I'm moving to Australia and getting married in less than a month
Back in March of this year Nathan and I filed our application for our prospective marriage visa.
It's been a very long process
We both filled out 12 page long applications, Wrote letters detailing our relationship (how we met, how we plan to support each other, how our relationship has progressed, details about our first kiss, and how he proposed everything about our relationship), had family members and friends write notarized statements detailing our relationship, provided passport size photos, provide pictures of the 2 of us together in both locations, and copies of mail we have received together ( bills, Christmas cards, flowers),
Nathan had to provide them information about his job, his bank account, and savings.
I had to get a medical exam completed by a panel doctor that the Australian consulate approves of, had to go to the local police station to get my finger prints done and get a local police report, then mailed my fingerprints to the FBI for a criminal history record check,
Total for all that.. almost 4000 usd
I'm moving and getting married in less than a month and my Visa is still not approved.
Were still waiting on the FBI report to come in so i can send it to my Immigration officer.
If my visa is not approved in time I'll have to go over to Australia on a ETA Travel Visa, and get married. Then have to re-apply for a spouse visa.
Planning a wedding from a whole different country is not easy. Nathan basically has had to do everything.
Nathan and I picked the location. I was searching around online and came across this location and fell in love with everything about it. So when I showed it to Nathan he really liked it as well and went to check it out in person. He came home that day and said that we are getting married there no matter what.
Were getting married on top of Mt. Kiera, in Wollongong NSW Australia http://www.mountaintopweddings.com.au/
Nathan also had to go cake shopping. I picked out a few cake ideas that i liked. We had agreed on one cake. Then the day Nathan is about to take off to the cake shop, We completely change our minds and pick this cake.
(The people on top are made out of icing) oh and it's going to be mudd cake (Nathans idea)
It's also going to be black (black and white are the wedding colors)
He also found a really nice Celebrant who sounds fantastic and is very nice. We have emailed each other back and forth a bit.
My Aunt and I designed and hand made my wedding invitations.
I bought a ring for Nathan
Dress shopping was amazing. I had such a great time. Tried on about 5-6 dresses and decided that dress number 3 was the perfect dress.
So i ordered the dress, bought the veil, poofy thing under the dress, and the bra that day.
It took about 2 months for the dress to come in. When it did i brought it home and put it on. It was perfect the dress didn't need any alterations at all. That dress was the most beautiful dress i've ever seen. I loved it so much and just couldn't wait until i got the chance to walk down the isle in it.
Well I had planned on just carrying the dress over on the plane with me, However i let my family talk me into mailing the dress over to Australia so we won't have to worry about carrying the dress on the plane and stuff..
So I did it. On April 29th I packed my wedding dress (veil, shoes, tierra, poofy thing, bra and etc...) Along with Nathans ring, and the hand made wedding invitations for Nathans family into a box. I insured the box, and paid for the box to go by air mail.
3 months later the box has still not arrived.
I have called the United States Post Office several several times and they are always so rude and unwilling to give me any information on where my package is located.
Nathans has a family member who is a Australian post master who has been searching for this box for over a month now, He has found out that the box has left the United States on June 1st and that it went by ship.
That is still the only information that we have been able to get.
I've been a complete wreck for 3 months worrying about this box, Everything is in it. Nathan has had to call and email everyone to tell them about the wedding.
If I still don't know where that box is by July 22st I'm going to have to go dress shopping again. I will not be able to get that same dress because the store i bought it from says that they are not making that dress anymore. I'll have to settle with whatever dress i can find in the store in my size. :( :( :( :( :( I really want my dress.
My last day of work is July 13th, I'll then be driving down to Virginia to pick up my sister and her new born baby girl Kyra and driving them to Maine so my sister can come to my going away party on July 21st
So here it is.. 24 days until i leave for Australia and 28 days until our wedding day..
and I have no visa, no dress, no ring, and no invitations for Nathans family,
But I do have Nathan and it doesn't matter if i have to walk down that isle in jeans and a tee shirt. I will be marrying the man i have loved and cared for the man who has the biggest heart and the one who understands me. The man who loves me and cares about me. The man who makes me laugh and makes me happy.
