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Marriage is in the air. (June is coming up, you know.)
We've all heard of marriage proposals taking place on trains (and there was a viral YouTube video about one) but has anyone ever heard of a marriage ceremony on a train?
Would Amtrak allow one? (Or has the subject ever come up?)
Seems to me a good place to get hitched would be on the rear platform of a private observation car attached to the Zephyr as it threads Gore Canyon.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Until about ten years ago the only place you could get married in the UK was in a church or a civil ceremony in a local government registry office but the laws were relaxed and anywhere could apply for a civil licence to hold weddings (stately homes and tourists attractions etc are now very popular).
Several heritage railways are licensed to hold marriages but not the main passenger network. I would imaging that the problem (as far as the UK is concerned), is that the licence for a venue is issued by a local council, and a moving train would almost certainly pass through a number of jurisdictions!
"Do you take this man before we cross the county line?..."
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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Marriages performed by the conductor valid for the length of the trip only, I believe.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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My elder son was married on the afterdeck of a chartered sightseeing boat in Boston Harbor. It was a civil ceremony and the officiator was a civilian, a friend of the groom. I guess it could be done legally on a train in Massachusetts.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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Several years ago, we witnessed a marriage taking place on a commercial sunset cruise in Key West, which carried not only the wedding party, but a bunch of us regular "tourists" along, who knew nothing about this marriage ahead of time -- we were just onboard to view the magnificent sunset down there!
You would have been appalled, Gil -- the groom got married in a tropical shirt and shorts, and the bride in a regular cocktail dress! Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Hmmm . . . Perhaps Amtrak could arrange with some jurisdiction to allow marriages to be performed enroute within that jurisdiction, then market Honeymoon Trips with all the trimmings.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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In 1993 I was married on the Empire Builder. We brought our own minster with us, the minster stood in the doorway, we in the bedroom and the two witnesses stood in the hall way. Two guys from the office of Amtrak in Chicago heard about the wedding and came to see it, they turned out to be our witnesses. That marriage didn't last, so when I married my current wife, we got married on the Osceola and Saint Croix Vally tourist railroad, the engineer who just happened to be a minster did the officiating. This marriage has lasted, and we always travel together on Amtrak. http://www.railforum.com/ubb/icons/icon7.gifPosts: 39 | From: Saint Croix Falls | Registered: Aug 2005
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There was a funny post on another site where Amtrak marriage ceremonies were being discussed. There would have to be good cooperation among the entire crew if the ceremony were held in a regular revenue car:
"Do you, Jasmine, take Frank to be your..."
"Ladies and Gentlemen! May I have your attention please! Our next station stop will be that of Winter Park. If Winter Park is your stop, now would be a good time to gather your belongings and head downstairs for detraining."
"to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to..."
"Now calling 6:45 dinner reservations! As a reminder, we practice community seating in the Dining Car. Please wait at the end of the car to be seated by a uniformed Amtrak staff member. 6:45 dinner reservations, come on down!"
"Let's see, where was I? Oh yeah -- To have and to hold, until death do you part? I now pronounce you..."
"This is Jennifer in the Cafe Car. I will be taking my evening dinner break in about 10 minutes. Now would be a great time to come see me if you would like something from the Cafe."
"Ladies and Gentlemen! I will remind you again that there is absolutely NO smoking on this train! If we catch you, you will be put off at the next stop and arrested!"
"Umm, let's see. Oh yes....I now pronounce you Man and Wife! You may now kiss..."
"Folks, you will notice that we have just stopped. We are obtaining additional authority from the Union Pacific Railroad. As soon as we receive that authority, we will be back on our way. Thank you for your patience!"
"Hurry! Kiss the damn bride before..."
"Ladies and Gentlemen! ..." Posts: 46 | From: Playa Del Rey, CA | Registered: Jan 2011
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