Wedding Talk: Round 1
January 9, 2011
In the earliest of days, our thinking ran something like this..
Q1. So when do you want to do this thing?
A1. Uh, I can do whenever. X says we can only have two witnesses at City Hall, though. [Addendum: True in San Francisco County.]
Q2. So what’s our budget? [as submitted by my dear WellHeeled, of course]
A2. You’re the one with the most event planning experience, you know what venues cost and headcounts and …stuff. I want to help but ….
me: *snerk* You’re just gonna show up, aren’t you?
Q3: Do you want to be a spring bride? A summer bride? Fall? Winter [future SIL]
A3: *blank stare*
Q4: Are we going to combine our finances? [me, of course]
A4: What?
Yeah, let’s sit down and talk about this one.
Fact 1: Public Marriage License – $90
Confidential Marriage License -$85
Difference: you don’t have to have witnesses for the latter. And save $5! Woot!
Fact 2: A blood test and health certificate are not required to obtain a marriage license.
Fact 3: You may complete your marriage application online.
Fact 4: After you obtain a marriage license, you have 90 days to get married by someone qualified to perform marriage ceremonies.
Fact 5: If you don’t provide your own witness, you can rent one for $18. #nolie.
Fact 6: Civil Ceremonies cost $25.
Fact 7: You can get the person of your choice deputized to perform marriage ceremonies for a day if you pay $75 and if they show up at 11 am on Thursday, by appointment only, to be sworn in. #truestory
Summary:
This is kind of amusing. And I am having the hardest time becoming emotionally invested in anything but a very few items: guests, budget. This is ok.
The list of things I should probably make decisions about, even in the simplest of weddings, is longer than my arm, but I don’t find myself caring about them: what to wear, the hair (maybe I should more than just comb it, PiC says ponytail is fine), the scheduling (other than to consider the effect on indoors/outdoors venue options). I’ll decide those things that float to the top as most important soon enough.
We’ve been to some lovely weddings in the bay area.
Our favorite so far was an outdoor wedding at Peterson Grove, Sanborn County Park, 16055 Sanborn Road, Saratoga California. With the reception there at the Sequoia picnic grounds. They had local catering. Had a bunch of different cakes instead of a tiered wedding cake.
It was awesome.
But don’t do shrimp at an outdoor wedding because it attracts wasps.
yay, a non-bridezilla! good luck with everything. you will make a perfect summer/winter/spring/autumn bride.
new career option: i want to be the person who gets paid $18 every time someone ‘rents’ me to be a witness…
We did our ceremony outdoors and had a lunch at a restaurant. Rings and photos were the two most expensive items. Then the celebrant’s fees and restaurant meal about the same. The dress was a present from Snork Maiden’s dad. All in about $A3,000. We have the photos on the web. E-mail me and I can send you a link.
Well, my wedding was courthouse w/ one witness. My dress cost $4. We had hamburgers after. the exciting part was that we had a surprise second witness–the famous writer Ama Ata Aidoo, who was teaching at my school for a semester and needed a ride to the post office (which was near the courthouse).
LOL. Loving the Q & A.
Might need to send fiance the book Get Financially Naked: How to Talk Money with Your Honey. 😉
I agree with christine. The Q&A were great. You bring up many good facts like costs, and what time of the season you might want to get married in.