I've always been a hitcher hovering in the background but I've always loved reading reports so I thought I would put mine on! We had the most amazing day that was very emotional and saw tears from people I didn't expect! I'll start with Friday....
Friday
At 9.30 I went to get my nails done and was feeling very relaxed. As I left the house my friend who was staying and H2B asked if there were any jobs to do and there weren't any - it was all organised!
After that we went and picked up mine and the bridesmaids dresses at midday. We then started the big job of packing up the cars to start the trip to the hotel. On the way we picked up our favours from my MIL house and she gave us our card. She's had it especially made and it is really beautiful - inside there was poem especially written for us about how we got engaged in a hot air balloon in Oz and I had my first tear!
We then set off to the hotel but our trip took us on the M1, M62 and A1 and there were very bad winds and the A1 was closed and there were overturned lorries on the M62. I guessed my way and my friend and I arrived about an hour earlier than H2B and second bridesmaid who got stuck in traffic. We arrived and picked up the room key for mine and two of the bridesmaids room, my gram and mum and dad. I was still feeling calm until my mum and dad arrived and then I got completely overexcited as they don't live close and I hadn't seem them since xmas and it was my grans first stay in a hotel!
After emptying all the cars and having a drink with mum and dad it was time to say goodbye to H2B and carry on welcoming guests who were staying the night before!
All my side which was about 17 of us then had dinner in a private room hosted by my dad which was lovely as most of us are spread across the country and don't see each other very much. My heavily pregnant sister had also arrived - we married on the fifth and she was due on the tenth but as yet she's still hanging in there! She'd also travelled from portsmouth to yorkshire!
At about 11pm we were practising walking down the aisle which was fun and put us at ease a little! We then went up to our rooms but with my two other bridemaids we swopped presents - I gave them jewellery and they gave me beautiful friends photo frame we finally got into bed at 1am!
Saturday
Well it started very early I woke up at 5am!!! I tried to stay in bed for a bit but my friends were also awake and I got a shower and then went downstairs with one BM and we set up the kids play area and card box and guest book which only took five minutes!!! Before I started getting ready they gave me a card from H2B which he'd made on Moonpig and had pics of us on it - he'd also written the same phrase as I had which was on the front of our invites.
Before I knew it the hairdresser had arrived who I know really well and we had a good laugh getting ready and all was going smoothly! As the flowers arrived so did some bollinger and flowers from H2B and so did the photographer! Then it was all go! Then my sisters calmness came into its own - my two friends suddenyl started flapping and we were suppposed to be moving across the hall to put dresses on. I laced my sis in - who's mananged to have her dress fit her so the size 12 still fit her at nine months pregnant and she looked beautiful! We then laced the other two into theirs and the flower girl and her mum also arrived to get dressed - she looked a proper cutie!
We then had some pics before going downstairs.
It was only as I was laced in that I began to relax as I realised I did look like a bride! I'd had an awful fear for weeks that I'd look really stupid with my hair different and in my dress but I was relieved to see that I looked fab!!! And the photographer did an amazing job!
Then it was time to go downstairs and I could see that my Dad was getting very nervous! As we got closer to the room I started to feel more and more excited which suprised me a little as I was sure I would be in tears! Then came the time to walk down the aisle. We'd decided to drag it out and spaced out the bridesmaids to make everyone wait - which dod get commented on after- I walked down to Adele Make me feel your love and couldn't stop grinning - H2B at the front I didn't see look round but when I reached the front I realised why as he was crying- which is the first time I've ever seen him do that! The service was wonderful including our page boy making a special trip round the fron of everyone back up the aisle to rejoin the flower girl which got a laugh! It also got a laugh when the registrar asked us to make our vows to each other not her! Then we were married and it was time to sign the register and have some more pics taken!
Then it was time for the champagne and canapes! This time went very quick and we had some wedding party pics. Unfortunately it had decided to start drizzling and it was a bit much to ask out guests who looked beautiful to stand in the rain for ten minutes! During the reception we also had a close up magician who did a good line in balloon animals and this and the kids play area went down really well!
(We swopped seat covers for the magician!!)
I love this one of me and my sis!
The it was time for the meal! The seating plan which was our parents, grandparents and sisters on each table and then each place nmae of each person got everyonr talking! It was speeches first and my dad did a fab job and hit the nail on the head in many respects. Then it was Rich's turn - his speech was amazing but I was taken a back again when he couldn't keep a dry eye which meant everyone was in tears!!! He then handed over to the best man - which I'd been nervously waiting for and he didn't disappoint by making a dodgy comment about something one of the bridesmaids had done a few weeks before luckily it wnet over everyone head apart form close friends - mu mum later siad it some places it was just confusing but in the non conducing parts it was fab and he ended it by giving us paper bags for each other of the famous people we fancy!
Then it was the turn of my friend who also did a fab job and brought a tear to my eye! The it was time to cut the cake! We were running a little behind at this point but luckily the canapes meant people weren't too hungry!
The food was gorgeous and everyone appeared to be having a brill time moving between tables in between courses as did Rich and I which meant we got a chance to talk to most people. The kids also loved their kids boxes which had cameras, bubbles, colouring and a small magic set and kept them busy and they kept coming up to see me which I loved as they felt really relaxed and has a good time as well!
We had a band for the evening and we were still running late so we asked everyone to move through with their coffee and cake to the other room and bar which then gave the band time to warm up - I'd barely had a second and the evening guests arrived! I spent time talking to people and then when the band started at about 8pm I danced the night away! And we ended up having about five dances when Rich won't normally dance at all! 
As the bar closed and everyone drifted to bed and home us and a few friends went for a night cap in their room before retiring to the honeymoon suite - where they'd decorated the room with hundreds of condoms! Which is actually a longstanding joke with our friends but a bit long to explain! We then sat in our little sitting area ate the buffet food we'd daved and opened some cards and presents before going to bed.
The next day I realised that they'd also decorated my bag and car with lots and lots of confetti!! We then went to the pub on the Sunday night where MIL had organised a buffet for local family and the family who had travelled from Oz.
So all in all we had a fab weekend and very memorable! The only little blot has been that we're back from our Mini break to Marackech I have a bug. Morroco was fantastic though and we had a fab time as Mr and Mrs!!!
If your not weddinged out then you can go to our photographers website to see more pics
https://www.chrischambersphotography.co.uk/ and the password is Hirst.
Happy planning for everyone!!
xx
