Does it look bad that none of my family are at the wedding?

[shandymoo]

Im getting married in Canada at the end of the year. My family know but because it is so close to christmas and flights are really expensive from england none of them are going. My fiances parents, sister and 2 friends will be there. We just want an intimate ceremony nothing big. Plus we dont want to spend money on a honey moon just yet as we are saving to get our own place does this look bad if you dont go on one? There wasnt a formal ceremony to celebrate the engagment either, we just went out for dinner. again does this look bad?

 

[Love_Young]

Just explain on the forms or letter your reasoning behind everything.
If they need anything else they will probably ask or they will ask about it in an interview.

I can't see it as a problem as many couples have wed before without one side of the family there and been successful.
All you can do is explain why you chose to do the things you did. Also if you have letters of support that show that your side of the family is aware of the marriage and happy for you then that would help. Also if you have any pictures of him with your family enjoying activities together that could help too. They just want to be reassured it is a marriage that is genuine so you have to proof that to them through which ever way you can in evidence. You should do just fine. Enjoy your wedding together and remember to enjoy each other's company during this special time. You don't want to ruin that by thinking of anything immigration. You have time for that. I would suggest enjoy your time planning the wedding and then after the wedding spend a week or so just embracing it. Then get to work.

Congrats by the way. May you have a joyous wedding.

 

[canadianwoman]

There wasnt a formal ceremony to celebrate the engagment either, we just went out for dinner. again does this look bad?

For the purposes of the forms, 'formal' does not mean 'big, expensive, lavish'. Going out to dinner to celebrate your engagement is a 'formal ceremony to celebrate the engagement' for the application form, and so for that question you should put 'yes' and explain exactly what you did.

If your family can't be at the wedding, explain why, offer proof if possible, and get some letters of support from them to show they approve of the match.
No honeymoon looks bad, so again - explain why you chose not to have a honeymoon right away, and detail your plans for a honeymoon later.

 

[ambar]

I'm speaking from my case personally, and I can tell you when me and my husband got married, NONE of our immediate family members were there, because we met abroad. My husband got approved for PR last week so I can tell you that as long as you provide them with enough evidence that your relationship is genuine there should be no need for them to question you. They didn't even ask him for an interview. We just sent them 8 years worth of proof, like old emails, phone bills, cards, love letters, pictures, letters from friends and family saying they knew our relationship was genuine.

Don't worry and stress, you are definately not the only one! I felt the same way when we filed for our application but I can tell you from experience that if you write down everything honestly about your situation they should not see it as a problem.

Goodluck

 

[mayasita]

i'm another one who got married abroad in a private ceremony... none of my family had even met him before he immigrated (which means we were approved, and quickly at that), so i'd say if you have things in order it shouldn't be an issue... if you want to explain their absense in a detailed fashion, by all means, do so, i'm almost certain i just put not possible in the box.... i might have put not possible as they were too far away or it was cost prohibitative or something... for engagement party (or lack there of in our case) i believe we just put "not customary to us" as our response... i know i didn't go into any great detail trying to justify anything (or lack of doing something)... someone told me to be careful not to over-explain things when a simple explaination will do... (if you are facing one of the more challenging offices where refusal ratings are high, you might want to have your ducks in a row)

good luck...