Can't believe this time last week we were rushing about the house making sure we'd got everything, and today the hubby has gone back to work while I spend the day with my family before he picks us up later, and it's all over ?
So here's the report, while I've got a spare few minutes, though it may take longer than that to read lol.
The background:
We met in 2010 after I'd split up with the ex hubby the year before. My best mate had gone through similar but had since found a lovely fella through internet dating (she's marrying him in November) and made me give it a try. After a few dodgy messages this chap added m as a favourite, so I sent him a message. I later found out he wasn't even looking in my area as he'd moved away some time ago and was trying to forge a better social life where he was now living.
After a couple of months texting and emailing etc we arranged a child free evening and I nervously walked to the pub to meet him. As would be the norm from then on, he was late lol. And, being nervous, his flamboyant nature was accentuated. The first thought that went through my head when I saw him was "oh my god, he's gay!". Then I spent dinner wondering how I could get out of this, while also knowing this was going to be it.
He talked me into agreeing it didn't make sense for him to go back to his mum's (she doesn't live very far away) for the night as he was taking me out the next day too (he wasn't impressed when I made it clear nothing was happening lol) and then kissed me. From that moment I knew we would be together for life.
Next day he took me zorbing! Which was awesome fun, then pub lunch,and a walk along the gorgeous coast of Lulworth Cove in Dorset, a place we've been back to a few times now. We then introduced the children and settled into being a weekend family.
We first talked marriage a year or so later, and decided it would happen at some point, just not sure when. Things weren't going well with my ex as he was dragging me through court over custody of the kids,and was generally being a right pain in the arse. But we did pencil in a date at a venue that only had half a dozen weddings a year and was booked up for 3 years. It was a wooden classroom in the trees, and we had weekend use of the site. It was gorgeous, but as time went on we couldn't justify the expense.
The proposal:
I was starting to get fed up waiting for something to happen. The date we spoke about came and went,and he made it clear he needed to feel the time was right before he'd officially ask me. It started to become a bit of an issue, but after a while we finally got to talking about engagement rings and I gave him some ideas.
I kept imagining all these times over Christmas when he had the opportunity to pop the question, but nothing happened. Then we were at my mum's for new year (my youngest sis lives in Hong Kong so we stay each year) so I'd given up hoping.
The event itself was a little surreal. We were watching really dodgy William Shatner (Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek) videos on youtube that had us in stitches, when I realised it was almost midnight and I had to watch Big Ben chime the new year. Suddenly the OH disappeared, but I didn't think anything of it. The bells chimed, then the dongs began. I suddenly heard my name and turned to find him holding a box with a rapid 'will you marry me' following. In my mum's kitchen, in front of my mother. He'd hoped everyone would be there, but the kids had wandered off, bro in law had gone to bed, and my 2 sisters had gone to find the children. I vaguely remember saying 'I suppose so...' before mum went to tell sisters there was a proposal going on, to which they both ran up the hall and barged in the doorway lol. Even bro in law came down in his underwear to see what the noise was.
So that gave us 20 months as we set a date for 20th August this year.
Planning:
As we'd both been married before we decided on a registry office do with a village hall. Nice and relaxed and informal. After seeing a lovely village hall we changed plans again as it was in the middle of nowhere and people would be coming from all over, many on public transport. So the next option was down the pub, resulting in a day crawling round the pubs in Salisbury until we settled on the Hunch of Venison - old and quirky, a bit like us lol.
I had every intention of making pressed flower invitations and all sorts of other things (ended up ordering them from Vistaprint with 2 months to go lol), and all sorts of other things that never happened.Neither of us could really get motivated.
I also had no intention of getting married in a traditional wedding dress, buying a blue ballgown first, then a burgundy evening dress off a friend, and lastly a 40 quid Mori Lee copy from China off ebay, that would need a bit of work.... But as I made my first wedding dress an did nothing of the trying on etc, I took my daughter to the dress shop round the corner just to play dress up. Only I put one on that I didn't want to take off again. After negotiating buying the shop sample for half price I was on a mission to find a dress budget out of nowhere, and shift 3 stone to make it fit properly.
