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It depends. If the bride or groom objects, the wedding is most likely off. Anyone else and, barring documented proof that the marriage is illegal, a drunken brawl is a more likely outcome. New York State Judge Douglas McKeon says he has never seen anyone object to a wedding and "unless (the) person who's getting married is married to the individual who has the objection, then that wedding is going to go ahead." Likewise, in the U.K. a wedding will not be stopped for an objection unless there's a legal reason. The tradition of inviting such protests
appears to be a symbolic remnant of the Catholic Church's marriage "banns," dating back hundreds of years and still practiced today by some churches. Banns are published announcements of forthcoming marriages, usually issued three weeks in advance. The Church officially established banns to reveal marriages potentially unknown to the couple's parents, and to ensure that the bride and groom were not closely related. Today, many ceremonies omit "speak now or forever hold your peace." Modern practices such as obtaining a marriage license
have rendered the question obsolete. Despite this, wedding objections continue to inject some dubious drama into certain TV shows. So for those still caught up in the marital vicissitudes of Ross and Rachel, try to remember: Show's over. Let's move on.
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