Like most women, I have had a pretty good idea of what I would look like on my wedding day since I was a little girl. Of course, the image has evolved and moved with the times a fair bit over the years, but certain things remain the same.
My hair and the smile on my face haven’t changed. And the little church with the gorgeous flower garlands is also still clear in my mind. Right now, as I think about it, I can make out warm sunshine and sweet birdsong, so I know this wedding is going to be in May or June.
In reality, weddings have to be stripped back a fair bit from the dream to meet a budget. Timing also usually has to be compromised to fit in with our hectic lifestyles and jobs too. Then there is the husband to be.
He will probably want a say in some of the finer details of our big day! Dream weddings seem to happen like magic. Unfortunately, the reality is that planning an entire wedding is a lot of work, and isn’t as easy as just dreaming of budget is. Once that is agreed with everyone paying for it, I can select a venue. If all our family and friends come from one county, then that’s nice and easy, but none of them do.
So I need to make sure there is adequate accommodation available. My wedding date is probably going to be dictated by the availability of the little church I have my heart set on. Then I can start work on designing a wedding invitation. I’ve always wanted an ivory ribbon design…
Now it’s time to turn my attention to my little wedding scrapbook. There are literally dozens of photos of hairstyles, dresses, bouquets and centrepieces in here. Suddenly it occurs to me I don’t like any of them anymore. They all seem so dated!
Time to get onto Pinterest and see what is trending out there. While the core ideas of what I want remain, how they are brought into reality needs a rethink. I’ve got to find a hairdresser and a florist.
Fortunately, my reception venue is handling the catering and all that goes with it, which is a huge relief. No menus to worry about or precious chefs to tame. But decorating the place is my responsibility, and I’m just too busy!
I know I need to delegate some of this out now. Mum and sister are ready and willing thank goodness. Now I can concentrate on finding the perfect chiffon wedding gown.
Undoubtedly the chiffon bridesmaid dresses I want for my girls will cost too much money. I will have to sacrifice something else. What will it be? The centerpieces, the bouquets, the shoes? Surely not the