Almost a year to go …

As the title says we’ve almost reached that year mark.  I’m not too sure whether it’s the change of the season now to autumn or that it’s my busiest month at work but things have changed and now time seems to be of the essence.

I’m fortunate that this change of weather is my favourite time of the year. I can literally hear you cursing at the computer now. But, maybe sadistically it brings a sense of back to school, the morning  freshness and new starts.  I hated school, always did, but I really think somewhere deep inside a small fragment of a fresh morning beginning a new school term is etched into my memory and you know that things are about to change again. I like to turn those negative words into positives, for instance – Cold days, dark nights / I see this as trendy autumn coats, big jumpers, cosy nights in with good food and vino, the highway to Halloween and Xmas (lots of parties) and freshness that clears up the 'greyidon’tknowwhattodowithmyselfdays'. All of this has brought to my attention that I’m so excited to get married in autumn.

I begin with an update; let’s bring you up to speed where I am in my quest to marry Prince Charming. My surgery was a success, I can now walk, dance and jog at a certain pace without the sheer blinding pain – a huge thank you to those who took time off work to nurse me (Luke included) but also to those at the end of the phone on my blue days (you know who you are).

Now to the next point – I have THE dress. Yes I capitalised but wouldn’t you? Girls, apart from getting down the aisle without tripping you worry that you need the right dress. From previous blogs you will see the dress was never the be all and end all of my wedding but I will acknowledge that it is damn important. Well, I have it. I can share with you it was my 5^th dress I tried on and I went on to try about 16 dresses.

I’m not going to ruin any moments for those looking forward to going dress shopping sometime soon but I will share with you snippets of my experience as I’m sure your thinking ‘What was it about the 5^th dress?’ and ‘Why did she try on so many after?’

When I tried on the first few dresses I found myself surfing a wave of euphoric state and I think I was going through the OMG I’m trying on dresses stage. They were beautiful and all completely different. But then I started to panic, I was trying on beautiful dresses but none of them were ‘THE ONE’, you start to think, what if I’m over thinking? What if don’t find the one ? What if I’m looking too hard to find it and that I’m too picky?

Then I found it, the one I didn’t want to take off.

No, sorry everyone I’m not giving details that’s for my special day but the sense of emotion hits you like bus. I didn’t cry.

So we continued trying on and gave other styles a chance; the style I was looking for went out the window. Believe me it’s true what they say – you have to try on everything. The second place was in the afternoon and without the WoW factor of the first store I realised the fake smile played an excellent role when the pushy assistant wouldn’t quit. In fact it played such a good role Mum and Granny believed it. Not that sister of mine though the second we left her words went along the lines of “Not the one?” my response “not even close Lis”.

For me making the decision I’d found the dress and I was no longer going to continue my search followed not long after that discussion. We sat in the car on route home and looked over the photo images, we got to my dress and I burst into tears (see the crying did happen). I really had found my dress. This was followed by the rest of the car including Mum driving getting rather emotional – yes we looked a sight.

To many, buying the dress is the biggest part of the wedding planning and the dress was tried on a second time and purchased on my 24^th birthday. The dress measurement will be taking place in January and this is where are start to question things. How will I be the right size straight after Christmas? It’s going to be a lean holiday in my household.

 A girl wants to look her best on her wedding day, but has the 21^st Century added a newfound pressure to this? I googled wedding diets and up comes 128,000,000 results – THAT’S INSANE! I’ve heard in the run up to her wedding a bride can lose up to half a stone from stress, imagine that AND dieting together. There would be nothing left. I’m not ashamed to say my lack of mobility these past several months means a few extra pounds have found their way too my body and I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m going to begin running as it’s the easiest way to lose it. I’ve always said to myself I will be my most beautiful on my wedding day – but with a choice 128,000,000 which is the right way to do it? I have sheer determination now with a year to go to make myself exactly how I want to be but it saddens me that brides with a hundred things to juggle in planning a wedding now have to trawl through a forest of sites looking for a diet that will say “Don’t worry love you can eat chocolate and still have lost weight for you wedding” – Bull shit – Embrace the exercise girls, and cut out the crap – I will see you on the other side !

These elements of wedding planning seem to be adding up, and with more in the pipeline almost finalised you better keep an eye out because more blogs will be coming out hopefully sooner than you think.