Any suggestions for a wedding that's "different"?

[paddyclamp]

Hi Everyone

My OH has just proposed to me and i've said yes!!!!

Thing is everyone we know has done the big white dress / champagne on the lawn type of wedding and i just really fancy doing something different! We have 2 kids to consider too.

Any suggestions?

Do you or DH have any strong hobbies? Like harleys that you could encorperate?

i think the 4 of you shuld just fuck off somewhere for three weeks and get maried jumping off a bridge of sommat in sydney

How about doing a burlesque strip at the reception?

That wasn't very clear was it? I meant do either you or DP/DH have a passion/hobbies that you can encorperate. Like the bikers who turn up on harleys.

hopes thats clearer

champagne is never unwanted imo! To plan our wedding dh and I sat in the bath in a v nice Norfolk hotel, sank a bottle of champagne and talked abotu what we loved and loathed abotu weddigns we'd been to, and planned ours based on that conversation.

sorry the burlesque thing was a joke

I think live music always goes down well. Do you know any musicians?

I don't have anything against traditional weddings at all. I've always had a great time at other people's weddings. It's just not me.

Going away sounds like a good option! Not sure about jumping off a bridge.

Anyone got married overseas??

Well there's everything from a quick ceremony in a registry office followed by a trip to the pub, to the full works in medieval garb in a castle. What's your idea of a good time? Go on, what ideas have you had?

Agree you can't do alternative weddings based on what others have done, you need to sit down and talk about it yourselves, what you have liked about weddings you've been to and what you've really hated.

This conversation is much easier if you have been to lots of weddings.....

Congratulations, btw

You could aim to go for GMTV Wedding of the Year next year and have people make decisions for you (do they still do that?)

How about starting with a list of who you want to be there. I do a lot of event management and numbers is usually the starting point for deciding what's feasible.

Had thought about a Christmas wedding. But worried about expense for people eg new outfit when already paying a fortune for presents!

Also i guess it's already a busy time of year.

At the other extreme, a beach wedding somewhere exotic!

I'd love to go to a Christmas wedding. HOw fab and festive.

I got married in Canada, just dh, dd1 and me. Got married outside with some passing hillwalkers as witnesses. Beautiful views, lovely weather, had a brilliant holiday at the same time, got married more or less in the middle of our fortnights holiday and we wouldn't have done it any other way.

Bear in mind that you may well have to have a two-stage wedding (if you want a legal marriage) ie trip to the register office, who are not amenable to much in the way of unusual additions, then actual ceremony - whereupon you can have/do whatever you like. It's true that a registrar will travel to any licensed venue (and all sorts of places have licenses for marriages these days) but some people still find the official civil ceremony's wording and structure a bit limited or dull - but there are all sorts of things you can do.
Don't know the age of your kids but you might ,for instance, want to involve them in the ceremony as bridesmaids/ringbearers/witnesses/best man/woman....
Depending on who you're inviting as guests and their age/mobility issues, you might like to think about having a nigh-time or sunset or sunrise event, on a beach or a cliff-top...
You could have a ceremony at your home, in the pub where you met, in the local Fabulous Gothic Ruin with Views...

OK can everyone tell I've nearly finished my Wedding Celebrant Training?

I had two - Chelsea register office for the legalities, which was beautiful and moving, with just my stepdaughter present, plus my best friend and dhs's closest friend as witnesses. Then tea at Brown's hotel. Then a humanist ceremony and party at a big house in Somerset where most people stayed for the weekend. Very nice.

You always have some regrets I suspect. I would love to have invited some different people - such as people I have only met via MN.

Friend was bridesmaid at a Xmas wedding. Wedding party stayed at venue/hotel close to church. Just as well- massive snowfall overnight meant lots of guests couldn't get there. Lovely dresses and bouquets though - deep greens and reds and contrast with fresh white snow....