JayneE wedding report from Lapland.

For some reason it's not letting me attach pics at the moment so I will carry on for now.

WEDDING EVE.

the night before the wedding we were booked to stay at the igloos on the top of the fell. What a stunning place. Small but quite luxurious and with the most comfy electric beds you can move to give you a good view of the northern lights through the glass in comfort. There was also a half bottle of bubbly on the table and two glasses! There was a sweeping brush outside the door so if it snows you can sweep the snow off and I think the glass is heated now and again to thaw any snow. Paul walked round to sweep and disappeared in snow up to his thighs but he managed to struggle his way out. Liz and I had a good walk round the area and saw two faint green lines in the sky just above the hill. Was it the start of the lights or just light reflected from over the hill. We sat on our igloo as we had a front row one eating nibbles and drinking wine and then they went back to their own igloo to bed.

Paul and I watched until 2am and then he fell asleep. Much as I knew we were being picked up at 9am and it was now our wedding day I couldn't give it up.

Pat 3am I woke Paul. Something was different. Was something going to happen? Sure enough a few minutes later green lights started spreading across the sky until we were under a huge dome of green stripey lights! It was...well.... It took my breathe away literally. I couldn't breathe it was so beautiful. I can't describe how totally overcome I was. I felt like I had been waiting my whole life to see this.

I got dressed and ran outside. I couldn't watch through the glass from the comfort and warmth of bed I had to be outside 'in it' and I also remembered to run to my friends igloo and hammer on the door to wake them up otherwise they would have slept through it. I was in and out to warm up but I watched all night. A choice between seeing the northern lights or having bags the size of suitcases under my eyes was no contest the lights won hands down.

I feel very fortunate to have seen them. Some people go for years and never see it so on our first visit and on our wedding day was amazing. Earlier on in the evening we had seen two shooting stars. Guess what I wished for? Unfortunately our camera was nowhere near good enough to get a picture of it

i don't really need a pic. It's something I will never forget.

The next morning we were being collected at 9am. Of course it was pitch black but we had a photo taken sipping our bubbles outside the igloo in the dark and snow and it struck us how cold it felt. The temperature had plummeted. It was -38 on our wedding day.

-38 in a wedding dress anyone? (Promise I'm still trying for pics.).

Best I can do for now. I haven't a pic of the interior so it gives you an idea. It's not the same as watching outside laying on your back in the snow though. My photographer and I were talking and I said we couldn't photograph it. He asked what I had seen and made me describe it then he actually included one of his northern light pictures with my pics which was lovely.

Whoop more please!

More more more!! xx

Oh Jayne I've been waiting so patiently for this, it sounds amazing!!! Love this!!!! ?????

Love, love, love! Can't wait for more!

I think ive finally got all the pics in the right pace after technical issues so here are some pics of beautiful Lapland.

the view to the reindeer corral from my balcony.

the frozen lake

reception/bar area view. reindeer behind the fence.

view from the hotel door. Tourist information offce and the ski slope at the back.

bubbles at 8am at the igloo. wedding morning. no sleep.

After a very quick breakfast everyone decided they were going to have an hours sleep. Except muggings who had to shower and wash her her so my curls could dry on their own. So I spent most of the morning on my own in the hotel bar just whatsap, hitched and a coffee.

We had left gift bags with the kids and parents with wine and cake in with instructions to join us for wine and cake on 6th January at 7pm English time. Knowing my lot they probably needed a reminder that it was now the 6th January and our wedding day. I had downloaded the song going to the chapel and we're going to get married and sent it to all our friends and family by whatsap. I also wondered why people were even more friendly than usual until I went back to the room and found my friend had covered our hotel door in wedding day banners.

By then I had had enough and got everyone up. I wanted a first look pic with Paul so I could have some daylight pictures taken before the wedding so I couldn't get ready until he was ready and kicked out so I packed him off for a shower. In the end I had an hour to get ready from start to finish. Luckily I only had to straighten the front part of my hair. Liz came in to lace me into my dress. OMG I put loads of weight on while in Finland. How did I manage that! I couldn't fit my thermals under my dress so all there was was a pair of tights and some thick wool socks and thermal boots! and it was about -37 at this point. She laced the dress so tight I could hardly breathe and I now know how all those Victorian ladies felt and why they passed out. Couldn't breathe couldn't bend. Never mind its only for a few hours. To say I only got left with an hour to get ready I didn't scrub up too bad even if I do say so myself.

