"I adore and hate February 14th at the same time"

How do wedding registers in St. Petersburg registry offices relate to newlyweds and festive dates, why did they choose this profession and what weddings were remembered most of all? By Valentine's Day, “ Paper” learned from the employees of the registry office how they relate to their work, which brides annoy them and whether it is possible to determine the pair that the divorce awaits.

Valentine

- By the standards of my colleagues, I have been registering marriages not so long ago - I worked for only seven years. I spent the first time in the archives, and for the past three years I have been engaged in directly registration. I came in general by chance when I was tired of working in the office. Friends were jokingly offered to me, and I realized that this is really a good idea. Everything converged: there is a higher legal education, delivered speech, empathy and, most importantly, the desire to do this. And I decided that I want to connect the hearts of people. I saw so much terrible in the archive, but I still want to believe that none of those who come to me will never divorce and stop love each other.

The ceremonies hall have its own atmosphere about which you can write books. I can’t imagine how you can lie here. We are like psychologists: we see when the bride or groom is not in love or not burning, but come to us from under the stick. Nevertheless, they said “yes” - the marriage was concluded. Such characters always spoil the mood.

Grief happens to everyone, and then every day is a holiday

One of the strangest cases in my career was probably a wedding of a very young couple: both were just 18 years old. The girl is already the sixth pregnancy for a month, a thin guy with a bald head. It was very embarrassed for me, because I understood how it all started, and I imagine what could end in the end.

Most of the stories that I tell my friends happened in the first years of my work as a registrar. Then I probably still did not represent the importance of the profession. So, once I almost overslept the ceremony and made a hurry in a hurry. It was wildly ashamed in front of all pairs. I still remember that day and fall into the paint.

The ceremonies hall have its own atmosphere, about which you can only write books

One of the most difficult days was my personal grief: in the middle of the working day, I learned about the death of my friend. I don’t know what I was thinking then, but she said nothing to anyone and remained to work further. At the ceremony, my voice trembled from overwhelming feelings and my hands shook. After the first such registration, I left. But the work helped me cope even with this. After all, grief happens to everyone, and then every day a holiday.

I adore and hate February 14th at the same time, to be honest. This is such an indicative day when you see all the types of newlyweds. Someone chose this day for a long time, because he wanted to arrange his wedding in the best and most expensive way. And in another pair - even before the wedding, the groom who had traveled the bride, who needed only this day and no other. Such often has the most mock answers and expensive dresses. Such are returning - for divorce. But there are still others - their wife again. I did not have this in practice, but my colleagues told me. These are those who got married in his youth and could not play a magnificent wedding then, and now they are rehabilitated and selects only dates that could decorate their lives.

Svetlana

- I have been working in the registry office for a tenth year, and each wedding for me is working time. Do not judge strictly, I am glad for all the newlyweds, but their holiday is my next day, for which I get my small salary.

Infuriates - you can’t choose another word - when reproaches in “incorrectly selected clothes” or gait, the wrong intonation or even in appearance. I understand everything, of course, but everything that I do in the hall, I studied on a professional basis for people who have worked here all my life. Every day I have to get up at 6 in the morning to put myself in order and look good for the sake of married. Every day smile at all, even if there is no mood. And for all this - unjustified reproaches.

The whole thing, in my opinion, is in the natural impudence of some brides. After all, often they, and not grooms, lead to absolutely the entire process, calculate every little thing and imagine a plan in their heads, from which no one should leave. It's just a shame for such newlyweds as people.

By the way, we are forbidden to smile at any other moment, except for the final stage. This is logical, because it can create many problems. Although sometimes it comes out involuntarily. It often happens that the bride will fall on the carpet, the groom drunk will come, the phone will call at the most crucial moment, but you get used to it in the first six months. The last thing that cheered me was a loud cry of a child, because of which for a few seconds there were no answers of the newlyweds. They repeated three times, probably. But then everyone laughed, a good couple came across.

Each wedding for me is working time

Of course, most marriages are registered on February 14 and July 8: the holidays are very superstitious. In May, the marriage is at least, because "they will always be toil." The easiest way to sign these days, if there is no superstition in you.

I probably should not talk about this case, but so be it. At one of the ceremonies on February 14, in 2011, we had a young couple, both more than 25 years old, beautiful, elegant. It was evident that the guys were calm about the whole ceremony. Funny, tipsy. And when the moment of their answer comes, the groom, laughing, issued a lingering: “Yes, in life! - Then he made a short pause. - Kidding. Of course, yes. " Well, the man joked, the bride understood, laughed, he had already gone to kiss her - but we cannot officially register them. The rules were such, I had to understand for a long time. But, as I saw, even this did not become a serious problem for them. She scolded him for the fact that the fool, of course. As a result, I was registered again. Then he, almost preventing me from finishing, shouted a sweeping “yes”.

Anna

- I dreamed of a wedding since childhood, but in my youth I went headlong first in my studies, and then a psychologist, later a lawyer. At 25 she married, gave birth to children, it became not up to a fairy tale. And after 10 years I was bored to sit at home, and I decided to visit weddings every day. So I got a job at the registry office.

At first, everything seems fabulous and magical. You, like a cupid, connect your hearts by force not to arrows, of course, but the law. And then you notice all the negative details related to work. I still try not to pay attention to them, to continue to give joy to good people, and to react mechanically to the rest. But maybe my nature is like this: the soul hurts from some people. I can’t see all these bitchy brides and grooms they have also, already elderly men and very young girls.

However, I am saved by such holidays as February 14. Only the best memories are connected with him: all elegant, prepared with eyes, full of happiness. I can’t remember anything bad for all my 13 years of work.

At first, everything seems fabulous and magical. You, like a cupid, connect your hearts by force not to arrows, of course, but the law

And on other days of bad in bulk - both the bride with intoxication through the oral cavity in the waiting room, and the grooms who are the only one in the eyes of her parents. Yes, not even reaching the waters of the waters, as it turned out. Waiting relatives told me this. There are many people, all are different.

Most often, those who are disrespectful to the ceremony, and to us, and their second half are divorced. They are very easy to identify: either they marry only because of pregnancy, or get married too quickly. In the registry office they are uncertain, but can no longer lose their responsibility. And there are many divorces: about half of all weddings, as my experience shows. To these people, I personally read the speech purely mechanically - from the principle.

Photo Credit: Palace of Marriage No. 1 on the English embankment