What Happens If Someone Objects at a Massachusetts Wedding?

Massachusetts is an ideal place to get married. The Bay State has so much natural beauty and wonderful venues who wouldn't want to get married here? Plus, Massachusetts made history 20 years ago when the state became the first to legalize same-sex marriage. There's no doubt that Massachusetts and weddings go hand-in-hand.

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Over the years I have witnessed many weddings. Even though I'm not the one getting married, I share the excitement that's in the air knowing that it's a very special day. One would think after attending so many weddings it would feel like just another wedding but I still share the feeling of joy when I see the bride and groom and the happiness they are exuding, it's infectious.

One thing that I have never seen at a wedding, thank goodness, is a guest objecting to the marriage. That would just be terrible. I always wondered what would happen if someone objected to the marriage. Could the wedding legally continue or would that objection cause it to be dismissed?

What Happens if Someone Objects at a Wedding in Massachusetts? 

According to Brides which is linked to mass.gov if someone objects at a Massachusetts wedding, it can't actually stop the wedding. Here are more details according to the site:

Since the legalities of a union are pre-established, an objection today would mostly fit the prototype promoted in movies and look less like its pragmatic beginnings. That is to say it would be less likely that someone would stand and say the bride has been kidnapped and coerced into the marriage and more likely an impassioned emotional plea. And while a dramatic—and ill-timed—declaration of a guest's unending love for the groom makes for a great on-screen plot twist, it can't actually stop the wedding.

An AI overview states the following regarding wedding objections.

A cermeony could be paused if someone objected. The officiant would investigate the reason for the objection; if the objection is legally valid, like one of the individuals being already married or underage, the wedding could be stopped, but most legal issues are usually caught before the wedding day when applying for a marriage license; if the objection is not legally valid, the couple could choose to proceed with the ceremony despite the objection.

No matter where you get married in Massachusetts whether it's Boston, Springfield, Worcester, or anywhere in the Bay State, if someone decides to object at a wedding, unless it's a rare legal issue that wasn't caught ahead of time, the wedding can continue even if it's to a guest's dismay.