The Grey Area In "Eloping," Getting Married For Less Than $500, and Why
On April 3, 2012, which is our 3rd anniversary, J and I are going to the park where we picnicked for our 1st anniversary and and we will exchange vows in front of a notary. We'll eat a delicious meal in that same park, uncork a bottle of champagne given to us as a gift in New Zealand, and (probably the next day) board a plane for a vacation in Iceland. So we're not actually eloping somewhere, we're just eloping in the sense that we're having a ceremony, that's not in a courthouse, but no one else is going to be there with us.
I chewed over the idea of having a small ceremony in our home for just our families, but then I remembered that the last time I tried to have both our families over (for my graduation) my mom stormed out of the house over pepperoni pizza.
This plan {weather permitting} will be lovely, low stress ceremony that reflects our lifestyle and values. An average wedding of 100 guests or less will generally cost $15k-$20k. This ceremony will cost $350--$250 to reserve the park for two hours, and $100 to bring a notary out to officiate and file our paperwork after.
I'm torn as to whether or not to tell my family now or wait until after the deed is done, as I know that they will be disappointed. I wonder what I could say to make everyone happy we're not having a wedding...
"If we had a wedding, we'd have to have it full Catholic mass style, so we're just eloping instead."
"If we had a wedding, the reception would be dry. No booze at all."
"Tell you what--you plan and pay for the wedding, and we will show up for it." <--Winner?!
I chewed over the idea of having a small ceremony in our home for just our families, but then I remembered that the last time I tried to have both our families over (for my graduation) my mom stormed out of the house over pepperoni pizza.
This plan {weather permitting} will be lovely, low stress ceremony that reflects our lifestyle and values. An average wedding of 100 guests or less will generally cost $15k-$20k. This ceremony will cost $350--$250 to reserve the park for two hours, and $100 to bring a notary out to officiate and file our paperwork after.
I'm torn as to whether or not to tell my family now or wait until after the deed is done, as I know that they will be disappointed. I wonder what I could say to make everyone happy we're not having a wedding...
"If we had a wedding, we'd have to have it full Catholic mass style, so we're just eloping instead."
"If we had a wedding, the reception would be dry. No booze at all."
"Tell you what--you plan and pay for the wedding, and we will show up for it." <--Winner?!