NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We already know our everyday costs are expensive, but the same certainly goes for those special occasions.
General Sessions Judge Robin Kimbrough Hayes wants to do something about it.
While she can’t exactly control the cost of a traditional wedding, which can be an expense topping hundreds of thousands of dollars, she can offer an alternative.
In fact, she has performed more than 800 wedding ceremonies in her chambers.
Maybe you've heard of people who get married at the courthouse on Valentine's Day. Did you know, though, that it happens far more frequently?
“We get wedding requests from all over the world,” Hayes said. “I’ve done more weddings as a judge than I’ve done in my pastoral career.”
These ceremonies aren’t very long, but the two couples who got married on Tuesday afternoon in Hayes’ chambers all share a fairly common experience.
The first was a couple from Murfreesboro. They arrived a little after 11 a.m. They signed a few papers, presented the judge with their marriage certificate, she performed about a five minute ceremony, they took family photos with the judge and the happy couple left the courthouse ready to start this new journey together.
The next couple arrived shortly after. This ceremony, too, was in Judge Hayes’ chambers. If the courtroom is available, she’ll offer that as a location as well. She’s a believer that this is the people’s court this is something she wants to provide the community. She knows costs can be high, but there shouldn’t be a price on love.
So why do people really choose the courthouse wedding option? Yes, both the couple from Murfreesboro and a couple from Smyrna agreed the cost was a factor. They wanted to save and use the money for a family trip, or a different type of experience.
Hayes added people will be visiting Nashville and decide to get married. The bottom line is — she knows traditional weddings can be expensive, so she hopes this will make things easier for couples and families.
“I’m so grateful we got to do this,” said the bride from Murfreesboro.
It’s evident the other hundreds of couples feel the same way. There’s a wall in Judge Hayes’ chambers with hundreds of photographs of couples who got married in her office. Some of the couples have sent her holiday cards that are proudly displayed on this same wall.
So you might have a few questions. We’ve made this easy for you.
Cost: Free!
How often will she perform these ceremonies? Here’s the link to book your wedding!
Will I get photos? Yup!
Can I bring family and friends? Yup, you just have to let them know ahead of time how many are coming.
Want to learn even more? Click here.
