Wedding battle solved

For those who have been following this blog, you will know that in September, I proposed marriage to the Gf and she accepted. For the last three months we have been discussing what form the wedding will take, and when.

Regarding dates, I was thinking not before Christmas this year but by summer 2005 for sure. When I asked her what she though about a date, she suggested in 18 months.

I am all for waiting to be sure and all of that, but its not like I am 22 and jumping into marriage just to see what it is like. I am 34 and I think I have dated enough to know what I want. She is no spring chicken either (sorry honey) and is firmly over 30. No need to wait, in my view, and that biological clock ain't ticking backwards.

However, the date is not the real problem. The real problem is the format. I am big on family and friends, and would like to have a small ceremony in Edmonton with the people we value the most attending. She agrees that would be best, but wants to elope as she thinks her parents (who are divorced) are going to make trouble.

I cannot quite understand this reasoning. They are a thousand kilometers away and would not be involved in the day to day planning, we do not need any money so either parents cannot use money as an excuse to try to force our wedding their way, and I am not exactly a pushover, and have no qualms about standing up to her, or my own, parents. My family wants to visit Alberta next Christmas, so I thought a Christmas 2005 wedding would be nice. I bit farther away then planned, but it seemed to work out.

Let's just say she is not keen on that idea. After a few rounds on this, I have given up. We have reached a compromise. We do what she wants and I get to shut up about it.

In all, it may work out for the best. She likes to travel, so we are planning a month long trip somewhere, perhaps Asia, that will include a cruise. We plan to get married aboard ship and in every country we visit. Next Christmas we will have some type of reception where the families can meet.

Of course, for all these concessions I have made, I get to make every major decision for the rest of our lives, the most important one being children.

I think a soccer team would be nice with one extra sub in case of injury.

If anyone has suggestions regarding where to go, good deals, etc, I would appraciate feedback.