Getting Married Revisited

I am warning everyone that this will not be a frugal post.

Miss M is in process of planning her wedding and honeymoon next year and asked if I had any ideas.

Yes I do! Whether they are relevant to her and her love's style, I don't know...

This question brought back a slew of memories for me because during my first relationship with a very non frugal guy, a long time ago, I would daydream about ways to get married that was different, fun and meaningful to the couple, as I felt that was what the union was supposed to be about.

Here was my top 3 choices in no particular order:

1) Rent out The Inn on Mt Ada, Catalina Island and fly a very small group out there to participate in our union. We would pay for everything and it would be a great backdrop for what we considered an intimate and "traditional" gathering. Wow, seeing those pictures again was great.

2) Get Married Polynesian style. One of my closest girlfriends hails from Tahiti. When she told me about the philosophy of her cultural weddings, I was taken. The idea is that the Man, has to earn his way to his Woman. So, he has to prove his worth by braving waves in an outrigger canoe in order to fetch his to-be wife in time to have a sunset ceremony under a sacred arch. The ceremony is to be just the bride and groom and a local priest where you are expected to learn your lines in local language. Afterwards, celebrate with friends and family with canapes.

This was by far the most expensive choice. The whole experience included a few nights at each society island (Moorea, Huahine, Bora Bora etc. as well as a 3 night cruise to the Cook Islands). The ceremony wasn't considered "legal" to North America standards back when I was searching. So we were going to get married at a local Justice of the Peace first, then have our ceremony later.

3) Get Married Navajo style. I have a real love for the Southwest US -- Arizona, Utah. So, it would make sense that I had looked into getting married by a Navajo Indian Chief. The union of the couple is a union of the spirit. The ceremony is simple, by cliff side, and an intricate, handmade blanket is used to drape over the shoulders of the bride by her groom as a symbol of the union. Indian Sign Language is used to signal certain parts of the ceremony.

Wow, seeing those pictures again was great. Remember, I was daydreaming these dreams when I was 26 yrs old! As my readers know, I didn't chose any of the above, including the guy. I had a great time researching the symbolic representation of marriage though and still feel it would be really cool to re-marry every so often in different ways to renew your commitment to each other.

On that note, I'd love to have a ceremony at Bourges -- my all time favorite Gothic Cathedral.

Not sure if any of the ideas appeal, Miss M, thanks for the opportunity to go down memory lane!