I couldn't be happier.
It's been a very long process
We both filled out 12 page long applications, Wrote letters detailing our relationship (how we met, how we plan to support each other, how our relationship has progressed, details about our first kiss, and how he proposed everything about our relationship), had family members and friends write notarized statements detailing our relationship, provided passport size photos, provide pictures of the 2 of us together in both locations, and copies of mail we have received together ( bills, Christmas cards, flowers),
Nathan had to provide them information about his job, his bank account, and savings.
I had to get a medical exam completed by a panel doctor that the Australian consulate approves of, had to go to the local police station to get my finger prints done and get a local police report, then mailed my fingerprints to the FBI for a criminal history record check,
Total for all that.. almost 4000 usd
I'm moving and getting married in less than a month and my Visa is still not approved.
Were still waiting on the FBI report to come in so i can send it to my Immigration officer.
If my visa is not approved in time I'll have to go over to Australia on a ETA Travel Visa, and get married. Then have to re-apply for a spouse visa.
Planning a wedding from a whole different country is not easy. Nathan basically has had to do everything.
Nathan and I picked the location. I was searching around online and came across this location and fell in love with everything about it. So when I showed it to Nathan he really liked it as well and went to check it out in person. He came home that day and said that we are getting married there no matter what.
Were getting married on top of Mt. Kiera, in Wollongong NSW Australia http://www.mountaintopweddings.com.au/
Nathan also had to go cake shopping. I picked out a few cake ideas that i liked. We had agreed on one cake. Then the day Nathan is about to take off to the cake shop, We completely change our minds and pick this cake.
(The people on top are made out of icing) oh and it's going to be mudd cake (Nathans idea)
It's also going to be black (black and white are the wedding colors)
He also found a really nice Celebrant who sounds fantastic and is very nice. We have emailed each other back and forth a bit.
My Aunt and I designed and hand made my wedding invitations.
I bought a ring for Nathan
Dress shopping was amazing. I had such a great time. Tried on about 5-6 dresses and decided that dress number 3 was the perfect dress.
So i ordered the dress, bought the veil, poofy thing under the dress, and the bra that day.
It took about 2 months for the dress to come in. When it did i brought it home and put it on. It was perfect the dress didn't need any alterations at all. That dress was the most beautiful dress i've ever seen. I loved it so much and just couldn't wait until i got the chance to walk down the isle in it.
Well I had planned on just carrying the dress over on the plane with me, However i let my family talk me into mailing the dress over to Australia so we won't have to worry about carrying the dress on the plane and stuff..
So I did it. On April 29th I packed my wedding dress (veil, shoes, tierra, poofy thing, bra and etc...) Along with Nathans ring, and the hand made wedding invitations for Nathans family into a box. I insured the box, and paid for the box to go by air mail.
3 months later the box has still not arrived.
I have called the United States Post Office several several times and they are always so rude and unwilling to give me any information on where my package is located.
Nathans has a family member who is a Australian post master who has been searching for this box for over a month now, He has found out that the box has left the United States on June 1st and that it went by ship.
That is still the only information that we have been able to get.
I've been a complete wreck for 3 months worrying about this box, Everything is in it. Nathan has had to call and email everyone to tell them about the wedding.
If I still don't know where that box is by July 22st I'm going to have to go dress shopping again. I will not be able to get that same dress because the store i bought it from says that they are not making that dress anymore. I'll have to settle with whatever dress i can find in the store in my size. :( :( :( :( :( I really want my dress.
My last day of work is July 13th, I'll then be driving down to Virginia to pick up my sister and her new born baby girl Kyra and driving them to Maine so my sister can come to my going away party on July 21st
So here it is.. 24 days until i leave for Australia and 28 days until our wedding day..
and I have no visa, no dress, no ring, and no invitations for Nathans family,
But I do have Nathan and it doesn't matter if i have to walk down that isle in jeans and a tee shirt. I will be marrying the man i have loved and cared for the man who has the biggest heart and the one who understands me. The man who loves me and cares about me. The man who makes me laugh and makes me happy.
I couldn't be happier.