We have been unable to locate a Baptist pastor in Shillong, so will need to pay to fly our pastor over to the wedding, hence we have increased our donation amount:
Eight years ago, after receiving multiple confirmations from God, I travelled to India for the first time.
With just a mere $900 for 5 months, I travelled more parts of the country, then most locals, and by doing so, had the opportunity to experience the "undiscovered" North-East. I fell in love with Manipur, and made a decision right then that I would one day get married there, to an Indian or Filipino.
Well, God most certainly had other plans, as Jason was a white American. However, despite that, he was exactly everything on the list of what I wanted in a spouse, because he was a celibate, sober, vegan, Christian.
One of my favourite scriptures is Proverbs 16:9, "A man makes his plans, but God directs his steps."
I have no shadow of a doubt, that this is God's will for my life, and I am convinced that He has consented to our wedding in S. East Asia.
Having a destination wedding however, comes with its challenges, specifically due to the the location, and the media's fearmongering of India. Despite that, having travelled there as a single female more than 5 times, including to Delhi I have a very different perspective of the country.
One of the great benefits to getting married there, is that the GBP really goes a long way. Weddings are big business in India, so although not particularly cheap for the locals, it is most definitely much more cost effective for us to celebrate our union here than in the US or UK.
Cheap, however, doesn't mean free, and the costs involved in a wedding does gradually add up.
No matter, what the movies portray, the only people responsible for the payment of wedding expenses is the bride and groom. Family are under absolutely no obligation to give support, whether monetarily, emotionally or otherwise.
Jason and I have had to make a lot of sacrifices, primarily on account of the small number of attendees. The dream of being married with a view of the lake, has now become a distant memory. Instead, we've moved our reception smack bang in the middle of the busy city centre.
We've already compromised on moving our wedding from Manipur to Shillong, from the lake to the city, and therefore don't want to have to make any more adjustments to this momentous day.
With less than 4 months until the big day, there is so much to prepare and pay for, not to mention the additional costs involved in my relocation, visa etc.
We would therefore appreciate any financial support, no matter how small to help offset all of our expenses.
This is not an extensive list, but just to give you an idea of some of the things that we need to pay for:
Reception hall £200
Hotel pre and post wedding £250
Photographer £100
Videographer £100
Makeup £50
Hair £50
Cake £40
Transport for the day £60
Wedding dress £400 (was £3,500 in the UK)
Domestic Flights £200
Decorations £100
Music £100
Tables/chairs £50
Veil £70
Flowers £30
Thank you for your prayers, support and financial contributions. May God richly bless you!