Well, I thought I'd finally get round to writing a brief report - he's watching the football so I've now got 90 minutes of time to fill lol! I can't believe I've been married over a month - it's gone so fast!
Well, the day before the wedding was Saturday 22nd December. It was a bit of a nightmare day - picked up the cake, took everything to the venue, collected people from the airport, entertained guests at home while they waiting for their hotel check in time. Kids running around my beautiful tidy house and climbing on my cream sofa with shoes - arghhhh. And the worse thing - I felt terrible! Sore throat, headache, cough, I felt totally exhausted and had to get away from everyone so went to bed. I was quite upset as I thought I'd be really ill the next day.
Anyway, that evening we all went for dinner at the local hotel where everyone was staying - it was really nice, quiet, just a few people. I still felt terrible, and so kissed h2b (had a nice, soppy 2 minutes alone) and left early - went back home with mil, nice cup of tea and then bed. Peace!
The day comes. It was a stunning day! My perfect weather - frost and bright blue skies - perfect, I was so chuffed. I'd also had a fantastic sleep too so I felt soooo much better. After some paracetamol and a squirt of Sinex I felt great - so relieved - the adrenalin probably helped too!
We had a lovely leisurely breakfast of boiled eggs and toast, then slowly packed the car, more tea, before mil and me went off to the venue - Combe House in Devon (www.thishotel.com). It was even more stunning with the amazing weather.
Just as I was leaving, h2b sent me a lovely text saying how he couldn't wait and how proud he was to be marrying me.
When we got to the venue the staff were amazing, they had the door open before we reached it, carried our stuff in, made us sandwiches and tea and generally pampered us. I hung my dress up and we sat on the sofa and admired the view with a cup of tea until my hair lady came. She did a fabulous job and just as she'd finished, in came the makeup lady - also sooo pleased - I knew I'd picked well but I was still overjoyed.
Just as she'd finished and moved on to mil, the flowers came. They were sooo beautiful so I spent ages scuttling about taking photos and enjoying myself.
Mil was sooo funny. She was supposed to be keeping me calm - but I wasn't nervous at all, really relaxed, and she was clucking around the room in her knickers like a headless chicken lol. Anyway, the time came to put my dress on and she did me up in it and I was so pleased to finally see everything together, hair, makeup, dress, shoes, jewellery - I was really chuffed.
Mil scuttled off in a panic to make sure the boys were dressed (as if they wouldn't be!) so I sat and looked at the view while the registrar popped in and then my Dad came to get me.
At 4.30 We went down the stairs and waited behind the bagpiper - the hotel had a couple of other guests who'd been hanging around to see me - no pressure then! Still no nerves at all. Then we were piped in, walked the length of the hotel before reaching the ceremony room. We just had a small do, 23 guests so it was really nice. Everyone's face was a picture, the red dress definitely had the desired effect, everyone was beaming at me.
I reached Grant and he smiled the biggest smile ever at me and whispered in my ear that I look beautiful and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then we did our vows and the kiss (it was lovely), Grant's cousin did a nervous but lovely reading, then we signed the book, then pretended to sign it for photos - it was so funny, I felt a right wally holding a pen and smiling around the room - I never knew which camera to look at. All the time the piper played another tune.
They we walked out to -our song' played on the pipes - -I love a lassie' which Grant always sings to me.
Then we had a champagne and canap???? reception - it happened in a whirlwind of compliments and photos. Roaring fires, huge Christmas tree, holly garlands, fabulous - so magical. My little 90 year old granny was totally trollied lol. Then me and Grant ducked into the hall just outside the room for a moment's peace. He was really giddy with it all, saying how amazing I looked and how proud he was and how fabulous my dress was - we both love red so much. Then I gave him an old photo of us on which I'd written underneath our faces -Mr and Mrs Fitzhenry'. He thought I was keeping my old name, despite him wanting me to change it, so this was my way of telling him I'd taken his name - he was so pleased I thought he'd burst, he nearly sucked my face off! Lol. It was definitely my favourite moment those few minutes of just us together. He said some really lovely things.
Then they called us to dinner and announced us as Mr and Mrs Fitzhenry - he was soo chuffed, I had it pre-arranged with the hotel to keep it secret until the announcement.
Dinner was amazing. We had everyone on one huge table, me and Grant sat in the middle so we could talk to everyone at both ends. The speeches we did before dinner so everyone could relax. My Dad's was scripted and cringey - not really surprising. Grant's was hilarious, everyone loved it. The best man's was quite funny too. They were quite short which was good and I think everyone enjoyed them.
Truly amazing food, crab spring roll with sweet chilli, venison with juniper jus and root veg gratin, and dark chocolate tart. Fabulous - comfortably full but not so full my corset was straining. Then we cut the cake. Again - wally time! Lol. Posing and pretending, not knowing which camera to look at - me and Grant just stating killing ourselves laughing. There's one pic where I've gone -enough' and turned away lol. But it was really funny, we both got the giggles.
Then we had coffee and the most amazing petit fours every - I managed to find room for a few. We had the cake cut up and put in bags we'd had made for guests to take home. Our cake was fabulous, we had 23 guests and enough cake for about 120!! My cleaner at work made it - she was amazing, 10,8,6 tiers of fruit for £90!!! Then I had the decorations made by a woman for our colour theme. I loved it, it was really different and everyone commented on it. The pics don't do it justice, it was really dramatic and twinkled so much. Everyone took a slab home! They also took their favours, silvered-glass baubles that were also the place card holders. We asked everyone to put them on their tree and remember us every year that they took them out and hung them up again.
Then there was lots of chatting, photos, mingling. We didn't have a band or anything, we didn't want that, just a civilised evening gathering. It was lovely with the fires, tree etc. Some of us went outside for a few pictures on the doorway and sniff the lovely crisp air. The staff were unbelievably amazing and kind and efficient and so chirpy. Our master of ceremonies was the nicest man ever! Everything just flowed and was perfect.
So everyone chatted and got to know each other - it was nice, every met everyone as it was so small a do.
Then later me and Grant drifted off to our amazing suite - truly amazing!! They'd shuttered all the room, but on dim lighted and covered the bed in petals, so romantic. Grant took my hair down for me (which took ages by the way, millions of pins!!!!) then had fun undoing the corset back of my dress (which also took ages!!). the rest is, as they say, history!
I loved every minute of it. There's nothing I'd change - but my goodness it went fast, it seemed like 5 minutes and it was over!
The next day we stayed a night at a fabulous thatched pub near a wear where would could see the view from our bed. It was lovely to relax on our own, watch xmas movies and just chill. We went to a pottery near by and they had the same xmas decoration as on the tree at the wedding so we bought a few before dinner and snuggling in. We went home for xmas with the inlaws - we're saving the honeymoon for half-term next week! It was a lovely ending.
We didn't have a photographer, so I've gathered the pictures everyone took and I've touched them up myself - think I did quite a good job. The -arty' photos I took. I'm not disappointed with them - see what you think.
http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/7541847
Wow this is long, thought it would be brief, thanks for reading if you made it this far!! It's been hard to convey it in words, I know I haven't done it justice. Hope everyone else has a fabulous day too!
XX
[Modified by: Emmsy Squired on 07 April 2008 13:51:01 ]
