I don't think big weddings are bad at all! This time, though, we can't afford a big wedding (plus, I did that once already), and the stress that it would cause Drew to worry about his mom and sister (though for very different reasons) would take the enjoyment right out of it. Unfortunately we also can't elope right away because of some lingering financial business stuff Drew has to deal with before we can make it legal. The soonest we could take care of it is probably after New Years.

You could just tell them you ran off and eloped right away and then you can take your time with the planning. Then the nagging would switch over to when the big party will be but that's got to be at least somewhat less emotionally fraught.

If you elope, all sides of the family can be mad at you, you can shrug and "Yep, we're evil," and move on.

I say you guys come out to Vermont and get married at Teppy's brother's brewpub.

The owner/brewmaster is licensed to perform weddings. IJS.

I could just cry. I'm at the dentist for three small chips in my front teeth. My friggin HMO won't cover them and deems them cosmetic despite the fact the dentist says that not fixing them will lead to more damage. $600 to fix. I am never getting out of debt.

If the dentist says that not fixing them will lead to more damage, can your dentist write a letter to the HMO explaining the medical necessity?

Yeah, there's probably no good way besides "we eloped" to tell parents and siblings they're not invited to the wedding.

Now it looks like it's up to $800 plus the cost of a new nightguard which I know I need since grinding is causing the damage. My credit card will be taking a $1300 hit I think. Fuck.

Ftr, my family doesn't care what we do. One less thing to worry about.

Another wedding idea:

First Weightless Wedding Planned

The first weightless wedding is set to take place this month.

New Yorkers Noah Fulmor and Erin Finnegan plan to say "I do" June 20 while floating in microgravity on an airplane nicknamed "The Vomit Comet."

The couple, lifelong space fans who both dreamed of becoming astronauts, will exchange rings and vows in front of their closest family and friends aboard a modified Boeing 727-200 plane owned by the Zero Gravity Corp. The plane will depart from Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., and make steep dives while airborne to give the passengers eight full minutes of weightlessness, just as astronauts experience while flying in space.

"Noah kept saying he wanted to get married in space," Finnegan wrote on the couple's blog, ZeroGravityWedding.com. "We probably won't be able to afford to go to space for at least another 25 to 50 years (maybe for our anniversary?) so when the Zero G plane opened to the public, I suggested we get married on one of their flights as a compromise."

Space tourist Richard Garriott, who flew to the International Space Station last year through a deal brokered by the company Space Adventures, will officiate the ceremony.

The bride will wear a dress specially designed for microgravity (underneath the skirt are pants) by Japanese designer Eri Matsui. The groom plans to don a custom made tuxedo by J. Lucas Clothiers with tails crafted specifically to take advantage of zero gravity conditions.

I suppose throwing rice is out....

Oh Kristin, that sucks so hard. Last year was like that for me, between the dental and the dog it felt like the hits would just never stop. And you were already in that same boat with me. I'm so sorry it's falling on you like this.

Kristin, can you appeal the decision with the HMO, since the dentist says it's medically necessary?

I'm agreeing with Dana and Teppy. It couldn't hurt to pursue relief with the insurance company. The first blush is probably policy recited by one admin to another. Not necessarily the last word.

My favorite quick wedding story: (besides my own planned elopement which was just plain comedy)

A couple of DC friends of mine found out they were pregnant, quit both their jobs, bought a nice neighborhood house in Oakland, planned a wedding for 100, had the wedding and moved across country in the space of two and a half weeks.

I designed and arranged the flowers and decorations and helped negotiate for the space. The couple and their moms did the rest. Believe it or not, it was great fun for all of us.