Wedding plans

Wedding plans are underway. (At the bottom of this post is the little envelope thing where you can write your comments or questions regarding flights, hotels and all of that stuff. I'll update this post as time goes on, so check back.)

It's been fun thinking about a wedding, but at the same time I've got to admit that every once in awhile I start to think, "My God - we fought for this?" I know this is not news to you heterosexuals who happen upon this page, but it's astounding to me how the planning and expenses never seem to end. I'm told it's all worth it in the end, but I keep thinking that a quick elopement and an around the world cruise might be more fun and just a little bit less expensive. Enough of the Scrooge mentality, though, we're going to enjoy this!

Frankly, the most difficult part of this is not knowing how many people are going to come. I'm not sure the traditional notions of percentages of guests who actually show can be counted on here.

Oh, sorry. Back to the enjoyment place now.

A couple of words about Dutch weddings. They're done a little differently than we do them in the States. Instead of a wedding and reception, here they have the wedding, then a reception/high tea, then a dinner for the family and wedding party, then a party for everyone. Different people attend each event. Many who attend the party don't make it to the wedding, and vice versa. We went to a religious Church wedding in Utrecht last Saturday afternoon and a wedding party for a different couple in Belgium later that evening. (I'll post pics and story eventually. . .)

Interestingly, The Netherlands has a true separation of church and state. Because of this, there are frequently two weddings. It is against the law to be married in a church wedding before you're married in a civil ceremony, complete with all the formal requirements, including the required Registrar and witnesses. So everyone has a civil wedding first - or they pay up to a €2,500 fine. Those who are religious have a church wedding at a later time - frequently a couple of days or even a week or so after the civil wedding.




We have reserved the hall in the Utrecht University Academic Building for our wedding. It's very old and beautiful - The Netherlands was founded in the room in the building where the wedding will take place.







Our Civil Wedding will take place at 1 pm on the 23 of April, 2005, (no church wedding is planned), the reception will follow the wedding and will be in a cloistered courtyard garden outside the wedding hall. It is an herb physic garden, and will probably be starting to bloom in late April. That will probably be from 2 until around 5:30 pm.




After the reception, from 5:30 until about 8:30, the family and wedding party dinner will be on a boat that will circle the canal surrounding Utrecht.




Finally, the boat will dock at the catacombs, where the party will be held. It's right on the canal.







As far as when to come to Utrecht for the wedding, I'm not sure. I would try to get here at least a couple of days before the wedding. If you're coming from the US, expect a day or two of jetlag once you get here. Some of you may want to keep in mind that the 30th of April is "Queen's Day." It's when the country celebrates the birthday of the beloved Queen Beatrix. One of the ways they celebrate is to have garage sales. The entire country sets up outside stalls and has a countrywide flea market. I guess it's the largest celebration in The Netherlands.