For me, I just wanted to get married. Didn’t really want a big ‘do’. But then, I have a large family, and so did my fiancé. They would all want to come and celebrate with us. Also, we have lots of friends. So, before we knew it – we were planning a fairly sizable event.

Yes of course I did want some sense of occasion, a chance to wear a nice dress, be surrounded by beautiful flowers, some good food for our guests. I could picture what I wanted in terms of the mood, the feeling – a celebration, people coming together to wish us well, us wanting to start the new chapter of our lives.

What I couldn’t quite picture was all the logistics, how to actually pull-off a day that would flow from start to finish. The funny thing about planning your own wedding, is that on the actual day, you have to step back and be a spectator to all the arrangements. It would not do for the bride to be issuing orders, checking things. For me it was the ultimate test of project planning. All tasks needed an owner, and clear instructions on what needed to be done – which meant I had to visualize every element of the day in advance and find someone I could trust to execute the actions in the way I visualized. 

However, once the day arrived, so did the rain. And it didn’t stop. So straightaway my visual plan of the guests all milling around in an outside space while the photos were being taken (and the hall inside was transformed) wasn’t going to happen. With things that you can’t control, like the weather, you just roll with it. And we did. I was happy. I was getting married. I had my nice dress, the church decked with flowers, and family and friends that had travelled by air, sea and road. All credit to my photographer though, who had to grapple with lots of umbrella shots, me holding my train awkwardly so it didn’t get wet. But the groom and I couldn’t keep from smiling despite being rained on, although my hair became more and more disheveled as the day went on! 

On the day there was magic in the air. I don’t know where it came from, but it came. All the ups and downs of the previous weeks and months (try planning a wedding AND a relocation to a new country, whilst trying to sell your house….) dissipated with the rain. The final preparations had all been completed, and I was READY. Everything was joyous, from hair and make-up with my daughter, travelling to the church with my son, to being greeted by my nephews that did a sterling job as ushers, making me so proud. 

Having so many friends and family involved with the service and the reception made it a really personal event. My behind the scenes team did a fabulous job, and I was able to be the bride, serene and glowing, confident that guests were being looked after.

The warmth and love that emanated from all that came to celebrate our day with us was so wonderful. A wedding day should be about feelings, and those feelings were there. Our aim was not for an extravagant or lavish affair, it was about simple elegance and informality, with guests mingling, new connections made between two families, and a sprinkling of live entertainment from friends that I have laughed, cried and danced with over the last few years.

We have now started our married life and are reveling in the memories of our wedding day. 

Thank-you to all those that helped to make it special for us.

•