Need suggestions for ships that provides marriage for partners

We got married last August in Annapolis, Maryland. It was a great vacation, getting there Sunday afternoon, getting our marriage license on Monday morning, and then having to wait until Wednesday morning to have the ceremony. We spent Tuesday going to Baltimore. After the ceremony at the court house, we spent our honeymoon on Tilghman Island on the Eastern Shore.

This month was took a one year anniversary cruise on the Caribbean Princess. We celebrated our anniversary with a balcony dinner. It was great.

Still talking. I haven't had much of a chance to work on plans. I think that I am stalling to see what happens in VA. :D

geoherb - I have never been to Annapolis, but understand that it is beautiful. Even more so...that island that you honeymooned on! I had never heard of it, so I Googled it. ;)

Congratulations on you one year anniversary.:)

Still talking. I haven't had much of a chance to work on plans. I think that I am stalling to see what happens in VA. :D

 

I predict that sometime today, the Supreme Court will issue a stay in the Virginia case. (Hope I'm wrong, but I'll be shocked if they don't; they have stayed everything else.)

Thanks. We had a great time in Maryland. Everyone was so friendly. When we checked into the hotel, the clerk at the front desk asked if a king-size bed was OK. We said yes and then explained how we had come to Annapolis to get married. She asked if it would be OK for the hotel to provide us with a complimentary bottle of champagne. When we got back to our room after dinner, it was waiting for us along with some chocolate-covered strawberries.

In December we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a big tailgate party with neighbors and friends before a hockey game. Now we'll get to celebrate twice each year.

[quote=geoherb;43822257

In December we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a big tailgate party with neighbors and friends before a hockey game. Now we'll get to celebrate twice each year.

My husband and I got married on our 39th anniversary. So now our 40th and our 1st will be on the same day. Because, you know, when you get older, it's nice to stress your memory as little as possible.

In December we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a big tailgate party with neighbors and friends before a hockey game. Now we'll get to celebrate twice each year.

My husband and I got married on our 39th anniversary. So now our 40th and our 1st will be on the same day. Because, you know, when you get older, it's nice to stress your memory as little as possible.

WOW!!! :)

Son and partner are also getting married on their anniversary date...or did I mention that already? :eek::rolleyes:

I predict that sometime today, the Supreme Court will issue a stay in the Virginia case. (Hope I'm wrong, but I'll be shocked if they don't; they have stayed everything else.)

Well, as I said.....

http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/supreme-court-puts-same-sex-marriages-on-hold-in-virginia#3s04kcf

My husband and I got married on our 39th anniversary. So now our 40th and our 1st will be on the same day. Because, you know, when you get older, it's nice to stress your memory as little as possible.

Congratulations! My partner and I married in Canada on our 26th anniversary; that was ten years ago. It made sense to keep that one special date special. :)

Well, as I said.....

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/supreme-court-puts-same-sex-marriages-on-hold-in-virginia#3s04kcf

:( Thank you for posting this. Good timing as my son is calling tonight so that we can start the planning. Looks like it's New York. I know nothing about NYC. :eek:

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued an order that will stop same-sex couples in Virginia from being able to marry starting Thursday morning.

From this statement, it sounded like SSM marriage could have taken place up until today? :confused:

:( Thank you for posting this. Good timing as my son is calling tonight so that we can start the planning. Looks like it's New York. I know nothing about NYC. :eek:

 

 

From this statement, it sounded like SSM marriage could have taken place up until today? :confused:

Plenty of New Yorkers on this board. Ask away! It will be a great place to get married. It was not an option for us ten years ago.

And no, marriage could not have taken place in Virginia. The awkwardly worded sentence meant marriages could have started tomorrow but for the stay issued today.

Well, did cruise research today. :rolleyes:

There are only two cruise options for their dates, and both are on NCL.

With one...the Gem, they could get married either on the ship (if available), or marry on land that Saturday morning and then take the cruise.

Or, get married on land that Saturday and take Breakaway on Sunday.

Another option would be to get married on that Saturday, and leave NYC on Sunday to go home. Take a honeymoon later. ;)

There are no options out of the NJ port.

I can use all the help that I can get planning this thing. :)

Airfare is reasonable, currently, but I am not sure which airport to use if they need to be in downtown Manhattan.

