Alright, I've been engaged since June of 2005, and I'm graduating college in May of this coming year (class of 2007, yay!). I'm thinking of doing BUNAC after I graduate, but that's not decided officially. ANYWAY! I'm the american, he's the Brit. We have decided to have our wedding in the states, because it's easier that way and because I offered to move to the UK (he has no school degree so it'd be a lot tougher for him to get a new job than it would for me...hopefully...
) Plus, I have a bigger family, and only one of my cousins has a passport--no one else besides her and I have one! So it'd be easier to bring his smaller family over here and a few of his closer friends, as they all have passports, and the UK seems more lenient with time off of work.
With that said, we are looking into a late summer or (most likely) a fall wedding, for 2007, possibly 2008. Fall because we like that time of year (not too hot, and the changes of the leaves is beautiful) and because that tends to be a part of the year where ticket prices aren't so steep. (We're thinking of ourselves and our guests on that one).
Onto the (needlessly long) questions!:
1.) I am from northwest Ohio, and his family/friends would most likely be flying into Toledo.
Anyone know of any good venues for the wedding and/or reception in preferrably the Northern part of Ohio? We would also consider southern Michigan or North Eastern Indiana...we just don't want to have to worry too much about putting people through a long commute and keeping track of everyone (I think I will be amused at watching his mother and/or her boyfriend trying to drive an american rental car, though
).
2.) Which leads me to this question: I don't know how all of his family/friends are getting around for sure, lol. Some of them don't have their license, so we're going to have to work out some car situation. There are plenty of hotels around Toledo of course, and plenty of hotels in nearby towns in my hometown which is about an hour and a half south, so we are not worried about finding a place for everyone to stay. We are mainly worried about transport, so if anyone has dealt with how to get people from one place to another, we'd love to hear the ideas. His mother just doesn't believe me when I say we have no bussing system unless you're right in a city!
3.) We want a ceremony and reception that is a mixture of American and English culture. I know American traditions for weddings (what girl doesn't? Stereotypes abound, haha, anyways)...but this man says he has only been to 2 weddings in his life and knows no English traditions.
I am making him ask his mother, haha, but does anyone have any information or websites that will point me in the direction of some of the english traditions?
and finally
4.) After our wedding/reception here, we will be going to Chicago to get my spousal visa and go through that whole fun ordeal. (can you go to another country before going to the UK on that, btw? Like if we had our honeymoon in say France or something before going back to his home). But we want to have some sort of small reception/party for his family and friends in the UK that couldn't make it over to the US. He's from Scunthorpe, so does anyone know of any good places for a small reception in the Lincolnshire/Yorkshire area?
Sorry to be so long winded, but starting sooner is better than starting later. Any websites or info would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
