October 2014 Filers - Texas Service Center

[missingmyguy 4]

I think the NOA2 will start seeing in 4 to 9 weeks. My estimated time line date is end of April or early May, but honestly could be sooner, or even weeks later, my lawyer in October told us a Sept/oct wedding guesstimate, and I see now he was close. I love a fall wedding!

[uli156 8]

Well, we stop to plan a big wedding this year.

Only to the court house to do the visa requirements and then plan our wedding at 2016

[Gill&Grant 5]

I was thinking as there are alot of approvals now dated on the first week of September then hopefully October ones will start flooding in in three weeks. I will have the paperwork gathered and medical done this month so I hope to get through the next stage quickly!

Up until now I was very relaxed about the wedding but slightly freaking out at this point!!!!. I have bridesmaids and a dress though I am postponing fittings.

Currently we are looking at renting a large house and canopy for an outdoor wedding in MD for August.....but I wonder is it too presumptious for me to make solid plans for Aug???

What dates have other October filers set? And is anyone else doing a canonopy wedding....any advise would be helpful!

Edited March 14, 2015 by Gill&Grant

[yuna628 9,689]

I was thinking as there are alot of approvals now dated on the first week of September then hopefully October ones will start flooding in in three weeks. I will have the paperwork gathered and medical done this month so I hope to get through the next stage quickly!

Up until now I was very relaxed about the wedding but slightly freaking out at this point!!!!. I have bridesmaids and a dress though I am postponing fittings.

Currently we are looking at renting a large house and canopy for an outdoor wedding in MD for August.....but I wonder is it too presumptious for me to make solid plans for Aug???

What dates have other October filers set? And is anyone else doing a canonopy wedding....any advise would be helpful!

We haven't set a date, because they really advise you not to. But we have made our wedding coordinator at the venue aware of our situation. We're doing an outdoor wedding as well, but no canopy. We have an arbor. They do have a reception tent, but this wasn't practical for us, so we're just having a dinner inside. I do worry about bad weather, as you know how it can get in summer. I would of loved to have used Chase Court as a venue but the expense was a bit much and the location for me is far.

I make the joke I'll have to attach a mini fan and a bug spray fan to my garter. ;-)

I really wouldn't make any kind of solid plan at least until you have your NOA2 or you know that file is at the consulate.

[wbeem 568]

Your outdoor wedding sounds lovely, Yuna. Hope you get processed quickly when they start on October so you can start putting some dates in there

And at the bug spray on the garter!

[Gill&Grant 5]

We haven't set a date, because they really advise you not to. But we have made our wedding coordinator at the venue aware of our situation. We're doing an outdoor wedding as well, but no canopy. We have an arbor. They do have a reception tent, but this wasn't practical for us, so we're just having a dinner inside. I do worry about bad weather, as you know how it can get in summer. I would of loved to have used Chase Court as a venue but the expense was a bit much and the location for me is far.

I make the joke I'll have to attach a mini fan and a bug spray fan to my garter. ;-)

I really wouldn't make any kind of solid plan at least until you have your NOA2 or you know that file is at the consulate.

I know it's a big risk to take, but I feel we are close to the end!! And August is 5 months away....Canopys are expensive but I love how they look with flowers and fairy lights inside...because of the Irish weather I always expect rain even in August but I think the reception tent will be perfect...

It will be seriously humid walking around in a white dress! Fans and bug spray are a must!!!! Chase Court is beautiful love the idea of period buildings like the Peabody but I can't get my head around american curfews....an Irish wedding could last til 4am a 9pm curfew is excessive...do you mind me asking where you chose in the end?

[yuna628 9,689]

Ah curfews, yes they are a bit annoying. It really depends on who you ask. There's a place in Kent county that allows you to go until 12am. Gramercy in Greenspring valley let's you go until 11pm I think. Liriodendron in Harford County to 12am. The Cloisters Castle in Lutherville let's you go till 11pm but allows you to extend for a fee. The city will be hard to get around curfew wise.

I moved out of the city many years ago, so we have picked The Wellwood, in Charlestown. It's a historical restaurant that's been around since the 1800s. The wedding is in a lovely park overlooking the river. They provide pretty much everything for us. What was annoying to me is MD law requires you to marry in the county you get the license from. That really restricted choice. Affordability vs looking pretty.

[heatmanswissmiss 2]

To all of you out there, do not give up hope!

We received our notification in October and checking the USCIS database, our case was APPROVED March 10,2015.

We are really excited for the next step as it has been a long and stressful process.

We know it isn't over yet and still must remain positive and patient, but to all of you out there going through the same waiting process, be strong as you will get your notification before you know it!

[Gill&Grant 5]

To all of you out there, do not give up hope!

We received our notification in October and checking the USCIS database, our case was APPROVED March 10,2015.

We are really excited for the next step as it has been a long and stressful process.

We know it isn't over yet and still must remain positive and patient, but to all of you out there going through the same waiting process, be strong as you will get your notification before you know it!

. congratulations!!! Excellent News x x x

[Gill&Grant 5]

Ah curfews, yes they are a bit annoying. It really depends on who you ask. There's a place in Kent county that allows you to go until 12am. Gramercy in Greenspring valley let's you go until 11pm I think. Liriodendron in Harford County to 12am. The Cloisters Castle in Lutherville let's you go till 11pm but allows you to extend for a fee. The city will be hard to get around curfew wise.

