The "M" word = Marriage!

[LibraryLady]

Big breath – I can do this…

I’m getting married! Wow.

Edited to add: managed to do it again - added the whole word to the title of the thread! I gotta get used to this whole idea.

Never thought I’d ever say that again. This will be my third; I’ve been divorced for 8 years now and wasn’t looking when this happened. It will be his second and he wasn’t looking either! My first one was only a year; but my second and his first were over 10 years in length. Neither of us have human children just one feline teenager at the moment. She’ll be NO help! Unless it involves my knitting bag…

Here’s what we’ve decided to do:

In September we’re going to do the legal thing with 4 friends as witnesses; then in a year and a day we’ll do a celebration and another ceremony. September 26 is the big day this year, it’s a Wednesday, and then a year and a day later it will be Saturday the 27th. Next year is a leap year, so it took a few head scratches to get the dates figured out!

Our lives are just too crazy with job hunting, house hunting, current jobs, and my graduate classes to even contemplate the celebration this year and we both want a fall wedding. Initially our thoughts are a weekend get-together somewhere fun (but here in the NorthWest) as we’ll be having friends and family traveling from all over the country/world to attend. We’re not looking for a traditional wedding. Neither of us belongs to a church, and our parent’s churches are too remote to consider using them. Of course, we don’t even know where we will be living in a year as my SO is looking all over the Pacific Northwest for a job.

The only people we’ve told are the 4 witnesses. (only two needed but couldn’t choose among them) We did that yesterday – it was my SO’s b-day and he just couldn’t hold it in any longer! And of course now you guys on here!

What I’d like to ask, as I’ve begun to contemplate the enormity of this, and working full time, and graduate school... I’m going to need some help!

Does anyone have any suggestions with websites or anything that will help me with the planning? I’m sure there’s lots of stuff out there already, so I was hoping I could get some assistance sorting through all the commercialism. Have you ever tried googling “wedding planners”?

Current etiquette rules is one of the things I’m thinking about right off the bat - especially the wording of announcement/invite. We intend on sending out an announcement that we’ve done the deed with a forewarning of the upcoming celebration, then send out an actual invite next year when the plans are firmed up. We’d also like to insist on no gifts and/or request gifting be done in our name to our favorite charity. If anyone knows a good etiquette source, either a book or a website, it would be much appreciated.

Most of my friends and family are not computer literate, have been married for many years or are confirmed bachelor/bachelorettes, so... I thought I’d turn to the wonderful helpful folk of KH for an assist to get this whole process started!

Thanks for any and all help you can give me!

LL

[SandraEllen]

I'm not much help, but I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!

[newamy]

Our anniversery is Sept 26th, so you chose a good day. I'm not up on wedding planning though. My friend just got remarried and she had a last minute change of venue. So in one day me and another friend (we are a trio), with a bit of help from her mom and other friends, threw together a lovely wedding in someones back yard. We had decorations and a solo and everything- none of which was planned for the first location. I learned that sometimes making last minute decsions is simpler-less agonizing over details.

[LibraryLady]

Our anniversery is Sept 26th, so you chose a good day...

That's cool!

And to boot, this year's ceremony will be in Lane County, OR! :rofling: You wouldn't by chance live there too?

Have no clue where next year's ceremony will be...

... just wish we could reserve a whole state park on a lake or something like that...

LL

[newamy]

And to boot, this year's ceremony will be in Lane County, OR! :rofling: You wouldn't by chance live there too?

Nope, but I'm not too far away- we are in Benton County. We were married in my home town which is in Wasco County.

[crafty_mumma]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

and best wishes. That is wonderful, sounds like a beautiful idea to have a ceramony next year. plenty of time for planning.

[Nobones]

First and foremost, Congratulations! Hooray!

Second, have you tried 'goggling' for a wedding planner. Or maybe the phone book to find one in your area.

Good luck with all the planning. Post photos, LOTS of photos!