When is the Wedding?

 
When a person tells people they are engaged, the most common question is if a date was picked for the wedding.  I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked about the date for the wedding.  Making a choice is difficult for couples to decide because of many factors but what makes it more difficult for international couples is government policies and laws.

Yu and I are going to have a wedding in China and in the USA.  We are trying to honor each others' cultures and to involve family and friends in both countries.  With that in mind, we have to plan in a way that we can meet family, cultural, and governmental expectations. 

Where are we going to get married first?

We decided to get married in China first.  We are working hard to save up to have a wedding and for my travel to China.  Yu's family is looking forward to my visit.  I am very excited to meet all of Yu's extended family and all of his friends.  I have only met his family though video conversations but I am so happy to meet them in person.

Making plans for going to China is difficult because I have not traveled much.  I have not been on an airplane before either.  This will be a very interesting and rewarding experience.  At first I was scared to travel to China but after awhile I became braver and used to the idea.

What documentation do you need for getting married in China?

There are many documentation you need to travel to China and to get married.  Each jurisdiction will have different rules and may require different forms or additional information.  The documents that are generally needed can be found here.  You will need:

• Proof of Single Status
• Passport
• Photos of the couple together
• Fees

Some jurisdictions may require birth certificates.  It is always best to gain information of what is needed by asking the center that you go to.  After Yu and I are married there are more paperwork we will have to do for the USA documentation for him to travel to the USA. 

This seems like a lot of work just to marry someone.  Why don't you marry a person in the USA?

There is a lot of effort to marry Yu, but love is full of making many efforts.  When you love someone, you will make every effort to be with them.  Regardless of location documentation, for any marriage, is needed to have a registered marriage.  I love Yu very much.  I do not plan to marry anyone else. 

When are you going to China?

I will be going to China when I go on vacation which is determined by my employer.  I will also have to make sure that it works with Yu's schedule and his family.  It will take time to also save the funding for the journey.