Author Topic: thoughts about the wedding (Read 7216 times)

Caddydaddy · « **on:** July 16, 2009, 01:26:12 AM »

Ok, ahm, hum, yes, ahm - - it will get serious!

I searched the whole RWD archive about wedding ceremonies, but did not find anything clever. I am not so experienced with getting married so often, I only did it once and it is about 20 years ago, so I feel pretty much like a newbie again… $:-\$

We don't know the exact date for our wedding yet (paper related…) but yesterday we spoke about the ceremony and it could happen probably soon.

First I would like to know if I should respect Russian traditions which may differ from Western habits. I simply don't know, are there any hints and clues?

To my astonishment, my Baby does not want a big wedding ceremony, just the very next relatives, the witnesses, that's it. She does not like all the people staring at her, talking to her and she doesn't understand the language and so on.
Well, thinking back on my first wedding I must admit this day was nothing but stress, full program, all the guests, games, dances and, and, truly nothing relaxing and pleasant, not to speak of romance

I know such a special day is very individual, but I want to ask the married RWs and Western men here on the board, how was your wedding day with your beloved one?

a wondering Caddydaddy

GoodOlBoy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2009, 05:10:37 AM »

Quote from: Caddydaddy on July 16, 2009, 01:26:12 AM

I know such a special day is very individual, but I want to ask the married RWs and Western men here on the board, how was your wedding day with your beloved one?

Hey Caddydaddy.

Glad to read about your continued happiness.

Our wedding was great!

About a month after Marina arrived here in the GoodOl' USA, we flew out to Las Vegas and got married at the Treasure Island Chapel.

http://www.treasureisland.com/amenities/wedding_packages.aspx

We planned Las Vegas for 2 reasons.

One.....The obvious, it's very easy and quick to get married there (as long as you have all the necessary documents).

Two...... Marina has a girl from her hometown (Omsk) living there with her AH (American Husband). Marina's friend agreed to be her maid of honor and I asked her husband to be my best man.

So when Marina and I arrived in Las Vegas, we went down to the Clark County (NV) Courthouse with all of our documents, waited in line about an hour and got our license to wed.

The line at the courthouse was sort of bizarre.

There were SEVERAL people standing in line (brides and grooms) with their wedding dresses and tuxedos on.

There were several "stretch" limousines waiting out front for them with different "chapel" names posted on the side of the doors.

The courthouse turned out to be a VERY busy place.

Upon returning to our hotel (The Mirage), I called the Treasure Island Chapel and reserved a slot the next afternoon for our wedding.

I also called a stretch limo service and reserved a limo for a couple of hours to drive the 4 of us around Las Vegas.

So, after the wedding ceremony, we rode around Las Vegas and drank Champagnski.

I had made reservations at a nice night club, we proceeded there after the limo ride and had our wedding cake and more champagnski and danced for the rest of the evening with our 2 friends.

There is a wedding picture of ours posted in the Gallery section of RWD.

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?ind=gallery&op=foto_show&ida=502

Good memories for us.

I sincerely hope you and your lady have a nice wedding also CaddyDaddy.

GOB (Rick Hill)

Kuna · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2009, 05:33:57 AM »

CD,

Congrats on the continuation of good things!

While your wife doesn't want a big wedding I guess it's important to understand if you're planning a religious wedding.

My wife and I had a civil ceremony first and then earlier this year we had our church wedding.

As for the reception/party... well... that's the point at which you can REALLY whoop it up!

My wife wanted a PARTY... not a dinner. We basically did a cocktail thing with finger food and boxed noodles etc in a restaurant near our apartment. We tried to include as many traditions into our wedding day as possible but that was also because I also have Ukrainian heritage.

Some of the REALLY important things for us were:

- My wife said there should be a cord, or rope, at the doorway to the pagoda (where we were married). I had to step over the cord as I entered the building as did she when she entered. This signified the stepping into married life and leaving single life behind.

- My MIL brought the family embroidered mat/shawl/throw that her grandmother had made many years ago. This was also used at her sisters wedding. It's placed at the feet of the celebrant/priest and we stood on it as we took our vows.

From memory, they were the main things during the service. The religious service was much more involved with Orthodox rituals including the "gold crowns" and candles, etc.

The BIG THING I'd prepared for our party was something my wife had mentioned early on. She said it would be "so romantic" for her new husband to sing to her at her wedding. Now, I'm not someone who would have EVER sung in public, but I burnt my chosen song onto CD and played that sucker in the car until I knew it word for word. It was the only thing I listened to on the way to and from work for MONTHS!

