So where do plan to honeymoon? Do you plan one?

[Matt_Stevens 5]

I think this forum is perfect for this topic. My fiance and I have talked about honeymooning, but so many questions come up. Do we just wait until we are married in the states and then go on a honeymoon here?

Since we are having a ceremony in Vietnam, her parents will consider us married at that time, so we can live as man and wife. Now, do we maybe go on our honeymoon after the ceremony (which will be in Vietnam)? Then go to the U.S.?

Where to honeymoon? Asia? Europe? Mexico? Where can we find beach weather in November to March? (That is the time frame from we would be married. November if she passes her 1st interview)

Throw out some ideas here.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Matt_Stevens

[raphael7546 0]

if she's coming on a K-1 , once she is here in the US your Honeymoon plans will have to be closer to home. IE , Hawaii, Florida etc... Unless she has AP ( Advance Parole) she won't be allowed to leave the states until after she does her AOS ( adjustment of Status Interview) then she'll be free to leave the country and come & go. Unfortunetly, without AP and she leaves before adjusting, she won't be allowed back into the states and will have to start over on a Visa.

Goodluck !

[scotty 0]

In May were going to Las Vegas and taking in the grand canyon, my wife has always wanted to go there.

Regards David

[ChristinaM 0]

Just an observation - be VERY careful about any kind of ceremony you have in Vietnam, or you run the risk of invalidating the K1 and having to reapply for K3.

I honeymooned in Vermont, but that's not much good to you! I hope you have a wonderful time, wherever you end up.

[rebeccajo 14]

No money left after immigration fees.

[Bruce and Han 0]

Well, My fiance is from VN also, And she is tired of the heat, So our plans for the honeymoon is Lake Tahoe, California in the dead of winter. We will get a nice cabin with a fireplace and Jucuzzi. I will show her how to make a Snowman/woman, which ever she prefers and some snow angels. Then we end the day with a snowball fight and then back into the candle lit Jucuzzi. Lake Tahoe also has their casinos and such, and dont forget the skiing. But really I think for you and your Fiance, you should stay stateside. Maybe Disneyland?

Let us know what you decide.

Goodluck on your visa journey

Bruce_han

[jordanianprincess 0]

You can always go to Hawaii!!!

Jordanian Princess

[john_and_marlene 162]

We delayed our honeymoon since I used up all of my vacation time over the past year going to the Philippines visiting Marlene. That gave us plenty of time to think about where we wanted to go. I thought she might like to return to the Philippines and considered applying for the AP so that we could do that, but she would rather go to Hawaii. We were able to find the best dates for travel and hotel rates since we were planning it so far in advance. Our trip will be in May to Oahu.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

No Disneyworld/Disneyland! We went to Euro Disney while in Paris during our very first meeting. That was day #3. She had never been on a Rollercoaster before, so I sucked it up and took her there and we had fun, but after 8 hours ran out of things to do.

The Ceremony in Vietnam will NOT be official. It will be a wedding, as her parents deserve this, but no paperwork will be filled out. No forms signed. No marriage license obtained. We will be very careful.

I'd like to find something to do that is not in the USA. Point is, we can leave Saigon and then go to our destination and THEN enter the USA.

of course, Hawaii sounds interesting (thanks, Priness). I wonder how long of a flight that is from Vietnam? I'm betting Saigon to Hong Kong to Hawaii? I'll have to look into that.

[pax 0]

Ewen and I are going to Washington, D.C. to see the panda family.

We're considering a major honeymoon sometime in '08. Right now, we're vacillating between Australia and Morocco.

[Matt_Stevens 5]

Are there places in Thailand ot thereabouts that has Beach Honeymoon weather from November to March? I assuming yes, since I know Saigon is super hot that time of year. My wife to be does not like schorching heat, but were she to be in the ocean or at a resort, she would be very happy.

Thailand? Hawaii? Hmmm...

Were we to marry in the Summer we'd go to Europe, but we were in Europe in October and then December. Too cold for me!!!! No way. I know she loves the cold because she never gets any, but no way am I "chilling" on my honeymoon.

[zyggy 9]

No Disneyworld/Disneyland! We went to Euro Disney while in Paris during our very first meeting. That was day #3. She had never been on a Rollercoaster before, so I sucked it up and took her there and we had fun, but after 8 hours ran out of things to do.

