u/Ok-Turn5913

Hey all! I had a really beautiful micro wedding elopement/dinner and thought I'd share how I organized it because it everything went really so smoothly and I absolutely just cherish the day/week.

The Elopement - Dec. 21 - $120

My husband and I got officially wed at the courthouse house on a Thursday morning. It was just us and the judge was very surprised it was just us. He kept asking if it was our first marriage and if anyone else was coming lol. It was kinda funny. But it was sweet and intimate and we loved it. The courthouse was located in a strip mall next to dairy queen so of course got a post wedding ice cream to celebrate! He wore khakis and a dress shirt he already owned and I wore a white summer dress I already had. I think we spent $120 total between marriage license and shoes that i got to match my dress.

Regret: we never got a picture of us on this day. We did go home and take one ourselves but we legit look like the couple from the American Gothic painting. Its one of my favorite pictures though!

Mini Moon 12/21-12/23 - $1600 including hotel and food.

After the courthouse we packed up and went to Atlantic City for a couple nights. It was so fun to get away right after and celebrate our first night married away. We went to a really nice dinner at a steakhouse and a bar after with live music. It was a few days before Christmas so the hotel was beautifully decorated. We got a suite with a basically 360 degree view of the ocean and bay and entire city and we got a room that was fully decorated for Christmas. Including mistletoe hung on the bedroom doorway, a hot cocoa bar in the room, 2 Christmas trees, etc. It was so so magical.

Dinner with family - 12/29 - $3500

About a week later after Christmas and before New Year's we had a dinner with just his and my immediate families. It was 16 people total including 3 kids. We booked a private room at a very beautiful old Inn and again was decorated so nicely for Christmas. We had a gorgeous old fireplace in the room. My mom arrived early and met the florist who dropped off my bouquet, my husbands bouttaniere, 4 small centerpieces for the table and flowers for the cake. We got to the restaurant before they opened (around 3 p.m.) and met our photographer. We were able to get a lot of outdoor photos (they had a beautiful property with old stone buildings) before the sun went down, and lots of indoor photos while the restaurant was closed. While photos were going on our guests were arriving. We had passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks for them while they mingled, waited for our couple photos to end and then we got family portraits too. The photographer stayed during the cocktail hour but left when dinner started since we would be just sitting and eating. She was there about 2 hours total.

For dinner the restaurant was ok to let us order off the main menu. Everyone ordered an appetizer, main and dessert. Before appetizers came out the waiter went around and gave everyone their choice of champagne or sparkling cider for the toast. My dad gave a toast. The cake was on display in the room and we got photos of cutting the cake before dinner. Since we ordered dessert off the menu, the restaurant cut the bottom tier into 16 slices and boxed it up for each family to take home. My husband and I took home the top tier to save.

Attire and Makeup

He got a suit at Men's Warehouse - $350

My dress was from Mac Dougall - $300 + $200 alterations

My hair and makeup was done by the person who cuts my hair. I brought my own make up and she applied it for me. - $225

Florals - $800

Photographer - $1200 including editing and photo album

Sorry this is so long, just excited to share my day.

Hey all! I had a really beautiful micro wedding elopement/dinner and thought I'd share how I organized it because it everything went really so smoothly and I absolutely just cherish the day/week.

The Elopement - Dec. 21 - $120

My husband and I got officially wed at the courthouse house on a Thursday morning. It was just us and the judge was very surprised it was just us. He kept asking if it was our first marriage and if anyone else was coming lol. It was kinda funny. But it was sweet and intimate and we loved it. The courthouse was located in a strip mall next to dairy queen so of course got a post wedding ice cream to celebrate! He wore khakis and a dress shirt he already owned and I wore a white summer dress I already had. I think we spent $120 total between marriage license and shoes that i got to match my dress.

Regret: we never got a picture of us on this day. We did go home and take one ourselves but we legit look like the couple from the American Gothic painting. Its one of my favorite pictures though!

Mini Moon 12/21-12/23 - $1600 including hotel and food.

After the courthouse we packed up and went to Atlantic City for a couple nights. It was so fun to get away right after and celebrate our first night married away. We went to a really nice dinner at a steakhouse and a bar after with live music. It was a few days before Christmas so the hotel was beautifully decorated. We got a suite with a basically 360 degree view of the ocean and bay and entire city and we got a room that was fully decorated for Christmas. Including mistletoe hung on the bedroom doorway, a hot cocoa bar in the room, 2 Christmas trees, etc. It was so so magical.

Dinner with family - 12/29 - $3500

About a week later after Christmas and before New Year's we had a dinner with just his and my immediate families. It was 16 people total including 3 kids. We booked a private room at a very beautiful old Inn and again was decorated so nicely for Christmas. We had a gorgeous old fireplace in the room. My mom arrived early and met the florist who dropped off my bouquet, my husbands bouttaniere, 4 small centerpieces for the table and flowers for the cake. We got to the restaurant before they opened (around 3 p.m.) and met our photographer. We were able to get a lot of outdoor photos (they had a beautiful property with old stone buildings) before the sun went down, and lots of indoor photos while the restaurant was closed. While photos were going on our guests were arriving. We had passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks for them while they mingled, waited for our couple photos to end and then we got family portraits too. The photographer stayed during the cocktail hour but left when dinner started since we would be just sitting and eating. She was there about 2 hours total.