At our reception I had some friends "Steal her away" and they "challenged me to sing for her return".

I think it was a great surprise for her - and lots of fun for me to sing to her in full voice, and in front of everyone on the day. To watch that beautiful girl melt with pride and joy was something to really behold. That song is "our song" now and if she's every feeling a little ill.. or a little tired... a few verses brings her back to being on top of the world.

OK OK.. what was the song??? Some Frank of course, and the words were "rather appropriate" I thought. Any guesses on which Sinatra sound fits this journey we undertake???

Ive got you under my skin
Ive got you deep in the heart of me
So deep in my heart, that youre really a part of me
Ive got you under my skin

Ive tried so not to give in
Ive said to myself this affair never will go so well
But why should I try to resist, when baby will I know than well
That Ive got you under my skin

Id sacrifice anything come what might
For the sake of having you near
In spite of a warning voice that comes in the night
And repeats, repeats in my ear

Dont you know you fool, you never can win
Use your mentality, wake up to reality
But each time I do, just the thought of you
Makes me stop before I begin
cause Ive got you under my skin

Yes, I'd suggest you do consider some Russian traditions... You can have a REALLY awesome day!

Good luck.

Kuna

kievstar · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2009, 07:00:07 AM »

I would do what makes your future wife happy. My wife wanted the traditional Russian wedding with bribing the wifes friends and family before Zags and lavish ceremony after. We had several limousines, entertainer, photographer, DVD man, music man, and rented out an entire place designed for entertaining. But I did the shopping for the booze.

Never bought more bottles of booze in my life. The people who work in that store still laugh when I come in now as they remember me well.

Thank god no church. That is one thing all the foreigners at my wedding said - would be nice to get rid of the boring church service and have Zags. They all thought Western weddings are very boring after going to a Russian wedding.

Went to one wedding recently in Ukraine and the foreign man wanted the church service. All the people there were pissed but him. Rambling a little bit. Do what your future wife wants it really is her day.

GQBlues · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2009, 05:00:30 PM »

Quote from: Caddydaddy on July 16, 2009, 01:26:12 AM

I know such a special day is very individual, but I want to ask the married RWs and Western men here on the board, how was your wedding day with your beloved one?

When my wife and I talked about this initially, at the time she assumed she won't be able to have her family around her and all she asked for was a small wedding. I figured maybe around 40-50 people, she's thinking maybe even smaller.

When she got her visa, I told her I'm inviting her parents for the wedding. She got even more excited. Just before arriving, she started to get concerned about the cost which would now include her parent's travel cost. She didn't want an engagement ring and asked for a simple wedding band, a simple wedding dress and asked if we could shrink the number of invited guest, etc...

From my wife's perspective, this will be almost a dream come true. From my perspective, something need to happen because too many small details seem to not be fitting together. I was anxious and worried about her parents lack of language skills and the probability of them feeling out of place being surrounded by my family and friends, which may in turn encroach upon my wife as an added anxiety...that was the last thing I wanted to see my wife go through to what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.

So I completely junked the whole plan.

Instead, I arranged for a special after-wedding ceremony for my family and friends. After explaining, everyone understood my plight. I told my wife I am inviting her entire family for the wedding instead and that we'll be all by ourselves for an entire week (one sister couldn't make it). I arranged our wedding to be in Hawaii to be attended only by her immediate family and 3 of my friends (who paid their own trip to Hawaii). I arranged for her wedding dress fitting, scheduled a meeting with a jeweler for our wedding rings ( just a cheap band for me ). We were all in Hawaii for a week, got married. Her family 'gave' us a couple of days off from them for 'our' honeymoon. They were happy enough to hang out on Waikiki beach for both those days.

The wedding itself wasn't too expensive. There was a luau happening that day and the establishment were nice enough to let our entire party have the VIP hut where we got our own servers as opposed to a buffet situation. We were seated at the center and above everyone else. When they announced our wedding, everyone clapped, cheered and toasted us so it felt like everyone were actually our guest. All 1,000 of them. Then of course, the customary Hawaiian Luau Performance all night long.

The wedding package itself cost, I believe, less than 2K. It included Limo from the hotel and back, minister, the site and props, cake, champagne, etc..I arranged for a photographer, a make-up gal for her, and a cool bruddah who brought 200 doves (pigeons actually) to fly out after our vows. The luau was additional, the VIP upgrade was free.

http://www.paradisecovehawaii.com/CustomEvents/weddingceremonies.htm

Our theme song is 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

The Blue Ocean Pacific sunset was free!