We went down to meet Paul and Ken in the bar and Liz forgot to take the first look pic she was so busy watching his face. He didn't cry. **** I had told him if he didn't cry the wedding was off! However I decided to marry him anyway after all the trouble getting me in the dress.

Off we went outside into the cold for some daylight pics. I hid a big fleece cardigan under my fur jacket and my leather gloves were neither use nor ornament in that cold. Unfortunately next on the disaster list' it was so cold that Liz's camera kept freezing up and she would only get one shot from a set of batteries! Then it was wait and freeze while she changed the batteries so we only got these pics before we went. Everything was just par for the course by this time. We didn't care. I had seen the lights who gave a **** about things wrong in the wedding.

We sat I the bar in front of the fire to warm up again. Well I stood. Sitting was painful in the dress lol. The taxi arrived and we managed to shoehorn me into it. Im not sure if it was tiredness or nerves but everyone was really quiet. About 15 minutes into the journey Liz and I were dropped off to meet the reindeer sleigh. Paul and Ken were to carry on in the taxi.

A woman in traditional dress was waiting for us with our sleigh. As was a party of tourists who had seen the sleigh when leaving the Ice Castle and stopped to look. We got in the sleigh and she got us all covered up and the tourists were taking photographs and waving us off. I felt like a superstar with paparazzi at her wedding! I wonder where al those photos ended up. it was so cold. Im glad I still had my fleece under the jacket and the blankets and earmuffs. however it was the most beautiful thing ever. It was dark, it was snowy, it was a silent deserted lane. It was like something out of Dr Zhivago film. Liz was crying her eyes out and all she kept saying was its so beautiful, its so beautiful. I managed to hold it together with difficulty. I was squeezing her hand but refusing to look at her. I just wanted to take it all in at that point. I had so been looking forward to the reindeer.

We knew we must be near when our photographer jumped out in front of us and then we were there.

Look at those rosy cheeks lol. And I love that the reindeer is looking at the camera too!

Because our hotel had reindeer they sold reindeer food and I took a bag with me, which was lucky as the woman didnt give us any so I got to feed my reindeer when we arrived which was lovely. He was more interested in eating my bouquet actually but I managed to give it to Liz out of his way with minimal damage. Then he had a feed and we had a good chat.

Can you tell I love the reindeers.

Then it was inside into the warm room to thaw out before the wedding where Paul was waiting for me with the magistrate and staff. Where he wasn't was outside filming my arrival as instructed!

They gave us a mug of hot berry juice and took a couple of pics.

I don't know who those random people are n the background.

Then they whisked Paul off to the chapel to wait at the alter. The magistrate had asked if she could read a poem after the wedding and of course we said yes. I dumped the fleece jumper, gloves and earmuffs as I was determined to wear only the dress in the chapel. She told me it should be a constant -5 in there but if its cold and people left the doors open the cold air gets in and cant get out. I can only say it was way colder than -5 in the chapel. Luckily I gave Liz my jacket and said if I gave her the nod to slip it round my shoulders.

Under starters orders. Paul had set up the go-pro camera in the chapel to try to catch as much video of the wedding as we could and I asked Liz to video me walking in. Well that went well but we aren't up to that bit yet Im getting ahead of myself so here I am off to get married at long last. I would like to say we are nearly done but probably not so well done if youre still with me.

Lovely boots!

So after all or panic that the night before we left we needed new wedding music we chose instrumental by sting quartet of Elvis cant help falling in love with you. Paul waited. I stood waiting for the music to start. He waited, I stood. Then I thought to say to the woman Im quite deaf I cant hear the music you will have to tell me when to go and of course it had been playing a while and she shooed me in. I took his hand and we stepped up to the carved ice alter together. There were candles everywhere and it was just lovely. I also gave him a kiss when I got there. Who cares we are not married yet.

The service was quite short and passed in a blur. Ken did a reading about the two trees becoming one. The magistrate read her poem which I couldn't hear. Then we got to the vows. Bless him Paul broke down when he had to say as this ring encircles your finger so my love encircles you, now and forever. He couldn't get the words out and I FINALLY got my tears I wanted. I was sooooo calm! I just rubbed his back till he managed it.

We named a star for our wedding so the fact that it says on the chapel wall... if you wish upon a star your dreams will come true was amazing. We had no idea when we named it as the chapel wasn't finished!

