So, I was reading XMen Fanfiction (shocker, I know) when I came across the following exchange in a story called: "Thieves, Assassins and Mutants Part 1" on Fanfiction.net:


“Dey propose dat de marriage take place as soon as possible.”

“Belle won’ be eighteen for anot’er two weeks,” Remy did not look up.

“Oui,” Jean Luc said.

“So?”

“De ceremony took place yesterday, Remy,” Jean Luc said slowly, gauging his son’s reaction. “You were married by proxy, Henri was your stand in.”

“What?!” Remy stood up, enraged at the attempt to run his life. “I was married an’ I ain’ even dere? Don’ I have ta give my consent?! How could you let them do dis ta me?! Why would Belle agree?”

“It’s perfectly legal, Remy,” Jean Luc had not moved nor stood. “An’ you agreed to be married last year dat was consent enough.”

The premise was that, Remy's parents wanted him to get married to this chick Belladonna, who Remy didn't want to marry. Jean Luc, Remy's father had sent Remy away to Morocco for a complicated list of reasons, and then came to visit him to basically inform him "Oh, btw, while you were away, we kinda sorta pretty much married you off. Sorry about that."

Is that not the shittiest thing EVER?

So, I got bored, and started thinking: 'There's just NO way that Proxy marriage could be legal. Just NO way.' And, so like always, I just decided to research it, and in my laziness just looked on Wiki and found: [link]

Which basically says that it's illegal in most states (including the state that it would've taken place in the fanfic, but eh), but it does happen.

Which just seems so... bizarre to me. Getting married but not even being there. *shudder*. But then, I suppose, that's how women marry people in prision.