August 3, 2009

We're here in Colorado not just for the scenery, but for the law.

DSC02802

What is the law we love so much — this beautiful example of the benefits of federalism? I will tell you soon!

81 comments:

reader_iam said...

Are you wanting to solemnize your own marriage, as opposed to having an officiant required?

reader_iam said...

Regardless, I wish you all joy for your upcoming union and happiness for your life together.

Unknown said...

Something about community property?

In any case, felicitations to you two and much happiness.

Bruce Hayden said...

Not sure where that is. Looks like Western Slope, but that covers a lot of territory.

chuck b. said...

That one birch tree is doing things its own way. The other birch trees hate it.

The Crack Emcee said...

If Colorado is NOT a "no-fault divorce" state, I'm going to cry.

Unknown said...

Birch?

Chuck, I think we're looking at aspens here.

rhhardin said...

Monday is garbage day in Ohio.

Even the garbage is scenic.

Yesterday a tree along the bike commute route dropped a heavy limb, owing to age and gravity I guess.

No birches.

Freeman Hunt said...

One of you is sick, and you think marijuana will help?

chuck b. said...

"Chuck, I think we're looking at aspens here."

Ah, I wouldn't know. It's a white tree.

Anonymous said...

Colorado legal stuff for AA:

"....Solemnizing a Marriage: Couples themselves may solemnize their own marriage (perform one's own marriage ceremony). According to Colorado Revised Statute 14-2-109, a marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court; by a court magistrate; by a retired judge of the court; by a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages; by Indian tribe officials; by clergy; by the parties to the marriage. If you wish to solemnize your own marriage, you will be responsible for acquiring, completing and returning the license to marry to the appropriate county Office of the Clerk and Recorder.

Grounds for Annulment: Lack of capacity to consent at time solemnized, under-age (not cured by consent of parents or court), fraud, jest or dare, duress and impotency (unknown to other party at time of marriage), and any prohibited marriage. Sec. 14-10-111. See, "Annulments in Colorado," 22 Colo. Law. 2249 (1993).

Valid: License is valid for thirty (30) days. If either one of you is on probation or parole, you will need special authorization..."


If you are there on a dare or just jesting you have an out (see above).

Barry said...

http://is.gd/20UCz

In Colorado: "The marriage ceremony may be performed by ... the people getting married."

Congrats!

The Dude said...

Those trees are all part of the same organism. Their leaves will all turn the same day in the fall. Some of the clumps cover many acres.

Freeman Hunt said...

You want to remove a tag from your mattress?

Freeman Hunt said...

You think that mutilating rocks in state parks is wrong?

Freeman Hunt said...

You're worried about drunken horse drivers?

Freeman Hunt said...

You're headed to Denver where your neighbor can't pester you to borrow your vacuum cleaner?

Ron said...

call me wacky...but I was expecting live-blogging! We could have a poll about giving the bride (or, hell, the groom) away!)

Freeman Hunt said...

You're tired of seeing pack mules above the ground floors of buildings? (I hate that.)

Freeman Hunt said...

You're tired of all the llamas grazing around in cities?

Freeman Hunt said...

Now that you're getting married, you don't want any unmarried people fornicating in surrounding houses?

Scott M said...

Maybe it's the law about not being able to shoot whales from a moving car?

Or maybe the one where you can only hit your wife if you do it on the steps of city hall?

Oh wait...those are state laws.

Is it the one where I'm a felon due to my gender if I don't go sign up for selective service when I turn 18? Cuz I just LOVE that one...

Bill White said...

Iowa and Kansas are closer to Wisconsin, but who would want to travel to Iowa or Kansas?

rhhardin said...

Officials don't marry you anyway. You marry each other.

Everybody else is a witness.

chickelit said...

Couples can solemnize their own vows in Colorado.

If we’d only known back in '93.

True Story:
My wife and I were married at the Denver City Hall. It was a Sunday and the building was officially closed. The judge my fiancee had engaged for the occasion (and who was supposed to let us into the building) didn't show! There were no cell phones then and she didn't answer her phone either. Luckily, another judge showed up by chance to catch up on some work. Reluctant at first, he agreed and officiated our wedding in his chambers.

It’s been 15 years now and Swarovski already has my number thank you. :)

Ignorance is Bliss said...

In New Hampshire, on Sundays, citizens may not relieve themselves while looking up.

Freeman Hunt said...

Chickenlittle: The judge didn't show?! Wow! Now that's a faux pas.

Chip Ahoy said...

You discovered you and Meade are actually cousins and as proper hillbillies you went to the nearest state that

1) allows that
2) has hills
3) allows stills or
4) has a big sale on liquor

No, srsly.

You heard the hang gliding was excellent off Mt. Ajax.

You want to bungee jump off the bridge across Royal Gorge then white-water raft the Arkansas River.

You miss the snow so you're going to hike a couple of 14ers.

Ron said...

maybe Althouse found a little-used codicil of Colorado law that lets them marry a tab-delimited list of blog commenters, ("not bigamy, but a distributed data base of love!") so soon we'll ALL be married to Althouse!

Anonymous said...

That clearly looks like a ski run. So, I'm going to guess, based upon the opposing ridge, that you are at Keystone, or possibly at Brekenridge.

