How long was the shortest wedding ceremony you have ever attended?

[KitchenWitch]

I attended a wedding in a Lutheran church whose service was 19 minutes long.

[fortyfeetunder]

1. Processional longer than the wedding

I was a wedding crasher for a friend's wedding -- she invited only one of our old gang and we jilted ones all decided to go together anyway. We wanted to see who she was marrying, since as we were growing up she had definite attitudes about men. It was a hoot.

The processional was longer (groomsmen and bridesmaids, flower girls, etc.) than the service itself...

[swag]

2. About 45 seconds.

We picked the shortest ceremony the JP had to offer, which was also the one with no mention of any god stuff. The JP saw exactly what was wanted and ripped right through it. He was a swell guy. Thing lasted about 45 seconds.

Then we went to Newberry's and commemorated the occasion with photobooth pictures. I think we went to Good Dog/Bad Dog for sausages and beer then. Later that day we went to the Rhododendron Gardens. That night we went bowling and got terribly drunk with a couple of anarchist friends. That night for once the anarchists didn't expect us to pay for all of the beer.

[Ravenseye]

21. Did the anarchists have a problem with you getting married?

you know...establishment and all that?

[swag]

23. Yeah, I understand why you might think that,

but these anarchists were married themselves. Every anarchist I've ever met has had a different idea as to what the ol' anarchy was all about.

These two talked a lot of charming shit about class wars (still waiting) and the goldarned Trotskyites and property as theft and all this crap, while actively seeking more government aid than any couple I have ever seen and while being quite the commodity fetishists themselves. And like I said, they usually expect me or somebody else to pay for the beer. So that became my operational definition of "anarchist" for a while: someone who expects you to pay for the beer.

They eventually moved to England I think because they thought the dole was a sweeter deal. Haven't heard if it worked out for them, post-Thatcher and all.

[Rowdyboy]

3. In 1994, my best friend asked me to marry her....

She was a college journalism professor (We've known each other since 1972-she was my freshman roommates girlfriend). She'd been dating the guy for 10 years and whenever they fought, she came to me for support and advice. I gave her a lot of tough love offer the years and kept her on track, so she decided I was the person to perform the service.

Not being a minister, I refused. Three days later she returned with my internet "ordination". So, on April 19, 1998 we had a wedding here at the house with 30 guests. Michael and I did the catering and the cake as our gift. The guests arrived at 10:30am and I had 4 glasses of champagne before 11. The bride and groom (a beautiful mixed race couple) wore identical jeans and white shirts and entered the garden to Pachbells Canon in D minor.

I had roses and lilies blooming, with a small plot of knee-high corn in the background. The service was a compilation of various other ceremonies including a quote from Khalil Gibran and the Navajo Marriage Prayer.

To make a VERY long story short, I was semi-toasted and nervous and the entire ceremony lasted about 7 minutes. Afterward, everyone danced to "big band" music from the 1940's and had a blast. It was one of the greatest days in this old house's history.

Thats what you get for asking questions-more information than you ever wanted!

[eyesroll]

4. My own ceremony was shorter than that.

Divorced now, but I don't think the length of the ceremony had anything to do with it.

I think if I get married again, I'd like to have a party, and just get married in the middle of it. That would by necessity be a quick ceremony, too.

[LaurenG]

5. I think it was my own

We didn't mince any words, lol. The reception did last all night though. Hi KitchenWitch :hi:

[bigwillq]

6. 15 minutes or so

My cousin, who got married outside at the restaurant that she had the reception at! Short and sweet and then we ate and drank!

[Magrittes Pipe]

7. dolo and I didn't take any longer than a minute or two.

For the wedding, people. Get your minds out of the gutter.

[Lumily]

8. 11 Minutes.

It was my wedding. Our best man literally timed it. He couldn't believe how short our rehearsal was, so he brought stopwatch to the wedding. It was something like 11 minutes and 47 seconds.

It was a church wedding too, with four bridesmaids and four groomsmen. It was barebones and to the point. We're still married and going strong 14 years later. :)

[billyskank]

9. The shortest one was the only one I ever attended

That of my dad and his new wife. It lasted about 15 minutes. It was so embarassing. He turned up completely wasted - quite a feat considering the service was in the morning - and acted like a buffoon through the whole thing. :eyes:

[purr]

10. about 10 minutes..

mine was over an hour!

[Atmashine]

11. My wedding was about 10 minutes

At the Kansas City Rennaisance Festival. Then we spent an hour eating turkey legs, soups, vegetables...it was awesome.

[Squeech]

12. Shortest and quietest

I have a remote relative who's a session violin player and arranger in New York. His wedding was as follows: he and his bride marched in (to the living room in their loft) to a processional of his own composition (flute, violin, and harp, if I remember correctly). They strode up to an altar thing with an officiant standing behind it, that contained two cups of wine and one empty goblet, two lit candles and one unlit. They picked up the two lit candles and together lit the unlit one. Then they poured the two full cups into the empty goblet and offered each other sips. Then they put the rings on each others' fingers. Then the minister said the only words spoken during the whole event, something like "Inasmuch as we've seen Michael and Claire exchange vows, I now pronounce you man and wife!" They kissed, and marched out to another (more uptempo) piece of original music.

It was beautiful, and it lasted seven minutes, tops.

[wain]

13. The longest wedding was mine!

My parents arrived 30 minutes late, holding up the start.

Think I've heard the last of that!!?

:)

[matcom]

14. My Own (15 minutes)

wouldn't have it any other way

[gollygee]

15. My wedding was less than 10 minutes long

We didn't want a big fuss.

:)

[dr.strangelove]

16. Like 30 seconds

My buddy got married in City Hall last year. It was the two of them, me and her sister. There were no vows, just an officant who asked if they came of their own free will and if the intended to be married. Both said yes and that was it. Whole thing was probably 30 seconds. After that we went to a diner for breakfast.

[LostinVA]

17. One Unitarian, two years ago -- seven minutes

Having grown up Catholic, I was hunkered down for a 20-hour ceremony... and then it was over and the bar opened! Love the UUs!!!

[LeftyMom]

18. Maybe 10 minutes? It was outside at night in the fall and everybody wanted

to get back to partying, so they set the circle, called the quarters, did some vows real fast, next thing you know: Mom was married, the circle was down and it was time to get back to drinking. :)

[azmouse]

19. My own.

It took about 25 min in a Catholic church because we didn't have a Mass said. By comparison, when my husband's cousins were married in the same church they had the full wedding Mass said and it took about 1 1/2 hrs. No way was I standing at the altar for that long!

[bleedingheart]

20. I too opted for no mass...

it lasted about the same as yours

[Patiod]

22. The one I missed

My friend and I, both raised Catholic, were 10 minutes late for our friends' Protestant service (forget which brand). As we pulled into the parking lot, we saw the wedding party coming out of church!

Had a great reception at the Haddonfield Historical Society, though (although I told one of my girlfriends I thought the Best Man was sort of dorky, and she ended up marrying him, which is kinda embarrassing)

[Crazy Dave]

24. Vegas drive-thru wedding chapels are probably fast

They do have them

[NNadir]

25. My own. About 10 minutes.