Opinions Please - Wedding Planning...

[Arabella 4]

I can remember when my estimated adjudication date was in June, then July, August, and now I am coming up on Sept. When I look on the Canadian forums, I see people who got their NOA2 in June and sent off their packet 3s, and have no idea when they will have an interview!

We filed back in March, and on March 13th I contacted a beach wedding planner and "reserved" the date of January 1 (with a small deposit). Since then I have contacted the wedding planner to let him know that our date may be later. The beach weddings are designed for people who like to elope, so they are really flexible and they do everything- you just show up. You might want to check into somewhere that has a ready-made wedding package that you can buy on short notice.

I have also been planning what we'll wear, where we will have our recption (luckily I live across the street from the beach and I have a large entertainment room in my house so I am just going to decorate that room), what our wedding vows will be, stuff like that.

Just for fun, here is the link to the wedding site I am using: www.cocoabeachweddings.com

I don't really want to get married at the court house and then have a separate wedding at a later date. I would only do that a year later on our anniversary. I don't want two wedding anniversary dates. Also, I am sure that a year after our wedding we won't want to cough up money for a wedding, so I think it's now or never.

Good luck!

Edited August 22, 2009 by Arabella

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

I can remember when my estimated adjudication date was in June, then July, August, and now I am coming up on Sept. When I look on the Canadian forums, I see people who got their NOA2 in June and sent off their packet 3s, and have no idea when they will have an interview!

We filed back in March, and on March 13th I contacted a beach wedding planner and "reserved" the date of January 1 (with a small deposit). Since then I have contacted the wedding planner to let him know that our date may be later. The beach weddings are designed for people who like to elope, so they are really flexible and they do everything- you just show up. You might want to check into somewhere that has a ready-made wedding package that you can buy on short notice.

I have also been planning what we'll wear, where we will have our recption (luckily I live across the street from the beach and I have a large entertainment room in my house so I am just going to decorate that room), what our wedding vows will be, stuff like that.

Just for fun, here is the link to the wedding site I am using: www.cocoabeachweddings.com

I don't really want to get married at the court house and then have a separate wedding at a later date. I would only do that a year later on our anniversary. I don't want two wedding anniversary dates. Also, I am sure that a year after our wedding we won't want to cough up money for a wedding, so I think it's now or never.

Good luck!

Hi Arabella, thanks for your input. Sorry you've been waiting so long. To give you an estimated date of only 3 months waiting for your NOA2 seems rather short in the first place though. 5 or 6 sounds more much the norm at the moment isn't it? I've looked at the figures for how long people have been waiting this year at Vermont and the average is 5 or so, apparently... So keep positive, yours will be with you soon. Have you checked on the USCIS site aswell to see how your case is doing?

Also, thanks for the wedding info. I totally agree with you about not wanting two anniversaries, court house, separate wedding dates etc...

Your arrangements sound really nice. We're all set for our plans though and I'm really happy with what we've organised. Should anything at all happen, we'll just have to move the date back and risk losing a few dollars. Its not the end of the world. I did think about a beach wedding at first though. That was our initial plan to get married on the Jersey Shore, but after visiting various beaches along the coast this summer, we've decided theres no way we'd want that anymore as its SO busy during peak season! Plus it would cost our guests a fee for each of them to enter onto the beach. So, we found a beautiful gazebo overlooking a lake instead. And its literally across from the beach.

Good luck with your plans. I'm hoping your NOA2 is on its way now. Fingers crossed!!

[Arabella 4]

I can remember when my estimated adjudication date was in June, then July, August, and now I am coming up on Sept. When I look on the Canadian forums, I see people who got their NOA2 in June and sent off their packet 3s, and have no idea when they will have an interview!

We filed back in March, and on March 13th I contacted a beach wedding planner and "reserved" the date of January 1 (with a small deposit). Since then I have contacted the wedding planner to let him know that our date may be later. The beach weddings are designed for people who like to elope, so they are really flexible and they do everything- you just show up. You might want to check into somewhere that has a ready-made wedding package that you can buy on short notice.

