We got engaged at New Year's Eve and have been struggling with wedding planning ever since (it's mid-August and we have yet to sign any contracts with anybody!) The big issue really revolves around the fact that he is from England, I am from America, and our best friends live in Australia, Romania, Israel -- you name it. How do we get all these people in one place?!
At Christmas we're going to Australia to visit his best friend (and would-be Best Man if we have a real wedding), and his father will be in the country as well for a boat race. If his mother and brother came down too, we realized we could have a very nice, small wedding in Sydney and then come back to our respective hometowns and have bigger hors d'oeurves receptions for those who couldn't make it. However, my parents and friends are in no financial situation to fly to Australia for our wedding, and I am now wondering how to avoid major hurt feelings if none of the girls I have chosen as my de-facto bridesmaids get to wear a dress and stand next to me at my wedding. (I'm very friendly with his mother, brother's girlfriend, and friend's wife so I would feel fine having those three women standing beside me at a small ceremony.) Not to mention the fact that my mom eloped and hurt the feelings of her mother over 30 years ago -- I'm almost certain she will see this as karmic revenge.
Any thoughts from other Knotties??!! I need help to defuse this situation!!!