One year down and six months to go

I'm struggling to believe it but Gerard and I have been engaged for a year now. It feels just like yesterday that he came home from work and told me he had a surprise for me, before getting down on one knee. A lot has happened in this past year. Planning a wedding takes quite a bit of effort. I think we're both really looking forward to May now and knowing what a busy six months these will be I hope it flies by.

Coming up we have some legalities to sort out - like making sure we have all the right documents. The bridesmaid dresses will be on their way to us at the end of November so I'm looking forward to seeing them in the right size and colour on the girls - and they're all desperate to see them too. In February we'll have an exciting weekend going up to Atholl Palace to stay the night and have a menu tasting. We'll also be meeting our photographer again that day for our engagement shoot. (What on earth are you supposed to wear for one of those?) It should be fun though.

And how could I forget? In six weeks time we'll be jetting back off to Dubai to purchase two rings this time.We'll be there over my birthday in the week before Christmas and we plan to have our wedding rings made by the same shop as my engagement ring. It'll be so difficult not to keep trying on that ring once I have it.

We've also made a start at thinking about a design for the invitations. Hopefully these will be printed in the next few weeks. I'll probably write another entry about them when the time comes. The awkward bit will be making a final decision on the guest list...

Did someone say sparkly shoes?

Having picked a rather pricey dress I have been determined not to spend a silly amount on the other parts of the outfit but this has had its own problems, especially when it comes to shoes. I have rather difficult feet for shoe shopping. There is at least a half size difference between my left and right foot, and anyone who's seen me wearing sandals in the summer will know that peep toes (which are everywhere) are not comfortable for a girl who's second toe is longer than her big toe (or hallux) - sorry meant to be doing biomed learning for uni at the mo - thought I'd slip that in.

Bearing this in mind I decided that my ideal shoe would have a rounded, closed toe (can't stand those pointy ones that seem to be in every bridal collection), and would ideally have an ankle strap so my smaller foot wouldn't be able to ungracefully slip out as I walk down the aisle - no Cinderella moments please!

I found this beautiful pair by Rainbow club but knew I couldn't justify the price tag so was on the hunt for something similar.



I'd been looking for 7 months (since I ordered the dress) and knew I needed them fairly soon so I can have the dress length altered when one evening last week I was browsing for winter boots on the Next website and saw a pair which were a distinct possibility. Then, to my delight, my class at uni finished an hour early the next day and I had some time to kill before I was meeting Gerard. I hot-footed it to Oxford street to try them on, and they were perfect! And £100 cheaper than the Rainbow club ones.








It's a shame this picture is so small but they have a lovely glittery effect that's not too much but catches the light very nicely. I think they'll make great Christmas party shoes for next year too. 

Flowers and dresses!

Ooh what an exciting weekend!

After a phone call from Karen two weeks ago to say the dress had arrived in the bridal shop I could barely contain my excitement to see my actual dress.

But whilst Karen was dropping the dress off with my mum myself and Gerard were driving up to Pitlochry by ourselves to meet with Emma, the florist. It was lovely to go up again by ourselves this time and explore the hotel a bit more. Each time we see the place we are more and more convinced we made the right decision to have our wedding there.

Emma was lovely. She started off the meeting by asking about my dress and sent Gerard away for a few minutes so I could show her a picture online. I also showed her the bridesmaid's colours and then handed her the only picture I had cut out of a magazine. I found a picture of my perfect bouquet in the first wedding magazine that mum had bought for me and was immediately convinced that these were the right colours and blooms. I had very few ideas for anything else so was looking forward to hearing what Emma had to say. My bouquet will have ivory roses, like Gerard proposed with, as well as thistles and purple freesia and lisianthus.

Gerard came back to the table clearly desperate to fish for hints about my dress again. He asked Emma if she liked the dress and she, very enthusiastically, said she loved it! That kept him quiet for a wee bit... though he kept on trying to trip me up later in the day for more info.

We worked through each area that would require flowers one at a time, starting with my bouquet as inspiration. Emma kept prices very close to her chest but suggested that we pick two or three options for each area so we can have cheaper alternatives if the quote ends up being too high. I can't wait to see how gorgeous everything will look when it's all decorated.

Afterwards we double-checked a few details with the new wedding co-ordinator and picked a date in February to go up again for the menu tasting. We then wandered in to town for a bite of lunch before driving back.

