Sunday 11th October

Ordered my h2b’s wedding ring yesterday – yay!  Finally!  He was really pleased with the design in the end, phew

Then today the plan was to go to three wedding fairs – well, I say that was the plan, my h2b rather cunningly had work to do in the morning and by the time he was ready to go out we only had enough time to go to one wedding fair, hmmm…  But it was a good wedding fair, spoke to a few interesting people and picked up some more ideas…

Also received the quote from the florist, very reasonable!  We’re going to go back at the end of the month to see a trial run, so to speak, of the table decorations we like.  Starting to get very excited, only just over a year to go!

Oh yes, and also booking up the hen weekend at the end of the month!!!!!

Wednesday 7th October

I have been feeling pretty poorly over the past couple of days but we had an appointment this evening with the florist we spoke to at a wedding fair a few weeks ago so I dragged myself out and I’m so pleased we did – she was really good!!!  We took her all the magazine cut outs showing her what we like and had a really good conversation.  Feeling very positive!

Also went to the jewellers on Saturday to place the order for our wedding rings.  Well, I did – my h2b changed his mind at the last minute on the design he wanted for his ring so we just ordered mine and are going back next Saturday to order his – if he’s decided by then!!

Wednesday 23rd September

Went back to Couture Pour Homme tonight to check the fabric for my h2b’s suit.  The trousers were already made, but obviously still needing alterations to them.  When my h2b put them on I could already see how nice they looked, I was amazed that I could get so excited about a pair of men’s black trousers!!  Won’t be going back with my h2b on any more of the appointments though otherwise it’ll ruin the surprise on the big day!

Sunday 20th September

Dragged my h2b to two wedding fairs today, one at the Holiday Inn in Basildon and one at Greenwoods in Billericay.  They were both free to enter which was a bonus because neither of them were particularly good!  We did however speak to a good florist who we may end up using, and pick up a few leaflets for other bits for the wedding…  Ha ha, not everything will be revealed on this website!!

This evening I started going through all my wedding magazines and cutting out pictures of bouquets that we like, oh okay, pictures of bouquets that I like!

AND we decided on the song that we’ll be walking back down the aisle together too, once the service is over.

It’s all starting to come together!  Now just need to decide on a song for when we are signing the register, and also the song for when I walk down the aisle – although I think I may have decided that one already…

Saturday 12th September

We were looking after my nephew today and guess what fun-filled activity we took him to?  Finalising the designs for our wedding rings!!!  Poor thing

Had a really good chat with the jeweller and think we’re just about done now, going back in a few weeks to place the order - so excited!

Saturday 5th September

Wedding filled day today!  In the morning I went to the wedding fair at the Brentwood Centre with my bridesmaid, and then in the afternoon my h2b and I had a chat with a florist we’re thinking of maybe using instead of the Layer Marney recommended florist.

The wedding fair was good, although not as good as the first one I went to at the Brentwood Centre!  Maybe that was because it was the very first ever wedding fair I had been to!!  My h2b was upset that he missed it as there was another lingerie section in the fashion show!  Oh well, you snooze you lose!

Got some more ideas for the wedding though which was good – depending on how you look at it.  More ideas = more money!!

Had a good chat with the florist in the afternoon though, we showed her what we wanted and explained as best we could – now just got to wait for the quote to come through!

Saturday 1st August

Today was an exciting day – we designed our wedding rings AND got my h2b measured up for his wedding suit!

We went back to Couture Pour Homme and had a chat about the suits etc that the men in the wedding party are going to be wearing.  We chose the fabric, decided on the length of the jackets, got my h2b all measured up etc and then paid the deposit!

Then the next stop was Michael Clark jewellers in Rayleigh, where we had my engagement ring made.  We had a really good chat with Martin (the jeweller) and think we have decided on what we want!  My ring will really compliment my engagement ring, but also will look equally nice on it’s own if I were to take off my engagement ring because we were going on a hike or something and I didn’t want to risk damaging it or losing it!!  He is drawing up a quote now as to how much both of the wedding rings will cost and then we’ll go back, pay the deposit, and pick them up a few months later!  Oh and of course pay the final amount!!

The only thing we didn’t get to do was have a chat with the florist   Our reason was fully justified though – we sold our flat yesterday and so had to go to the estate agent to sign some paperwork and talk about mortgages!  Rebooked the appointment with the florist for next month though so we haven’t completely cancelled it, just had to be rearranged!

So now of course we’re house hunting as well as planning a wedding!!

Tuesday 28th July

My h2b picked up my birthday order of our wedding cupcakes last night!  We had some last night with our family and then I took the rest into work today to share with my colleagues.  They were delicious, really pleased with them!  It was a good idea (even if I do say so myself!) to have a trial order because there are a few things we might change on the design but as a whole, very nice cupcakes!

Looking forward to this weekend – not only are we getting my h2b measured up for his suit, we are also looking at designs for our wedding rings AND going to a florist to talk about the flowers for the wedding

Saturday 18th July

Hooray I have ordered my tiara and my bridesmaid’s fascinators!!  Very very excited, can’t wait to pick them up in September / October.  Ha ha, only a year before the actual wedding!!

Also ordered a batch of the wedding cupcakes for my birthday next Monday – really looking forward to having a taster session!

The weekend after next will be a productive one – going to Couture Pour Homme to get my h2b measured up, going back to the jewellers to start looking at designs for our wedding rings, and going to a florist to get another quote – we were going to just use the recommended florist for Layer Marney but thought we’d have a look around first…

Hen weekend

I have decided what to do for my hen weekend!!  As I’m sure some of you knew I was wanting to go to Les Vallees – it is a holistic retreat in France and was my mum and dad’s last holiday together before mum passed away.  They stayed for a week and mum enjoyed it so much she said she would happily go back.  Unfortunately that was not to be but hearing mum and dad talk about it on their return made me want to experience it for myself and what better way than with my closest friends?

However after some more research I discovered it just wasn’t practical.  It was such a long drive from Calais – we’d be spending most of our weekend on the road!  If I was doing a hen week – then maybe it would be possible!!   But not just for a weekend…

So I was wondering, where else can we go instead?  I so wanted to go to a spa and then my sister came up with the brilliant suggestion of going to the award winning spa at Alton Towers – and spending a day in Alton Towers too!!!  So that is now the plan!

We’re going to drive up to Alton Towers on the first Friday in September once the kids have gone back to school, (that way Alton Towers hopefully won’t be too busy), check in at the Alton Towers Hotel any time after 3pm then relax in either of the two bars before heading for dinner in the Secret Garden Restaurant.

Then on Saturday we’re up bright and early – the park opens at 10am but by staying in the hotel not only do we get in to the park for free, we also get an early ride pass into the park an hour earlier so we can get on all the big rides before the park opens!!  So after having our full English breakfast (all included in the price) we spend the day at the park and then retire back to the hotel that night for dinner and a few drinks.

On Sunday we then get to relax and spend the day in the spa!  There are a number of packages we can choose from or we can just wander between the pool, hot tub, laconium room and aromatic crystal steam room.  Treat ourselves to a sauna or sensual, multi sensory shower.  De-stress in the meditation room or sooth tired feet with an effervescent footbath.

I am so excited and really looking forward to it – and we’ve still got over a year to wait!!!