I have also been planning what we'll wear, where we will have our recption (luckily I live across the street from the beach and I have a large entertainment room in my house so I am just going to decorate that room), what our wedding vows will be, stuff like that.

Just for fun, here is the link to the wedding site I am using: www.cocoabeachweddings.com

I don't really want to get married at the court house and then have a separate wedding at a later date. I would only do that a year later on our anniversary. I don't want two wedding anniversary dates. Also, I am sure that a year after our wedding we won't want to cough up money for a wedding, so I think it's now or never.

Good luck!

Hi Arabella, thanks for your input. Sorry you've been waiting so long. To give you an estimated date of only 3 months waiting for your NOA2 seems rather short in the first place though. 5 or 6 sounds more much the norm at the moment isn't it? I've looked at the figures for how long people have been waiting this year at Vermont and the average is 5 or so, apparently... So keep positive, yours will be with you soon. Have you checked on the USCIS site aswell to see how your case is doing?

Also, thanks for the wedding info. I totally agree with you about not wanting two anniversaries, court house, separate wedding dates etc...

Your arrangements sound really nice. We're all set for our plans though and I'm really happy with what we've organised. Should anything at all happen, we'll just have to move the date back and risk losing a few dollars. Its not the end of the world. I did think about a beach wedding at first though. That was our initial plan to get married on the Jersey Shore, but after visiting various beaches along the coast this summer, we've decided theres no way we'd want that anymore as its SO busy during peak season! Plus it would cost our guests a fee for each of them to enter onto the beach. So, we found a beautiful gazebo overlooking a lake instead. And its literally across from the beach.

Good luck with your plans. I'm hoping your NOA2 is on its way now. Fingers crossed!!

3 months is not so crazy. If you look at a lot of the CSC people's timelines, you'll see 90 days or less for their NOA2s. I am just saying that when I filed on March 13th, my timeline's "estimated adjudication date" was originally for some time in June, and as I've waited the date kept getting later and later, and now my estimated date has passed!

Yes, I check the USCIS website like 100 times a day and on Friday I even called customer service for the first time.

That's good news that you can move your date if you need to without too much of a loss money-wise.

I am lucky that Cocoa Beach doesn't charge to use the beach- it's free to the public. Also in January there is hardly anyone on the beach so I am hoping it won't be too busy. I've also toyed with the idea of getting married in my backyard since I live on the water- but we have our hearts set on the beach (it has a special significange for us).

So have fun with your wedding planning and enjoy!

[baron555 934]

Hi everyone!

My fiance (USC) and I filed the I-129F back in July and we recieved our NOA1 on July 16th (although date on it is 10th July).

I would like to ask people how they are getting on with wedding planning - thats if you want the full shebang, not just to get married at City Hall or the equivalent. I know people will say, wait for the NOA2 before making wedding plans but that just not possible for us. Nothing would be available!

So, we have gone ahead anyway and have booked almost everything for the wedding so far and luckily, every vendor we have met is willing to be flexible should by ny chance, anything come up with our K1 application. Fingers crossed it won't.

I check on my timeline every day and since early July it has said Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between December 9, 2009 and December 19, 2009 or thereabouts. Sometimes earlier... Has everyone found this estimate spot on or a very rough guide to to how it turned out for them??

Also, what I would like to ask is, in your opinions, and judging by some of you with your vast experience on this site, do you think the chances of us making the wedding for the date of June 27th 2010 next year are good?

Our experience is that Igor's list is spot on. We already have our plans finalized. The county office will take our application and then the next day the county judge will marry us. No need for a reservation. Very smart on our part. No booking required.

Edited August 22, 2009 by baron555

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Hi Arabella, I checked on your timeline today to see how you're doing with your NOA2 and you have it now! Congratulations! Hope everything else goes swiftly for you!

Edited August 31, 2009 by RUSSandRACHEL