I decided to crochet the flowers for my bouquet, and had to make more as I mislaid the first lot, and made the cake. Trying to finalise the guests list, limited due to venue space, and get the OH to confirm meal choices was arduous, and having to replace the bridesmaids dresses in a 2 hour window (both girls busts had sprouted out of the first ones and my niece was due at a party) but we got there in the end with a week to go.
The wedding:
The night before we spent in hotels as we were getting married away from where I live. Girls at one, boys another. We met up with my sisters and the best man and ended up in a Turkish restaurant for dinner, which was amazing, with belly dancing thrown in. Then the daughter and I headed off. The next time I would see the fella would be in front of the registrar.
The next morning both sisters arrived and the party started. Prosecco was opened and the goodies I brought for lunch were started. I had a panic message about a minor buttonhole disaster aversion (the flowers I'd bought hadn't travelled well), and a big thank you for the pressies (whiskey, cufflinks, The Husband ladybird book, Minion pants and socks, and a card that made him cry).
My make up lady arrived to make me pretty, followed by the photographer. A friend's husband I'd known him for years and he'd been 'booked' long before it being official, so it was lovely to finally have him there working. The morning went quite slowly, but soon the make up lady left and the photographer went to take some shots of the boys. Then time started running out! Underwear on (a mammoth task!), nails on, and dress on. A little gutted not to get any shots of this bit, but the tog had already left to catch people arriving.
Getting into the taxi was interesting. I'd failed dismally at losing weight and had to bet the dress let out round the hips, but sitting down was still tricky lol.
It was while I was waiting to see the registrar before the ceremony that the nerves finally started to kick in. I was a tad early,so lots of thinking time. Before long it was my turn, then one final photo...
I was walking in to Matt Cardle's Amazing and had to listen out for when to send the girls down, then me and mum (dad died 13 years ago). And there he was, in his lovely blue suit, waiting for me.
Looking back, the ceremony itself was really odd. Just a few brief words, swapping of rings, a reading by the best man, scribbling my signature for the last time, and that was it! After all the planning, and stress of the last weeks, it hardly seemed worth it lol. Had to smile when the registrars assistant said we were the best smelling wedding party she'd done and asked me what my perfume was.
I'd been laughed at for buying so much confetti, but the tog said it was one if the best confetti shots he'd done as everyone had a box each. The weather hadn't looked good so we rushed through the shots I wanted before it rained so everyone could get off to the pub. We had some photos taken in the park, and even though I'd bought wide fit shoes I Still had to take them off to walk.
The reception:
As we'd got the photo's done quickly we were earlier than planned at the pub, but were well looked after and everything was fabulous. The cake hadn't managed the car trip very well, but the staff made it look awesome. When upstairs was ready I changed dresses (no way would I have got dinner in it with me!), and more importantly, different shoes.
Dinner was lovely, and then we had some unplanned speeches. I only thought the best man was saying something, but the new hubby did too, and promptly dissolved into tears saying he hadn't seen the point of a wedding just to get a signed bit of paper, but was so glad he did it. Then my best and oldest mate, who is so self conscious about her voice after having her cleft palate repaired as a teen, stood up and said a few words. And for the first time that day, I cried. Not bad for someone who is soppy enough at the best of times, but had been an emotional wreck for the previous week!
All too soon people were leaving, and it was just the sisters, kids, and best man again. We were all in the same hotel that night,which was lovely as we had a few drinks before the bar shut and it was bed time.
The honeymoon:
After a wander round Salisbury cathedral, and dinner back at the hotel, the sisters took the kids off to stay with mum for a few days, the best man went home, and hubby and I went home.
Next day we headed off to the Lake District for 3 nights. It was brilliant, a day in the lake, a day on the fells, and dinner out each night, thanks to people giving us money as we didn't want presents. The preview photos were awesome, and hubby finally agreed he was worth the money lol. Can't wait to see the rest in a few weeks, bu for now it's back to reality. Next thing is him moving in as he handed his notice in, So no more weekend wife!
Sorry to ramble on. Will leave you with the best bit - the photos...
https://www.facebook.com/GlenJevon/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1075102799193748
