Hello Ladies... I'm new on this board, but I live in Las Vegas and will be getting married here within a year. Since i'm new i'll try to give some background.... I don't officially have my ring yet, but we have been ring shopping. So, I can't help but to think about it! I'm finishing up my Graduate degree (meetings and events management) and my guy is about half way done his bachelor's. He will have some student loans, I don't have any thanks to an assistanship. We don't have any car payments (we each own our cars) he has a mortgage on a modest 2 bdr 2 bath condo. Neither of us carry a credit card balance. So with all that said... we share the idea of living debt free. I'm looking at wedding options and It's going to be too pricey- so we thought about eloping. Then after thinking about eloping, I decided I couldn't do it and I want at least my immediate family there. My family lives in Canada, his lives here in Vegas. I was thinking that since my family will all be here for my graduation in May why not do a surprise wedding? If I tell my mum and sisters they will want me to do a big wedding.... which again, we just can't afford. I have thought about the logistics and we could tell everyone (it will be 14 people immediate family and spouses only)that we are going for graduation dinner, and then have the wedding with a justice of the peace and then have dinner. How would you feel if one of your immediate family members did this to you? what if one of your friends did this?? any thoughts???