**wedding report- dhughes81- 26th May 2012**

Wedding morning preparations

1am: just finished taping my sugarcrafted carnations and leaves together to make sprays to go on the cake. I placed them on the cake, realised I needed to cut the wires but only OH (R), who was already wisely in bed asleep, knew the wherabouts of wire-cutters, so I finally gave up and decided to join him.

6am: got up with the kids and gave them breakfast. The rest of the morning was a blur of finishing and boxing the cake, experimenting with and arranginging the ‘top table’ flowers, R trying to cut squares of wrapping paper to wrap around the bottoms of the homegrown chilli plant favours (with name labels in each) but finding out we didn’t have enough paper(!), rearranging guests on table plan as people were dropping out and being added until a few days before. A flash of the table ‘look’ with the favours/names will follow in the ‘evening’ post.

Then the ferrying to the reception venue began: all the flower arrangements (the others had been done by R’s stepmum and aunt the day before as I ran out of time), the chilli favours (and little plant pots of jelly beans for the kids), new table plan, my evening outfit, pushchair for E, highchairs for him and my niece, cake stand, cake, guest book, party poppers.

Finally, R and I had quite a brief goodbye, as it would only be a matter of hours before we met again, and I think we were both quite nervous really. On my final run to the venue a couple of minutes drive from our home, I took H with me. We got there about 11.30am, I met my friend B (who celebrated her 12th wedding anniversary the same day), who’d generously offered to use the (plentiful) leftovers of her recently defunct gift balloon business to decorate our reception hall. I gave her a quick run through of the other décor arrangements, which she’d also offered to help put in place on the day. She packed me off sharpish to get myself ready. I found out later that she didn’t finish ‘til 3.30pm bless her.

I went out into the sun to meet my dad, who’d strapped H into his car, and we went with him to pick up my and her flowers from our local florist who came highly reccommended by friends. I left my car at the reception venue, as it was easy for me to walk and collect it from home the next day. I was amazed by the flowers, seeing them for the first time was about the only time that day that I had to have a quick watery blink, I was so proud of what she had done for us. Packed with beautiful very fresh looking flowers, bursting with natural spring colour, but still extremely dainty to match my (and my daughter’s) tiny frame. By noon we were back on the road, travelling to my mum and dad’s, down the motorway a couple of junctions, right on time.

Wedding afternoon preparations

On arrival at my parents’ the pace eased a little. Until I realised I’d left my wedding underwear at home... A highlight of the day for me was when my mum genuinely offered, “you can borrow some of mine for now if you want?..”. lol “Thanks mum, but I have got some on!”. She agreed to the mission of collecting the wedding undies from our house while I was at the hairdresser’s after some lunch.

I had a quick shower, while mum cooked burgers and beans for everyone (my sister and brother and their families were there too, so there were 11 of us to feed). As soon as H had finished eating, she was in the shower too, as the hairdresser wanted her hair wet to start with to save time. H and I then walked round serenely in the sunshine to the salon for 1.30pm, where I also had my makeup done. H was an angel, sitting still and quietly for the whole time with a book. In the meantime, my sister and family had gone to their hotel to get ready, and my brother’s family, who were staying at my parents’, got themselves ready.

The hairdresser struggled to secure my borrowed veil attached to a heavy comb, so I was full of hairpins and running late when the dress shop lady appeared, having already been to meet me at my parents’. She kindly gave us a lift back to my parents’, where the limo was already waiting. I started to try and get my daughter into her outfit, but got hurried into the spare room off the living room to get myself sorted. My wedding underwear was in there waiting for me thankfully, and then I realised I’d left my birthday perfume from OH, which I’d been saving for the day, at home as well. Thankfully, mum had presented me with a little bottle of eau de toilette before I went to the hairdresser’s, which was also in the room waiting, so I spritzed, stepped into my shoes and the hoop that the dress lady had brought/lent, and called her in to help me into the dress. Because of the hoop I couldn’t step in, but she being lovely and tall was able to help my dress on top first, then she laced me in in minutes and straightened and fluffed all the dress skirt layers. Then she left me for a couple of minutes to finish putting on earrings, watch and necklace. My mum got H dressed, including into her cardi, which I hadn’t intended for her until later, but H nor mum would take it off, so I let it go.

