So it's been 7 weeks since I became and misses, the photos are in and it's time for a (very long) wedding report and a few flashes
Starting Out
So it all starts in 2001. I (M) had just come out of my most serious relationship to date and he (N) hadn't long come out his marriage. I was working part time behind a bar and we met there. One drunken night we got together. There were a few hiccups along the way, mainly because N was so worried about the 25 year age gap but we moved in together in May 2003 and can honestly say we have never noticed the gap (he thinks he's Peter Pan).
He always knew I wanted to get married but, being twice married, was reluctant to do it again. He had been saying for years that it would happen one day but I, in all honesty, thought it would never happen.
The Engagement
Christmas 2013. I finished work on Friday 20th and had so much planned for every day up to New Years day. We went to a big family party on the Friday night, Saturday was spent shopping and then a Chinese take away with my dad and step mum (and a few drinks!). We went to N's son and daughter in laws for the day for nibbles and present exchanges with them and their two kids and had a lovely day. In the evening our local were doing the Christmas draw so we popped over for that, after watching Love Actually. We didn't win anything but we were all having an absolute scream, Everyone was in a good mood, the jukebox was blaring out the cheese and we just spent the night laughing.
We started to chat about my dad (he lives the other end of the country so we don't get to see him much) and N said “your dad” with a grin and shook his head. I asked him what he meant and asked if my dad had been hassling him to marry me again (for the last few years, whenever my dad has a drink he had been asking N when he was going to make an honest woman of me). N said yes he had so I laughed and said I will have to tell him off and even step mum has told him to stop it. N then told me it was his fault. I questioned him why, thinking he would say because he hasn't done it yet, and nearly fell off my stool when he answered me with “Well I asked him for permission to marry you last night”.
I think I said “what” about 20 times! N was just grinning at me and I gave him a huge kiss andf hug (and cried a bit) and then, just to be sure, asked if this meant we were actually engaged. N told me that we have been engaged for years! So, just to clarify, I asked it meant that it was actually official then. And he confirmed it did. After lots of kisses and hugging (and tears), we began calling the family.
The first person I rang was Ns daughter to ask her to be my bridesmaid. Her reaction was pretty much the same as mine! My mum screamed down the phone, as did my step mum (who then hit my dad for not telling her). We called N's mum and, despite her living the opposite side of the world, I don't think we really needed the phone to hear her very excited reaction! She also admitted that her mission had been to get N to propose when she had visted earlier in the year.
We went (staggered) home and popped the champagne. N's daughter popped round to congratulate us and have a little toast with us. N then got down on one knee and asked if I would make him the happiest man alive and take him as my husband. Cue more tears and a tactful exit from his daughter.
I got a max of 3 hours of sleep that night!
