There’s been relatively little that’s “typical” about me and Gav’s relationship.
We met through mutual friends…in London (his home) while I was visiting.
In a matter of a few short months we knew we wanted to get married.
We’ve spent less than two full months together in person but we talk on the phone, via email, and through Skype daily.
We can’t just move to the other person’s country without a visa. And the fiance visa isn’t cheap. It’s not insanely expensive, but it’s an expense that most new couples don’t have to bear — all worth it, mind you.
After four months of being an ocean apart, Gav is *this close* to moving to the USA.
Last Thursday he had his fiance visa interview at the US Embassy in London. He arrived shortly after 7am, being the first in the queue, and by 8am he was inside, waiting for his number to be called. After a slight panic with the first person he spoke to (who assured him that he had failed to submit his original birth certificate…”Oh look,” she FINALLY said, “here it is…yes, you did submit it”), everything else went smoothly. A little too smoothly. Like so smooth Gav left wondering “um, was that really it?!”
In a few short days, the embassy will return Gav’s passport and send his visa and then he’s boarding a flight bound for me at week’s end. YES.
At my Sept. 1 “afternoon tea” bridal shower
In line with our “not-your-average” relationship story, we’re getting married not once but twice. The first? We’re officially tying the knot on October 27 — of this year! IN THREE WEEKS!
Why so soon? According to his visa status, we must get married within 90 days of his arrival. And the sooner we get married, the sooner we can file for his green card, which will allow him to travel outside of the USA. Seriously, he has to have his green card to travel outside of the country, even back to England! Okay, we could file for something silly called “advance for parole” (I’m not joking) for $350+, but that doesn’t even guarantee he can re-enter the US on his way back. So what’s the point of shelling out money for a piece of paper that may not allow him back into the US after a trip back to his HOME country?! Anyway, I digress. The sooner we get his green card, the better, because we have two awesome friends in London who are getting married at the end of March and we BOTH want to attend their “I do’s”.
Gav and I in Brighton, May 2012
So why get married twice? We want to celebrate our marriage with our friends and family. I’m not a girly girl, and I never dreamed about a wedding growing up, but I kind of want the “this looks like a wedding” experience. On May 4, 2013, we’re having some family and friends from both sides of the pond join us for wedding celebration #2.
While we’ve known for months that wedding #2 would be May 4, we didn’t know until a week and a half ago when our first wedding would be. And that feels just a little overwhelming and crazy at the moment! I’m going to be married in just a few short weeks, and with the holidays fast approaching, I have no doubt that the next three months of my life are going to fly by and account for an action-packed introduction to the next chapter of my life.
At the Aug. 4 bachelorette party
If I don’t write another post for a month or so, you’ll know why!
Thanks to everyone who continues to follow my life journey long after I’ve returned home from Australia. I still LOVE travel and want it to be a big part of my future, but while Gav and I are getting settled in Virginia, our short-term travel will most likely only include Hawaii (for our honeymoon) and London (for a few weddings). In the beginning of 2013, I hope to share There’s No Place Like Oz 2.0 with you — it’ll be a better reflection of where I am now and what I hope the future holds.
If I don’t publish til after the wedding, happy October!
Cover photo via creative commons
Twitter Updates
I am so happy to be your mom and share all these crazy, hectic and wonderful moments with you in the coming months!!! <3
Thank you, madre! You’ve been super supportive, and we both truly appreciate you!
Now that is going to be a crazy story to tell the grandchildren! Wishing you much happiness in this next chapter of your life 🙂
Thanks Annette 🙂 We’re looking forward to seeing how life unfolds for us!
I love you babe, we have some crazy, but also wonderful times coming up. I’m looking forward to sharing them with you and forever together. You are a wonderful fiancee, super loving, caring, beautiful and I am so blessed to have you in my life <3
SO ready for you to be here, Gav. Really eager for the embassy to pass on the passport and visa to the courier. The waiting is about to drive me bananas. I’m like a little kid in December!
So exciting! I’m glad you’ve got the first round of paperwork out of the way, now you can enjoy the wedding and hopefully get the green card in time for the weddings in London.
Thanks Emily! I assume you two had to go through your own paperwork to be in Chile, and if you ever wanted to move to the US, you’d have to go through a process there as well. I love telling Gav about other folks I know who are in similar situations to ours.
Congratulations again! So close! I hope everything goes smoothly for you both with the visa and everything 🙂
Thank you, Lindsey! SO close…the next few days are going to seem like weeks!
I’m so excited for you guys!
I think the two weddings thing will be great. One to do the wedding part, and one that you can really relax and enjoy with your friends and families. Have a wonderful time!
I am SO excited for you. CONGRATS!!!
Thank you sweet, awesome Laura! Miss chatting with you but I know we’ll reconnect on Skype soon <3
This is really exciting, I’m so happy for you both! Sending heaps of luck and love for the big day from the UK x
We love heaps of luck and love <3 Thanks Jayne!
EEEEEeeeee so happy for you!!! Congratulations… I love that you have been sharing so much with us on the blog. I have loved reading about y’all and can’t wait to read more about y’all when you come back to us. We will all wait for you as you enjoy the preparations to the wedding, the wedding and then the honey moon. Cheers to an amazing new beginning.
Jaime, *HUG*! Thanks so much for your positive energy and enthusiasm and support. I really appreciate you!
COngratulations!! I’m so excited for you! I’m a strong proponent of getting married twice (to the same fella) 🙂
So happy for you both! You make such a beautiful couple. 🙂 I know you’ve had to wait a long time to be able to live in the same country together – so glad Gav’s visa has finally been approved & he is arriving . . . tomorrow!! 🙂 <3
Congratulations! I’m glad things went smoothly with his application. You hear all sorts of horror stories! So many people have cross-country relationships these days I think it’s time they made it easier!
Arianwen, I’ve been surprised how many cross-country couples I’ve met since beginning this process! I knew of a few through travel blogging, but the number of couples submitting fiance visa applications is quite surprising!
Thanks so much for stopping by and offering congratulations 🙂
Ahhh this is so cute!! So glad he’ll be over so soon – CONGRATULATIONS. Love the Brighton pier pic too – that’s where I’m living at the moment and I love seeing brides walking along the pier xxx
Aww, thank you!! We’ve had a great time together in both countries and are so glad that he’s finally in the US!