Then it was time to go! A neighbour who had been helping my mum with her baking (more on that later) came out to take a couple of photos of us, I maneouvred (sp) myself awkwardly into the car, despite help from the dress lady, and my mum, dad, and H got in afterwards. My parents and I each enjoyed a flute of Lambrini (lol, mum chose that over the sparkling wine offered by the limo driver) en route, I admired my flowers, but we didn’t have much chance to talk as the windows were right down so we couldn’t hear each other, especially along the motorway. I wasn’t nervous, I think I was just relieved at this point that all the arrangements were now out of my hands. I realised H was messing about with a toy mobile phone dangling from her wrist, which horrified me a bit, but mum refused to pop it in her handbag, saying it was fine (grr), so I let it go.

The driver took a bizarre wrong turn when we were near the register office (he was from the next town), but was soon back on track, but when we got to the right place, I could see all our guests still waiting outside for the previous ceremony to finish. Dad started getting out and I had to shout to him to get back in. The guests quickly disappeared inside though. Our TOG friend W had travelled with R and E on the bus we put on to bring travelling guests from their hotel, and came over to explain the delay, and take some shots of us in the limo.

W went inside, then we milled around outside the separate ‘bride’s entrance’ (guests’ entrance was the leisure centre entrance, complete with swimming gala starting at the same time, glam or what lol), while my mum had a complete flap about something and nothing that I can remember. I took charge and rang the buzzer, and a lady let us into the wide, swishly decorated corridor leading to the interview room that separated us from the ceremony room. The registrar’s assistant sat me down, I popped my flowers on the desk, my mum flapped a bit more before being ushered into the ceremony room, and my dad and H were shown into the ‘waiting room’ from where we’d make our ‘grand’ entrance. The registrar introduced himself, before leaving me with his assistant to check through the details to be written on the marriage certificate (including our and our fathers’ occupations).

The ceremony: 4pm (ish)

Soon I was shown into the waiting room. We had a quick discuss with the registrar’s assistant about the order of our entrance, I briefed H on what to do (again), and I positioned myself behind her. My dad asked if I was ready, I had a quick jiggly-loosen-up and a deep breath, and nodded and smiled. Another lady opened the door for us, I heard the music start (felt relieved it was the right piece!), then we stepped in.

I didn’t get far before I felt the toe of my shoe catch in the bottom tier of my hoop! I paused, grinned embarrassedly straight ahead, while I hitched up my dress a bit and proceeded with more tentative steps, smiling at everyone, still feeling embarrassed (I think I tripped again a little near the front), but trying to sink into the relaxed mood of the music (Khatchaturian’s Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia, chosen as it was my fave of the tracks I’d trawled through, and because when E was just a bump, R used to call ‘it’ (we didn’t take the gender scan), ’Spartacus’). As I walked up the aisle carefully with my dad, R was watching, holding E, who was struggling to get to me, and was passed promptly to granny on the front row. I was relieved to get to the front and fairly quickly sat on the chair I was shown to, before realising everyone else was still standing, and again embarrassed, jolted up to my feet again!

Then it began. I may horrify many by saying that I found even the registrar’s quite basic speech a bit boring, but it was quite sweet. E and his little cousin babbled and whinged through most of it, but I’m glad they didn’t get taken out. We came by and by to our vows, R went first, and then I felt him staring at me while I did mine, waiting for me to mess up (I was very careful with the word ‘lawfully’!), so I got the giggles. I apologised, the registrar said it’s ok, it’s only nerves, and I thought, no, it’s R hoping to mock me later!

After the ring bit (R didn’t have one so no ‘exchange’) and what I thought was a quick kiss and R thought was a long one for how public it was lol, we each had to sign the register, before the posed photos with the register were taken (they don’t allow photos of the text in the actual register, so we posed on a covering, blank page at the front of the register). My sister T and R’s brother P signed as witnesses, and we had a quick game of pass-on-the-bum-squeeze when we posed together (P started it)!

