that title sounds like I do it alot but I don't! yesterday was a very special day :) I was bridesmaid for my cousin Ruth...not just any bridesmaid but chief bridesmaid (or maid of honour, not sure which one is the proper title!) and I was very honoured to have been asked and was very very excited when the day actually arrived.
7am: Wake-up time for bride, bridesmaids and mother of the bride...all of whom were staying at Val & Ivor's house (Ruth's parents)...well 2 of the bridesmaids were, me and Kaydie...Christine came later because she only lives 5 minutes away! This was also the wake-up time of Shelby-Louise who is Ruth's 2 year old daughter, very cute but also quite bemused to find extra people in the house who hadn't been there when she'd fallen asleep the night before!
8am: Hairdresser arrives after we'd all had showers and breakfast. She did Ruth's hair first, I spent this time entertaining Shelby by building towers and then letting her knock them down! Looking after Shelby was one of my duties for the day! Then the bridesmaids had their hair done, and Kaydie did all our make-up too which looked very pretty :)
10.30am: We realise that we have to leave in 15 minutes and aren't close to being ready! Having spent the morning relaxing because we 'had loads of time' suddenly we spent the last 15 minutes rushing around finishing getting dressed and then I helped Ruth into her dress (including putting her shoes and her garter on for her...I was being a very good chief bridesmaid!).
10.45am: The car arrives for Ruth and Ivor to go in, I start my other duty for the day which was making sure Ruth's train didn't drag on the floor and laying it out properly when it got caught up. We saw Ruth & Ivor to the car and then all 3 bridesmaids, Shelby and Val went in Val's car to the registry office. We arrived to find Ruth & Ivor sat in the car on the other side of the car park because Dean (the groom) and all the guests were still outside because the previous bride hadn't turned up yet!!
We spent this time taking informal photos and trying to entertain Shelby which was needed because she was starting to get tired and upset and grumpy (we found out later that she was not just tired but actually ill too!).
During this time Grandma also arrived, we'd managed to arrange a taxi to bring her from the nursing home and I had to not look at her too much because her tears were almost setting me off!
11.30am: We finally get into the registry office, all the guests went in and Ruth & Ivor went to do their part of the paperwork and then we were ready to go. I'll admit I had some pre-conceived notions of a registry office but they had done the inside up really nicely and the ceremony was actually really lovely. Us bridesmaids walked in first and then Ruth & Ivor came in, I took Ruth's bouquet and we all sat whilst Ruth & Dean did their vows (all of this made much more amusing by Shelby who spent the ceremony tipping out the contents of Val's bag, then taking off her shoes and just wandering around everywhere with a pack of tissues in her hand!)
1ish: After taking lots of photos at the registry office we made our way to the reception which was being held at a lovely hotel just outside Trowbridge. We had bucks fizz when we arrived and then took lots more pictures in the grounds of the house...many of which I was in because I was part of the bridal party!
By this point Shelby was getting very grumpy and not wanting to be in any photos so PJ was very good and put her in her buggy and took her for a walk until she fell asleep!
Also around this time my toes went numb from my shoes so I had to take them off! We had a bit of time to just hang around in the gardens and socialise before heading into the reception. It was during this time that Dean's 3 year old niece fell in the pond! very funny for everyone else but meant she got soaked and needed to go home to change...apparently she had a habit of falling in ponds!
2pm: the reception was in the restaurant room of the hotel which was beautiful, I was sat on a table with PJ, Christine and Phil (Ruth's brother/Christine's husband) and Kaydie, which was perfect. the food was lovely, I actually enjoyed most of it! Unfortunately just after the main course Shelby threw another fit, getting very upset, everyone was fussing over her and eventually Ruth just got her out and took her out, I went out too and offered to try pushing her in her buggy again...something I think Ruth was grateful for...so I had a lovely bit of time just walking round the gardens with Shelby waiting for her to drop off. After a little bit she still hadn't fallen asleep and Dad came out and told me to go back in and have pudding and he would take over which was nice of him.
3.30pm: Speech time! Ivor did a lovely speech as father of the bride, especially mentioning how Grandpa couldn't be there and the wedding was a lovely time to have as a family...I definitely teared up then! Ruth then did a short speech, which Dean would've normally done but he hates attention so she did it! (seriously, it's impressive how well Dean coped with just getting married!) Ruth's speech was to toast the bridesmaids which was nice :) and then Rich the best man did another short speech which was funny but also sweet.
4.30ish- We had some time before the evening celebrations started so alot of us ended up finding chairs in the gardens, deckchairs to be specific and just having drinks and sitting in the sun...oh speaking of the weather, it was gloriously sunny and warm all day, you couldn't have asked for a better day.
6pm: The evening celebrations kicked off at the pub/restaurant over the road from the hotel, there was a DJ and it was 80's themed so some of the guests had gone home to change and then we spent the evening dancing and chatting and just enjoying ourselves.
I spent most of my time with Kaydie which was really lovely, was nice to have a friend to hang out with and dance with :)
There was also a load of the kids around and we hung out with them lots which was fun. Especially because they had no inhibitions about dancing with us!
Ruth and Dean did their first dance and later Ruth threw the bouquet, which Kaydie caught! I was close though!!!
About 10.30pm the celebrations ended, half the people had already headed home and Dean & Ruth headed back to the hotel for the night :) I went back to Val & Ivor's which was where PJ and I were staying for the night (Mum and Dad were staying at a B&B)
All in all, it was a lovely day, very fun and family filled. I laughed alot, almost cried seveal times, and have never known two people more perfect for each other. They've lived as a family for the last couple of years but that day was about them making it official and about us being able to celebrate with them. I was honoured to have even been able to share the day with Ruth & Dean, being part of the bridal party was even better!
Today we had a BBQ with Val & Ivor and another family, then headed home...oh before that we also watched the Grand Prix, and I have to say...I enjoyed it! normally I roll my eyes and make fun of PJ & Dad for watching it, mostly coz I don't understand what can be exciting about cars going round the same track 50 times! but when you watch the whole thing and know the context, it's actually pretty interesting!
And this evening PJ & I went to Space Celebration which was good fun, nice to see friends and just have some time to worship God. I'm trying not to stress about house stuff anymore and just hand it over to God, easier said than done but I am trying!
That's all I have to say...although that's a pretty long post! but I wanted to do the day justice!
Much love xxx
1 comment:
Sounds like a beautiful day :)
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