Looking back

Hello folks!

It's been a while, haven't posted in almost half a year - apologies for that :)  I've been off being married and whatnot.  And before you ask, no, it's still just the two of us for the moment! 

It's funny, people ask questions about your child bearing intentions as soon as you get back from honeymoon, but I heard a lesson before I got married from a colleague who put her foot in it quite badly, so I tend to avoid the jokes/digs.  She asked if there was going to be a pitter-patter, of another colleague who had got married around the same time as her.  Little did she know that all sorts of complications and difficulties were being experienced, and it all came flooding out.  Needless to say, colleague #1 was rather embarrassed and now carefully doesn't ask anyone, ever, if they have baby making plans.  On a happier note the difficulties for colleague #2 have been overcome and there is lots of pitter-patter since, but still. A lesson worth hearing. 

There are so many new websites out now, helping brides-to-be through their planning process.  I have found a few while helping others which I hadn't seen when preparing for my own wedding last year - well done to all who have taken the initiative.  I think B2B's need all the help they can get! 

Lots of trends in the DIY aspects of weddings this year, even more than in 2010.  Bring your own favourite music to give the DJ, make your own invites, your own cake, your own cake decorations, ask friends to do video/photography for the day - all great ideas.  It does obviously put pressure on your pals to get it right since it's your big day but once you are aware of that and don't expect perfection (or anything resembling a professional finish!) then you are totally sorted.  Looking back, sure who needs perfect *things* when all you really need is to commit to your new spouse - that's what it's all about! 

DIY weddings are just as beautiful, and in my opinion, even more so.  They hold that personal touch that you just can't get anywhere else.  YOU made the favours - over a glass of wine with your bridesmaids perhaps. YOU picked the flowers in your bouquet - from the garden you tended with your betrothed.  YOU helped your mum or favourite aunt bake your most favourite cake and got icing on your nose finishing it off.  YOU had a hand in what type of music would be played at your party.  I love it.  So much personal taste going into weddings.  It seems that the trend is far less the one-up-man-ship it was becoming during the naughties and much more about the creation of a solemn bond between two people, and the celebration of that union with the couple's nearest and dearest. 

I'm so happy to see this transition.  I have felt for so long that too much fuss was made of the wedding and not enough of the marriage.  Materialism does not a happy union make.  Well done 2011 brides :) you rock!

So what have we been up to?

It's been over a month since posting...but there's good reason for that. Best friends getting married means you put your own plans on hold and focus on them for a while. Which has been marvellous fun! But now we're back to it.

Time for those invitations to get collected, written, posted, RSVP's collated, that sort of thing.

One tip re: invites - numbering the back of them so you know who has responded and who has not. That's if you're including the little card & SAE... Wouldn't bother with the SAE if some of the party are overseas however! Just an A and an E please Bob.

In other news... The fitness regime is going well/not well, depending on the mood of my little Wii fit board. I fluctuate. A lot. And it keeps asking me if I'd like to hear a fitness tip. No thank you, the last time I got a fitness tip I had to go into Smyths and buy a Wii...

So anyway, must stop fluctuation or stop going to weddings, hen parties, 30th birthday parties, dinners out, general birthdays, rugby weekends... Oh sod it. My dress fittings start next month, and if I don't mind my shape by now I never will. He's marrying me, and I'm not a perfect 10. I haven't been one since...since possibly when I *was* 10. Aww!

Tip - the Wii fit really does tone you up, it's quite fun...

I think I'm all set re: hair & make-up trials, happy with the plan of action on that. Must schedule a meeting with band and photographer to organise when we're going to run through stuff.

I ordered the wedding cake at the weekend. I don't like spending too much money on this wedding but I have to put up my hand and shamelessly say... I'm spending too much money on the wedding cake. Three tiers, three flavours. Yes I know I'm insane.

The honeymoon is booked - did I tell you that? We're also going to check out what jabs 'n' things we need coz we've decided to go Asian for 3+ weeks. That'll be fun!

Next up - wedding shoes. The best pal found some last month for her big day in one of my favourite shoe shops. When she gets back from Lune de Miel I might see if she can come with me for some inspiration. Or maybe just a coffee and a chat, coz I'm dying to see photos!

In other news again, there's some difficulty negotiating with the wedding venue in terms of accommodation costs. I think maybe I should have done this before we signed the contract. They won't budge and they're being fcukers about it, to the point where I want to scream. I have no intention of ripping off my family for this, and I'm also not going to supplement the price. They *have* to come down, this just isn't good enough. They are pricing themselves way too high and only giving us €20 off the regular (high) price. We were assured everything would be negotiable nearer the day and it's just not the case.

Warning to anyone about to sign - confirm all these little details now so you don't have this headache in 6 months' time!

We've also had the auld pre-marriage course since I last posted. It's really been a busy few weeks! It was a grand experience, chatting with someone about our relationship. Weird, but good overall. I'm glad we did it in a way, it confirms that we're on the right track. I'm pretty sure I would have been ok without it though... Still, he's happy. Handsome One's happiness = important too...

Right I better go, I'm sure there'll be more regular posting over the next couple of months as we run closer to the day itself. Good luck to any brides reading this. Get your Prozac in...

Getting there

With a few months to go we have firmed up on a few things...

Hair trial and make-up trials have been booked for the end of February.

We have met with the Registrar and now are officially Licenced To Wed.

Introduced sets of parents to the celebrant.

Far-away family members have booked flights.

We are running through some pre-marriage stuff soon, it's so funny the questions they ask. I must say, it took The Handsome One a while to figure out how to answer some of the more relationshippy questions. I had read them ages ago and had time to think about all the areas covered, so when it came to answering I was a bit more ok with things. I think the experience will bring us closer - it has happened to other couples we know so I'm sure it'll happen to us too. Makes sense; if the experience so far is anything to go by ;)

We have been to see the venue to ask them All The Questions. I got a big list of What To Ask from a good friend who got hitched last year. I think it must be like the beacon of the B2B - when it's another friend's turn I will pass the torch. We had to give the venue a bit of an ass-kicking actually. We're fairly laid back people but they gave us some thunderingly bad customer service before Christmas and hadn't improved since. No deposit receipt, no copy of the contract sent... There were other details but I won't go into them. Hence our need to visit! The Handsome One - who is usually wonderfully reserved - calmly sat them down and told them he hoped that would be the end of the poor service. I was so chuffed when he did that, I had packed my angry eyes going in there and just had to sit and watch him be the man. What a guy...

Have since heard that our back-up venue (I'm a nerd, I have to have a plan B!) is in financial difficulty so I really fricking hope we're not going to have to pop a marquee in St Stephen's Green for the shindig!

In other news... The photographer and car bits are researched and booked, the music is 90% booked for the whole day and now my next hurdle is the invitations.

Picking the stationary is the easy bit here folks, it's what to write on the damn thing that's causing the hiccoughs. See, we ain't sure about the setup for the day. We have an idea what we'd like but there's nobody to guide us on this. So we're hesitant to make a wrong turn here. We'll figure it out of course, it's not rocket science. It's just a little more difficult that I would have expected. Hurrumph.

I'm looking forward to choosing the cake. I like cake.

Alternative Wedding Ideas

Wedding invitation:
Creativity and patience - this is the result!




Going down the aisle:
Oh how embarrassing, not on your LIFE!! I couldn't do it if I couldn't dance...and I can't, so I won't...




First Dance:
From Dirty Dancing, now this is class!




Guests havin' a bop: Now an MJ tribute...




And now for some cake: