When we first told our friends Luca and Dushka that we were getting married, Dushka quickly encouraged Emma and I to elope to Vegas. In the same week, our friends Andrew and Paige sent us a 'congratulations-on-your-engagement' card with a small newspaper clipping on the inside which, oddly enough, also highlighted Las Vegas as an excellent location for a quick-get-out-of-town-and-do-it-on-the-cheap wedding.
I presumed they were both joking until I remembered (and thought about the enormous amount of planning that must have gone into) Andrew and Paige's wonderful event in Boston and the fact that Dushka and Luca virtually eloped to get married. But even then, I thought to myself..."no...we're going to do it in style".
And then we started our wedding venue research.
Four hours and one perfectly good (but wasted) Saturday evening later, we have utterly failed to find a venue in either the US or UK (that isn't astronomically priced) and Andrew, Paige, Dushka and Luca - we finally get your point!
Organizing a wedding appears to be one of the most frustrating and exasperating things in the world!
Add in the minor complication of us not being allowed to get married in the UK (despite being - or having been - British citizens) without living there for at least fifteen days prior to the ceremony...and we are quickly reaching the point where this is looking like a good option.
You have to go the whole hog....Steph and I checked out this place - drive thru!
http://www.alittlewhitechapel.com/html/tunnel_of_love.html
FYI - you can rent a castle for a day in Tuscany for under $2000.
And what about that loch you own in Scotland?
Allegedly
Or not
Posted by: Anu | September 17, 2006 at 12:01 AM
Okay, I'm not obsessed by your impending nuptials but have done a bit of research. That site you referred to is the only one that quotes 15 days residency. Every other says 7 days residency and then at least 15 dyas before you can get married. i.e. you live somewhere for seven days (over Xmas maybe) does not have to be the same place, you both register. 15 days later (and for up to 12 months) you can get married.
Angela Jones, Vice Consul at the British Consulate was really helpful to us. Below is the clearest info I found - the GRO, US Embassy and BritUSA sites were all more vague.
http://www.weddingguide.co.uk/articles/legal/englandwales.asp#Overseas
Posted by: Anu | September 17, 2006 at 12:55 AM
You've only got yourself to blame! You're the one who proposed!
Posted by: ian | September 17, 2006 at 02:08 AM
Thanks for the tips, Anu. British Consulate was my next planned stop. We'll see where it all ends up!
As you for you, Poddy...the counsel for the defence presents Zia and Anoushka as evidence that you did not get off scott free m'lud.
Posted by: David | September 17, 2006 at 06:05 PM
I, like Anu, deny any obsession to your impending wedding plans. I also consider this decision to be intensly personal. With those two disclaimers out of the way, I urge you to elope. Spend the money on a fantastic trip, or put it into your mortgage. The day is meant for you to be with each other anyway.
Posted by: Dushka | September 18, 2006 at 08:33 AM
We'd happily go to Reno for your wedding (unless you plan to truly elope just the two of you!).
Posted by: Steph | September 18, 2006 at 12:55 PM
You bet we were planning on taking you to Reno with us. Anu's already been measured up for his white jump suit!
Posted by: David | September 18, 2006 at 07:42 PM
I think wedding lists are a useful copout for those of your guests that lack imagination... most of the time they read like the a tupperware catalogue. I'll ignore it anyway. But thanks for the scorpion idea.
Posted by: ian | September 19, 2006 at 03:23 PM
Easy solution on wedding list..it goes something like this:
99 x $5
50 x $10
20 x $20
20 x $50
20 x $100
You'll notice that Steph and I have already got you one of the first items. Actually in case you didn't know, there are places you can register for your guests to contribute to your honeymoon:
http://www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/bridalRegistry.aspx
Posted by: Anu | September 20, 2006 at 05:18 AM
OK, if you're going to get a Scorpion, please get one with red stripes. At least it will go with the decor in the study.
And, yes, Anu, I meant to say thanks for the five dollar bill I mysteriously found stuffed in my back pocket after visiting you last weekend. I should have realised it was an engagement gift!
Posted by: David | September 20, 2006 at 08:18 PM
No, that was for chauffeurring Sabina - pictures to come on the blog.
Posted by: Anu | September 20, 2006 at 09:38 PM
Might I also suggest www.herecomestheguide.com for excellent venue info throughout the US and particularly in Northern Cal.
Posted by: Paige | September 21, 2006 at 10:06 AM