American marrying in Tunisia

[AmericanTunis]

Hello everyone,

I hope someone here can help me. I am American living in the US and my fiancé is living in Tunisia. We are getting married sometime in November but he has not told me what am I supposed to do as far as rings or dress.

I know the culture is different but I don’t want to go empty handed either. We are having a simple normal wedding.

What should I do?

 

[Kris]

There are forums on here with the information on what happens.

Without typing that all again in summary marriage in Tunisia is not like the white weddings of Christian countries.

If you where from Tunisia you would have different pre wedding parties and traditions which may be a week or so of different parties.

As a foreigner you will probably just be jumping right to it.

You have the registry office "the contract" and then the party which is optional. My party was me my parents and my wife and 300 of her relatives.

Please dont take this the wrong way but how doe she get away without helping you?

There are loads of wedding dress hire places but unless you have a Tunisian lady friend to go with you and help it can be intimidating.

If its just the registry office then a business dress or trouser suit something nice and smart and elegant.

The party is a different affair so will need more information to be of more help there. My wife white dress and Arabic style dress change mid through both rented locally.

 

[AmericanTunis]

I understand what you are saying. He wants us to marry quickly but doesn’t realize it isn’t easy for me to leave the US for vacation. I work in the Medical field. I don’t have a problem helping him but I cannot afford to do it all on my own.

I have already spoken to his brother and his brother informed me that he is responsible for a big bulk of the financial cost because it is in their culture for the man to take care of the woman.

We’ve already begun to gather the majority of the legal information so that once we are married he can come back to the US with me .

I’m just very frightened his family behaves with me as if I am a traditional Tunisian girl and sometimes he behaves as if all he wants is to come to the US .

but then he tells me if it’s going to be too much of a problem for him to come to the US then he’ll just stay in Tunisian and he wants me to go live over there with him but I don’t even speak Arabic I’m learning but he speaks English how will I work .

 

[Kris]

I understand what you are saying. He wants us to marry quickly but doesn’t realize it isn’t easy for me to leave the US for vacation. I work in the Medical field. I don’t have a problem helping him but I cannot afford to do it all on my own.

I have already spoken to his brother and his brother informed me that he is responsible for a big bulk of the financial cost because it is in their culture for the man to take care of the woman.

We’ve already begun to gather the majority of the legal information so that once we are married he can come back to the US with me .

I’m just very frightened his family behaves with me as if I am a traditional Tunisian girl and sometimes he behaves as if all he wants is to come to the US .

but then he tells me if it’s going to be too much of a problem for him to come to the US then he’ll just stay in Tunisian and he wants me to go live over there with him but I don’t even speak Arabic I’m learning but he speaks English how will I work .

Tust your intuition

Did you meet this guy at a medical conference? At work? At university?

Or did you meet him online?

Are you much wealthier than him ie you have an actual job?

Is their an age difference?

You wont work in Tunisia and the money you would earn in the unlikely event that you did would not cover you bills anyhow.

 

[AmericanTunis]

Tust your intuition

Did you meet this guy at a medical conference? At work? At university?

Or did you meet him online?

Are you much wealthier than him ie you have an actual job?

Is their an age difference?

You wont work in Tunisia and the money you would earn in the unlikely event that you did would not cover you bills anyhow.

Please forgive me it was late when I wrote this post so I missed some information.

1) wants to marry quickly- As a NY native quickly for me is less than 5 yrs. we have known each other for 3.

2) yes there is an age difference. I have spoken with his family and expressed my concerns and I was told that he will not leave Tunisia unless he can ensure them and my self that he can provide for me.

His family has a small taxi company that he works in. Yes we met online 3 years ago. He is aware that it can take years before he enters into the US, I also explained to him that it will be easier for him to deal with immigration if he starts his end of the paperwork for a Visa.

I’m not wealthy at all. I actually just had surgery so I’m out of work at the moment and he and is family is aware.

I think I answered everything. Lol

Thank you for your time

 

[Sif]

Hello AmericanTunis,

sorry for asking all these questions. It's good thinking to prepare, but we need more information to help. As Kris noted, the forum might prove helpful by just browsing a few threads. It did for me at least haha

Did you stay with him in Tunisia and for how long and where is he from? Does he want to live in US? How does he intend to support the two of you, or three, if children are planned?
And do you know why he wants to marry quickly, how long ago did he express his wish to you?

Again, apologies if I appear nosey., but intercultural matters, as you already noted, are no cakewalk (pun not intended).

 

[AmericanTunis]

Tust your intuition

Did you meet this guy at a medical conference? At work? At university?

Or did you meet him online?

Are you much wealthier than him ie you have an actual job?

Is their an age difference?

You wont work in Tunisia and the money you would earn in the unlikely event that you did would not cover you bills anyhow.

I have been researching more and more to better understand things in Tunisia. If there is any further information you can provide it is greatly appreciated.

 

[Waliwood]

Hello everyone,

I hope someone here can help me. I am American living in the US and my fiancé is living in Tunisia. We are getting married sometime in November but he has not told me what am I supposed to do as far as rings or dress.

I know the culture is different but I don’t want to go empty handed either. We are having a simple normal wedding.

What should I do?

Hello you think you can help me!! What paper works do I need to get married in Tunisia.. I’m going in September.. please help

 

[Kris]

Hello you think you can help me!! What paper works do I need to get married in Tunisia.. I’m going in September.. please help

First thing call the registry office where you want to get married and ask them what they need.

I foud out the hard way that the right papers can sometimes not be enough when you have a stubborn registrar who likes it their way.

 

[Waliwood]

I’m getting married in Ben Arous.. I’m going to ask my fiancé.