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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Want to get married but with just us two? Suggestions please!

16 replies

feckingknackered · 07/08/2022 21:16

We want to get married, due to parents Ill health it will be too difficult to coordinate something with them all there.
We have children, I'm thinking of suggesting we just go and get married somewhere us and kids. My parents would be fine with this, I think DP's would be too.
Is there anywhere we could do this similar to Gretna green but not that far? We are in Manchester, very low budget.
I'm feeling guilty not including parents but I just don't think we will ever be able to organise something they could all make it too. Is it awful to go ahead?

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 07/08/2022 21:18

I think it's a lovely thing to do. A friend got married on a Scottish Island register office with just their children there. All parents very happy for them.

Hbh17 · 07/08/2022 21:20

You can get married at a Register Office in Manchester, but if your children are under 18 then you will also need 2 adult witnesses. Can all be done for minimal cost.

creamwitheverything · 07/08/2022 22:44

This was my wedding OP..me him,and two witnesses. It was just perfect and just how we wanted it,,we then went straight to the seaside and had a brill weekend, We told everyone before hand and said that was what we wanted and some supported us others didnt agree but it was our choice,The ones who made the fuss soon came round! You can do it mostly wherever is licensed ,so maybe look for a venue and I am sure you can hire someone to come and conduct your ceremony, we just jogged down to the local registory offiice and it was all done in 20 mins, Guv,uk have information that may help you form your decisions regarding where and when etc might be worth a look there?

cheshiredog · 08/08/2022 00:09

Could you book somewhere with your children, but could parents join via Skype? That way they would still be a little involved, if you’d like them to be. I’m sure lots of venues are very well versed in doing this now, what with COVID. I hope you find somewhere suitable- some wedding venues do smaller weddings for ‘up to’ 10-15 people at a very low cost or you could find a registry office and then book a nice meal with your children. Happy wedding :)

Summersnearlygone · 08/08/2022 00:15

I do wedding photography and have been asked a few times this year to take a few family photos and also do witness at a wedding. At the last one the porter in the registry office was the other witness. He was so honoured that he cried.

Justaflippertyjibbet · 08/08/2022 00:17

Our wedding was very small, just my two children and his brother. Registry Office followed by lovely meal.
We announced our marriage afterwards to my very large extended family and no one seemed put out, in fact most were positively delighted for us. Go for it!

Usernameisgone · 08/08/2022 00:19

I got married in Gibraltar cost £1500 all in.

WeAreAllLionesses · 08/08/2022 01:07

Ours was also me, him and two unknown witnesses followed by a superb holiday abroad.

Do it your way!

Aquamarine1029 · 08/08/2022 01:22

My husband got married at the registry office, two lovely strangers witnessed, and we went on to have a lovely rest of the day. Twenty-five years later and we still look back and love the experience. It doesn't need to be complicated at all. Just do it!

urbanbuddha · 08/08/2022 01:46

Just get married at Manchester Register Office. 57 quid for the ceremony, just you and two adults to witness, and £35 each for notice of intention to marry.
Have a picnic and take the kids to a funfair afterwards.

NeedToLeaveNow · 08/08/2022 02:10

Lots of people have asked on here if anyone is close by to ‘blah’ registry office on a certain date and time
There are always offers of acceptance on here

skyeisthelimit · 08/08/2022 02:13

It may be too far for you but there’s a great place in Devon called Millbrook that specialises in small elopement weddings.

ultraviolet4753 · 08/08/2022 02:16

We live in Manchester and eloped to Leith in Edinburgh. About 2.5-3hrs on train I think?

They've recently done up all the rooms, it looks really nice, there's a lovely staircase too for pics.

They arranged to get some witnesses for us, as we weren't able to get any ourselves. They were all lovely.

You won't regret eloping and doing it the way you want. We never told anyone we were going, I was 17!

Toddlerandthecat · 08/08/2022 08:02

I've been looking at this recently. There's a place in Cheshire called The Love Shack that only offers elopement style packages for 2. I think the maximum number of guests is 6

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 08/08/2022 08:07

We had four guests at our registry office wedding - it was fine! 😊

Over and done with in about 20 minutes and then we went and had food - perfect!

Shellingbynight · 08/08/2022 08:08

There is no need to 'elope' unless you particularly want to. We had a v small wedding, just us and 4 friends, 2 were witnesses. We used the local registry office and then went out for dinner.

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