So yep I'm crying into my morning brew, it sounds magical Jayne xxx

Not finished yet! Soon we were man and wife and I was Frozen and while pickies were being taken we played an instrumental version of Disney Frozen, Let it Go. ~Well it seemed appropriate and sounded lovely in the chapel Im told. I still cant hear it. Turn the music up for us deaf uns!

After yet more photos it was off outside to take so9me only to find we were running late and our taxi was waiting. Our meal was booked at a traditional Lappish restaurant who only did sittings at a certain time so a quick confetti shot and we had to rush off. Only to find the taxi was early and we could have had outside pics. Because Paul new I had wanted daylight shots he rang the photographer and asked him to come the following lunch time to the hotel. Back in the dress! It was worth it however as these are some of my favourite pics.

As you can see it was snowing heavy at this time so I was over the moon. My hair was wrecked but I didn't care I love the snowing in the snowy woods pics. Yes it was. Cold. -25 this day.

Then it was soon our last night. We walked to the frozen lake to aurora spot. No aurora. A shooting star again but I wont tell you what I wished for or it wont come true. We attached our engraved padlock up a tree where we used to sit and then Paul surprised me . He had our first dance song on his phone. We missed out rushing from the chapel. He played Frozen in Time and danced with me on the frozen lake in the dark. It was wonderful.

So for anyone who read my backgroud story and are wondering why this wasn't a fairytale its really very simple. When Cinderella wanted to go to the ball, when Pinnochio wanted to be a real boy and Ariel wanted legs to be with her Prince they all had some outside help. I wished upon a star, and my dreams came true. My fairytale became real. xxx

Finally. The end. Yes its long and Im not apologising!

So beautiful! I have no words! Very jealous of your beautiful wedding, and reindeers, and lights!

Jayne, what an amazingly touching and at the same time hilarious report! I'm so happy for you. You saw the northern lights, and fed the reindeer, and you're married!! Woohoooooo! Thanks so much for taking us all to Lapland!

Trying not to cry at work.

Jayne, this was a lovely read! It looks like it was absolutely perfect!

Xx

Absolutely stunning! Love your wedding report and the pics. wishing you both every happiness xx

Such an amazing report and the photos are stunning! ? x

Thank you. I'm rubbish with colour or would happily help. I didn't have any colour except a tiny bit of breast cancer pink.

Beautiful report and gorgeous photos! I absolutely love the one where your hands in the air with snow! Really should get my report done soon! It's so lovely to see your report after months of passing emails. Congratulations again!!

I'm dying to see yours! It was so the same and yet completely different. I could have sat here all day adding photos! X

This is such a beautiful report, full of good tears, humour, stunning pictures and wonderfully written.

The two of you look so happy and I honestly can't pick a favourite bit or picture, thank you so much for sharing this, and please do stay x

Many congratulations, Jayne. It all looks so wonderful

Wow!! xx

Absolutely beautiful report, photos, story, everything. You must be so pleased with how it all came together! Congratulations

That was a beautiful report and the first I've ever read every single word of! :-)

You've made me want to visit Lapland now. It sounds amazing!

What a beautiful wedding.
I've been waiting for your report and the pictures for ages. Definitely worth the wait. Brought tears to my eyes.
Everything looked so magical and the day sounds like it was perfect.
The pictures of you with the reindeer were amazing!

Thank you for sharing this with us.

xx

Beautiful report and an amazing wrdding! Really glad you got to see the lights :-)

Thank you. It was an amazing day even if things were going wrong left right and centre. We just shrugged our shoulders and went with the flow. I can honestly say hand on heart that the Ice Castle is far better in real life than on photos. They just can't seem to capture the magic of it. I can't think of anywhere better for us that we could have married. It's my first cold holiday. I hate the cold. However Lapland has to be easily the most beautiful place we have ever been and with the correct clothes I wasn't cold. We can't wait to return. And I never thought I would say that. It's also the only place where I have cried getting on the plane to fly home because I didn't want to leave.

I've received a copy of the poem the magistrate read. I will post it I case anyone is looking for a reading and can use it. I must also tell you about our wedding video (known to us as trouser gate!)

Jayne this is absolutely wonderful. So happy and so moving. Many congratulations to you and Paul ❤️

Oh Jayne your story is amazing

i had a tear in my eye as i read it

such a magical wedding thank you for sharing with us all

i hope you stay on here long enough for mine to arrive!! I feel with all the emails i have a new friend xx