There is a very very beautiful Ukranian Catholic Church in either SoHo or the Lower East Side. I can't remember the exact location. It was near the flowered mural of the Twin Towers.

Ryan, I got it
Marilyn & GT, very funny

ncphyl,
My son is living in Japan, it will be 5 years soon. He now has a girlfriend, "the most beautiful girl in Japan"...if he wants to come back here and marry her, I do not care where or when, I will be there with Bells on!
And I will go back to Japan and be there for the Vow Renewal.
He is my only son, if he wants to go back to where he was born and raised (NYC) how can I not be there?
I am sure there are 'nicer' settings for weddings all over the US but the point is- wherever your son wants to marry his girl, is going to be the nicer setting.
If you are living in NC, you can drive up, and save money too.
I wish you ALL great luck and happiness and I hope someday I get to talk about our kids weddings on here too

Scarlett,

As my late grandmother used to say "from your mouth to G-d's ears"! I totally agree with you. When & if my daughters decide to marry, I'll be there (anywhere) with bells on too!

Your son's fiance will get a green card after they get married, which is temporary for 2 years, at which point she applies for a permanent green card. So she'll be a permanent resident once she gets that temporary green card (I know, sounds confusing).

People get all excited about "showing proof" of the legitimacy of their marriage. You really just need the basics. Marriage license, obviously. Wedding photos, a program if there is one. The INS didn't ask us (my husband's from the UK) to see any of it. After we showed them bank statements in both of our names, they were satisfied. Then, when we applied for his permanent green card, they were happy enough that we had taken on a mortgage together. Didn't ask to see anything else.

I wholeheartedly agree with what GoTravel, Ryan and Scarlett have said, and like GoTravel, hope you will understand the spirit in which this is written.

Reading between the lines, your son is trying to keep things as simple as possible--"just go to City Hall", then next in line in simplicity, Las Vegas where you walk in, get married and walk out. No fuss, no muss. He also needs to keep it reasonable in cost. They are getting started, there are trips back and forth between here and Croatia, he wants a ring--$$$$$.

Watching your son get married and begin a new shared life with a partner should be the only thing that matters. The city, the style, all of it, must be their choice; what makes them happiest. At this point in their lives, we parents are just along for the ride, happy only that they have found a partner with whom to share their life. It can be a very special occasion for all in NYC with a lovely family dinner after. No pressure, their wedding, their way.

Quick story. 35 years ago I wanted a wedding like your son's: a no hassle event, no planning stress. My Mom insisted that I could not get married at City Hall..."surely I wanted a nice wedding" (No..) I backed down and did it their way, but in the town my husband and I were living in (VA Beach), rather than MA where my parents lived. Against my wishes, it was in a church with reception, flowers, invitations, bridesmaids etc etc. The thing made me so darned nervous I spent the morning of my wedding not enjoying my day in the limelight, but throwing-up, up to minutes before the ceremony! Did I enjoy the wedding...not at all. I didn't hold it against my mother, knowing her beliefs, and she honestly thought it would be what I wanted too...but had it been my mother-in-law putting the same pressure on us, we may very well have been off to a poor beginning in a relationship that takes all sorts of care and nuturing and is frought with boobytraps under the best of circumstances.

I hope you'll let the kids plan what they want now, then you start your own planning...for a trip to Croatia, which truly is a beautful country, where you can enjoy the wedding you would hope they can have.

Hope it all goes smoothly wherever they decide, and a memorable time is had by all.

Amtrak from Charlotte to NY Penn Station is cheap.

So very well said OO.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I didn't expect so much feedback.

Author Cicerone: I really appreciated your time/links to places in NYC. I printed them out & will browse later.

Author MarthaB: That was a very touching story. Thanks for sharing. By the way, my husband is Ukrainian, but was born in Newark, NJ.

Author Ann41: Your message was very informative. I have good friends who are brilliant, charming Brits(The Hodgkin Family) who I knew in Jersey, but moved to Kansas. The husband's ancestor discovered the disease. True story! And we still keep in touch.

Author Scarlett: Bravo! I do hope that your son gets married & that you see him real soon. Five years is a long time.

Author Clifton: Did you visit Australia in the last five years? Wonderful story, as I mentioned earlier. Keep happy!

Here are some beautiful pictures of Slovenia.
Copy/paste this link:
http://home.freeuk.net/billmarshall/bphotoslov.htm

I hope that my health allows me to be able to see it in person someday.

Bye2 NCPhyl

NCPhyl,

Yes we have actually, several times. All of her immediate and much of her extended family live there. Wonderful trip there too. If you ever have a chance to go, do.