Before Laurie Anderson came to perform at the Boulder Theatre last month, she chatted at length with Michael Roberts about her new project, Homeland. But as it turns out, she was about to make a change in her own homeland's status, by marrying long-time live-in Lou Reed.
The April 12 marriage ceremony was conducted by Nick Forster, the co-host of etown who just happens to have a certificate of ordination from the Universal Life Church, which he got in order to help facilitate etown's renovation of an old church in town.
But the fact is, Anderson and Reed didn't need anyone to officiate at that marriage. In Colorado, under C.R.S. 14-2-109, a couple can solemnize their own marriage -- then simply sign and turn in their marriage license ((the same one they'd fill out if they were being married by the Pope and all his cardinals) within sixty days. Here's the word from the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder's web site:
A marriage may be performed by a judge, court magistrate, the parties to the marriage (bride & groom), or other public official authorized to perform marriages or in accordance with any mode or solemnization recognized by a religious denomination or Indian tribe or nation. Parties to the marriage are the bride and groom. If the parties to the marriage choose to perform their own ceremony, they must fill out the lower portion of the license completely and sign as both bride and groom and as parties to the marriage. The type of ceremony and words exchanged (if any) are their choice.
Although the marriage was reported in both the New York Post and People (bet they loved that), there's no word on what words, if any, Anderson and Reed chose to exchange. But no question they'll make beautiful music together. -- Patricia Calhoun
