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Aaleena
Savvy July 2020

Calling all International brides!! civil marriage+ symbolic wedding or vow renewal

Aaleena, on February 2, 2020 at 12:07 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 8
Hi everyone! Smiley smile I got married at the courthouse... so legally I am married...my parents told everyone close to me that I got married at the courthouse but there are some people I haven’t told and I got married with my fiancé for practical reasons ( insurance and immigration issues). I originally come from Mexico and He’s from Ecuador. In Mexico and Ecuador only legal marriages are recognized and then people have the option of doing a religious ceremony...I understand I am in the states... he and I got married for those reasons with only my parents as witnesses..a lot of people understand our reason for “eloping” but I know here in the states if I want to do a reaffirmation ceremony it would be against courtesy to call it a wedding... as technically it is a renewal of vows... however my Hispanic family keeps mentioning when the “symbolic wedding ceremony and reception will be” and so is his extended family...I have a lot of extended family that my parents want to invite from Canada, Mexico, and around the states but for them this wording would make them confused. Honestly I’m so confused on what to word the invitations because in other parts of the world the legal and religious are separate occasions. Any advice is appreciated!

8 Comments

Latest activity by Aaleena, on February 6, 2020 at 10:25 PM
  • Mandi
    Master October 2020
    Mandi ·
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    Religious ceremony & reception?


    I went to a reception a couple months ago and the couple eloped and the parents were trying to figure out if they could find a priest to bless the marriage. So maybe a blessing?
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  • Caytlyn
    Legend November 2019
    Caytlyn ·
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    I feel like it’s extremely deceitful to invite your friends and family to a wedding and lie about the fact that you’re already married. I would just call it a vow renewal and be honest.
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  • Aaleena
    Savvy July 2020
    Aaleena ·
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    I’m not thinking about lying... I am thinking about giving an explanation on the invitation... and not necessarily using the word wedding...
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  • Aaleena
    Savvy July 2020
    Aaleena ·
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    Do you think it would be appropriate to say something like this??
    William and Aaleena
    legally married at the courthouse And request your presence as they reaffirm their vows and love for each other in front of their loved ones.Reception to followAddress
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  • Caytlyn
    Legend November 2019
    Caytlyn ·
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    I think that “legally married at courthouse” sounds awkward and super casual. I would say something like


    William and Aaleena were married in a private ceremony on *insert date.* Please join us as they reaffirm their vows on....
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  • Aaleena
    Savvy July 2020
    Aaleena ·
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    Ok thank you ☺️
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  • A
    Dedicated September 2020
    Alys ·
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    You can call it whatever you want. If in your culture, you would have called it a wedding on the invitation, do so. I'm assuming since having separate civil and religious ceremonies is the norm in your culture, then just invite your family/friends/guests to your wedding and call it such since that's the norm for your family/friends.


    Don't worry so much about American customs. Having multiple weddings is very common for grooms/brides whose family/friends are very far apart, especially if you're an immigrant or have immigrant parents. My cousin threw 3 separate wedding ceremonies + receptions in Korea, China, then back to San Francisco for their US based friends and family. Everyone knew they were having 3 weddings in order to properly host family and friends who lived in different parts of the world. We were all still happy to witness them making vows to each other and party afterwards. I just came back from another another wedding in Austin, Texas, for an old school friends and they are flying to their Australia wedding next week for her side of the family. My brother in law is having his Argentina wedding this June, and then they're coming back in July to do it again for his family and friends. I will happily attend their second wedding and reception.


    Your friends and family love you and just want to celebrate your marriage with you. They're not going to care what you call it, but for reference my friends have always called it a wedding regardless if they were doing multiple ceremonies. It's just a cultural preference, not something "deceitful."


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  • Aaleena
    Savvy July 2020
    Aaleena ·
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    Yes this is actually some feedback that I am so happy to hear! I was getting depressed thinking that it wasn’t appropriate and that I can no longer have a wedding. Thanks so much for bringing my spirits back up you have no idea how much I appreciate it. Also I guess youre right I think I’ll just call it a wedding but if people ask or even if I talk to them on the phone to invite them I would explain my reasons for doing so I think I just need to be sincere....I guess if they don’t understand or if they judge me they don’t have to come but I think those closest to me will come no matter what. Smiley smile 💕
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