When I got home my dress was hanging up, triple bagged in mum and dad's bedroom. I sneaked through with mum and could hardly believe how stunning it is. After Gerard left to go to the airport I had a shower so I was completely clean and tried on my own dress for the first time. I am pleased to say that other than the length it fit perfectly so the challenge is on to remain the same size for the next 8 months. Will need to think very carefully about accessories now.

trying bridesmaid dresses for the first time

So Ailsa and Rhona were down to visit me this weekend. This meant lots of cocktails and lots of shopping! But before we hit Oxford street on the Sunday we had an appointment for them to try on some Dessy bridesmaid dresses at a bridal shop in Canary Wharf. Gerard came along with us. He was keen to see the dresses so he can begin to get a vision for the day - and to make up a bit from not knowing anything about what I'll be wearing.

I've been looking on Dessy frequently and I love the amethyst colour which is a sort of dusky purple. I'd also already decided that I wanted long dresses so the girls can wear whichever shoes they like underneath and that I particularly liked chiffon as the material. I rang up the shop beforehand and the assistant had looked out a selection of dresses which I had seen online.

Rhona came out of the changing room first, wearing a high necked dress in the right colour. Both her and Ailsa were very enthusiastic about the colour choice - though Gerard seemed less certain. To allow him the benefit of the doubt I let him look at the rail of dresses and pick a colour. Gerard picked a rather bright blue which didn't look quite so good on the girls and was quickly dismissed. Sorry Gerard. He had been hoping to match the colour to my ring but it would have been too much with four bridesmaids. Rhona looked fantastic in this first dress. Ailsa then came out in a dress with two wide straps which met in an empire line underneath a satin band. The dress was in a champagne colour so was quite a feat to imagine it in amethyst but she did look stunning and chic in it. Other dresses included another high-necked dress with some sequin detail, a one shouldered dress, and a few strapless ones. After much deliberation, and lots of swapping of dresses between both girls they left the shop both preferring the ones they had first had on.

As it had been tricky to imagine the other dresses in the correct colour we went home and looked at the website which shows them properly.

I have another appointment booked for the weekend when Nicky will be here and I hope Hannah may be able to make that appointment too. We think that to have the girls in different dresses they will all have to be in completely different ones, or be two and two so that could be interesting. Watch this space...

The Ring Evaluation

Big day today. For insurance purposes and a little bit of peace of mind I decided to get Fiona's ring valued. Pretty scary on the tube with it in my bag and at my desk all day during which whenever I entered a meeting I would take it with me.

I was getting it valued in Goldsmiths in Canary Wharf. Every couple of months they have a valuer come round and the great thing about them is that it is a fixed price and not linked to the value of the ring.

Presenting the ring and the certificates he immediately acknowledged it was platinum. Relief no. 1. He then weighed it too and subtracted the weight of diamond and sapphires to determine how much of it there was. He then used a special machine to touch the stones to confirm they were sapphire (relief no.2) and finally the diamond (relief no.3)

After this he estimated the size of the saphires to be 0.65crt (neither I or Fiona could remember but this sounded about right). Finally for the diamond he got out his microscope and took a closer look and added it all up. He recognized the bag from Dubai and wanted to play a little game with me and did not show the value on the calculator. He wanted me to guess but I was too scared so just asked him to turn it around.

Relief no.4 we got a GREAT deal. It was work 3x as much as we paid and I was ecstatic. All that research, all that time spent and it was vindicated. I had gotten my beautiful fiance a fantastic ring at a great price. He did say I would have been able to knock a tiny bit more but for a first time negotiator in Dubai he was genuinely impressed. I will know for next time when I go out there for the wedding bands! He did say that an all day negotiation is not unheard of so maybe I should go without Fiona next time.

Celebrations were in order and two bridesmaids were arriving from Edinburgh later so no need to do it on my own.

Wedding Fair - 3

Post number 3 - it was a busy day, what can I say?

After all of this we still had to meet the photographer, who we already had penciled in for our date. The photographer is Neil Fordyce, and was originally recommended by the venue so we know he knows how to get the best shots of the grounds etc. Both him and his wife seemed very friendly and the selection of albums on display were stunning. Having met him we were happy to go ahead with the booking. Our parents were especially impressed with the albums and seemed to be trying to pick which ones they would like to use for their copies of the photos.

Dad spoke to the car's chauffeur who opened the car up for us to sit in. I couldn't believe how comfortable it was in the back - lovely soft leather. The car will likely have to make four trips to the Church in the morning but they said that's quite usual for them. Car booked.

On our way out to look at some of the lodges in the grounds we bumped into the piper who we hadn't seen around earlier. I've had my heart set on a piper because I think it's one thing that really adds to the atmosphere of a Scottish wedding. She was very reasonably priced and I mentioned a few songs I liked and she began playing them then and there - perfect - booked.

