Married At Sea: Difference between revisions
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Well... wrong. Captains ''can'' perform marriages, but they need a license to do so, just like anyone else would. In most countries, no law "automatically" grants captains this right. Bermuda is one of the rare exceptions. Even the ability of a ship's chaplain in international waters to solemnise marriage is uncertain today. You wouldn't know that by watching television, where a sizeable chunk of nuptials are performed by salty sea dogs (with bonus points to the captain if he wears a patch over one eye and reads the vows to the couple in a [[Pirate]]-y accent).
The trope may have originated in the [[The Age Of Sail]] when Europeans would have to travel by ship for months at a time to reach far flung colonies. A couple could meet, court, and marry all while still enroute to their destination. A marriage carried out by government officials during port calls might not have been an option in the middle of a lengthy trans-oceanic journey with no land in sight. Certainly a ship's chaplain as officiant could have been a possible alternative (where available), although the master would still need to note the marriage in the ship's logbook. The ship's status in international waters adds further ambiguity – although the flag of the ship's registration would likely determine jurisdiction. If the ship's home country requires couples to obtain a licence (or complete other formalities) before marriage,
Can result in an [[Accidental Marriage]]. May also be done by [[The Captain]] of a [[Cool Ship]] [[Recycled in Space|in SPACE!]].
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