Caddydaddy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2009, 02:39:54 AM »

Thank you for sharing the story of the most important day of your life, getting married with your Russian Woman! Of course it's my Baby's day and I will make her as happy and comfortable as I can. I think we will find something nice and suitable which fits her imaginations.

Just now my Darling is here and I want to share a small episode: Honey, do you like Russian food? Oh yes sure I do! Хорошо, we must go to the grocery. Normally I am in and out in 15 max. 20 minutes, she needed 3.5 hours to check out everything. Yesterday evening as I came back home after work she made a wonderful supper: суп капустный летний (cabbage summer soup) и селедка под шубой (herring under a fur coat), ahh exquisite!!

Here in Europe all will tell you French cuisine is the crème de la cème, I start to tell them: ever heard or tasted Russian cuisine, eh?

GOB, I only hope you had Cadillac limo in Las Vegas!

I already told my Sweetheart if it will not work out with all those papers I take her to Las Vegas and we get married there, hehe. Thanks for your wedding pic, I see you are a wonderful couple.

Yeah Kuna, Frankie's "I've got you under my skin" is truly a wonderful song. I know it very well, Sinatra crooning and classic Caddies belong together somehow.

Yes, GQBlues, I will figure out together with her how many people she wants to invite max and of course we will have a nice honeymoon. That singer in the youtube movie should probably switch to Russian food, thought the music is nice

Thanks again!
Caddydaddy

GregfromGa · « **Reply #6 on:** July 17, 2009, 05:47:37 AM »

Our wedding in Kharkiv was pretty simple but very nice. My wife rented the dress, we picked out gold bands. She made me buy a new tie and shoes. Of course we bribed the judge to get married when we wanted. I think it costs me a $100. We rented about 3 cars. Nice cars. I think our pictures costs about $150. We rented a room at a nice restaurant. We fed about 20 people for less than $300 or $400..I cant remember but I know the food was great. All the guys thought I was drinking vodka but I was doing shots of water. I really impressed them when I made the bubbles roll in a cold bottle of Nemiroff. Of course my Mother-in-law knew better. We told Papa later but not anyone else. We got off cheap and we're just as married and happy as we would be if we wouldve rented the Waldorf Astoria for a week. Dmitry from Kharkivgirls basically set the entire thing up even though I only rented flats from him. Great guy. I lost contact. I wish I know how to get in touch. I took good care of him because he made it happen. I invited him and some English tourist to the wedding. They were the only ones I could joke around with other than my wife. They are actually in some of our pictures. it's great. I think I have their email address somewhere.

UTRO · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2009, 08:48:29 AM »

Did ours in Jamaica this past April for many reasons including...

1. No translation and notarization of Birth Certificate, Passport, Divorce Certificate, etc, into Russian for me.
2. Wedding recognized by both the Canadian and Russian governments... USA too.
3. Jamaica is English speaking, sort of

Therefore, no need to have the Marriage Certificate translated and notarized back into English.
4. Sveta could keep her maiden name. No need for her to change her name on all her Russian documents.
5. No need for me to be inside Russia and Registered, for a minimum of 2 weeks, before being eligible as a Foreigner for a Zags wedding.
6. Russians can travel freely to Jamaica just as Westerners can.... therefore both of our families and friends could attend easily.
7. Expedited Wedding Certificate, meant that I left Jamaica with it in hand and was able to start Immigration paperwork once I got home, vs waiting weeks for Moscow to do so.
8. A Wedding situated in a Tropical Paradise vs an ugly old Soviet era Zags?
9. Wedding arrangements were taken care of by the Resort Wedding Coordinators. Nyet probyem Mon!
10. Last but not least... Sveta's Mum had passed away in February. We went to Jamaica in respect of family mourning in Russia.

Ade · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2009, 01:08:19 PM »

Next Tuesday, the 21st, Tanya and I will go to the local court and sign a piece of paper and then put on our (platinum) rings.

Neither of us wanted anything remotely ostentatious. In a few weeks we plan on a trip to the West side of Norway to travel some of the spectacular fjords. We'll also be going back to Russia in a few months to renew her internal passport with her married name and we'll have a nice dinner with her immediate family and some friends.

As others have said, the main thing is to do what makes her happy.

GoodOlBoy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2009, 01:30:53 PM »

Quote from: SeriouslyJaded on July 17, 2009, 01:08:19 PM

Next Tuesday, the 21st, Tanya and I will go to the local court and sign a piece of paper and then put on our (platinum) rings.

