and our son. The preacher's wife was our only witness. We have been married for 5 years now. Way to go! Elopment is the best! Congrats and much joy and a long and prosperous life together! Cheers!

Comment by Anonymous Wed Dec 24 21:51:06 2008
I'm glad to hear that someone else eloped and had a great time! Merry Christmas!
Comment by Anna Thu Dec 25 15:23:02 2008
It was me that eloped and had fun. Brava again, guys!
Comment by Jen Thu Dec 25 19:56:29 2008
Thanks for clarifying, Jen! I'm always confused when posts say "Anonymous." :-)
Comment by anna Fri Dec 26 09:29:48 2008





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