Sneaking off to the JP?

Question

My fiance and I considering sneaking off to the JP and then later having an actual wedding.

If we do that, what is still considered proper and in good taste?

Could we still have an engagement party??

Could we still have a real wedding & reception??

Would we have to apply for another marriage license for the real wedding??

Still have a wedding registry??

Basically.......what can we get away with and what would just be wrong??

We plan to tell everyone, afterwards, that way no ones feelings are hurt because they cant be there. He is from NYC we live in Texas and it would be hard for his family to get here on such short notice.

I have no medical insurance so getting married would help in that instance.

We dont really have the money to have an actual wedding right now, so we'd like to go ahead and get married and then later have an actual wedding.

Answer 1

You can definitely go to the JP now and have the "real" wedding later. My friend recently got married and, for reasons similar to yours, went to the JP about 6 months before her wedding date. I wouldn't recommend having an engagement party after you visit the JP, but if you do one before, there's no sneaky stuff going on. A ceremony and reception would be fine to have down the road. And, the only marriage license that you would need is the one for the JP.

Best wishes!

Answer 2

No engagement party- unless you have it before you go to the JP. You can still have a real wedding; this would be good if you want your marriage blessed by a specific religion. If you don't really care and people already know you are married, save your money. You will only need a marriage license when you go to the JP, not for an subsequent ceremonies. You may still have a registry, you are, after all still getting married and people will want to give gifts. I think many people go this route when they don't have enough money for a wedding right away but want to marry. Just don't start WWIII with your parents over it.

Answer 3

i under stand the money thing i really do i got married 6 years ago to my husband were have been together for 10 years at the time we had 2 children they were both in the wedding . so save and do it right because how are you going to have and engagement party when you will all ready be married how are you going to have an reception when you did not ask people to see the wedding happen and no you will not have to get a marriage license twice because you will already be married and to register for gifts that means you will be telling people you are getting married and you want them to but you gifts and see you get married so basically it seem as if you want to really get married and you want it all i know i did . believe me there is a way to get married and still keep it with in the cost and as far as family that is living out of state you send then the invite and if they came not make it you can always have it typed for them or even set up one of those cam things so they can see it . i had family out of state and they were not able to make it and we did the cam thing then we also typed it . i also did our own invitations and found a hall that had a caterer . you will be surprised what you can do when you want it bad enough . good luck with it all

Answer 4

I say if you want to get married at the JP then go for it, but in the futue you shouldn't register for gifts, becasue you will be living together already.... the point of a registry is to help the couple out iwth stuff for newly livving together.... but i am sure your guests will get the point that withn no registry you would like money.!!! I think haveing a reception for your guests even though you would be married is a great idea, but NO engagment party, after your married, becasue .... your already married!!! And no you wouldn't need another marriage license once your married your married!!!!!!

Answer 5

I don´t see why not. There´s nothing wrong with eloping for a civil ceremony and then having a church wedding afterwards. You could still have a "real" wedding, reception, and wedding registry, the only thing you couldn´t have would be an engagement party since you´re not engaged anymore. Why not have your cake and eat it too?

Answer 6

I did that...my wife and I got married last June secretly for insurance reasons. We are planning a big wedding in March and are not going to tell a soul in out families. As far as they will know March will be our one and only wedding, it will be our secret that we got married in June (well ours and the aswers community now). The only other that will know about it will be the minister because they will wonder why they dont have a license to sign........

So I say go for it!!!

Answer 7

I am sorry to tell you That in this country of Japan They won't marry you here. Because the both of you are not Japaneses. The only place where you can get married here is the American embassy. And it will be a lot of paper work. I am telling you this, Because I am American and I have been married to my wife who is Japaneses, And they would not marry us here in Japan. So we went to Los Vegas and got married at the little white Chapel. Japan is a Nice place to visit, But it's not a place you would want to live for a long time. Because the only job's for Americans is with the Military. Because you can't live good in Japan teaching English. They really don't like Americans very much here.

Answer 8

No engagement party.

No real wedding. You can have a reception.

Only one marriage license.

A very, very small and tasteful wedding registry.

Answer 9

Getting married is almost every girl's dream. You gotta remember how it was like. You can have everything...a real wedding..a receotion..everything. You can't just have it over with, it probably happens only once in every girl's life.

I guess you CAN sneak off and then later having another actual wedding =] trust in your heart.

Answer 10

why not just have one wedding... so ur honest w/ everyone ... cuz what are u 2 gonna do bout ur parents telling ur kids u got married on like 12 april and u realy got married on 8 of dec...