American marrying a Brit...where to have the ceremony?!

armybride_09

I am recently engaged to a wonderful man who is everything I ever hoped for. We met in Arkansas, where I was born and where all of my family resides, and also where we will continue to live until at least 2016. The issue is that he is from England and all of his family and friends live there. I've always dreamt of the big, traditional Southern wedding. Of course, I'm willing to sacrifice this but I just can't figure out a solution that makes a wedding easily accessible for both families. We are planning on marrying in the summer of 2014. What have those of you who have had location issues done to resolve this? This is such a special event and both of us want our (large) families and dearest friends to join in on the celebration! 

freebread03

Either way, people will travel.  If you're living in Arkansas, it will be so much easier to plan a wedding there then to try to plan one in England while living in the US.  If you do decide to get married in Arkansas, plan some fun activities for your overseas guests, and have some traditional southern foods served at your wedding.  People enjoy experiencing other cultures, and a southern wedding sounds wonderful. I'm traveling to Eastern Europe for a wedding in June--people WILL travel, though do expect that many won't be able to make it with cost and work obligations.

MrsGandthebeag

I agree that it'll be easiest to have it where you currently live.  Will there be any important people for your FI that won't be able to make it if you have the ceremony in the US (ie-parents, grandparents, etc?).

Kate61487

What does your FI think about it?  Is his heart set on getting married in the UK like yours is set on getting married in the South?  Perhaps you could honeymoon in Europe and have a party to meet/celebrate with his family so they don't all have to travel?  (not a "2nd reception", not wearing your wedding dress, just a party to celebrate).  Or maybe you should just have a DW so everyone has to travel?  Unfortunately this is really something that you and FI have to discuss and compromise on.

Simply Fated

<div>Congratulations on bagging a Brit. I'm jealous. Anyway...</div><div>
</div>In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_american-marrying-a-britwhere-to-have-the-ceremony?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:65ec20d5-88c4-4172-8f23-fe5774a2d489Post:99f8dae4-1f43-42ab-bb86-ed3eeae534e8">American marrying a Brit...where to have the ceremony?!</a>:
[QUOTE]I am recently engaged to a wonderful man who is everything I ever hoped for. We met in Arkansas, where I was born and where all of my family resides, and also where we will continue to live until at least 2016. The issue is that he is from England and all of his family and friends live there.<strong> I've always dreamt of the big, traditional Southern wedding. </strong>Of course, I'm willing to sacrifice this but I just can't figure out a solution that makes a wedding easily accessible for both families. We are planning on marrying in the summer of 2014. What have those of you who have had location issues done to resolve this? This is such a special event and both of us want our (large) families and dearest friends to join in on the celebration! 
Posted by armybride_09[/QUOTE]
What has he always dreamt of? Is he willing to sacrifice being married in England?<div>
</div><div>
</div><div>Even if both of you were from the same town, not everyone might be able to come. So forget about that for now and discuss where you two want to get married. </div><div>
</div><div>Personally? I might get married in the country I won't be living in. Unless for legal reasons that isn't allowed. Or I'd marry in one country, and honeymoon in the other.</div><div>I've thought about this a lot. Bf knows I'd ditch him in a second for a Brit. It's all about those accents.</div>

tiny speck

Ask your FI what his dreams and expectations are, but I just wanted to put it out there that weddings in the UK are VERY different from those in North America so if I were in your position I would definitely have it in the US. I'm from Canada and FI is American but we met and live in England, and are marrying there in April.

Planning a wedding from an American point of view has been a real hassel; some things we wanted to do haven't been possible (it's illegal to get married outdoors, or outside the hours of 9-5), and some things we don't want to do are so common place here that we got funny looks trying to explain we aren't doing certain things (like a tiered reception, which is almost universally accepted here). Save yourself the trouble, but definitely talk it over with your FI.