I have no ideas on hotels. We would want something reasonable, yet nice. One of the tips that I received from somewhere else - The Radio City Apartments - was booked solid. I am afraid that this late in the game, we may run into that.

The NYC City Clerk's office is not open on weekends so to get married they would need to find someone else licensed to perform a marriage.

Yes, I believed that you mentioned that in an earlier post, or I figured it out from a link you posted. ;) Any ideas?

I am really going to leave that process up to the guys. I think it would be really odd if the mother of one of them called up a church on behalf of her son. It may prove to be a problem to find someone, and why I like the cruise idea for them.

 

Airfare is reasonable, currently, but I am not sure which airport to use if they need to be in downtown Manhattan.

 

I have no ideas on hotels. We would want something reasonable, yet nice. One of the tips that I received from somewhere else - The Radio City Apartments - was booked solid. I am afraid that this late in the game, we may run into that.

The folks over on the East Coast departures board are really terrific in giving advice on airports, hotels, etc. Flying into New York, pretty much any of the local airports will work in terms of getting to Manhattan (La Guardia, Newark [NJ], JFK); it really depends on what's most convenient/economical from where the guys will be flying from. If they have more than one good option in terms of arrival airport, I would ask for more info on that in terms of best methods for getting into Manhattan.

Thank you, I'll head over there to do hotel research. From what I am seeing, rooms are expensive! :eek:

Which airport is closer to downtown? We have access to all three. ;)

From what I am seeing, rooms are expensive! :eek:

Yes, hotels in Manhattan are quite expensive, just as they are in the center of other major cities, like London, Paris, etc. :o As I mentioned, the folks on the East Coast departures board are great for helping with hotels and airports. One Manhattan hotel that you might want to check out (based on what I've read over on that board; I haven't stayed there, but I may in February) is the Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square North.

http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-york/hampton-inn-manhattan-times-square-north-NYCMTHX/index.html

Just checked the rates and like the Hampton Inn near the 911 Memorial, it's over $400 a night! :eek: Would be fine for one night, but the guys need at lease 3-4 and we need 2 nights.

When we stayed in Paris, 4 of us rented an apartment near Notre Dame, in the Latin Quarter. Perfect location! We rented for 4 nights at a rate that was the same as booking a hotel for 1 night - 2 rooms. Perhaps I should look into something like that. I am not sure how the guys would feel about sharing an apartment on their honeymoon. :rolleyes::D

Just checked the rates and like the Hampton Inn near the 911 Memorial, it's over $400 a night! :eek: Would be fine for one night, but the guys need at lease 3-4 and we need 2 nights.

 

You're right, yikes! :eek: It's much less in the winter.

So is a cheaper place like Maryland out of the running?

Baltimore, Maryland, or Illinois may be back in the running.

Partner talked to a young lady living in Chattanooga that recently married in Illinois. She is getting to them the contact info for the Reverend who married them [young lady and partner] and guided them through the process. This will be interesting to see how they got around the "void" issue.

Getting married in Illinois now sounds like it would be easier and less expensive. DH and I can give them a cruise for their honeymoon anytime and anywhere they wish to take one. ;)

I'll keep you informed.

Baltimore, Maryland, or Illinois may be back in the running.

Partner talked to a young lady living in Chattanooga that recently married in Illinois. She is getting to them the contact info for the Reverend who married them [young lady and partner] and guided them through the process. This will be interesting to see how they got around the "void" issue.

 

Getting married in Illinois now sounds like it would be easier and less expensive. DH and I can give them a cruise for their honeymoon anytime and anywhere they wish to take one. ;)

 

I'll keep you informed.

Re Illinois, I want to repeat something I posted above, and this is based on my speaking directly with a gay rights expert in Illinois. There are some clerks in Illinois who are giving out of state same sex couples a marriage license without regard to their state of residence. So that means if your guys go to one of these clerks (in Chicago and perhaps Springfield), they can get a license and someone (like that Reverend you mentioned) will perform something that is called a marriage ceremony. BUT, and this is a huge BUT, it does NOT mean that the marriage is valid in Illinois (and if it's not valid where it was performed, it's not valid anywhere).

