I think most of us are just curious and trying to understand different customs and traditions. Questions are not always meant to be: "our ways is right and yours are not". They just meant to ask as a learning tool and not to criticise anyone or any country. I watched the wedding live on CBS. Covering the wedding live with Katie Couric was David Starkey, a Royal Historian of UK. He filled in with all the traditions of the wedding as they were happening. CBS did great on this aspect because all the explanations were given then, before a question even came in mind. Another plus from CBS coverage was having David Emanuel, Princess Diana wedding gown designer, in their team to cover on Kate's wedding gown. It was great to see and hear his excitement over Kate's wedding gown. The rest of the team covering the wedding were great too, both from local and from the US. They were very knowledgeable about all the happenings during the wedding. CBS coverage was very different from the other channels. I had 2 TVs on and were watching and swiching between several different channels. They were mostly covered by US teams. I liked CBS coverage the best and was glad that it was the one I chose to tape the wedding.

Thanks, Talley Sue, that's exactly what I meant. That's really interesting; I had no idea that professional (as in outside, not in terms of their professionalism) musicians were rare at church weddings. What happens when the wedding is held not at a church, but at a hotel or restaurant or some other "event space"? Please forgive my ignorance. I really am just curious, not criticizing. As we don't use an organ, we don't have an "in-house" musician to play processionals, so everyone hires someone to play while the guests are being seated and then for the processional and recessional. Often a violin and flute and/or piano, or guitar and flute. Once every never, a harp. That's why I really was surprised at the idea that the outside musicians (NOT volunteering friends and family) would even be at the rehearsal at all. Most musicians have a two-hour minimum charge, and I was surprised that people would pay that just to have them at a rehearsal -- the musicians don't need it. Also, I can imagine that if your rehearsal were on a Friday or Saturday night, they would not want to give up a potential full evening gig for a rehearsal.

LOL Tally Sue...we are very laid back, relaxed people - yes, it's a special day, but *we* will be leaving after the meal, regardless of who hangs around. In our opinion, it should be our *private day* rather than a huge "thing", so we are only doing this because my parents can't afford to travel, and his mom "needs" a wedding. Otherwise, we'd still be going somewhere with just his brother as a witness. If it could be just us, it would actually mean more to us - having to plan and include/work around other people just makes it less of an emotional time for us (neither of us is terribly emotional, and we both have issues with showing emotion in front of others, so we will be "in check" that day with guests attending, and not able to really be "ourselves"). I know that's hard for people to understand, but that's just who we are. So this whole gathering thing actually makes it less special for us, unfortunately. My DF keeps threatening to run off anyways if his mom tries to change our plans...so I need to make sure this stays very small and low-key just so she actually *gets* her wedding. LOL I haven't decided about the food yet - I want his mom to have a "job" that she has complete control over (if she wants one, of course), so she gets to choose whether she wants to plan the meal (catering, cooking, potluck, whatever), or do the decorations (or nothing - it's all up to her, though I bet she will want to do something). The judge is already booked at night on the 20th, so we will either have it at 11am on the 20th (that's what I would really like), or 7pm on the 19th (if we need to work around his mom's concert flight - don't know which day it is yet). I'm going to call FMIL tomorrow and talk things over with her so we can pin down something definate, though I have both times reserved just in case. Either of those times will work just fine for me - 11am isn't too early, we can have a nice lunch, and do whatever after that. 7pm is fine too...we'll just be liberal with the bug spray or eat inside, and that will be just great. Vows will be just the traditional vows and exchanging of the rings, no readings, no music, no personal vows (we aren't emotional enough for that LOL)...just very basic, quick and casual. It will probably take about 10 minutes start to finish. :-) I'm quite confident it will all work out - can't really fail with such a simple plan (I refuse to get stressed out over any of it!!). ;-)

I decided not to have "Here comes the bride" for the simple fact that it's so traditional and I too think of "here comes the bride, big fat and wide" (LOL) when I hear it. I chose to walk down to "Sheep May Safely Graze" by Bach after listening to a ton of different songs--somthing about it just caught my attention. As we left, we played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" also by Bach. It too just caught my attention. A really nice book I found is called "Songs for a Christian Wedding." The Christian Musician. Hal-Leonard. There are ~35 songs in the book and even the one's that have words, are really pretty when played by themselves. Springbride04