Then we prepared to walk out. I got a bit confused as I’d previously been told we’d all just go out into the ‘gardens’ via doors past the registrar’s desk at the front, but we had to do a (IMO bit pointless) ‘walk back down the aisle together’ first, before the guests filed outside in front of us. But it was nice to come out into the sunshine with the guests already there. W got a few snaps after the ceremony at the register office, but I think we were all keen to get home to some proper gardens and more room for group shots. So after some photos in the limo, we headed off, tailing the guests’ bus as the limo driver didn’t know the way…

The drinks reception/’Formal’ photos

When we arrived, happily the fizz was already flowing on our ‘self-serve’ kitchen/bar (although I think my mum quickly took over service), and guests were relaxed and perched on various seating we had around the garden. I think this is the best time to mention the ‘cake-toppers’, that R made out of modelling clay the day before, which ended up far too big to go on the cake, so he positioned them on a table in the kitchen for people to see when they got their drinks. I thought they were really sweet. In fact they’re still on the table now! I did a lap of the guests, then it was photo time. This is when I found out H had picked up yet another silly toy from my parents’ and would not be parted from it :/

I realised fairly soon that the weight of the dress and the height of my heels were making movement difficult, so I was glad there was only one formal photo setting and I hung around there for quite a while as R did his rounds between shots. He was quite glad when I did try to mingle, as I had to stop and ask him to climb under my dress and reposition my wayward garter!

Anyway, it was a lovely place for everyone to chill in the sunshine before the party, and I think for that, and for the lush greenery in the photos, it was worth it. The kids let off some steam, too, catching the poor frogs in our wildlife pond! We made sure they put them back again. Before not too long, we were all done with the photos, the champagne and the sponge cake! We had one last photo with everyone (one of my faves), before we all got on the bus to go to the reception. Me and R on last, taking the front seats.

Uh-oh hitting a hitched hitch, my lovely big group flash is refusing to upload, so I'll wait a few hours before continuing as the next part is quite flash heavy. I'll hopefully stick the group one on that one.

I'd like to take this opportunity to direct you to a fab funny video our friend Steve made for us. Jan is his wife to clarify. We were so touched when he sent this to us on the eve of our wedding, even though it's a little weird, he clearly went to a lot of trouble to make it for us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN5Du5aBPI4&list=HL1337984936&feature=mh_lolz

I just sat here wondering 'who is this dlees81 who is writing dhughes report??' before realising you have done a quick name change!

First of all, congratulations! I'm glad you had a lovely wedding day, even if the run up was a bit manic!

I love the pictures, your guys look really dapper in their hats I can't believe your OH made that cake topper, it's fabulous - it looks very like the style of the guy who illustrates Roald Dahl books - well done! I also love the family photo there at the end, you all look so happy

WSS.

Your dress is lovely too, really suits you.

Congratulations ?

Aww thanks Viki.

Yes name change, manic, dapper, and creative!

now I'll try that group shot again, then put the rest on..

Well, I couldn't get the one I wanted on for some reason, with everyone waving, but this one's similar and not bad.

Onwards..!

The evening reception: arrival 6.30pm ish

I started to flag at this point, but looked forward to relaxing a bit more. Most of our friends were already at the venue (our local sports and social club hall, overlooking an oak tree-lined cricket pitch) when we arrived, milling in the late sunshine around the pitchside entrance with drinks. I spent ages by the doorway catching up with everyone, while R went to chat to his old college mates inside. I think we were all a bit late heading to our seats, but the manageress/caterer kept her eye on when we were ready for the food, so we still got it lovely and fresh. Unfortunately it wasn’t ‘til later in the evening that someone pointed out that she’d omitted to put numbers on the tables, so our carefully arranged table plan was trickier for guests to navigate than planned, but they managed it! Another major-ish omission on both our part and that of my parents, was the planned toys for the allocated ‘kids’ corner’, but so luckily with the weather, they all spent the evening gleefully charging about the field anyway.

We had on our rectangular table (seated on all four sides), us facing the crowd, our kids, and some friends and their kids. It was lovely and relaxed. When we first went to sit down, there was an unexpected pair of wedding meerkats (in-joke between R and his bro) on our seats, which I loved. The wellies were on our table, all the others had watering cans. All had the set of three balloons attached.

Our table was called up to the buffet first, but the queue became a bit of a free-for-all after us. But the spread was fantastic, just what I’d asked for, and everyone raved about it afterwards. Once everyone had eaten (some a lot more than others lol), the cheesecakes that my mum had made with her neighbour’s help were brought out, one for each table of the ten tables. They were scrummy!

