Finally engaged!!!!!!

I haven't been on here in ages as my time in the UK ended in August (I finished my MA at Leeds for anyone who remembers me) but I can finally make the post here that I've been dying to make for months:

The Manxman and I are officially engaged!!!!  He proposed a week ago Saturday and gave me a lovely sparkler--I was visiting him over Spring Break and had an amazing time (he's working outside London now, so I had quite a bit of fun being a tourist). We're hoping to have the wedding in August of 2008.

Quick question for all of you--how many of you did the "marry in the US but settle in the UK" route? I know that technically his coming over on the VWP to marry me is legal, but this thread (http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=24753.0) makes me wonder if I ought to invest the time and money in a K1. My parents are investing a fair bit in this wedding (they have been saving for this since I was little and I'm really grateful to them for that) and I'm already anxious about all their money being wasted because we got a bad IO at the POE!  :\\\'( Any tips on the best way to do this? Thanks!!

of course you know what I think about this- congratulations (again)!

I think you know what I'm going to say next... Don't waste your time and energy (and money!) on the K-1.  Just make sure Ant travels with loads of proof of ties to the UK and that you're both returning there.  Many, many people here married in the US without problems...have a look through the "visa stories" thread on the visa board.

Congratulations!  I don't have any advice as DH and I are both Americans and only here temporarily, so we didn't have to go through the whole visa rigmarole or anything like that.

Congratulations!

I would definitely not waste money on the K-1 visa  (you can save that money for the lovely increase for the FLR visa  ). Coming over to marry in the US on the visa waiver with the intent to return to the UK is completely fine, and as long as you fiance has all the proof that you are returning to the UK you will be fine. This is what my husband and I did for our wedding last October with absolutely no problem. When he went through immigration they simply asked if he was there for business or not. They didn't ask him anything further (and it was his 3rd time in the country in 6 months), but if they had, he was prepared to tell the truth and show them all of the evidence of our plans to settle in the UK (which was all the evidence he was bringing for our visa appointment, i.e. copy of lease, job contract, print out confirmation of visa appointment, etc.).

Good luck with your plans!

Congrats!!

Many zingy congrats to you!

CONGRATS!

No problem here either - my Manxman (yay for islanders!) came over with things to tie him to the UK (letter from employer, bank accounts, lease etc) but they never asked for any of it - and he flat out told them he was coming to get married.  They asked if he was planning on staying, he said no, showed them his return ticket, and let him through.  No problem.

This might help allay your fears:
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=32167.0

or any threads on the visa forum...

Congratulations and reassure - it will all be wonderful.

Hi almariel, and congratulations!!

Congrats!

Congratulations!!

Congratulations!

I would definitely not waste money on the K-1 visa  (you can save that money for the lovely increase for the FLR visa  )

Ack! I know!! I was in engagement la-la land for my entire trip, only to come home to find that they'd jacked up the visa prices. ANGST. 

my Manxman (yay for islanders!)

You snagged one too? Nice!!  He actually had grand romantic plans to propose to me at the Dhoon Glen (one of my favorite places on the Island) when I visited, but then he went and landed a better paying job outside London (oh darn, haha) and was disappointed that he couldn't follow through with his original plans. (Of course, I told him to stop being silly and kissed him for the 129085th time that day).

Yeah!!!!!!!Manxman are a great breed of men aren't they!!!!!!!!!!

I love mine!!!!!!!!

Can't believe I have known mine for 10yrs this weekend..it is out anniversary of meeting online this weekend! 


Congratulations to you both!!!!!

Yeah!!!!!!!Manxman are a great breed of men aren't they!!!!!!!!!!

Definitely a breed unto themselves    Didn't even know they existed until I met mine, but once you go Manx you never go... um... does anything rhyme with Manx??

Congrats on your anniversary!

He actually had grand romantic plans to propose to me at the Dhoon Glen (one of my favorite places on the Island)

I'm with you on that!!  One of the pics from the last time I was there is the background of my computer!  His mum and sis etc live in Ramsey so I insist on going to Dhoon Glen every time we visit.  It would have been a great place to propose too... but boys are silly about not realising that it doesn't matter where you are - once they've said the words not a single thing in the world could be less than perfect

You're kidding! Mine's from Ramsey too!! Small world (small island, lol)! I love the Dhoon but I'd only been there once. I've been to the Island quite a few times but something always happened that we never got a chance to go back. He knew I really wanted to see it again, so he had this huge thing planned and then his plans were foiled!

And you're totally right--when he asked me he put the fancy H. Samuel bag on the bed and popped the question, and I said "of course I will!" and he said "You haven't even looked at the ring yet!" and I said "that doesn't matter!!"  He had hiccups the whole day before he asked me--not because he was worried about my answer, but because he was afraid I wouldn't like the ring!! Awww, my silly love. Here's my ring, btw: http://www.everynothing.com/Catulla/engagedpost/ering.JPG

And congratulations on your anniversary, MeShell!  I remember you from another post a while back when we thought he'd still be living on the Island, and you were so helpful!