The Military Wedding Superthread- merged

[Fishbone Jones]

If you have Mess Kit, wear it whenever you want. You paid for it, you own it, you decide when to wear it.

I've worn Mess Kit prior to 18:00 and Walking Out Dress (Patrols) after 18:00.

The world didn't stop.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Its a bit late now, but for any future people considering this my wife brought up a good point.  A good thing to consider is how fast you can get out of what your wearing.

 

[Danjanou]

Its a bit late now, but for any future people considering this my wife brought up a good point.  A good thing to consider is how fast you can get out of what your wearing.

That's why my wife liked the fact I wore a kilt. 8)

 

[X Royal]

A good thing to consider is how fast you can get out of what your wearing.

I agree no use wasting any time getting out of those more formal clothes and getting into a pair shorts and t-shirt with the cooler full of beer.
No use not showing her right off the bat what the future holds.

 

[chadk]

Hi.  I am wondering if the Canadian Forces has any Wedding traditions.  I am an NCM in the Navy and  plan on proposing to my girlfriend.  I really like the idea of a traditional military wedding ceremony.  Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[chrisf]

How does she feel about that?

 

[BillN]

Silly person.............."She Who Must Be Obeyed" has TOTAL control of ALL wedding plans/ideas/themes. 

You need to know the mantra for married life: "A Happy Wife Means A Happy Life", but you do always get the two last words....and they are "Yes Dear"    ;D

 

[Danjanou]

Asked and answered on here many times. Once again the search engine is your friend

I MERGED THEM TOGETHER HERE.
BRUCE

 

[Pusser]

Hi.  I am wondering if the Canadian Forces has any Wedding traditions.  I am an NCM in the Navy and  plan on proposing to my girlfriend.  I really like the idea of a traditional military wedding ceremony.  Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

There are many, but they all depend on your branch of service.  See if you can find a copy of E.C. Russell's Customs and Traditions of the Canadian Forces.  It's a bit dated and you may have to look around a bit (you might even have to go to a library - a big building full of books that seems to confuse the internet generation), but Russell's book has a lot of good stuff on weddings.  For Navy-specific information, Graeme Arbuckle's Customs and Tradtions of the Canadian Navy is also a good source.  Finally A.D. Taylor's Customs of the Navy has a few tidbits as well and is available on line (http://www.readyayeready.com/tradition/customs-of-the-navy/index.htm).

Unfortunately, the old customs of wearing white tapes on your jumper for a wedding has disappeared (largely because the RCN doesn't wear jumpers anymoren - they were part of "square rig").  However, an arch of swords is still possible.  For a Navy NCM, it really should be cutlasses, but the use of cutlasses has also pretty much disappeared in the modern RCN (bit of a shame as they're cool).  If you're in Halifax or Esquimalt, check with the drill shed as they often sign these things out for weddings.  If you use a sword/cutlass to cut the cake, just make sure you clean the blade before and after.

One ancient naval custom is to hoist a garland of evergreen on the mainmast of your ship on the day of the wedding.  It's an offering to the gods.  I got a few odd looks when I did it, but my marriage is still going strong after almost 19 years, so...

 

[PuckChaser]

If you use a sword/cutlass to cut the cake, just make sure you clean the blade before and after.

Tasty surprise to whoever signs out the sword next!  ;D

 

[jemcgrg]

I'm getting married in a month and this was quite fun to read through. At least my dress is long enough that the running shoes will be hidden.

 

[medicineman]

I'm getting married in a month and this was quite fun to read through. At least my dress is long enough that the running shoes will be hidden.

As long as you don't need to kneel in a church...someone might notice  :nod:

MM

 

[my72jeep]

I'm getting married in a month and this was quite fun to read through. At least my dress is long enough that the running shoes will be hidden.

Running shoes in you wedding dress? comfort or just in case you wish to make a last minute dash?

 

[jemcgrg]

More in reference to the comments about making a last minute dash in this thread. Haha. Always good to be prepared.

 

[Scott]

Silly person.............."She Who Must Be Obeyed" has TOTAL control of ALL wedding plans/ideas/themes. 

+ a fucking thousand.

Although, working in the UK and Greenland last year it was only common sense to tunrn everything over to her. The day went off without a hitch and she had a ball. Me happy.

The only thing I got in shit for was that I went to the bar until 0300 with my groomsmen and a few other guys...but she didn't find out until last month (I swear I thought I told her..) and so the bollocking was more of a wry smile and good natured ribbing

 

[Quellefille]

So my fiance and I have been together for 7 years, engaged for 6, and he finally agreed that we just need to get married, that we're happy with each other and we don't care who is there.  So we decided to get married while he's on leave.  That gave us just under 3 weeks to pull everything together.

I am not used to not being in control.  He and I work well together because he is super laid back and I am on top of things.  But he wants to use a padre to marry us.  So he needs to find out if it's even possible.  We want to get married between the august 25-sept 2.  And he's being all laid back about it and he's lucky he's a) my best friend and amazing b) the love of my life and c) really damned far away because I want to hit him.

I can find another officiant if I have to.  Like I said, we are super ok with just saying the vows.  But I cannot arrange anything else until we know a date.  I can't book dinner, or the hotel room for the evening, or flowers, or hair and nails or anything until he finds out if the padre can even do it!  And the padre said a day or two for an answer and it's been 2 days and I am just waiting to get this done.

I don't want help, or to know if it can or cannot be done.  I just needed to vent.  And once I know whats happening I will be so much better.  but until then he's lucky he's far because if I learned one thing from my aunt(25 years in the forces) its how to yell.

 

[Jimmy_D]

To be married by a Padre, you are supposed to take a year of marriage classes. I'm not sure how long for a non military Priest, but I do know that your still supposed to take marriage classes with them as well.

For something as quick planning as it seems that you are doing, Justice of the peace would probably be the quickest route.

 

[PMedMoe]

To be married by a Padre, you are supposed to take a year of marriage classes.

A year?    When the heck did that change?  I think I did three or four classes (in 1989) and that was it.

 

[Jimmy_D]

That is what one of the Padre's here in Gagetown told me when I inquired about it myself. Just a few weeks ago.

 

[Jimmy_D]

If the information he gave me is wrong, then I would like it if someone could provide me a referance. So that I can go back and get thing moving along.