Pros and Con's to a Justice of the Peace wedding

Lovely: Yea I dunno, I had issues with that other post too, thats why I put up this one too. Thats not a bad idea, I just dunno if my FH will go 4 that. I love him very much but I feel like we do/don't do things becuause he wants/dosen't want to. I feel like I should have a say in what happens in OUR lives too ya know?

Hubby and I got married by a JP...nearly 21 years ago. A church wedding would have been nice but it was not our first marriage and it seemed silly to have a big wedding and go through all that expense when we had three teens between us and neither of us could get the time off from work. We still had a nice party a few days after and all our friends came to it. I had no family there since my parents were off on vacation and he had no family there because his sister is all that's left now and she lived too far away.

My first wedding was by the JP and always regretted not having the big ceremony. I felt cheated somehow. I think it might have been that our families didn't really treat the wedding like it was a wedding at all and behaved just miserably at the reception and seemed to look down on us...like we'd done something dirty by going to the JP. That's just my own experience though and really the point is that you will be husband and wife either way. That said...there's a chapel in vegas called Allure something and they have a $69 Just For Two ceremony. That's the least expensive one I've seen but there's alot more that you could get that would feel just like a "real" wedding (you can even get a religious service if you want) at a CONSIDERABLY small fraction of the cost.

Have you considered a simple wedding in your yard or local park? You can check online for independent nondenominational ministers that would be happy to work with you to provide a meaningful ceremony for you and your guests. A potluck or BBQ reception is a great way for your family and guests to participate in your celebration, and the costs for you and FH are very small.

Some close friends of ours were married in the court house last March. They were initially planning to have a traditional wedding and reception, but then had green card issues and had to drastically move the wedding up. Then their plan was to do the whole wedding & reception thing a year after they got married...

BUT...

Their wedding day at the court house was so beautiful and special to them that they have since decided that they are very unlikely to have a formal wedding and reception now! They got a lot of amusement out of the way the courthouse ceremony scheduling was arranged, LOVED the irony of being the best case the judge had seen all day (we saw some people leave the courtroom in tears earlier in the day), the vows that the JP had them use were really sweet and meaningful, they got to have their parents and best friends with them (we loved it), and then they threw a spaghetti party in their flat afterwards. Turned out to be perfect for them.

I'm getting married by a JP/Wedding Commissioner and still having the big ceremony (friends, family, vows, songs, etc) that a church wedding would have. FH and I are not really religious so we're working with the JP (A friend of mine) and making it special and our own....Talk to some JP's if you want and see if they can work with you so you have the ceremony you've always wanted. doesn't hurt to try.

I really like the idea of eloping, I think its really romantic. I dunno, I don't think my FH will go for it. I have told him that I feel like we do things because he wants to or we won't because he dosen't want to. I just don't know what else to say, he wants what he wants and thats it. I do feel like I should have a say in our lives too but I don't feel as though I do. I feel like the "little women" that just kinda sits back and says "yes dear." I hate that feeling.......

PS thanks!

I have performed many weddings for couples after the fact, because the family wasn't too happy they couldn't really be there for the ceremony. Hey they will do a legal job. But as one couple told me they didn't want to be standing there on their wedding day while others are circling around them doing other county business. It would lose something.

Depending on where you want to get married and a backyard garden wedding or at the home of a friend can be very intimate and cost effective.

Depending on the officiant, which in my case is all about the distance, it could be reasonable. Keep asking. You might find a good solution.

Best wishes

We are getting married by a JP because we want a shorter ceremony and no religous stuff, just simple sweet and swift! How ever, if you want some religous element to your ceremony, you will have to go with a a oriest.father/rabi, etc..as I was told by our JP that the reason for JP is so people can have non religous ceremonies. I would price out a JP and what it would cost to get married by the church (lots of which will make you get married in their church and no where else)

I agree with Revcatey. I think you could have a very simple ceremony in a park or at someones house with a reverend/officiant for very little money. That way you are both getting your wishes, he's getting the official ceremony he wants and you are not going completely broke doing it. You can have a pot luck meal or even have very simple food (like those 6 ft subs with potato salad and cole slaw as sides) catered. Just because you guys don't get married by the JP doesn't mean you have to go broke getting married either.

I dont know where you are from but im from CA and here you can have a friend or family member or someone you know become a deputy for a day and marry you its way less expensive and its legal you can have a nice backyard wedding and a lil reception with just cake and finger foods. I think if he wants to marry you other than with the justice of peace go for it. I went for my marriage license today and there was a couple waiting to get married by the justice of peace when we got helpped they got called to get married it only took us like 10 min to get our license and I kid you not they were outta the building before us. if you go the route of non dementional at least you get have your own vows and a longer ceremony.

If you want to get married by the JP then I say go for it sweetie!! You can always have a reception later on down the line or even a full out party for your 1st anniversary. And like Konichiwa said u can always do something small in a friends backyard and do alot of DIY things that can save money. I live in Las Vegas and there are 1000's of places to get married out here that won't leave you broke you can goggle 'Affordable Las Vegas Weddings' and go from there

Well, my DF announced last night that we could get married "this year," if I wanted. I think the more he thinks about it, the more eager he is just to be married. If we were to go that route, we'd probably elope in Reno or Vegas and then do a wedding (or renewal of vows) next year with the same schedule we have now. But as for now, I'm still plowing ahead with a next year wedding. To be honest, I'm ready to be married already too, and not that keen on all the wedding stuff. But, I figure I'll regret it if I don't have some sort of wedding.

The con about a Justice of the Peace is that they usually only offer one set ceremony. See if you can find an Interfaith Minister in your area who will create a unique and personal ceremony for the two of you. The fee will be a bit higher than the JP but the memories of saying the exact words you have dreamed of sharing on your wedding day are well worth the slight fee difference. As an Interfaith Minister myself, I have many couple who come to me to "elope" or just have a few witnesses. They have stated after wards how glad they were to have taken that route because they did feel a difference and told me it was a wedding day they would cherish always.

Thanks ladies/gentlemen, my FH and I discussed it and he said "no." So I quess that means "no........." LOL. I hate always having to go with what he wants, it feels like he is deciding for me too. I don't think thats fair...... Thanks Again (I quess I am waiting till next year....LOL)

When you get married by the justice of the peace are you legally married. Getting married by the justice of the peace is like the same as getting married by the man who marries u in the wedding

You could always have a small get-together in your backyard and do a barbecue or something like that and they have a local Minister do a ceremony they don't cost that much Vegas wedding the license or $77 and the package is start anywhere from $100 up for pictures and what-have-you you could always get a friend to do pictures Pinterest has a lot of ideas and you can always make a lot of your own decorations and doing cupcakes and that and a small 6-inch cake you can do a real nice one really cheap congratulations

It seems there is an assumption that being married by a JP means you're getting married in a courthouse. You can often go to a local public park and be married there without paying for the space. We are having a JP and being married at an estate. We are having a full ceremony and reception, just like someone would in a church wedding but minus the church and religion. Religion is really important to some people and if it's important to him then I would say just get a minister. If you want to save money go to a local restaurant with close family and friends and have a reception there. You two may want to consider getting on the same page about a lot of other things before you get married. Mainly his "my way or the highway" attitude. good luck!

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