Then R gave the speech he swore never to (somehow my dad got out of that one!). He showed no nerves, volunteering himself onto the stage at a seemly moment as we had no running order. The speech was brief but touching, talking about his late mum, and her sister who helped bring him up following her passing- his beloved but now frail aunt attended our wedding in a wheelchair. It would have been her wedding anniversary too, had her husband still been with us.

Then our friends started playing music on the stage. We had experienced gig players playing folk songs, the lovely B braving one of her first outings with her guitar, and towards the end, my dad nervously but spell-bindingly wielded his air force band trumpet for a couple of tunes.

During the music we all left our table, and some friends packed it away to make way for the dance floor. We had a pause to do the dreaded cutting of my precious cake, with W getting us to pose for some funny but unflattering shots of us stuffing cake into each other’s mouths. I loved it when E decided to get one of the meerkats to ‘eat’ the cake, too, so cute. Then I went for a mingle, during some more live music. I was feeling more and more the burden of my dress, my feet were absolutely killing in my towering heels, and I lost my veil fairly randomly around this point. I had had enough of it by then anyway, and tucked it away safe in E’s hat on the stage. It was great chatting to everyone and seeing them all enjoying themselves.

The night seemed to draw in all of a sudden, and while talking to my new in-laws nearby, I suddenly realised our DJ friend was summoning me to the dancefloor over the speakers. A chill feeling of apprehension crept over me as this was unexpected, but I went to stand alone by the stage as directed. The DJ then announced my new husband, who emerged from the loos to the far side of the stage in his old Dipsy costume! Mortified, annoyed, bemused, amused was about the order of my emotions at this point, as R took a gentle hold of me, gave me a big smile which melted me, and we shuffled round to Lonnie Donegan’s Seven Golden Daffodils (his choice..). I must admit I was relieved when the song wound up and faded into our more bouncy and light-hearted ceremony recessional, Disney’s Bare Necessities (also his choice). Yes, he has got it on back to front, as he was rushing. All his friends are calling him ‘Telebummy’ now!

First ‘dance’ over with, I grabbed my mum as quickly as was polite, and headed up to the club managers’ flat above the hall, where my change-of-clothes was being kept. She helped me out of my dress and I changed with much relief (also into shorter heels). The manageress and her deputy sat us in their living room for a few minutes, gave us wine, and told of how much they had enjoyed the evening, both particularly praising my dad’s trumpet-playing, which was music to both mine and mum’s ears.

Then it was time for some fun! =drinking, dancing and passing round the teletubby head. I’ve got a photo of nearly every guest with it on, and me!

Eventually, it became clear that H wasn’t going to last much longer without going into complete meltdown, so already some of the last there, I rounded up the already sleeping E into his pushchair, and the reluctant, jubilant (read quite drunk!) R. We said our goodbyes, and headed out into the semi-dark of the suburb to walk home. I soon noticed we were being fairly closely followed by some of our friends going the same way, so we slowed and chatted as we walked, relaxed, relieved, content. We got to a crossroads, where our friends had a different road to take, R hoisted H onto his shoulders, and we got a singing send-off from our friends as we waved and marched on along the quiet street for a few minutes to our home. We were all shattered, so there was no bedtime chatting for us, we went straight to sleep. But we were incredibly happy at what we had achieved, both in making and marrying.

It looks like you had a fab, if slightly manic, day.

The video is hilarious although slightly disturbing ?

Recommended suppliers

My dress: Something Old, Something New, Albrighton, nr. Wolverhampton

H’s dress: Monsoon

The boys’ suits: Peter Posh (hired)

Hair and make-up: Narcissus, Albrighton

Side tiara/ headband: Pearls and Crystals Bridal, eBay

Bridal flowers: Station Hill Florists, Oakengates, Telford

Table flowers: Tesco

Watering cans: Home Bargains

Party poppers: Tesco

Wellies: charity shop

Limo: www.limoz.net (Shrewsbury)

Coach: A.T. Brown, Hortonwood, Telford

Lovely report! Loving the Dipsy outfit, such a sweet thing to do ?

You all look lovely, your dress is beautiful. What a great day it sounds like you had.