Congratulations SeriouslyJaded!!

I hope you will continue to post here at RWD after you are married.

GOB

kievstar · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2009, 03:25:00 PM »

Hi Greg, Dimitry still runs an agency in Kharkov and rents apartments. I know him. Good guy. I will try to find his email address and phone number for you. Just so its the same Dmitry - he married a Russian woman and not Ukrainian? There are two Dmitry's renting out apartments in Kharkov. One is married and one is not.

Ade · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2009, 11:53:17 PM »

Quote from: GoodOlBoy on July 17, 2009, 01:30:53 PM

Congratulations SeriouslyJaded!!

I hope you will continue to post here at RWD after you are married.

GOB

Thanks.

It's been so very easy for us in almost every way that sometimes I have a hard time believing it's actually happening and that I'm not dreaming. Even the paperwork (and trust me, I hate paperwork) has been a relative breeze.

As for posting, I'm not sure how much longer this place will hold my attention.

Maybe after the last instalment of Sculpto does Mexico this place will be a little dull?

dokrog · « **Reply #12 on:** July 18, 2009, 09:04:37 PM »

Hey! congrats CaddyDaddy and SeriouslyJaded,

Getting married to the right woman is an absolutely wonderful thing. Both of you look exceedingly happing and that makes me happy.

Me? I got married in Russia with a traditional Russian wedding. Lasted about a day and a half and was tons of fun. And...a major part of it turned out to be true.

Part of the wedding ceremony involves driving by a hospital after the ceremony. Your best man and woman run inside and present flowers and chocolates to the staff and inquire as to the sex of the most recent child born. I had never told anyone ever that I had always dreamed of having a daughter. Especially not after having a son through a previous marriage. The last child was a girl born with blue eyes and 2.8kg in weight. Our daughter was born with blue eyes 2.8 kg in weight 3 years later. Interesting no?

Take care you 2.

Caddydaddy · « **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2009, 04:28:06 AM »

Privet all,

First, SeriouslyJaded, my very best wishes for you two, have a bright future together! You may consider to change from SeriouslyJaded to SeriouslyThrilled

After 3 eventful weeks my Darling flew back home to Latvia. All paperwork is done, well, one translation with apostille is missing yet, but our marriage is filed and we "must" be married until October 8th latest. She will be here mid September and her next flight ticket is without return flight...
So God will I fly to Latvia in two weeks, if I will not be in hospital again, or the sky will fall onto my head or something else unforeseen will happen...

Oh well dokrog, I know how it was to be married to the wrong woman. With my Latvian Lady I begin to understand how it can be to be married with the right woman, she is a jewel!

Aloe · « **Reply #14 on:** August 03, 2009, 01:38:32 AM »

wow, very beautiful photos, where was that taken?
my wedding was organized by my mother in law, it was such a pity i didnt get to wear a wedding dress, and everyone spoke dutch, even the people who know english, so i felt pretty bored and lonely during the dinner after the ceremony. I still dream of a wedding dress

But the important thing is that now im with my husband and we are happy.. i still want the damn dress tho !

Caddydaddy · « **Reply #15 on:** August 04, 2009, 12:09:05 AM »

Aloe, the photos were taken in Switzerland not far from the Grimsel Hospiz at the Furka-Grimsel pass. We made some holidays there and of course at home she got to steer the Convertible

Ooops, you had no wedding dress?? Maybe is no tradition in Belgium? Like you my bride has same fear, a big wedding party and probably she will be lost, bored and can't speak a word to the guests. So we will keep it intimate with only the best friends and closest relatives.

Ahm, you want that damn dress? My Sweetheart has a special manner when she wants something, I can't say anything but...

Caddydaddy · « **Reply #16 on:** August 25, 2009, 03:00:50 AM »

Privet all,

Well, I am back from my visit of Latvia. Riga is a great town, we also visited Jurmala (beach) and Sigulda (old castle). Of course we had to go on my request to Rīgas Motormuzeja, a must for any car nut. There are ultra rare cars, for Ex. Stalin's armored 7,5 tons limousine with truck chassis and Breschenew's crashed Rolls not to speak of all the rare GAZ automobiles like a Tschaika GAZ 13 - wow!

Ok, I learned how it is to live in a Sowjet block flat in a Chruschtschowka building, very educating for me!
And now - and now... my Darling will come again to my place mid September with a one way ticket! You all may guess what this means

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Author Topic: thoughts about the wedding (Read 7216 times)

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