j Weddings performed in five minutes or less I By Aian Phelps Staff Reporter The days of late-night knocks on the door of the justice of the peace are over. Justices of the peace no longer exist in Nebraska. However, because most any judge can legally do the job, it is still possible for today’s impa tient couple to get hitched with a minimum of time and effort, said Jim Foster, a Lancaster County judge. “Until a couple of years ago, there was a waiting period for marriages in Nebraska,” Foster said. “Now, you can grab someone, get your licence, and if you already have a blood test, come up to my door and, if I’m not not doing anything, I perform a mar riage.” Foster said about five marriages take place every week at the City County Building. And he said most of these marriages are between people who have been married at least once before, he said. The ceremonies are brief, but Foster said he likes to inject a little some thing personal into the rite. “It doesn’t take more than five minutes. It’s not a production,” Fos ter said. “It is really short unless people have their own things to say,” Foster said. “I say a few things, I make them say a few things.” He said the most important part of the ceremony is when the partners acknowledge that they are taking each other as husband and wife. This must occur in front of two witnesses, not counting the judge, he said. “Sometimes, we’ve gotten people from the building to come in, but usually they’re here with at least two people,” Foster said. Foster said most of the couples give him a “token of their esteem” but a fee is not required. Most of the weddings Foster per forms take place in his office or court room. However, he said that he has brought the proceedings to more romantic locales such as the Sunken Gardens or private residences for friends of his. “I haven’t been asked to do one in a hot-air balloon or something un usual like you see on TV or what ever,” he said. “I did one at the Elk’s Club once.” Many students explore other options before making marriage commitment By Adeana Leftin I Staff Reporter Before hearing wedding bells, stu dents today are listening for the sweet sound of success. Alan Booth, a sociology professor at the University of Nebraska-Lin coln, said surveys show that the pat tern among students today is to delay marriage. He said many people are waiting until they graduate or establish them selves in careers before making mar riage plans. “They just want to explore a lot of different options before they commit to a marriage,” Booth said. Sue Ellen Wall, director of the Lincoln-Lancastcr Commission on the Status of Women, said she agreed that young people today have more options about marriage. She said even getting pregnant is no longer a reason to get married. “It’s up to them. It gives people options to do what’s best for them,” Wall said. Booth said he thinks waiting is a healthy trend. “The later people get married, there’s a tendency to be more stable,” he said. One reason waiting brings stabil ity, Booth said, is because behavior patterns are more established when prospective newlyweds are older. If people are compatible when they are young, they may not be so later, he ■ •1 .. " i said. To avoid a formal, legal commit ment, Booth said, there is a greater tendency to live together as a substi tution for marriage. However, people who live together before marriage tend to have unstable marriages, Booth said. IUNL Student Marriage Trends __# Students % Married Fall 1988 23,984 14 Fall 1989 23,926 13.5 ^ Fall 1990 24,453 13.6 \\J // For information about FREE FOOD for pregnant women, infants and children under the age of 5, call: 1-800-1_ lii7iI ,CT.iycC COMPLETE (jMUS/C ^ | DISC JOCKEY SERVICE LINCOLN S MOST EXPERIENCED & LOCALLY OWNED D.3. SERVICE - OVER A DECADE OF QUALITY EXPERIENCE We put your guests into the spirit with a personal touch. 474-6504 1551 South Second Street __—_9 [The Clipper I Hairstyling for those who care 474-4455 I • HaircuUing • Rofflcr Hair Center • Hair Styling • Free Parking • Perms • 7 Stylists • Color • Appointment or Walk ins • Hairpieces For Men MlObIUBR* Mon-Fri 8:00 to8:00 Attention Brides, Bridesmaids and Mothers At Crossroad Bridals... Find a large selection of beautiful name brand Bridal, Bridesmaids, Mothers and Flower Girls Dresses. Buy from stock or Special Order, Sizes 4-42 Check our In-store Specials and save up to 20% on special orders. V___/ Crossroad Bridals 340 North 76th Street Omaha NE 391-1521 or 391-0341 Convenient Parking, 2 blocks west of Crossroads