Question from a recent Bride and Groom . .
"Where did the phrase "Does anyone know why this man and woman cannot marry" originate? And do we have to have it in our ceremony?
In the middle ages, people rarely traveled more than fifty miles away from where they were born. So, if you were new, you could be married ten towns over and no one would know. If you never received all of your sacraments, you would not be able to wed in the church. If your Father was "a rover" you could be a brother or sister, and you would never know that, or were it to be found out that one party was conceived on the wrong side of the sheets a political alliance could be broken. In this atmosphere and time, Marriage Banns were created. They would nail the announcement up in a public placed and if ANYONE knew of ANY reason why this man and woman could not legally marry, then let them come forward and speak or never tell the couple. The practice of Marriage Banns became so successful that it was widely endorsed by all faiths, and it is still practiced in many religions today.
This question or phrase is not usually asked anymore because the process of applying for a Marriage License and showing personal identification has removed any doubts about who can legally marry.
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