Hello!
OK - part 1 (DIY extravaganza)
We got up and showered, then headed to the breakfast room for a fry up of locally sourced food - delicious and just what the doctor ordered. Then I started on my nails. Which I *should* have done the day before, but was too busy faffing about with teacups
I gave all the bridesmaids their presents and the hairdressers turned up to start on all the BMs' hair dos; we ended up with 2 hairdressers as there were so many people that needed doing (4 BMs, 1 flowergirl, 2 female ushers and 1 MOB!) Chief BM went first as she then had to do my hair extensions which would take a chunk of the morning. It was nice to hide out in our room and do hair, as the main breakfast room had been taken over by children and hairdressers and was more than a little hectic! Of course, we cracked out the prosecco at this point - didn't want to be thirsty, after all!
Whilst CBM was doing my hair, I carried on with my nails. The tog turned up around this time and shortly after, so did my flowers, done by the fabulous Tracey Tomlinson of
From high, to low: our MoC (who was also one of the owners of Wethele) came to find me in a bit of a panic. I'd hired some birch trees from
Then, I realised I really had to get a shift on; MOB also wanted her makeup done, so as soon as my hair was finished and my foundation was put on, CBM went and did Mum's makeup, while I put on my eyeshadow and eyebrows. Then there was just enough time to get the rest of my makeup on before I was helped into my beautiful dress (another team effort, made by 2 wonderful friends!)
Then, it was time to get the veil on, head downstairs, get my shoes on and see my dad and get in the cars!
Once we were in the car, Dad told be that a 6am that morning, the car hire firm he'd booked phoned and cancelled our cars - luckily, he found a replacement or it could all have been a bit tricky! Once we were on the road, my heart started pounding and I started to feel a bit overwhelmed. It didn't really go away until I was at the church and had something else to focus on. When we got there, the vicar was outside waiting for us to make sure we remembered what order to walk in, and that I hadn't changed my mind
Then, we got married
Walking into a church, full of everyone you love is a feeling like no other. I felt like all my emotions were barely being held inside me; I was grinning so much I thought my head would fall off
The service was wonderful, with the perfect balance of warmth, humour and sadness - the last time my family were all in that church together was to say goodbye to my granny, and there were some that were very sorely missed, but there were others (mainly crazy flower girls) who made us smile - and laugh when they were messing about.
We had a reading from Alice in Wonderland and before I knew it, we were signing the register, while our playlist (Once Upon A Dream, Lana Del Ray and Halleujah, Jeff Buckley) filled the church. It sounded awesome. We exited to Mendelssohn's Wedding March and got showered in confetti
Then, we did the only full wedding party pic at the church and got in the car to head back to Wethele as husband and wife
Via a trip to the local Spar, where I used to get sweets with my granny - my dress was too big to fit down the aisles of the shop and it tried to steal a box of Freddos. Clearly, they don't make corner shops to fit brides into!
(taken by Husband!)
We got to Wethele and most people had already arrived and were having drinks in the courtyard in the sunshine We did more of the formal shots and promptly lost all the children to the
The playlist was going down well with the canapes and prosecco and before I knew it, it was time for everyone to head into the marquee and have the wedding breakfast. Before I went in, me, Husband and our little one had an 80s power ballad moment, with assistance from my veil
Then we went down the rabbit hole!
The marquee looked amazing, with everyone in it; once it was full of our nearest and dearest, all my crazy obsessions suddenly came together and it was better than I could have possibly imagined
Then, food! Due to crazy dietary issues (vegan, veggie, allergies, you name it, we had it!) there were 4 options for each course and everything was amazing. The food was incredible; OH and I couldn't decide on our menu, so we shared each course
I'd previously commissioned a friend to make me a whole load of meringue toadstools, 2 of which were put on each dessert. And they were awesome - and tasted great!
After our glorious dinner, we ran out for a quick shoot while the light was still good, before the sun went down and the speeches started.
While we were out, Husband’s sister handed round some copies of an illustration she’d done, with packets of coloured pencils: they amused everyone for ages!
Then came the speeches. And they were wonderful. Laughs, tears, memories, a projector and even videos from a best man tag team
After everyone's planned speeches, I felt that I had to get up and thank everyone again who had helped me to undertake the ridiculous task I'd set myself; this was one day I truly couldn't have got through without their help
Then it was time for cake! My mum's friend completely outdid herself with our Alice/woodland brief. And for someone who only makes cakes for friends for fun, I really think she missed her calling:
Clearly I had had a bit to drink as I initially tried to cut the cake with the knife upside down. And then I did a HeMan impression
Next up was our first dance and the party! The barn where the dancefloor is was hidden behind a wall of curtains, and got revealed when it was time for the first dance - a nice touch on the venue's part We are lucky enough to know a bunch of great DJs, so 4 of our guests each took a slot on the decks, with our first DJ playing our first dance: Monsters and Angels, by Voice of the Beehive. We didn't rehearse anything, dance-wise, so it went from awkward (but happy) swaying, to spinning around really fast, to all the flower girls joining in for a really weird ring'o'roses!
Then, the party proper started with Starship's We Built This City and a plethora of 80s and cheesy rock \m/ Next up, was the band. Husband and one of the best men have been in a band, Manuskript, for 22 years(!) and when we were planning our day, it seemed natural that they would play.
Understandably, H didn't want to play a full set, so we worked out a set that meant he only had to play bass on the last 2 songs and the rest of them - more 80s synth pop covers than anything else - didn't need him to play. What he didn't realise was that his dad would get up and play a song - on the euphonium, no less!
And I also surprised him by getting up on stage when they asked for someone who had got married that day, and singing Lovesong, by The Cure, which with no rehearsals at all went pretty well and was actually great fun!
Next up, was double Dutch and the skipping song. The bar staff a worked the farm, so I knew I could count on them to get me some rope and another old tradition form mine and my friends' clubbing days was enacted, with my mum winning! Then, the Locomotion started and it all went down hill from there
the Locomotion! Taken by Luke Leonard
the Locomotion! Taken by Luke Leonard
After that, the party just kept on going and the night finished with me racking up £260 bill on shots (whoops!) and an after party in the house after the guests had left. An awesome end to an amazing day
We told people to take stuff from their table as favours - and they did!
And now, it's all done! The plants are all planted in my garden; we'd told people they could take anything from their tables as a favour, so the plants that didn't come home with me are how planted in gardens all over the place, and teacups everywhere from our wedding are being used The seeds from the Macmillan placeholders have come up and I even managed to save some of the succulents from the buttonholes and my bouquet, and they are planted in a giant teacup in the back garden, reminding me of an awesome day that couldn't have been better
tog: Adrian Brown, Clear Image Photography: http://www.clearimagephotography.co.uk
bouquets: Tomlinson Flowers: http://www.flowers-coventry.co.uk/default.aspx
wholesale flowers: Triangle Nursery: http://www.trianglenursery.co.uk/
band: Manuskript