Chip Ahoy said...

Did you know, depending on how you measure, the largest living organism on earth is an Aspen grove? <-- 100% of biological fact (that I heard form an unimpeachable source when I was 10, my older brother.)

chickelit said...

The judge didn't show?! Wow! Now that's a faux pas

I wasn't on the "concerned" follow-up phone call the next day. The judge spaced the appointment completely. Of course she apologized profusely and refunded her fee.
The judge who did do it did it pro bono, if I recall correctly.

Freeman Hunt said...

My husband and I picked a day, and then, on that day, we went down a list calling JPs to see who could do it. After the first few were unavailable we thought that perhaps we should have called in advance. Luckily, there was eventually one willing, and we met her at her office and got married. Hooray!

Ann Althouse said...

Commenting from a mountaintop: we are still sitting on the rock where we exchanged rings, and now we are married.

Scott M said...

CONGRATS!!!

reader_iam said...

To life!

chickelit said...

Well congrats!

Big Mike said...

May I be among the first to offer my congratulations? I hope you're every bit as happy as my wife and I have been for 34 1/2 years.

reader_iam said...

Love the idea--the imagery--of exchanging vows on a craggy pinnacle. So fitting.

Scott M said...

...are you calling Ann "craggy"?

bearbee said...

L'Chaim!

reader_iam said...

Of course not.

And my comment was both sincere and positive.

Bissage said...

Good.

bearing said...

Wonderful!

Does this count as live blogging the ceremony?

reader_iam said...

By the way, whether or not it's the reason Althouse + Meade chose Colorado, the reason I guessed the self-solemnization of marriage right away (see first comment on this post) is because during my and my husband's own run-up to marriage, we considered various possibilities of elopement.

Rick Lee said...

No waiting period... no tests.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Ann! Wishing you all the best.

Freeman Hunt said...

Yay! Congratulations! All the best, now and always!

rhhardin said...

Good deal.

Jason (the commenter) said...

Good luck Mrs. Meade and Mr. Althouse!

Anonymous said...

Let the bells ring.

bearbee said...

Cousins can marry.

Triangle Man said...

Huzzah!

bearbee said...

More Bell Ringing by Althouse hillbillies.

KCFleming said...

Here's to the wings of love,
may they never molt a feather,
till your little shoes and his big boots
are under the bed together.

Anonymous said...

This would be Mt. Evans, I'm guessing?

................ <-rice

The Dude said...

Congratulations. I am guessing that you didn't go for the all singing all dancing wedding party, as seen on YouTube, but then again, one never knows what happens up there in the thin air of the Rockies.

chuck b. said...

Felicitations to both of you and your families!

chickelit said...

Special felicitations for Meade!

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Congratulations!

Lockestep said...

Long life and happiness to you both.

Unknown said...

Best of everything!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Ok good.. ;)

Darcy said...

LOL. Something tells me there will be more than those few words from you, Lem. You're adorable.

Congratulations, Althouse and Meade. Best wishes.

Unknown said...

We got married in a church, but my husband and I did get engaged while sitting on a rock.

On a wooded hillside in Kansas.

(Yes, there are woods and hills in some parts of Kansas.) We visit that spot at least a couple times a year.

Zachary Sire said...

Woo-Hoo! What a beautiful way to officially start your new life together. Love it.

MadisonMan said...

Here's to every happiness raining down upon you.

Re: The picture. Did the nun wandering through the trees just exit stage left?

Skeptical said...

O ETERNAL God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this Man and this Woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, (whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge,) and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.

FORASMUCH as Meade and Althouse have consented together in holy Wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

GOD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.

BJM said...

WOOT!

Randy said...

Congratulations and best wishes!

Anonymous said...

Said "Congratulations" earlier.
Forgot the "Best Wishes" part.

BEST WISHES!!

Paul Worthington said...

Congratulations, Meade and Althouse.

Stephanie Carnes said...

Best wishes to you both!

Robt C said...

Awesome.
Excellent way to get hitched.
But the video wouldn't be as cool as the dance one making the rounds . . .
Nonetheless, congratulations and best wishes.

kentuckyliz said...

Isaac & Rebekah? Yeah well that was fine except for the sister polygamy thing. You forgot about Leah.

KLDAVIS said...

Congratulations, and all the best.

amba said...

"fraud, jest or dare, duress and impotency" --

well, maybe dare --

Much love, daring ones upon a rock! The moment of your conjunction was auspicious for all of us.

How perfect to do it yourselves!

Kev said...

Congratulations for real now; I jumped the gun the other day. It looks like you picked a great place!

Rockport Conservative said...

You could not have found a more beautiful spot for your vows. I had no idea there was ANYWHERE you could do that.
My best wishes for you, may you blog together for many, many years.

MamaM said...

The trees of the forest are said to sing for joy in the presence of Love.

From my seat in the Cafe these last weeks, I've enjoyed seeing the heavens rejoicing, the mountains standing firm, and the fields being jubilant with everything in them, (from yards and buckets full of flowers to iridescent snakes and mating beetles)

To find a grove of aspens marking your marriage seems especially fitting--as an interconnected community joins in celebrating with you.

Wishing you the blessings of shared life and continued companionship.

Obi's Sister said...

Blessings & Congratulations!