The real reason we are getting hitched

Sometimes July seems so close and we get very stressed about everything we have to do, while other times we can appreciate we still have a few months and it all seems manageable. We have planned parties before, this is just on another scale! We are really excited and can't wait for July!
Part of the reason the planning sometimes feels stressful is that there are a lot of details to keep track of, and we are being very careful and critical about what we want to do.
It is in this critical spirit that we approached the question of gifts and the common practice of a gift registry. We have lived together for a few years now and so have started to build a home together. But, considering that Joel is bound to a life of scholastic poverty, and with Vania in the financially lucrative field of social work, our home is still in need of some extras. We will by no means turn away gifts, but at the same time we aren't holding anyone to any standard or minimum gift requirement. Your attendance and participation in our celebration and our lives is what we want.
We have compiled a gift suggestion list, not a registry, that you can find by following the link on the right side of the page called 'gift list'. When you follow the link, type in either of our names and the country and you will find our list. We are not registered in any specific store and so this list is meant as a guide for those looking for ideas and as a way to ensure that not everyone goes out and buys the same food processor. This list is meant for suggestions, but does not need to be seen literally. Don't feel bound by brand name or store. This list is also not exhaustive. We have tried to think of things we need, but we are a pretty happy couple and its hard coming up with what we think is missing! We are celebrating our relationship but also our community, and so we encourage you when buying gifts to try to support local businesses with solid connections to the community, or socially just organizations. We also love antiques and so buying used is enthusiastically encouraged.
Okay, this is starting to feel awkward, so we will end this now. We just wanted to draw your attention to the gift list, and to make sure that people don't feel pressure to spend lots of money on gifts. (Although, like I said, we won't turn them away!!!)