The Ceremony in Vietnam will NOT be official. It will be a wedding, as her parents deserve this, but no paperwork will be filled out. No forms signed. No marriage license obtained. We will be very careful.

I'd like to find something to do that is not in the USA. Point is, we can leave Saigon and then go to our destination and THEN enter the USA.

of course, Hawaii sounds interesting (thanks, Priness). I wonder how long of a flight that is from Vietnam? I'm betting Saigon to Hong Kong to Hawaii? I'll have to look into that.

You have to be careful and I mean VERY careful... CBP is trained to pick up on cues that most never realize that you are doing...

Things such as ...

Looking for rings on your fingers.. how you call each other.. it's amazing how people slip up, especially if English isn't their first language. If you fly into Hawaii and you live somewhere else, a CBP officer may ask you why you're arriving in Hawaii. Or if you go on a honeymoon elsewhere, a CBP officer may notice the date that you left Vietnam and ask what you were doing in the interim... There are lots of ways that something could slip... especially if they're asking her all the questions.

When push comes to shove.. I really and truly recommend that you reconsider your marriage position. There's just too many ways that you could make a very serious mistake without realizing it and placing everything that you've done in jeopardy. I agree that her parents deserve a marriage ceremony in her native country... what I am suggesting is that you do it AFTER your civil marriage in the US.

Think long and hard about it... think about what your true goal is (being with yoiur fiancee) and whether this act is worth the chance of a rather long separation and worth another trip to the HCMC consulate for another visa.

Edited March 3, 2006 by zyggy

[Matt_Stevens 5]

But we could wait YEARS before being able to go back to Vietnam. That would be so unfair to them. Plus her grandparents continue to get older and soon will not be able to make the trip from Hanoi to Saigon. Even now that is only 50/50.

As for a wedding ring... My parents will attend the ceremony and will take the ring with them, that way it is not on her finger. My fiance's English is near perfect and we will be sure to only refer to each other as fiance and not husband or wife. We'll practice, in fact.

There is another reason why I do not want to do a civil ceremony. I was married once before and we did a civil ceremony and skipped the honeymood. BAD idea. I think it got us off on the wrong foot and obviously the marriage failed. I do not want to make such mistakes again. My fiance will not have a real wedding without her parents. To some getting married in the USA is not a problem. My fiance even thinks it is OK, but I can hear the disappointment and sadness in her voice when she speaks about it. She cannot hide that from me.

One thought I just had: Unofficial Ceremony in Saigon. Then we could fly to Hawaii and have the civil ceremony there and then our honeymoon. So that answers potential customs questions on why we are arrving in Hawaii.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Matt_Stevens

[john_and_marlene 162]

I don't understand why you didn't get married there and apply for K3

[Matt_Stevens 5]

I don't understand why you didn't get married there and apply for K3

I have never been to Vietnam. She and I met in Paris in October (we had known each online since May of last year). We knew how we felt about each other and I flew to Germany to be with her for the holidays. That was explosive. Just unreal. Like a storybook romance. At that time we talked of marriage and knew it was right. So I asked her and she said yes.

But I have to meet her parents before marrying, I think. It would have been impossible to marry in Europe and we wouldn't have dreamed of it. I'm going to Vietnam in May and I will ask permission, officially. The answer will be yes because the Dam Hoi (engagement party) is already being planned. Her mother loves. Thank God!

So that is what is happening and it won't change, so no, there is no chance for switching to a K3. Not gonna happen. Especially since it would another 6 months, at least, to the timeframe before I could bring her over here. No way. I'd rather cut off my own fingers.

Getting "Officially" married in Hawaii looks to be VERY easy. Just look at thislink for Maui weddings. There are all sorts of packages like this for most of the Hawaiian islands. So if immigration asks why are we coming into Hawaii, well, duh, we are getting married there. AND we can honeymoon there!

I'm looking into this, big-time. To have the ceremony for the family in Saigon, followed by a wedding and honeymoon in Hawaii would be something else, that's for sure.

Of course, who knows what idea I might read here that changes my mind completely into something else.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Matt_Stevens