When you’re getting married in the temple there’s a lot of paperwork that needs to be in order. In one set there is church paperwork, which is obtained and signed off after interviews with your local bishop and your stake president (think bishop of a diocese). The second, the State of New York needs its cut of the action as well; you can’t get married without a marriage license after all! Bob and I went through both these processes, which we’ve detailed below for all of you!
A temple marriage in the LDS church is considered one of the most sacred, if not the most sacred, of all temple ordinances. Marriage in the temple is for, “time and all eternity” and therefore there are numerous safeguards the sanctity of the temple marriage. In order to wed in the temple, a bride and groom must obtain a special temple recommend separate and apart from a regular temple recommend (temple entry document) called a “Recommend for Living Ordinances”. This can only be obtained after interviewing with the local bishop and the stake president.
Bob and I had separate interviews with our respective bishops, and last night we met with President Yamada of the New York, NY YSA (young single adult) Stake for our final interview. It was an incredibly spiritual experience. We began with an opening prayer, and President Yamada took the time to really learn about our relationship. We spoke about how we met, the experiences we’ve had together, why we want to be married in the temple, and what our future plans and goals are with each other and the Lord. He then interviewed us separately discussing if we were ready for a temple marriage, and after our individual meetings we had a final meeting together where he shared the good news that he is excited for our eternal marriage! After signing the paperwork we had a 30-minute discussion about marriage and the temple. Most interesting for us was that, technically, when we are married by the priesthood we make promises to God, and through Him promises to each other. We were counseled to always work together, make decisions together, and keep the Lord involved in our relationship. So long as we have a mind towards a closeness with the Lord, He will continue to bless us here and in the eternities.
Now comes the tricky part. The New York office of the City Clerk is located downtown off of Canal Street. Bob and I made our way there on an afternoon in May. Once past security, we were greeted by an overwhelming throng of grooms, brides, and family members. Despite the chaotic din of the echoing room, there were smiles everywhere. Brides and grooms held hands and waited patiently for their number to be called. The room was cluttered with flowers and hairpins and was so densely crowded that it took five minutes to walk from one end of the room to the other. Our number was A156. We jokingly figured A numbers were for licenses, B for marriages, and C for divorces (hehe). Needless to say, we had quite a long wait! We found a chair and watched couples file past. When our number was called, we sprang up to the desk and practically threw all our papers at the clerk. We wanted our license! And she gave it to us less than five minutes later. It turns out the most difficult part of the licensing process was the wait.
On the way out, we made the most important discovery of the day. The New York City Clerk’s Office has a gift shop. Yes, Bob and I will be wearing “I Got Married in New York” t-shirts after the wedding.