7 months to go

Yesterday being the 26th February marked seven months until the wedding. I decided it was time to take stock and think about everything that we had already organised and what we still needed to arrange.

We have sorted:

Venue

Flowers

Dress

Photographer

Gentlemen's outfits

Transport

Honeymoon

Cake

Entertainment

Dance floor

Bridesmaids outfits

Hair and make up

Save the dates

Still outstanding:

Church details including flowers and the reading of the banns

Travel insurance

Pre wedding night accommodation

Schedule for the day

Stationery including the invitations, order of service

Readings and reader (for my side)

James' guest list

On the whole I'm really pleased at how much we've managed to arrange in the last two months. 

Yesterday was also a momentous day because it secured my professional future. I got an offer to train as a GP which means that James and I can now start house hunting - because wedding planning just isn't enough to be getting on with! 

How to walk in high heels

This is an art that I'm yet to master - I used to be able to do it with aplomb but since I went to university my footwear has erred on the practical side and is typically flat or wedge heeled.

I always knew that my wedding shoes were not going to be flat. However I didn't know what they were going to be like and I've become increasingly anxious in the last few weeks as more and more shops have failed to have any appropriate shoes in my size. 

I have big feet. I am a size 8. Despite the fact that more and more women have larger feet the shops still stock an inadequate supply or limited range. 

I had been undecided whether to go for statement wedding shoes or the more traditional cream bridal shoes. Ultimately I tried a selection at varying shops. Mostly they were too small. That is until yesterday when I struck shoe gold. 

I happened upon the Cotswold frock shop in stow on the wold. I had a day off from work and mum, Sam and I went to see the venue again and to do a bit of shopping. As we walked into the town a mother of the bride dress caught mums eye. Although she has her outfit already we decided to explore further. The shop, whose adverts is seen in my bridal magazines, turned out to be a one stop wedding shop. 

At the back were wedding dresses. Front right houses the mother of the bride range and front left had the bridesmaid dresses. The rest of the shop was populated with accessories. I was in heaven. I couldn't see any shoes. So I asked. 

I described what I wanted - a heeled shoe in a size eight that was less sandal and more shoe. My wish list also included a lack of bling. The lady went away and emerged with three pairs. The first I instantly discounted as being too pointed. The next two were promising. Ultimately I tried on all three and naturally I chose the first pair. They were by far the most comfortable. They are heeled and have a closed toe. Beyond that you'll have to wait and see. 

Hair and Make-up

The arrival of the latest batch of wedding magazines sent me into a slight meltdown. The reason for this... Yes they had suddenly impressed upon me the utter urgency of booking my hair and make-up artist. Unfortunately at the time I was in Scotland without access to my diary or my online banking for paying any necessary deposits. Thus I fretted for a few days and made sorting my beauty regime for the morning of the wedding the top of my to do list.

Seemingly this was with good reason as I was distressed to find that the first stylist I approached was already booked for the Friday 7 months hence when we will be getting married. Thankfully she supplied me with a recommendation of who else to approach and it was second time lucky.

Heidi Vince had an impressive website and is available on the day of the wedding. Thus all my problems were solved. Sadly it is only the start of hers though as the list of people requiring her attention has already grown to 7. Not only will I be having my hair and make-up done but she will be attending to the needs of my three bridesmaids, the flower girl, and both my Mum and James'.

I can't wait to book in for my trial!

Valentines day

This year is the only valentines day that I'll be engaged. I know traditionally it's the chap who spoils the girl on valentines day and thus far James has lived up to all expectations - it was on our first valentines day together that he told me he loved me. However, this year by design rather than by accident I managed to arrange to be off work and as such I've had the opportunity to spoil James.

It all started on Thursday night when I cooked him dinner and stocked the fridge with his favourite ales. I also got in some yum yums for his breakfast on valentines day. 

Valentines started with the usual alarm - albeit slightly later than usual as I didn't need to go to work. I heated up a coffee for James and gave him 3 yum yums. I then offered him a lift in to work. On my way back I went to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for the dinner I was going to be cooking. I asked James to pick a cook book and from that I chose the recipe. 

After a reasonably productive day, during which I put down the deposit on the honeymoon - albeit without being able to provide valid passport details for either of us- I went to collect James from work. When he finally emerged over an hour late we had a lovely evening together. He received a very oversized book on Bond and we watched both the documentary and the film of Madagascar... I wonder why? 

Flower girl

Today the Cotswold frock shop yielded a potential dress for my cousin's six-year-old daughter, Darcey, to wear for her role as a flower girl. While my older bridesmaids will be wearing purple I envisaged Darcey in an ivory dress with a purple sash.

What I found was slightly different. It was ivory as I'd expected and does have purple detail but not as a sash. I'm hoping to take Darcey to try it on sometime in June as I was advised to get her to try on the dress about 3 months before.

Save the date

The save the dates are here! It's official - our wedding date is... Friday 26th September 2014. The guest list for the day (at least my half!) is confirmed and the cards were sent this morning...

Not just wet but windy!

As our access road is blocked by flood waters for the second time this year it seems appropriate that our budget appears to be completely blown.

As things stand we are over budget by 1%. Unfortunately this is only our confirmed expenses and doesn't include the fact that only a portion of our honeymoon is covered, I currently have neither a hair stylist nor shoes and we don't have wedding rings. And that's just scratching the surface. Favours aren't included and I only have the dresses for half my bridesmaids. 

At this point I'm sure any one with any sense would be looking to see how they could cut costs. But since when have I been sensible? Instead I'm simply working out how to increase my budget. Last month alone I paid for about £400 worth of wedding related expenses from my personal account rather than charging it to the budget. I can see that becoming a recurring theme in the forthcoming months. 

I'm sure my late grandmother would approve (honest!) that I intend to use the final part of her legacy to me to further augment the budget. After all she was perpetually asking me if I had a boyfriend yet - when she wasn't prodding me and telling me I was fat that is! 

The thought of cutting corners has crossed my mind and I genuinely want the wedding to be full of handmade personal touches. The problem is that I am too easily seduced. There is nothing that I have seen thus far and no supplier that I have met that hasn't had me utterly charmed and convinced that it's worth paying a premium for quality. 

James and I intend to do this only once. I hope everybody who enters into a marriage does so with that attitude but I realise a lot do not stand the test of time. I think James and I will. We share the same aspirations and make each other laugh. We enjoy the same hobbies and relish each other's company. Thus fast we've weathered prolonged separation, a move out of the capital and multiple job changes for us both. That was not meant to be a sanctimonious essay, merely to exaggerate the fact that this wedding for me really will be 'til death do us part. As such I want to look back on it and know it really was everything we wanted. This doesn't all come down to money but sadly a lot of our ideas come at a price. And that is just a price that I'm ultimately willing to pay.

Fools and their money...