My wife and I will soon be celebrating our one-year wedding anniversary next month, and one of the last things we both would have considered would be to get hitched through a webcam, or better known as a proxy wedding. But apparently this method of matrimony is increasing in both its frequency and controversy.
According to a story published by The New York Times, proxy weddings have brought up the questions of immigrant marriage fraud and legitimate consent. Online marriages are currently completely legal and proxy weddings are in no way a completely new idea, but the issue seems to be if both parties are completely consenting to the marriage.
One issue that can arise from proxy marriages is human trafficking. The process of a proxy marriage can make human trafficking much quicker as it acts as a legal way to bring women and children into another country. That doesn’t mean all proxy marriages are used for terrible deeds, as we’re sure there are many legitimate reasons to hold wedding ceremonies via Skype. We just want to make sure all parties that are involved in such a momentous occasion in two people’s lives is a completely legitimate one, especially if it’s a growing trend.
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