All go

So I may not have posted for the last few days but that doesn't mean it hasn't still been all go on the wedding front.

Since I last wrote I have ...

• Arranged my fabulously talented cousin to make miniature cupcake favours - design to be confirmed
• A tasting with a bespoke cake company for a fortnight's time
• Mocked up some handmade invitations
• Met the wedding planner at our chosen venue
• Started cutting out and sticking into my wedding scrapbook all my favourite ideas from the weddings magazines that currently litter the house.

James is equally as keen and today we purchased him a notebook in which he is documenting everything from the pipers playlist to the chosen readings (Rabbie Burns nae less!) as well as the ideas for table names and a few more personal twists - factoids may feature somewhere.

Today we visited our reception venue. Unlike last Sunday when we fell in love with it on a bleak and miserable day today the sun shone and we could see beyond the gardens to the miles and miles of rolling Cotswold countryside. We also fell in love with the wedding planner - well James certainly did and rated her the highest of all those we'd previously met. Amy is the very bubbly and super efficient girl who will be coordinating everything at the reception. We were so impressed by her today and the ease with which she answered some of our questions. The only thing yet to be decided is whether we take the hotel on an exclusive basis and would thus be allowed to have Sam present. Sam is already down to be the ring bearer and the fabulous minister has agreed to it. This would however create an issue with where my darling dog would go for the reception if we don't have the hotel on an exclusive basis. I guess like most things it will all come down to money. 

I think initially I was quite daunted by the whole prospect of organising a wedding. My thoughts previously had ended with the engagement and I hadn't considered what came next. This week though I've suddenly realised what great fun it could be and thus far we seem to be being incredibly efficient and are getting an awful lot sorted. That said it's hit home how ridiculously organised you have to be, as when I approached the cake company they needed to know the precise date in September that the wedding was planned for before they could tell me if they would be able to do it! Clearly people get in there quickly and I'm hoping that this is where a Friday wedding will start paying dividends. 

The schedule for the coming week is going to involve:

• Trying to confirm the ceilidh band for the reception
• Speaking to a photographer/ photographers 
• Receiving and signing the agreement from the hotel 
• Starting to think about flowers.

I also have Monday and Tuesday off work and might shop for wedding shoes. Tomorrow I'm also hoping to buy my wedding lingerie. While I intend to lose a significant chunk of weight before the wedding I also know that at the very least I need to start trying on dresses now and then have them fitted nearer the time so if that means buying things twice I don't really mind as there's no point trying on a wedding dress with a purple bra on! 

My Mum has already informed me that she's feeling sidelined but James and I feel that this is very much our day and I'm delighted that he wants to be involved in so much of the organisation. After all this is about us promising to love each other forever and therefore we should start as we mean to go on - by doing things together and in our way.