Mrs. Donut, Singapore/Natchez, MS
Age and Occupation: 31, Classical Singer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Attorney
Engagement Date: January 28, 2007
Wedding Date: May, 2008
Blogging Since: November 27, 2006
Venue: St. Mary Basilica & the historic Eola Hotel, Natchez
About Me: I am a displaced Southern belle trying to orchestrate our big day with my sweetie while living in a land far far away. When not planning for our classic Southern celebration, I love to read, travel, explore my artistic side, and bake brownies for Mr. Donut, who happens to love eating them. It works out well.
Hitch (ed)
November 29th, 2007 @ 3:43 pm by Mrs. Donut
When we made the decision to be together it was with the unspoken understanding that we were committing to forever. So when he asked what kind of engagement ring I wanted, I knew. Something simple and elegant and timeless and traditional - words that I like to think describe me. I also wanted something vintage, ’cause they just don’t make things like they used to, and I wanted to be sure that my diamond was conflict free. On a trip to Beijing we stopped by Tiffany’s to do a little browsing, while back home in Mongolia I was busy scouring the internet (there are no fine jewelry stores in Ulaanbaatar) for The Ring.
{This is what my ring looks like, only mine is prettier. 
}
As fate would have it, I found it at Lang’s Antiques in San Francisco. I say fate because we had actually already planned to stop very briefly in San Francisco to visit friends on our way back to Mongolia last Christmas. We made a quick trip down to Sutter Street where I tried it on without even looking at anything else. It was so perfect but there was a small problem - it had to be sized down. John, the super sweet salesman, assured us that he could put a rush on it so that we could have it by 9 the next morning, just in time to catch our 11 am flight.
He proposed on January 28. We’d spent that day doing pretty normal Sunday things. That night we cooked dinner together. He lit some candles and after we’d finished our meal, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I said yes and then we called our families to tell them the happy news.
But there was a hitch. He had been accepted into a graduate law program in Singapore and for me to go with him, two things were required - a substantial deposit to ensure that I didn’t tear up the place, and that we be married. There was much conversation and many calls to our parents to make sure that they were OK with an elopement, and since we were planning a ceremony anyway, we decided to go ahead and make it official while on a trip to Japan to visit his brother in April.
As it turns out it is quite easy, although time consuming, to get married in Japan (it’s like the Vegas of Asia!) and while it sounds romantic, in reality it has about all the romance of filling out your taxes. We went to the US Consulate in Osaka and filled out some paper work. Then we went to the local ward office and filled out some more paperwork. And then back to the US Consulate to have the certificate translated and certified. Voila! We were married! No ceremony. No you may kiss the bride. Nothing.
Afterwards, as we were walking out, Mr. Donut pulled me to him and gave me a big kiss. His brother said, “Oh, yeah, congratulations.” And then we went to a baseball game.
{Our super cool wedding certificate.}
11 Responses to “Hitch (ed)”
We had to do the same thing! (just in a courthouse in Seattle.) I think it’s more exciting to think about the big ceremony though.
So what anniversary date will you celebrate? The elopement or the ceremony date?
Beautiful ring! Although I’m a bit biased…I have that same style too!
very lovely ring! do you know when your ring was made? it is actually remarkably similar to my antique ring, from 1930 (hence why i think it’s lovely!). photo here:
http://tinyurl.com/yvqwcv
we chose to go the antique route for the same reason: conflict free in that no new diamonds were mined, handmade, craftsmanship unlike anything you find today. and to me there is something that is so romantic about it.
Your wedding certificate looks like my guy’s Shito-Ryu blue belt certificate!
We’ll probably also get married in the city hall first before the actual wedding. But I don’t know if I would feel less excited about the actual wedding? …
my bf and i are planning on going that route too when the time comes. i think the excitement will still be there when it comes time to do it again for the family and friends simply because they are there to witness it too.
Lovely ring! Lang’s is great. We nearly bought my e-ring at Lang’s earlier this year… but FH delayed and someone else came and bought the day before we went in to get it. =(
We ended up finding another gorgeous antique ring at Dianne’s on Union Street in SF (and I was being incredibly picky throughout the process). It’s great to have a ring that’s unique and special, with the quality and detail that you don’t see much anymore, and that has a conflict free diamond.
FYI, Lang’s has pictures of all of their rings on their website, so you should be able to find a picture of your actual ring on there!
You’re my ring twin (and I don’t know anyone else who has that style ring in real life!) It’s a classic and so beautiful.
We’re both still just as excited about the ceremony as we were about the trip to Japanese City Hall and, happily, so is everyone else!
Which date will be celebrate? Why both of course! That’s the great thing about two wedding dates. It also gives Mr. Donut a little bit of a safety in that if one slips his mind, he can make up for it on the other. 
[…] nice and all, but they were just details. The important thing was that I was marrying - finally and again - my best friend and, without a doubt, the love of my life. So, so what if it wasn’t perfect? It […]
