VISA issued finally after 2 weeks! Now, the wedding gown question ...

[sweet cakes 326]

After 2 weeks of seeing Case open ready on my visa status, it's such a relief to finally see it become AP, 9 business days after my interview, then finally ISSUED the following day. I don't have my visa on hand yet due to the holidays here in Philippines, but 2Go assured me that it will be delivered tomorrow. Imagine our (mine and my fiance's) relief after 2 weeks with days and nights of anxiety (thinking what could have gone wrong) and sleeplessness... and jealousy with those who had their visas status turning issued after 2 days ... I am just happy that all these negative feelings that our visa journey's timeline is relatively longer than others are now gone. Just thankful and grateful ...

Since we have submitted our I-129 last January 2013, I had been lurking in VJ already. Although, I have only joined last August and starting posting then, I have read an unimaginable plethora of consulate reviews and blogs. I would like to thank everybody who have shared their experiences and their valuable inputs. Needless to say, all VJer's responses helped and made every new K-1 applicants' life easier. Special mention to Hank_ (You are such an angel!), Robb&Ann (Your blog is a treasure!), and the rest (you know who you are) who never get tired of helping others. And in my own little ways, I am also trying to pay it forward.

Now on to more important planning in life ... Packing my suitcases ... POE: 21 Nov, 2013 Honolulu, Hawaii (Yay, my fiance just surprised me after the ISSUED status that we will have an NCL cruise for 10 days around HI!!! ) And then again, I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world! (Pagbigyan nyo na ladies, minsan lang mahaba masyado ang hair! )

And another Yay! ... I just picked-up my gown today!

Here's an off-topic question: I mentioned to fiance that my gown has a train, and his response is "the gown will be dragged on the snow" (because we're planning to have a late January wedding). I might need to have somebody carry it around. And that we will only get married in a municipal hall (not in a church or in a garden).

Here's a picture of my gown and I'm standing on a 1ft. platform. Do you think it's an awkward length of gown train? I really feel that it's such a shame to have that beautiful gown trimmed ... <Both ladies' and men's opinions will be valuable. It would be really great to hear from ladies who had a city hall wedding.>

<Mods, kindly move this topic to related forum, not sure where this is supposed to be posted. Hoping too that it's fine to post this question.>

[Hank_ 9,174]

... OK, here comes a guy opinion.

Wear something else for the marriage at city hall, unless you fiance will be wearing a tux, of course, otherwise wear a nice dress. For wedding pictures wear the gown, for the ceremony later in the Phils... wear the gown.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Talk to a seamstress and see if she can add a loop inside the hem so you can pull the train up to carry it off the ground while you are outside. You would put it over your wrist and then just drop it when you hit the door.

[apple21 953]

IMO, that gown is not appropriate for city hall.

You can wear it for the pre-nup photos though.

[andy_san 2]

I think a dress is more preferable to wear on a city hall wedding than a gown. BTW, pretty gown.

[sweet cakes 326]

Thanks for the response, guys! I actually bought 2 dresses: One lacey teacup wedding dress for the dinner ceremony and this one which I posted. This is an off-the-rack and I only want to try it out because after all, a girl gets to be married once only (and I do plan so! ) . And alas, the gown fits perfectly! and so I couldn't resist getting it!

... OK, here comes a guy opinion.

Wear something else for the marriage at city hall, unless you fiance will be wearing a tux, of course, otherwise wear a nice dress. For wedding pictures wear the gown, for the ceremony later in the Phils... wear the gown.

Hey, Hank! Yes, he will be wearing a tux. Because I said so. Haha.. Joking aside, we're still a very traditional couple and we just want to be very formal (both in the wedding day and in pictures) although we won't be able to plan for a church or garden wedding because of time-constrained circumstances.

Talk to a seamstress and see if she can add a loop inside the hem so you can pull the train up to carry it off the ground while you are outside. You would put it over your wrist and then just drop it when you hit the door.

