I got enganged and was SUPER excited! My mother and I immediately started planning and coming up with ideas with a date in mind for 9 months out. I thought things were going great. We had the budget talk with both sides and things were under-way and going great! The one day when discussing honeymoon options with my mother she gave me this half hour long lecture about how stressed out for money they are and how my dad is pulling out his hair even though we had already agreed on the budget.
So in the light of saving money and avoiding all the stress (plus I wasn't too excited about the formal wedding anyway) my fiance and I have decided to go on a cruise and bring some witnesses and our own officiant and get married on the boat over the sunset. I had called and okay'd this with the cruise line and found out the logistics about everything and it would cost us about 1/10th of the price of a formal wedding. We told our immediate family members and although its not ideal, they said, they support us and are even going to come on the cruise with us. We are calling it our wedding/honeymoon/family vacation all rolled into one! Some friends of ours even want to come too and are willing to pay their own way. I thought everything was going perfect ... till I had to call and tell my extended family.
Just from my grandparents, and my 2 aunts, they have given me enough gilt to question my decisions. Now I am sitting here super bummed out because I am thinking about cancelling my cruise to have an actual wedding and reception because I dont want them to be sad. But my fiance and best friend keep telling me that this is my day, and my wedding, and my marriage and that we should do what we want for the wedding. After the cruise we can throw a giant celbratory party or what-not to celebrate with extended family and friends. But the guilt is getting to me pretty bad.
HELP!!!