European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Getting married in Europe romantic scene in Venice. Sisr Lobry no Cora Maze of paperwork and regulations by Janet Howells Tierney staff writer Ying the knot in Europe May sound romantic Hul Ollen american couples Lind themselves Lang cd in a web of local  and military regulations. Many engaged couples do not realize that All european Counne require a civil ceremony be performed and paid Lor Belore they can say their i Dos in a Church we were really surprised that we had to go through the German courthouse to gel legally married because  Are both americans and Boin in the  said 1nl it Jean w. Wilson of the 28-Lth my co in fran Murl West Germany. Wilson 23, and sic Ronald w. Sexton 37, of her co. 3rd support come in Wiesbaden. West Germany. Became engaged Christmas eve 1987 and with High Hopes went to their units for guidance. The newly engaged soldiers were handed a Large packet of forms to fill out and told to Check with the local courthouse Lor further instructions preparations began in february Lor their planned marriage May 7. The paperwork took us about right up to the wedding Day to get  Wilson said. Something that took forever was Gitl no copies of our birth certificates and Ron s divorce decree with a raised  the couple Learned thai it icy did l need most of the Lorms the army gave them out of the huge Packel of Lorms the army gave us. We Only needed two papers Wilson said. Another unexpected requirement was Lor someone to translate the certificates into German. Translation of Sexton s divorce decree Cost the couple 200 Marks about $121 a translator Lor the German civil ceremony also was required Al a Cost of 50 Marks about $30. The Wiesbaden courthouse charged 100 Marks about $60 50 Lor processing paperwork. The Bride and Groom were charter 61 Marks $37 each Lor More administrative ices and cer Lilied copies of the marriage certificate. The maximum Lees Are supposed to be 50 Marks about $30but we did t want to hold anything up of we did t say  Wilson said. According to the  consulate in fran Murl. The registrar s charges for issuing the banns and marriage certificate should not exceed 50 Marks a marriage Bann is a Public posting of the Mienl to marry and is required by most european count pics paperwork delays weren t the Only wedding blues the couple experienced Wilson originally ordered invitations to be Printer in Ihn Stales she had a Friend on Home leave pick a i the order it was Only weeks before the wedding and the invitations had one of our names misspelled and the wrong Dale on All the copies she said they Cost us $150. In desperation Wilson Lound a local Printer who did the Job in i i weeks Lor $64 not every couple ends up spending so much before they get to the Church bul most experience paperwork nightmares. When Pic. James e Bradley. 21. Of the 110th my co told his platoon sergeant he was planning to marry Dawn . 19. The sergeant told him he was too continued on Pago sunday. May 22. 1988 the stars and stripes Page 13