Our wedding day. Part 1 – getting ready

After all those practice sessions, this was the moment of truth for MILTB Pauline and her rollers. And it was while she did my hair that I finally did my nails. Phew.

Wow. What an amazing day.

We laughed, we cried, we danced, we cried a bit more...it was both the most emotional and without doubt the happiest day ever.

And everyone was right when they said it would whizz by. And so much happened, I'm gonna have to break the day down into chapters. Otherwise this would end up the longest blogpost on record. And you'd all be nodding off. So. Let's start with the start.

Getting ready was a bit of a blur. Although I was quite calm, mainly because I was necking large glasses of champagne I think.

While my curlers were in (thanks MILTB) the Best Girls helped me put the cakes, cheeses and pork pie out. There was a worrying moment when the cake stand wibbled and wobbled and nearly totally collapsed, but we manage to catch everything before there was a cupcake landslide.

The girls carry in the tins of cakes.

Please don't collapse...please don't collapse...please don't collapse...

All looks nice now, but by the end of the night it looked like a pack of raccoons had rampaged over it. More on that later...

Then I just had one last look at the tables to make sure everything was ok/next door's labrador hadn't eaten a flower arrangement. The teapots were holding up well.

All the tables were named after places that were special to us. Mickledon is place in the Lakes where we love to walk. (And it's got a great pub!)

The personalised napkins worked well - so well in fact they all got pinched! They turned out to be accidental favours!


Then I realised that I'd been a awake for several hours and hadn't yet cried. That was soon remedied when I cracked open some champers for me and the Best Girls and gave them their gifts. I'd filled boxes with little treats for them all - a scented candle with their initial on, a Cath Kidston mug, a little bag, a pretty photo frame, a bracelet...all sorts of goodies. I just wanted to treat them because they'd done so much for me. Even though no gift or amount of thanks could express my gratitude and love for them. And lo, the first tears of the day arrived.

I love my girls!

A girlie box of goodies

I'd personalised each box with lovehearts and napkin material, so they co-ordinated with the day.


Next it was time to beautify, titivate and put some slap on make myself look like a lady. (Well I could try, there's only so much a pot of Lancome can do eh?)

Arty shot of the dress, LK Bennetts (flat of course!) and flowers for my hair.

The dress! Squeal!

A quick munch with Toby, who is utterly confused and just wants me to play ball. I should have made him a page boy.

My beautiful Mom and legendary Step-dad Rob

Best Girl Claire helped me choose the dress, so she was on the case with helping me in it and getting my shoes on.

As Mom puts on her vintage pearls, in a last minute stroke of bad luck, the clasp broke. But Best Girl Emma stepped in to save the day by sewing the clasp together. Unless I found some scissors later, I'd be wearing them permanently.

"Mom! I'm really nervous!!"

Me and my fabulous Best Girls. From left, Emma (photographer, bunting maker, necklace mender) Me (bride, list maker, panicker) Jenny (nerve calmer, supporter and chief Hen co-ordinator) and Claire (dress assistant and general hilarity provider)