Georgiana Atkins-Havill

First Person Singular: Georgiana Havill

This is the page feature written about me that appeared in The Washington Post Magazine about my incredibly happy "job!"

Sunday, January 25, 2009

"...I hardly ever marry anyone in a courthouse. It's so unromantic. I feel I serve a really important need as an alternative -- I once saw a bride in a white gown at the Montgomery County courthouse being wanded for security! Some lawyers do it in their offices: just fast, dry, in and out. I'd rather meet in a park or their home, my home, a ballroom, an inn, a garden. I get to use a lot of poetry in the cathedral of the outdoors. I get paid to read poetry -- how nice is that? I augment the ceremony to make it personal and urge them to savor the moment, which will never happen again. Drop all the worries about the band and the photos. I hope they hear the wedding much like a symphony, full of emotions and thoughts.

Over a decade ago, I was substituting for another celebrant. Looking up from my book at the bride and groom, I realized the groom was flirting with me! My eyes were darting almost anywhere but at his face, but, oh, no, there he was again, smirking and posturing with even more boldness. I wanted to tell the bride to pick up her skirt and run. Then, examining their license closely for the first time, I noticed that this was at least his fourth or fifth time at bat. Was this marriage going to make it? Everyone deserves for their hopes and dreams to come true, but this one certainly seemed doomed to me.

My husband of 44 years is not all "My dear! You're home!" as he springs from the couch. When I got married, he wrote me poetry -- doesn't anymore. But some things are more important, like steadfastness. You don't need the fireworks. We got married at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Washington. I eloped. The priest asked, "Is there an emergency?" I thought, "Well, I just ran away from home!" I suppose he meant was I pregnant. We were very young. Most couples now have taken more time, for which I'm grateful. With more time, you can consider your decision and understand yourself better. You're seasoned, and everyone can take comfort in the decision you're making. Both of us came from homes in which there were many divorces. [Some of them] hadn't worked harder to make it work or didn't have the patience or the fortitude to stay together. There was a lesson to learn in giving marriage our serious and ardent effort..."

Interview by Ellen Ryan

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Article from Times Community Newspapers (August 16, 2006)

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" Reston resident marries her 2,000th couple last week

Court-appointed Marriage Celebrant Georgiana Atkins Havill officiated her 2,000th marriage on Aug. 7. The Reston couple, Jessica Poston and Rubidio Abarca, met a year ago when he, a construction worker, came into a local grocery store, where she was an assistant manager, to purchase charcoal.

The bilingual ceremony took place outside at Havill's home next to Lake Thoreau, where she and her husband moved in 1989 after 15 years in Great Falls.

Havill was appointed by the Fairfax County Circuit Court in 1992. Though many of her couples say their vows on her back deck, the majority are held in other settings such as the couples' homes, regional parks, community centers, chapels and hotel ballrooms."