Hi All,

I am new to all this, just sent off and got the receipt for my I-129f.
Anyone have any tips on how to plan your wedding when you are the bride getting married in the States. It seems so unfair to have to plan it all via the internet and then have 90 days to get married once you land in the country.

Anyhow, such is life and the visa, anyone have any tips, esp, buying a dress, ie, which country is best to buy in, your home or your new home. arghhh

Thanks all,
Good luck!

Have you considered buying your dress overseas and then carrying it, or shipping it to the states when it's time?
The thing is...you can't really plan a date far in advance because there are so many way the date can change during this process. One way to handle it is to just get married in City Hall or the local courthouse soon after you arrive. The time limit is avoided and you can begin your AOS and EAD paperwork so much sooner. Then you and your fiance/husband can plan out a more formal wedding together. At this time, if you are religious it can be recognized by the church also.
I had the same issue, I am the USC but I am living out of the country. Trying to buy a dress and make arrangements was just way too much hassle so we will be getting married at City Hall a week after we arrive in the states.
Good Luck!
Sue

Welcome to VJ!

Wow! an early plan. That is great! Your wedding depends still on you budget. The early preparations, the better that you can make changes in the later part.

As of now, I cant tell you things related to your query as we are still preparing for theinterview.

Good luck!

I am the US Citizen and I'm still struggling to figure out just what we're going to do for the wedding. Neither one of us want a City Hall Ceremony, so we've really started wondering about other romantic elopement options, and then a year or so from now have a "real" ceremony. I actually went dress shopping several months ago and of course I found one that I totally fell in love with. However given the unsure future of the USCIS I didn't buy it. Now I can't find it....

Nothing about immigration is easy!!

But then again I think we might all just make the divorce rate drop, cause of what we've had to go through to get together!

Good Luck with your search,

Kim

Beach weddings are really "in" now days and they can cost for as little as $500 all the way to $1800 depending on what you need. All of that includes professional photography as well.

You can also check out the wedding packages in Las Vegas. The Bellagio and the Paris hotels have really good deals that are not very expensive and they also include photography, wedding certificate and even a DVD for the wedding.

Well we are planning on a civil ceremony two weeks after he arrives here. This way we can get that paperwork going and not have that deadline hanging over our heads. Then a couple of weeks later, just the two of us will be going down to Key West for the renewal of vows. This way we can have the ceremony, pictures and honeymoon. We are pretty lucky b/c neither one of us wants a big wedding.

Lisa

Here's what we did/are doing. Our wedding is going to be semi-formal, and not too big, but with all of the big pieces. (O Wedding Vendors of Pittsburgh, look upon the machinations of my mother and despair.)

We didn't make a single plan until he received the visa, though we had contacted the church and let them know of our situation. Once he got it, we started planning. In February, I bought my dress on eBay and arranged the premarital church stuff. In one week in March, we booked the church, the reception, the DJ, the limo, cake, ordered the invitations and had the dress fitted. We're still working on the photographer and flowers, but the bulk of it is happening. Wedding's in July.

Tips to help:
1) Be very flexible.. You can have something very nice, but your first or second choice of venue might not be available. This is not the time to insist you need the Leonidas roses shipped in from Ecuador, know what I mean?
2) Think Friday. Saturday are nearly all booked, and what's left is often crappy or expensive.
3) Vendors usually give small (10-20%) discounts for Fridays.
4) Remember that things take time to be altered and ordered. I'd probably get the dress in the UK were I you; have it altered there, and then pack it with you when you fly over. Alterations to a gown can take a while.
5) If you're doing anything informal, it's about 10 zillion times easier.

WELCOME TO VJ!!!

Wedding, wedding, wedding... well - we're in full swing wedding and visa planning. Neither of us wanted a courthouse wedding either, and they really don't give you much of a window to allow for planning. It is very difficult to try and plan a wedding online. Luckily, my fiance was able to come over for 2 months to take care of a good deal of the wedding plans. Now we're just hoping that the K1 goes through before the scheduled wedding date!!! If not - we may be facing having the reception and a blessing, but not doing the legal wedding until a month or so later after the K1 goes through. Most brides have no idea what real stress is, right ladies?

welcome to vj
well about your dress i wont be able to comment much coz myself got married in 2 days
we were in link from longer time but my husb came all off sudden fron u.s gave me surprise with his parents tht he wants to marry me tht too in 2 days
i got a shock just 2 days
but ofcourse it was a very well arranged wedding
our parents gave immense support for that one
i am glad now tht we married,
me lucky couple touchwood
wish you also very best for wedding dress n future too