That's a good idea, sis! Thanks, I'll look into that.

IMO, that gown is not appropriate for city hall.

You can wear it for the pre-nup photos though.

I am thinking of having a pre-nup pictorial session with the long gown train. Then, probably, I can decide afterwards to having the gown trimmed for the wedding.

I think a dress is more preferable to wear on a city hall wedding than a gown. BTW, pretty gown.

Thanks, sis! It is!! Really!!!

[Stevephoto 230]

OK so here is a different opinion! It is your wedding day--a civil wedding in a court house does not make it any less special. Wear the dress that you have dreamed of wearing on your day! It is the maid-of-honors job to keep the train off of the snow! Go for it and congrats!

[lierre 224]

Wear it! It's pretty! just make sure someone will help you when you walk over snow. Have fun, m'dear!

[sweet cakes 326]

OK so here is a different opinion! It is your wedding day--a civil wedding in a court house does not make it any less special. Wear the dress that you have dreamed of wearing on your day! It is the maid-of-honors job to keep the train off of the snow! Go for it and congrats!

Wear it! It's pretty! just make sure someone will help you when you walk over snow. Have fun, m'dear!

Aaaawwww ... Thanks for the support, guys! I have to admit, it will be such a shame not to wear it on my big day... It's that beautiful, really. But at the same time, I don't want to appear awkward. Hence, I am still open to ideas and also, reading now on city hall wedding conventions in US. Learned a lot so far. You know how it is when a woman is about to get married, it's a fact that we drool over wedding gowns for months.

[Hank_ 9,174]

drool? ... really??

The wedding is but the stepping stone to what is really important.... the marriage.

[sweet cakes 326]

Lol, Hank! Yeah, agreed! The wedding is but a door to the real BIG thing, the house of marriage. I'm not that delusional.

But come on, give the girl something to dream and fantasize for ... And I'm not saying every man should create an illusion of a red carpet before entering "reality". But don't you want your woman to be at her prettiest and happiest by making her pick her gown for the big day? (And I do mean before the man picks the apron for her.) I think every girl deserves that.

Edited November 5, 2013 by sweet_cheeks

[clairegie 265]

It's your day! Go ahead and wear whatever the hell you want. After months (or years) of waiting to be with your man, you deserve to walk through city hall like a queen! Congratulations on the wedding!

[sweet cakes 326]

It's your day! Go ahead and wear whatever the hell you want. After months (or years) of waiting to be with your man, you deserve to walk through city hall like a queen! Congratulations on the wedding!

Sweet! Thanks, sis! That's what I'm inclined in doing so. To be honest, I have not really planned of getting a wedding gown when we started scheduling the city hall wedding. And I wasn't anticipating a winter wedding to say the least. But I fell in love with the gown the moment I saw myself in it. The only fear I have right now is that the snow might drag me. At the same time, I think I might have a chill too if I have a cocktail dress!

[clairegie 265]

Sweet! Thanks, sis! That's what I'm inclined in doing so. To be honest, I have not really planned of getting a wedding gown when we started scheduling the city hall wedding. And I wasn't anticipating a winter wedding to say the least. But I fell in love with the gown the moment I saw myself in it. The only fear I have right now is that the snow might drag me. At the same time, I think I might have a chill too if I have a cocktail dress!

IMO, whether its snow or freakin lava, nothing can stop a very determined bride. Don't worry about the chill, that's what the future hubby is for. lol

[lierre 224]

drool? ... really??

The wedding is but the stepping stone to what is really important.... the marriage.

A wedding may be just a day, but it's a day everyone dreams of sharing with someone they love dearly.

If a woman's the "get married in PJs" kind, then let her get married in PJs.

If a woman (like me & like OP) is the kind who wants to wear a wedding gown, then we ought to wear a wedding gown

Just because a wedding is stuff one's dreams are made of doesn't mean the marriage can't be the same way