Wow I had no idea anyone would want to waste their time going to a strangers wedding! Why?
We have a very happy partnership and have recently had 4 young children together. Sorry to confess to all you romantics but we are marrying for financial reasons only as neither of us really believe it will make any other difference to our relationship and have therefore never married before. I believe that the same tax advantages should be available to couples wanting to enter a partnership rather than marriage.
Being married will save us a considerable amount in tax every year and means if one of us were to die we would not have to sell our family home to pay a huge IHT bill.
For those who ask why no guests. We cant go off abroad and do it without our 4 young DC in tow which does not sound fun. We dont have child care even for an hour or two. We only holiday close to home.
We are marrying to save money as my health is poor and my partners family have always died very early so we are planning to retire at 55 when our children will all still be at school.
An expensive wedding would take some of the benefit of the savings to be made. If we tried to do it cheaply we would just upset all the family who are very geographically wide spread so we dont plan to tell anyone either before or after. They would not understand us doing it cheaply as we are perceived as having plenty of money but this is largely by being this tight. Neither of us likes any fuss or attention either and we have quite enough to do with the DC and work without any extra.
Having a witness whom we knew would put a burden on them not to let slip to anyone who would then be upset that we had not had a big wedding.
For those who suggested the registry office will supply witnesses they are adamant that they wont even for a fee. Having said that the whole cost of the registry office is less than £50 so if we couldnt find witnesses and lost our slot it wouldnt be like wasting the cost of most weddings.
We are planning on a weekday morning and I think the area which is not too near our home should have lots of retired people although we wouldnt be opposed to the street drinkers as long as that didnt make it null and void later!
Thanks so much for all the offers to help but it really wont be very exciting for you, just standard wording, no dresses, flowers, food or drink.