Both sets of parents were considering booking lodges for the whole weekend so we wandered around the grounds and explored them a bit. All of them wee lovely inside, though some were more spacious than others. Both of them eventually booked one so I know I'll have plenty space for me and the girls to get ready in on the morning of the big day. There's a kitchen as well so perhaps we'll be able to have some people round on the friday night before everything kicks off. I'll need to remember to leave myself some time to get my beauty sleep though.
 

After all of this we had to call it a day. We were due to get a train from Edinburgh at 7 pm so needed to get back down the road fairly promptly. I was buzzing for the rest of the day and we both were very pleased to see how nicely the planning was coming together. There's still a lot to do but at least most of the big things are booked, even if the details still need to be finalised.

Wedding Fair - 2

We quickly wolfed down the sandwiches mum had brought with us from home as we drove up the long winding driveway back to the Atholl Palace.

 It was pretty busy and we could see lots of tantalizing stalls through the many windows of the Atholl suite where our reception will be held. I was getting so excited to be back and indulging in all things wedding - especially as we were about to hit the 1 year to go mark - I was practically jumping up and down.

I'd come prepared - armed with a heavy bag of bridal magazines and venue brochures to show examples of things I liked to suppliers. Gerard had brought his tablet to take notes on a spreadsheet document but he had left it in the car. He ran back to get it as myself, Mum and Dad noticed a very swish looking car (a Rolls Royce) decked out with a ribbon parked in front of the main entrance. Dad being Dad headed straight to it and had a good look around. I loved it and Mum pointed out that it matched the colour of the sapphires in my engagement ring. We all decided to find out which supplier it belonged to and to consider booking it. One thing ticked off the list and we hadn't even set foot inside yet.

As we arrived there we were offered a glass of sparkling wine. Gerard then caught up with us and asked if we'd seen the car outside - it had caught his eye too.

Within a few minutes we were talking to a florist who had set up an amazing display in front of the veranda restaurant. I discussed my ideas for flowers and she explained how her consultations would work and showed me some pictures of her work - also showing us a few more affordable options within our colour scheme for us to consider. She was offering a 10% discount if we booked that day so there went our first deposit.

Next on our to-do list was to meet the band we had tentatively booked beforehand. As it so happened they were set up right next to us and were just about to start playing. They were fab and we were able to book them properly. Looking forward to everyone getting up and dancing at our evening reception.

We made the most of all the tasters that were on offer at the different stalls: lovely shortbread at the tea station, wedding cakes and ice cream from the old fashioned cart that could be hired to attend the day.We were all swept up in the excitement and very keen to book this cart, but we realised it would have been an impulse purchase so we agreed to think about it closer to the time. The ice cream was delicious though.

Gerard and dad found a stall allowing wine tasting of some of the wines that we could choose to have with our meal. Gerard brought me over a glass of red wine and white wine to taste - telling me this was what they had chosen. The red was fine, but I wasn't terribly bothered by it as I will not be letting red wine get anywhere near me in a wedding dress. I hated the white wine and had an almost bridezilla moment. Luckily there were others to choose from and the next one (I think it was a chenin blanc) was very pleasant. We may need to taste them again when we do the menu tasting nearer to the time.

I managed to lose Gerard for a little while, deliberately of course, because I had spotted a stall stocking wedding dresses by the same designer as mine and I was desperately trying to persuade someone to measure me for my dress so I could then send my measurements to Karen who was going to order the dress for me. Unlike the London shop, who wouldn't take measurements unless I gave them a deposit, these ladies were only too happy to help. One of them led me into a quiet room and then wrote the measurements down on an order sheet for me and told me the size she would recommend I get. When I got back to the stall I spotted their small rail of sample bridesmaid dresses - one of which was in a gorgeous colour. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was in fact the colour I had been looking at online on the Dessy website. It was good to see it was as nice in reality, although I'm still yet to have any of my bridesmaids try the dresses on.

Wedding Fair - 1

April was a pretty busy month for us. We went up to Scotland for the Easter weekend and were busy socialising with all our friends and family for most of the week. I was supposed to be writing an essay for uni but thankfully I'd put in a big effort the weekend before so I was able to put it to one side for most of the visit. When we arrived back in London I had three days to finish it off and the day after the deadline we were         on our way to Paris for the weekend as Gerard was about to run his third marathon! Gerard did very well - in surprising heat he managed his personal best of under 4 hours 15 minutes!

After the marathon we had a bit of a mad dash for a train and we were off to the alps for two weeks of skiing. We had a fabulous time and really made the most of the great snow and the sunny weather that came with it.

