My fiance and I got engaged in April 2013 and have been planning our wedding for August 2014. Our pastor has a contract that he needs us to sign in order for him to marry us, saying that we will not live together until after the wedding. We had been planning on moving in together within the next couple months. Financially, we need to move in together as we are both paying separate rent.
Our pastor gave us the idea of having a small, private ceremony in about a month or two so that we can be legally married and then move in together. We would still plan the big wedding in August. I plan on sending out a short letter with the Save-the-Dates telling everyone that we're married, and that they are invited to our marriage celebration in August.
My idea was that we would still have something like a ceremony in August, but would that feel too fake and would it confuse people? I want to wear my wedding dress, walk down the aisle with my Dad and exchange vows in front of all of our family and friends. I want that "normal" wedding ceremony. I feel like our pastor could explain it in a nice way during the ceremony and include the family and friends in on supporting us as a couple with our relationship. I just don't want to confuse people and I am definitely not keeping this a secret - everyone will know beforehand.
I know a lot of people will have opinions on this, but every situation is different, so please keep that in mind when you give me your thoughts. Thanks!