Diary of a bride-to-be
This time next year I will be Mrs Wilson. The wedding will be over; the wine drunk; sparklers lit and we can start to enjoy our new life together as husband and wife.
Hubby bent the knee whilst we were holidaying in Canada in October last year. We’d been together around 8 years by then so it was about time, but as I’d just thrown a snowball in his face I was pretty impressed that he actually asked. I told my big sis immediately of course, and hubby and I started a cocktail-fuelled conversation about how we wanted our wedding to be. We told our family and close friends and then set a date for May 2020. Intellectually, of course I knew I was getting married in May 2020 but it felt so far in the future – a fact my sister pointed out as soon as we told her – that there was plenty of time to enjoy being engaged and not worrying about rushing into planning mode. Fast forward 6 months and, as we found ourselves sitting down with our venue wedding coordinator yesterday, it suddenly hit me that we were in the 12-month countdown.
Now, the thought of planning a wedding might prompt different reactions in you, dear Brides. If, like me, you are known for being organised and loving a spreadsheet or two, you will be as happy during the planning stage as the actual day itself. However, if the words celebrant, banns and Mikado fabric bring you out in a cold sweat then fear not. Actually, if you fall into either camp it’s ok – and important – to ask for help and get others involved. Trust me, family and friends will want to share their thoughts with you and help you where they can, or you might be more comfortable using an experienced wedding planner who can take the pressure off. There is no right or wrong answer; the trick is ensuring that your voices are the loudest throughout the planning so that your day absolutely reflects who you are as a couple.
Where did we start? Cocktails aside, we each described how we wanted our day to feel in three words. Thankfully, there were a lot of similarities (a clear sign we are made for each other) so it was easy to agree: informal, fun and loving. These three small words have guided our choices and been the sense check against the more ‘out there’ of our ideas. They’ve helped remind us that this day is about us as a couple and how important it is that we infuse that into our arrangements rather than be participants in someone else’s dream wedding.
Easier said than done sometimes when mothers and in-laws are involved. But more on that next time!