Back in London two weeks later we returned to work and uni only to jump on a train again at 6pm on the Friday and make our way back up to Scotland. The Atholl Palace was hosting a wedding fayre on the Sunday and we intended to book a number of local suppliers who would be attending.

On the Saturday we had arranged to meet Gerard's best man Neil for lunch at the centre and had gone along early to do some shopping ourselves. When we still had twenty minutes to kill before Neil was due we decided to nip in to a jewellery shop to try on a few wedding rings. I'm not sure what style of ring to go for which will suit my rather large and blingy engagement ring, and Gerard has yet to be convinced that he even wants a ring. Unfortunately I don't think this trip has actually helped to convince him. When the shop assistant gave Gerard a ring to try on it was clear that it was way too small. She then pulled out her bunch of ring measures to work out Gerard's finger size - turns out it's off the charts! Even the Z tester ring wouldn't fit over Gerard's knuckles. When we told Neil the story he was in fits which just made us laugh even more. Now everyone wants to look at Gerard's hands to compare them to his own - no wonder they always seem so warm to me if there's so much of them.

Sunday morning we were up bright and early for the drive to Pitlochry. We wanted to attend 11.30 mass at the local church where we'll be getting married so we could meet the priest. John and Kathleen had been staying overnight in the hotel and were going to meet us there as well. We arrived at 11 am - plenty of time to get parked in the very limited space at the church. In fact it gave us an opportunity to see how many cars could realistically get parked there - it's actually a fair amount if the drivers think creatively (and don't mind double parking). It started to rain so we waited in the car until closer to the time but noticed that everyone who was walking up the hill to the church seemed to be dressed very nicely indeed. Alarm bells started ringing. Clearly something was happening at the church that day.

Indeed it was - the mass included confirmations and first communions of some of the local school children and it lasted for 75 minutes. We had only ten minutes to get to the venue before the fayre started and I was starting to get antsy. Thankfully the priest seemed happy to chat briefly to us as we were leaving the church. He was very friendly and it was good to be able to meet him.

Finding the Dress

You will have to bear with me with this post - it will be quite mysterious for the next 324 days until the big reveal! After that I promise to include details about all the maybe dresses as well as "the one".

Early on after telling my mum about the engagement she skyped me saying she had a present for me - and held up a wedding magazine that she had bought! I had a great time looking through it for inspiration.

When I went home for Christmas (a few days before Gerard) we had an appointment at Gwenne's bridal shop in Broxburn. Mum and Ailsa came with me - Rhona couldn't make it because she was still working in Glasgow. Karen came as well - feeling very excited as this was not an outing she'd have chance to do with her four boys. It was pouring with rain outside but we were as giggly as school girls when we entered the shop. All four of us picked out a few dresses. They were all so gorgeous hanging there. I've been picturing this dress for years - but the picture has changed many times. For this reason I took the sales assistant's advice and tried on many different shapes and styles.

The dressing room was behind a curtain but had no mirror so I did not have a chance to see myself in each dress until it was fully done up - I like it this way as I couldn't be too judgemental.

The second dress I put on really had the wow factor and it showed off my figure very nicely. I was quickly falling in love - and it seemed the others were as well. The third dress was equally gorgeous - but in a very different way. Every other dress after this didn't love up to these two. All night I couldn't get the second dress out of my head. We had another appointment the next day which just me and mum went to, at Anne and Bobbie's in Bathgate, but none of the dresses they had were really to my taste - no competition there. Rhona was keen to see me in the dresses so we managed to get a last minute appointment at Pretty Woman in Edinburgh, who stocked the same designer - Gwenne's was now closed for the Christmas period. I tried on both dresses again and decided I definately preferred the second one.

Having mulled it over for the next month I thought my mind was pretty much made up. When the wedding fair in London was cancelled the weekend that mum and dad were visiting in February I took Hannah along with my mum to another bridal store to show her the dress, hoping that this time I would be able to make up my mind.

The shop was truly stunning. We had the whole place to ourselves for the appointment but we had to leave our shoes at the door - thankfully it had a very plush carpet. I let Hannah pick out a few dresses so she could get the whole experience and I put on a few I'd already had on. None of them lived up to the one I'd been intending getting until the last dress I put on. Hannah had picked it out and little did I realize it was actually a dress I'd spotted online very early on and had wanted to try on. This new dress was amazing. It fit almost perfectly and had elements from both of the other dresses I had liked. The small con was the price tag.

Afterwards we met my dad and Gerard at Borough market for some lunch. Gerard knew something was up by the way I approached him, but he agreed that we could stretch the budget for the right dress. He must really love me.