planning a wedding

[Anh map 2,098]

We also went the quick civil ceremony then plan a "regular" wedding route. Now Linh gets 2 anniversaries a year.

[movingsoon1 0]

I just received the k-1 visa in March. What others have said is so true. WAIT for the k-1 visa until you have it in your hands. Anything can happen! I did plan a wedding before receiving my visa and it was very stressful not knowing what was going to happen! It would have been a much happier wedding planning experience if I waited till I had the visa in my hand.

I did hand out the invitations when I had the visa in my hand. We estimated the time, and we were correct about that. But you have to have your priorities straight: visa first, wedding planning after.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Just to clarify, It does add stress and uncertainty, but its not impossible. Some people can candle the uncertainty better than others! I don't regret my choice to plan a wedding without knowing if or when I'd have the visa. That is because I made sure I could move the date if I needed to move the date! I can still move the date, as the visa isn't in my hand yet. But baring a national tragedy I will have the wedding I wanted on the day I wanted and all the stress and uncertainty makes that more than worth it to me! Just my two cents.

I don't think getting planning a wedding needs to distract you from the visa process. I'm planning the wedding, going thought he visa process, finishing my last semester of university, working, and coordinating a move all at the same time. I'm not dead yet!

[MARM 7]

my fiancee plans on having a real marriage within the 90 days pick a venue (without a date) have a cake with no date a pastor a caterer all this without a date not to mention inviting people has anyone else accomplished it within the 90 days? is it even plausible? keep in mind i don't wanna go broke trying to do this within the 90 days

You know - you could do what Umit and I are planning.

When she comes over on the K-1, we will get the marriage license/certificate within 4 weeks of arrival, just a civil thing -

then after we will plan the wedding party - and take all the time we need to do so.

I agree with Bobby_Umit. The most important task is getting the court marriage done, then you will have plenty of time for a marriage celebration/function. Remember, you will be awaiting your EAD, so you will have plenty of time...and you need the marriage certificate to file for AOS. So you could get the court marriage out of the way ASAP, and then take your time planning the wedding function.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Just to clarify, It does add stress and uncertainty, but its not impossible. Some people can candle the uncertainty better than others! I don't regret my choice to plan a wedding without knowing if or when I'd have the visa. That is because I made sure I could move the date if I needed to move the date! I can still move the date, as the visa isn't in my hand yet. But baring a national tragedy I will have the wedding I wanted on the day I wanted and all the stress and uncertainty makes that more than worth it to me! Just my two cents.

I don't think getting planning a wedding needs to distract you from the visa process. I'm planning the wedding, going thought he visa process, finishing my last semester of university, working, and coordinating a move all at the same time. I'm not dead yet!

This is the route we are taking.

The whole issue boils down to a risk assessment, and only you know your tolerance for risk. If you identify your risks (not getting the visa in time - need a new date) and mitigate that risk (vendor contract which says date changes are free). Or you feel as though you could handle loosing whatever deposit you make if nothing works out, then go ahead. Some people on here have a low risk threshold, and they will tell you not to do it. Some have a higher threshold. Make sure that you are informed of the consequences for all possibilities, and then decide. Only you can do all of that.

I have a strong negative emotional response to the idea of having a legal wedding and then a separate ceremonial wedding after that. I could probably stand to do it intellectually, but I would NOT be happy about it. It may not be rational, but that's the way it is! I want us to be ACTUALLY married with all of our family and friends watching.

I am not sure if it is the state of the economy, or just standard policy, but NO vendor told us that they would make a big to-do (unless we picked a new date when they were already booked) about us changing the date, and this was always the first concern I brought up. Furthermore, I ensured that there was a clause in the contract that no charge would be incurred for changing the date up to XX number of days before hand (some as few as 2 weeks!)

This sort of planning is highly dependent on the timing you are considering. If you intend to be on a plane the day after you receive a visa, then I'm not sure you can plan a wedding this way. If you are willing to set your date far enough out that you feel as though you have a 90% confidence (taking into account possible snags etc) that you'll have the visa, and then WAIT a few months before entry, it is very possible. That's what we are doing.

I went by the dates on VJ (at the time average of 8 months from filing to interview), and added another 6 weeks or so, and there we were! Nik has packet 3 already, and I'm looking for an interview date/visa in June. We still won't PoE until September.

Edited April 15, 2009 by Nik+Heather