A City Hall Wedding

Q: My fiancé and I decided to get married immediately, as we are tired of waiting and trying to save enough money for a big wedding. We decided to just get married alone at City Hall and not tell our parents about it because our parents want the entire family to attend. Is it inappropriate to not tell them where it is? We are planning on having a reception to renew our vows in a year, and hope they can attend at that time. What do you suggest?

A: I can imagine how frustrating it is to find the balance between what you want and what your parents want - that's often very tough! I must admit though, that when it comes to your wedding day, you should really do what is best for you and your fiancé. If a small wedding for just the two of you is what you desire right now, then I say you should just go ahead with it. However, I would certainly tell your parents that you're planning on doing so. That would prevent an uproar - you really don't want to start your married lives together with a whole lot of family tension! Perhaps telling them the location of the wedding is not a great idea if you don't want them there, but I wouldn't keep the wedding from them altogether.