I moved out of the city many years ago, so we have picked The Wellwood, in Charlestown. It's a historical restaurant that's been around since the 1800s. The wedding is in a lovely park overlooking the river. They provide pretty much everything for us. What was annoying to me is MD law requires you to marry in the county you get the license from. That really restricted choice. Affordability vs looking pretty.

thank you for all this info, are you a baltimore native? I am waiting for Grant to get back to me about which county he filed in, but I am pretty sure it's Baltimore City ...so very restrictive. so glad you have given us the heads up! cloister Castle is beautiful, will smith got married there I heard! we are on such a tight budget but I'm going to look up all those suggestions though,

well wood is beautiful so rustic great choice :) it will be very special for you.

[yuna628 9,689]

thank you for all this info, are you a baltimore native? I am waiting for Grant to get back to me about which county he filed in, but I am pretty sure it's Baltimore City ...so very restrictive. so glad you have given us the heads up! cloister Castle is beautiful, will smith got married there I heard! we are on such a tight budget but I'm going to look up all those suggestions though,

well wood is beautiful so rustic great choice :) it will be very special for you.

Yes, born and raised in Baltimore. Hope one day to move back, still very much a city gal.

One way you could get around being stuck at a venue in the city itself is doing a courthouse wedding at where the license is issued and then holding the big proper ceremony at wherever you find the best, prettiest, and most affordable for you. Hope you can find what you're looking for.

[SantyAndAllie 155]

I was thinking as there are alot of approvals now dated on the first week of September then hopefully October ones will start flooding in in three weeks. I will have the paperwork gathered and medical done this month so I hope to get through the next stage quickly!

Up until now I was very relaxed about the wedding but slightly freaking out at this point!!!!. I have bridesmaids and a dress though I am postponing fittings.

Currently we are looking at renting a large house and canopy for an outdoor wedding in MD for August.....but I wonder is it too presumptious for me to make solid plans for Aug???

What dates have other October filers set? And is anyone else doing a canonopy wedding....any advise would be helpful!

I've written this a million times already so everyone's prob sick of me saying it hahaha. but you do NOT have to plan your wedding around the government! If you want it to be when YOU want and not when the government decides to, then plan it for later! We planned our wedding separate from our civil ceremony because that's all it is to us. Our real wedding will be the church ceremony and celebration with friends and family.

Some people prefer to plan their civil ceremony and wedding in one, but we are doing them separate for several reasons: 1. Money. We'll have time for my fiance to work and save up money before the wedding. 2. Time. I'm not planning a wedding in 90 days! 3. Unpredictability. You have no idea when you're getting the visa, so you really can't plan until you have the visa, which means you really only have the 90 days to plan.. or even less than that. 4. Legal stuff out of the way. I won't have to worry about legal stuff at my wedding! Everything will be done beforehand 5. Enjoying it. I love being engaged and want the time to plan. I don't want to be pressed for time and miss out on this time.

Some people feel more comfortable doing everything at one time and can plan it in the 90 days, but for me personally, I recommend planning your wedding separate from the civil ceremony if you feel comfortable with it! It's up to you, but just remember you don't have to pick a date because of the government's timeline.

Happy planning!

[SantyAndAllie 155]

Your outdoor wedding sounds lovely, Yuna. Hope you get processed quickly when they start on October so you can start putting some dates in there

And at the bug spray on the garter!

Agree with wbeem! Does sound lovely & lolol at making your garter a little tool belt

[SantyAndAllie 155]

I know it's a big risk to take, but I feel we are close to the end!! And August is 5 months away....Canopys are expensive but I love how they look with flowers and fairy lights inside...because of the Irish weather I always expect rain even in August but I think the reception tent will be perfect...

It will be seriously humid walking around in a white dress! Fans and bug spray are a must!!!! Chase Court is beautiful love the idea of period buildings like the Peabody but I can't get my head around american curfews....an Irish wedding could last til 4am a 9pm curfew is excessive...do you mind me asking where you chose in the end?

Have you checked your consulate's time frame of scheduling interviews? I know you think 5 months will be enough time, but it may not. You may end up putting down deposits and later being disappointed if you have to cancel. For my fiance & I, August would seem pretty doable realistically since the Ecuadorian consulate only takes maybe a month or two from the NOA2, which I don't think any of us Oct filers will be seeing later than June. However, I don't know how Ireland's consulate is. I've heard a few consulates can take monthssss just to get an interview, and then there are small chances of rejection and having to do another interview. Sometimes applications get stuck at NVC, as well. Happened to an Oct filer at CSC! He was approved a while ago and has been stuck in limbo for months. You never simply know.

Some June filers ended up waiting up to 8 months just for a NOA2, since a small percentage still end up waiting after the majority has been approved. Ireland could take very little time to do an interview, but you should really research that, because you may end up being surprised at how much longer the process still is after the NOA2. NOA2 doesn't equal having the visa in your hand right away. There's still much more (and possibly much more time) to the process than the annoying NOA2!

If you feel like the risk is worth taking and wont lose the money if you have to reschedule, then I would say at least wait until you have a NOA2 to book anything or put deposits. Seriously, it's REALLY not recommended to make solid plans at this stage- not just by us, but by the government, too, hahah!

Good luck to you guys!!

Edited March 15, 2015 by lovecometruex

[yuna628 9,689]

I was just talking about this subject with him earlier this evening about when exactly we should book a date hypothetically. He doesn't want to do it until he walks out of the embassy approved. For one thing he intends to work right until he gets his visa, he'll need to make arrangements for his belongings, and we have to coordinate his family's tickets/hotel. Even with the best case scenario he doesn't think he'll have visa in hand until July or August (praying it doesn't get stuck at NVC). So tentatively it could be September, which he likes because he thinks tickets are cheaper then. Me.. I get nervous about the weather in September. Blazing hot and hurricanes. It's still going to be a crush of things to plan at once, and that's why I did like the idea of the all-in-one small venue, cuts out having to get caterers and all the extras. Gives me a headache.