For out of staters who manage to marry in Illinois, if their marriage would be void in their state of residence, then it would be void in Illinois, even if some Illinois clerk ignored the law and gave them a license. And it would therefore be a void marriage everywhere.

Maybe no government agency or anyone else will ever realize that the marriage is void, but why have a huge legal cloud or even a question mark over your marriage, when there are states where you can marry and be absolutely certain the marriage is valid? It's just too important, imho.

I'll re-quote the article from the Illinois Bar Journal regarding that state's new marriage equality law and the older and still existing general law (Sec. 217) that voids marriages of non-residents whose Illinois marriage would be void in their state of residence:

The "reverse evasive marriage statute." Finally, the only meaningful shortcoming of the new Act is its failure to address section 217 of the IMDMA, which voids an Illinois marriage by non-residents that would be void in their state of residence. Enacted more than 100 years ago, the statute contains two parts. The first, section 216, voids prohibited marriages obtained elsewhere by Illinois residents, and the second, section 217, declares as void for all purposes marriages obtained here by non-residents coming to, and with an intent not to remain in, Illinois to obtain a marriage deemed void in their state of residence.

 

Neither provision of Illinois' statute was repealed by the Act. Section 216 was amended as to same-sex marriages by the new Act's removal of "marriages between 2 persons of the same sex" from the list of prohibited marriages under the IMDMA.29 Section 217, however, was left intact by the new Act.

 

Section 217's continued viability could have disproportionate impact on same-sex couples seeking to marry here. The federal decision in Windsor, which recognizes same-sex marriage under all of federal law without regard to the parties' residence - but only if valid where celebrated - is a compelling incentive for couples from non-recognition states to go elsewhere to marry. Illinois, like all states, has no residency requirements for marriage but is in close geographic proximity to many non-recognition states. While the recent wave of federal court decisions overturning same-sex marriage bans might ultimately render the question moot, section 217 remains valid for now.

http://www.isba.org/ibj/2014/08/illinoisreligiousfreedomandmarriage

Here's Sec. 217 of the general Illinois marriage laws:

Sec. 217. Marriage by Non-residents - When Void.) No marriage shall be contracted in this state by a party residing and intending to continue to reside in another state or jurisdiction if such marriage would be void if contracted in such other state or jurisdiction and every marriage celebrated in this state in violation of this provision shall be null and void.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=900000&SeqEnd=3000000

Hey Turtles - I understand, and I have done my best to help the guys understand. They asked for my help, and I have done research, sent them links for ministers, venues, laws, etc. in NY state. I've looked up airfare, which DH and I are offering to pay. The hotels are becoming problematic.

For Illinois, I have explained, sent them statements from this forum, laws from Illinois and will reiterate. As I mentioned earlier, it will be interesting to hear how the conversation goes with this young woman. I am leaving this to the guys to figure out. ;)

I think before you expend a great deal of wasted energy you take the time to have an extended conversation with the couple. Your concern, generosity and support is really terrific. But in the long run it's t heir wishes that should govern that special day .

Talk to them and let them know of your, "suggestions". It really is up to them to take the lead and move things along. You don't want to be labeled the meddling mother-in-law. Give them you offer and then step back. A local wedding is complicated enough. A destination wedding, even for an intimate group is a campaign.

Best of luck and congrats! Then wait for the issues of adoption or surrogacy.....lol

Just wanted to give an update.

The wedding is off! :rolleyes: Or at least they are not trying to get it done on Oct. 11th of this year. My son said, quote, "we decided not to plan anything for right now." That's about all I know.

Thank you again for your suggestions and guidance. :)

Just wanted to give an update.

 

The wedding is off! :rolleyes: Or at least they are not trying to get it done on Oct. 11th of this year. My son said, quote, "we decided not to plan anything for right now." That's about all I know.

 

Thank you again for your suggestions and guidance. :)

Thanks for taking the time to come back here and give us that update. Hopefully your son and his partner will get to make less time-pressured plans, and, who knows, maybe by the time the wedding rolls around, the Supreme Court will have decided this issue once and for all.

My best to them both, and to you for being such a great mom.

Thank you, Turtles. Who knows, they may change their minds again. :rolleyes: I must say that this has been very stressful on me, so I am relieved that I do not need to fly to NYC in 3 weeks. Yes, hopefully, there will be some changes in the Supreme Court by next fall.