Poll~ Legal vs. symbolic ceremony?

We got married the Monday after - we had someone from the clerk's office witness. I loved it!!! We left for the honeymoon the next morning. We didn't tell, but no one would have cared either. I am an only child as well, but my parents were just really happy - the semantics wouldn't have mattered to them.

 

For us, though, I was glad to do the legal thing after. It really felt like our real wedding. Everyone else who has married before the ceremony, though, have also said that they felt the ceremony day was the real day.

When I first started planning I was planning on doing the legal part in mexico, but then FI said why don't we just do the legal part here. At first I was very against it because I felt like it was going to take away from our day, but the more I think about it the more I know it's going to be way easier and I know we aren't really going to feel married until we are up at the gazebo on our wedding day saying our vows. The whole process of getting everything translated to spanish and then back to english is just way too much for me to think about and I know something would go wrong, it's just my life.

legally getting married in hawaii in 5 months

Thought I'd bring this thread back to life in order to let everyone know that we've secured our 'legal signing' date. It's still a long way away ... Sunday, April 13, 2008 ... but we found a notary who does legal ceremonies here and she will do a signing of the documents 'only' for us for $50. So, we don't have to have any ceremony or anything. Just sign the papers and wait a few more days til we get to the DR for our "real" wedding with family and friends. I'm feeling so good about this decision now since it means we won't be exchanging any vows, etc. Yippee!!!

We are still on the fence with this. Although I mentioned to Martin that Leigh (I think that's who it was) got legally married in Vegas and now he's ALL about that! I'm not sure I want a Vegas wedding but we'll see.... lol

thx for bringing this thread back! my FI and i have made our decision this past weekend to get legally married here in the states. i was hesitant at first but now i'm good about our decision.....to avoid paperwork issues (esp since i'm divorced) and also insurance reasons. but also.....we just want to have a relaxing (as much as it can be) wedding week and not worry that some paperwork may get messed up while we are down there. we've told his parents who were completely fine with it...now i just have to tell mine. and that will be the only ones who know.

yea....my FI thought the vegas idea was perfect too....but that's just not in the budget!! lol

you mean Leigh Miller? sure was her! they did a little "drive thru" wedding - how fun would that be!? had it not worked out so well to do our legal ceremony on our honeymoon (in Hawaii) i'd have totally done vegas!

I had just become totally hip on the Vegas wedding ... but now that I found this $50 document signing right down the street from our house ... I think that is the more fiscally responsible decision and it ensures we don't have to have any type of ceremony before the one we have with family and friends at our DW.

I think we are having a legal one here for the family, and we will prob do a symbolic one in Costa Rica