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by Jim Landrith and Mary Henry, Outpost contributors Land of chance and oasis of possibilities, Nevada's all-night, bright light frenzy has made it the destination for impulsive and hasty weddings. With its lure of fast romance, people have been beating a path to Nevada since the 1930's to give the matrimonial dice a roll. And considering the nation's divorce rate, maybe a roll of the dice is a more apt analogy than we'd care to think. Couples come from all over the nation and all points of the globe to take their vows in the Silver State because of its reputation for quick and easy weddings. More than 130,000 marriages will be performed in the state this year, placing it fifth nationally. But with only 1.6 million calling the state home, uncrowded Nevada seems out of place with population giants like Texas and California. While the state tops the charts in per capita divorces based on the its sparse population, the number of in-state divorces and annulments averages only 13,000 per year. That makes the annual divorce rate only 10 percent &endash; the lowest in the nation. It doesn't take much thought to realize that while couples come to Nevada to tie the knot, the majority break it off in their home states. The wedding industry benefits from this illusion, just like the casinos that are quick to trumpet a million-dollar jackpot and conveniently ignore the millions of gamblers that leave with empty wallets. The state that invented itself from the collective dreams of America has more than one ace up its sleeve. Nevada has crafted an image for itself over the years by shrewdly playing to people's fantasies of wealth and of love. Rising hand-in-hand with gaming, the Silver State's wedding industry now caters to every matrimonial whim. For the conservative couple, there's no shortage of traditional churches and chapels offering all of the familiar rituals and trimmings. Adventurous souls can say "I do" in freefall at 15,000 feet while skydiving if they choose. If a grand backdrop is in order, tying the knot on the decks of the Tahoe Queen paddle wheeler provides the most spectacular scenery imaginable while cruising the blue waters of Lake Tahoe. On the cheesy end of the spectrum, pop-culture fans can delve into the surreal by taking their vows before Elvis the ordained minister. Baby-boomers and Gen-Xers alike can find their version of bliss in Nevada because holy wedlock's sublime and ridiculous share the same area code. Nevada experienced its matrimonial heyday between the 1930's and 1950's. Much has changed since then but some clichés remain true. In Reno and Las Vegas, wedding chapels are no harder to find than a 7-11 and the state's marriage and divorce laws remain streamlined to make it just as easy to jump in as it is to bail out. Whether it's a marriage license or annulment papers, it's all just a phone call or cab ride away. Despite the daunting statistics, old and young couples seem as eager as ever to get married just for the heck of it. Divorce courts and lawyers do brisk business because of this cavalier attitude toward the institution that many consider to be sacred. Counseling both before and after the fact is available from churches and public organizations to help couples make the right decisions. The question isn't limited to the happiness of the couple, either. Children are often caught in the middle of these decisions, too. Divorce is a complex social issue that has an impact on every aspect of our society. The financial and emotional conflict that results from divorce touches every life in America. And with so many divorcees willing to give matrimony another chance, remarriage poses challenges like stepchildren, careers, and merging finances and property. As if the emotional stresses of getting married aren't enough to split up a couple, the financial impact of a wedding can be staggering. Meeting the all expectations of a traditional ceremony and reception can break the bank. Jewelry stores and wedding designers are out to convince couples that bigger really is better. For couples, the wedding scene is as dizzying today as ever before but with the advent of prenuptial agreements, one hour divorce courts, and drive-through chapels they seem to be taking bigger gambles then ever before. Only the home of the Extraterrestrial Highway, Area 51, and the flying Elvis' is strange enough to make sense of modern marriage and divorce.
Two Journalism 201 students, Darcy Gibson and Paul Enos, got married for a day as part of their class project on marriage and divorce in Northern Nevada. Here they tell how they prepared for their big day and their thoughts on the whole idea.
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copyright May 1998 Nevada Outpost
http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost
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