For dinner the restaurant was ok to let us order off the main menu. Everyone ordered an appetizer, main and dessert. Before appetizers came out the waiter went around and gave everyone their choice of champagne or sparkling cider for the toast. My dad gave a toast. The cake was on display in the room and we got photos of cutting the cake before dinner. Since we ordered dessert off the menu, the restaurant cut the bottom tier into 16 slices and boxed it up for each family to take home. My husband and I took home the top tier to save.

Attire and Makeup

He got a suit at Men's Warehouse - $350

My dress was from Mac Dougall - $300 + $200 alterations

My hair and makeup was done by the person who cuts my hair. I brought my own make up and she applied it for me. - $225

Florals - $800

Photographer - $1200 including editing and photo album

Sorry this is so long, just excited to share my day.

Sorry for the length of this! TLDR; Need ideas on how to break up these days a bit and if you have any ideas of things I have missed or should skip please let me know!

I am planning a trip with my aunt and sister to London and Scottland in late November to see the cities decorated for Christmas. My aunt is mid 70's, but pretty active. We are usually up for walking a lot and having fast paced days, however I just found out I will be about 5 months pregnant at the time of the trip. We still want to see alot, but I think I need to schedule in more breaks.

Do you have any advice for this itinerary? We aren't big into museums or tours but might schedule a Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral tour. If you had to choose, which would you pick? Overall in this trip we are looking for Christmas decorations, holiday cheer, beautiful architecture, quaint things, and just to see London (my aunt has never been).

Day 1 -

• Arrive to Hilton London Metropole (near Paddington Station) around 10am and leave bags
• Walk around Little Venice/Canal area near hotel - get a coffee/snack
• Kensington Palace
• Church Hill Arms for late lunch/early dinner
• Walk towards Harrods
• Stop at Royal Albert Hall (photo op/just see it)
• Harrods - Trying to overlap day and night to see the Xmas lights at night
• Taxi back to hotel - early bed

Day 2 - Mostly just walking past these sites, I don't see spending a lot of time at them. But this is the day I am worried about being too much. I have done this all before on my own without any issue. But with 2 other people and being pregnant..I feel like it's too much.

• Walk from hotel towards Buckingham Palace
• St. James Park
• Westminster Abbey (maybe do a tour either this day or another day)
• Big Ben
• Cross the bridge to Southbank
• Southbank Christmas Market
• Shakespeare's Globe (just to see it)
• Borough Market for late lunch
• Walk across Tower Bridge
• Tower of London (see from outside)
• Leadenhall Market
• St. Paul's Cathedral (maybe do a tour this day or another)
• Tube back to hotel
• Maybe a Christmas show or theater at night?

Day 3 - The Cotswolds

• Train to Morton-in-Marsh
• Meet private driver
• Burton-on-the-Water
• Burford
• The Farmers Dog Pub (very maybe if we get a reservation)
• Train back to London
• Will probably be back by 6pm and can do something at night

Day 4 - This day I don't know how to organize. I can do Soho, Chinatown, Covent Garden before tea or after

• Morning - Notting Hill & Portobello Market? I feel like Portobello Market will be overwhelming as it will be a Saturday. Is there another easy to get to part of town that is quaint and less busy?
• Early Afternoon Tea at Fortnum and Mason
• Covent Garden Xmas Market
• Covent Garden
• Chinatown
• Picadilly Circus
• Soho

Day 5

• Train to Edinburgh

Day 6

• Edinburgh

Day 7

• Fly Home

Appreciate any and all advice on this trip! Thank you in advance!

I will be visiting London in late November with 2 other people and would love to take a day to visit some of the Cotswold villages and also see some Christmas decor or markets if possible. One of the people I am travelling with really wants to visit the Farmer's Dog, so would like to make that a stop too.

My current plan is below but would love feedback from locals and others who have visited. My plan was to hire a taxi/driver to take us to the different places. If we decided to rent a car is that possible to do in Moreton-in-Marsh and return it in Oxford? Ideally, I wouldn't want to drive from London all the way out.

Itinerary:

Paddington -> Moreton-in-Marsh (walk around and meet driver)

Moreton-in-Marsh -> Stow-on-the-Wold

Stow-on-the-Wold -> Bourton-on-the-Water

Bourton-on-the-Water -> Burford

Burford-> The Farmer's Dog

The Farmer's Dog -> Oxford (train back to Paddington)

I was thinking about an hour at each place. Does that sound about right? Will there be Christmas lights up in late November? Are there can't miss Christmasy things nearby any of those villages we should prioritize seeing?

I have a Premium Economy seat on a 787-8 from MIA to PHL. Just curious if you get a meal/upgraded service in that section. Never flown domestic PE before so wasn't sure what perks you got. Fwiw I'm happy to just have the nicer seat - especially since it was only $68 to upgrade.