Don't worry about our dear sweet little Angie and her parents. After all she did go to law school and we should all be impressed with that and I am sure we know she has a fine decent job that pays her well. Certainly, dear little Angie isn't one of those ambulance chasing lawyers who is willing to settle with the insurance companies; you know the kind who promise to get your check in less than three weeks.

I am sure Angie is just the perfect, selfless little angel we as parents wish we had for a child.

Talk about abusive! Now I know why no one posts their name and email address on this board. I feel sorry for Kelly who it sounds like was trying to get some real advice and got nothing. I also feel sorry for Angie because people are making fun of her for her wedding and her profession. It sounds like she was really trying to help though I admit she didn't have to pop back in a second time and tell all the details just because someone asked. The same thing happened to me here, I tried to ask a legitimate question and got such combative respones that no one answered my question and everyone was off on a tangent trying to get everyone else! Can't we just be nice without being judgmental and not say anything rather than be mean?

I find something else a little off about this post. If Kelly has 200 people she would invite to a hometown wedding, then that must mean there are 200 really meaningful relationships in her life. (After all, why invite people to a wedding if they aren't special enough to invite?)

Under those circumstances, I think it is self-centered to have the wedding in some distant place like a cruise or Disney where only a small fraction of the guests can attend. Why are you forcing other people to use their precious vacation time and money to go and watch you get married?

A wedding is supposed to be a time to celebrate this special event with the most important people in our lives. More people should remember that, plan weddings with that thought in mind, and skip the "unusual" weddings. As for me, I had my wedding on the opposite coast so that my husband's huge family could attend. I have never regretted it, and I have very good relationships with his family.

Since when is the wedding for everyone else including the guests? Is that why they call it the "Bride's Day"? If you decide to elope to save money as some here opine you should do, is that wrong and self-centered too? Let people have their wedding the way they want I say, it is their wedding, not yours.

I really didn't want to get involved in the debate, but I'm going to, and I expect I'm going to get slammed by someone.

The reason we "had a destination wedding" (back then it was called eloping) was because I didn't want 200 of my parents and in-laws "closest friends" at the ceremony.

The wedding was to be a social event and my parents and in-laws wanted to invite the whole town. I didn't and my husband didn't know most of these people. It's some social obligation I didn't want to take part in. So we didn't. Ended up telling my parents and in-laws we were going to the courthouse for the "ceremony" and they could come if they wanted to.

A wedding should be what the happy couple wants it to be. If you want to go to Disney, go; if you want to get married at sea, wonderful. If you want to get married in your parent's hometown church, congratulations. Do what you want and not what others (espically some of us here at fodors.com) say you should do.

By the way, all those involved in weddings should read the comic "For Better or For Worse." Deanna's mother has taken over her wedding.

Boy, I wish my parents would have had an extra $25K sitting around to pay for my wedding, and then another $10k to give me as a "gift". No WONDER Angie doesn't have any debt. I've actually had to work for everything I have.

Ann you must not have read Angie's post well. She said she received a "gift". She did not say who from or how much. She said the 10k came from the sale of her husband's car! I got a gift too - my grandparents gave me an acre of land when I got married to build my dream house on. I am VERY thankful to them.

Don't take it out on these women just because money was saved for a nice wedding. I think Angie is very fortunate to have parents who wanted to help her celebrate her big day and were able to offer the financial backing for the big event. It was their choice to spend their money in this fashion. It's a shame that more parents don't take an interest in their children's happiness. It also sounds like they raised a well put together woman. She finished law school, invested wisely in a home and found a nice young man to marry. I'm sure her parents are very proud of her and were more than happy to pay for her wedding. Now if everyone could stop slamming these women, maybe Kelly could get the advice that she asked for in the beginning.

I think there is a distinction between a "destination wedding" and eloping. Eloping happens for many reasons, including the one Jean described. If Jean's parents wanted to have a wedding and invite a bunch of people who have nothing to do with the bridal couple, then Jean's decision is perfectly reasonable.

My gripe was with people who just decide THEY want what THEY want, and to heck with other people. So my comments are limited to bridal couples who choose a destination wedding despite the fact that it may be a hardship for their closest friends and family. Of course, everyone can do what they want, but I think marriages get off to a healthier start when the wedding couple tries to be a little more thoughtful toward their future in-laws and their own families.

I give up! I need information about doing this as I hve tentaively reserved the Wedding Pavillion for November 17, 2001. I do not need judgments on having an expensive or destination wedding.

Kelly -
My advise would be to start a whole new post with a new header about the Pavillion. Maybe someone can give you some meaningful advice the next time around. I'm so sorry that you had to read everyone's soapbox opinions as opposed to helpful info. My daughter used theknot.com and seemed to have better advise from other brides. Good luck and congratulations on the upcoming marriage!

I agree, Kelly. Just having a little fun on my part, but don't like the chastising you are receiving.

Good luck and I'll play nice.

Just one question... will you have to bite into a poison apple before the groom can kiss the bride?

Grow up Kelly! If you can't take the heat now, wait until you are married for awhile. Sounds to me like you are a SPOILED BRAT who has no business marrying anyone!

By the way Kelly, this isn't a wedding planning or coordinator site....

Try going to disneyinfo.com. They have a great active message board which I used with at least 30 questions when planning my family vacation. Lots of people on there that have visited WDW many times. I recall seeing several posts on there about both weddings and honeymoons.

Topping for "stunned"

One more time!

So, Kelly, did you ever get married? Did you do it Disney. And what happened to my invitation?