Need help!!!!

Re: Need help!!!!

• 2dBride member

  

  May 2010 edited December 2011

  Congratulations!
  
  We just got married in Boston last October.  Honestly, gay wedding planning there is pretty much like any other wedding planning.  They have had same-sex marriage in Massachusetts for so long that everyone, including vendors, takes it for granted.
  
  The first question is what kind of venue you want.  Are you looking for a religious ceremony or secular?  How many guests do you anticipate having?  Do you want outdoors or indoors?  Are you looking for a plated dinner and dancing, a cake and punch reception, or something else?  What kind of budget are you dealing with?
  
  As a general rule, it is less expensive (and less complicated) to have your ceremony and reception in the same place.  However, if you want to have a religious wedding, for example, it may need to be in a church, depending on the requirements of the relevant religon.
  
  You'll also need to think about an officiant.  Massachusetts permits anyone to get a one-day license to perform marriage, so if you want a friend or relative to do it, that's fine.  If not, you'll obviously need to find an officiant who meets your needs and is available on a date that you can also get the venue.
  
  Once you've narrowed down both budget and what you are looking for, check the Boston board to get ideas of places that would work for you.   Don't ask about gay wedding venues; just ask about wedding venues.   You are not going to encounter any problems on that board due to the fact it's a same-sex wedding.  I inhabited that board for a long time before my wedding, and never got a negative comment.  And if someone recommends a venue that sounds good to you, don't rule it out just because her wedding was a straight one.  Talk to the people at the venue, tell them it's a same-sex wedding, and see how they respond.  If they are hostile, you obviously don't need to use them.  However, the chances are excellent that they will just treat you like any other wedding.
  
  My bio is in my signature, and lists all the vendors we used.  Whether or not you want to use our vendors, you may find it useful for thinking about the types of vendors you'll need.
  
  Finally, a warning:  Massachusetts has a three-business-day waiting period for getting a marriage license.  If you're in Pennsylvania, you may not want to have to go to Massachusetts just to get the license, or to arrive several days early for your ceremony.  If that is the case, it is relatively simple to get a court waiver of the three-day waiting period.  Here is a link to a booklet on the legal requirements.

  
  Our wedding bio page (including vendor reviews) and items for sale

  Report0 Reply
• EMEP member

  

  August 2010 edited December 2011

  Congrats!  Planning a Wedding can be soo much fun!  It also can be stressfull from afar.  Might I suggest considering a local wedding planner to help with the details?  These guys are great and work all through out New England!
  
  http://www.EntertainMeEventPlanner.com
  
  Best of Luck on your planning!

  Report0 Reply