Wedding Planning

[erin_doodle]

My fiancé's a Marine stationed at the other end of the country, and we're getting married at the end of June. :wub_anim: I'm finishing my Senior year of college, and he's obviously busy with his job in the military.

 

What's the best way to plan a wedding when two people are at opposite ends of the country?

 

We'll be living in the same place once we get married, but for right now, we're stuck! There are so many details and little things, and I'm not at all used to this girly party stuff. Help! :S

[Eric]

Aww...congratulations. I love weddings. ^_^

 

I'm sure you've already thought of all ideas that would both incorporate you and your fiancee in the decision making. If none of those look good, why not ask around for people to help? Build yourself a support group. Your support group is the people that make sure you don't give your wedding a space theme. I'm sure your fiancee wouldn't mind anything that wasn't incredibly wacky and out there.

 

Every once in a while, fire him off a quick SMS telling him how it's going. If he sees the words 'martian', 'spaceship' and 'Elton John's Rocket Man', I'm sure he'll be back post haste.

 

Good luck.

[ckayser]

Congratulations...

 

Let me start by saying this. I am a navy brat and military wife.

I know how it works. Been there done that....

You need to understand, as well as your man that when he is away, he must trust you to make the right decisions for both of you. He needs to know that you can handle the day to day stuff so he can do his job and stay safe. The last thing you want if for him to worry about cake flavors when he is possibly in a dangerous situation (although it doesn't sound as if this is the case here.) Military life is hard... harder on us who stay at home than those who go away. We have to be strong.., We have to make the decisions, we have to be supportive when no one is supporting us. You will have to take care if it all almost like a single person. The money bills kids pets repairs family contact etc.... its hard. I commend you for taking it on. I grew up in it for me it is second nature. I was raised to be a Officers wife and I am.

 

First and foremost are you getting married where you are or where he is?

 

If it is where you are and you have computer contact with him ... share your schedule with him. So he can go over it when he has time and make suggestions about changes.

Some thing like.

We can get married in this church or this venue I like this one because ...

I went and tasted cakes today this is what they have, here are my favorites I was thinking round 3 story etc....

You can lay out a budget so he can see it all.

 

This way you are controlling what is happening but still including him. He doesn't want to waste phone time talking about cake trust me.

Also if you are not using his uniform for the wedding he can get sized for a tux at any rental place and email you the measurements so you can order a tux for him locally.

 

Remember while it is "Your day as a couple, it's really YOUR day." Men are not in to all the details. If men had there choice they would just get a drink at the bar and make the proclamation... "Hey Ya'll this is my woman stay away,.. MINE."

 

You really just need to make sure his buddies and family are invited. He knows what time to show up, and what to wear, and where he is sleeping that night. (Men will tell you what ever you want to hear when it comes to the wedding. If you tell him you want him to be active.., then he will lie and tell you he is interested in it all.)

It is my experience the men like to do gift registries. Give him that job he can do it from anywhere. Even online, send him to target with his buddies and a clicker he will be happy.. you can then go online and edit all the junk he just put on the list as wanted gifts.

 

If you have out of town guests that will be coming in. Run to the best reasonable price hotel in your area and make a deal with them for discounted rates for your wedding guests and include that info on a card in your invitations. Some people get 2 or 3 hotels cheap mid and high priced so guest have a choice of service they want to pay for. Its also good to let them know if they will need a car or if everything is in walking or taxi distance. I was at a wedding in San Fran where they hired a bus to take people from a central location to the wedding and then to the reception and back to the hotel. It was nice... I rented a car haa haa

 

Stop worrying about what he wants and just plan the dang party. You know your man... you know what he wants.. which is for you to be happy.

 

Also on your wedding day do one thing just for him. Maybe order him a steak when everyone else is having chicken. Put him in a Kings throne for a chair. Or have a couple of stogies for him and his friends to share at the bar.

That way in all the mess of the wedding he knows you took a few minutes and thought of nothing but him. And he will be happy.

 

For my hubby.. I made him a crown which I presented at the reception. I went to burger king and got a paper crown hat they have and folded it inside out and decorated it myself. I glued on some shiny gems and added a money clip with my initials so he knew, while he carried the money, I would spend it. I got a tiny deck of cards since he like to play poker and put it on there so he knew he could still go out with the boys. I found a action figure from Masters of the Universe, so he knew he was the master of my universe. There was a little heart that when you pressed it it played the wedding march. all sorts of stuff. Anyway at the reception I made a grand old speech and put it on him. He wore it all night even would press the heart to let me know it was time to kiss him. We have been married 11 years and moved 16 times he still has that crown and takes it out on our anniversary and wears it all day. I thank Goodness every day the batteries died on that heart!!!! It was annoying. When he is deployed. I get a picture with him wearing it where ever he is at.

 

If you are getting married where he is, unless there is a family member you trust to be your legs....... HAVE HIM COME TO YOU!!!

[Ashley Rose]

Congrats! I know how hard this can be, I had a friend just go through this same thing...only she was stationed in Hawaii and her fiance was at home in Iowa. So needless to say she had to do a lot of phone calling back home to get her wedding planned. Email or instant messaging is also something they used a lot of, most people have access to that no matter where they are. My suggestion is to just try and communicate all your ideas and such as best you can, I am sure no matter what he will like it....after all he is marrying you, and from my experience most men don't care because they are finally going to be married to the woman they want and that is all they really care about! There are also some great wedding planning websites out there that have women on them who are in the same position as you or similar ones! Try maybe joining one and the people there can help you out! Good luck!

[ckayser]

I forgot to mention... the Marines have the best dress uniform ever issued to a military branch in the whole wide world.

Ummm Hummmm.... you know Im talking about the dress blues. High collar and brass buttons. Yes sireeeee

 

 

You better make that man and all his buddies wear them.... You wont be disappointed. (Saves money too, they ALL have them and they will all look alike and yummy good.)

 

Oh and because his is Marine you could have them do that whole sword thing when you leave the church or even if you do it at a venue where the reception is you could work it out I am sure.

 

Ive got the whole wedding planned out in my head right now..... I am kidding. But I do love planning a party.

 

 

Good luck on it all.