Getting ready with my mum and sister at home :)

I DIYed my make-up and did my bridesmaids too, but our hair was done by the family hairdresser who has done my hair since my first hair cut.  I thought I'd be OK doing my own false eye-lashes, but chickened out at the last minute!

I was getting so excited at this point and it was so nice to spend the time with my mum and sister.  I absolutely love the photo with us all in.  My sister and I look so happy!

A close up of my bouquet.                                    My two brothers and brother's girlfriend.

One of my best childhood friends - she played the piano for the ceremony.

DH knocking back pints before the ceremony!           Two great friends and a boyfriend.

                                My beautiful sister and the cake that my mum made :)

We met at the birthday party of a mutual friend.  I wish I could say our eyes met accross a crowded room, but unfortunately it was a lot less romantic than that.  Suffice to say that the night involved me having to walk for two miles on my own in heels bcause my friend had my purse so I had no money for a cab.  Then I found out that I'd been given the wrong address for the club and I was on a strange street where all the hot dog sellers hang out on their break - who even knew such a street existed! 

As you can guess the night started to improve after that and two and a half years later we got engaged.  I had a feeling this was coming as he had been asking random questions about gems the week before - ie "don't you think that emeralds have loads more character than diamonds?" - not the most subtle of questions!  He proposed by arranging a treasure hunt around the house for when I got home from work.  There were a few gifts along the way and the final gift was the engagement ring - it's beautiful.  It was a really fun idea - except for the clue that was hidden in the shower head.  I had to unscrew it and then a pile of slime fell onto my hand.  Can't believe I had been washing myself from that shower for months! 

Anyway, here are the rings (they're the same colour in real life).....

So this is my dress.  I'm really pleased with it.  It's Ian Stuart "pearl", although the colours have come out very strange in the first photo.  Her hair looks pretty weird.  I got it from Oxfam Bridal who sell ex-display and ex-catwalk dresses at a fraction of the original price - plus all the money goes to Oxfam.  It's still at the couturier's getting made smaller - at the moment when I wear it I look like I'm stood in a puddle of milk!

Here is some of the detail from the dress - it's really intricate.

Home at last......

My mum was pretty insistent that I need a tiara and I was leant one and then bought one before deciding that I'd definately prefer a headband.

Rejected

My Headband

Other Jewellery

Hear are the earings.  I haven't decided which of th necklaces I'm going to wear yet.

Shoes

The wedding is in a hotel just around the corner from where we live so Fi will be walking there on the big day.  It's a nice hotel with a beautiful park tight next to it....

You can do a virtual tour of the gardens and banqueting room here:

http://www.feathers.uk.com/alicia/virtual_tour/

and here are some picture......

We'll hopefully get married here - we just need the weather on our side!

This is the room where we'll have the wedding breakfast and the evening reception

ANd finally, here is a picture of the park....

It's going to be quite a small wedding, with lots of friends and family involved on the day.

Kim (first from left) will be doing a reading from Jane Eyre, Katie (third from left) will be playing the piano for the ceremony, and my sister (holding the most calorific hot chocolate ever) will be my bridesmaid.