Next Week...

...it will all be over!
...we will be married!
...and we will be off on our honeymoon.

Everything is coming together. We actually have finished most of the name cards and favours and just need to tweak the seating plan.

The dresses are waiting upstairs.

All providers except the chapel and reception venue are paid in full.

Ri has 3 days left of work.

I have 6 days left of work.

This day, our day, is finally almost here. Not this weekend but the next, so, next week.

Just over one month

I caught myself thinking on the way home about how I was looking forward to our far off wedding that was happening some time "next year."
It actually startled me when I realised we really only have a month to go.

We've just finalised the menu (YUM!) Lots of vegie and gluten free things. As I know that at least 3 guests are vegies and 1 is on a gluten free diet.
The guest list is starting to take shape with about 80 people confirmed for the reception and there are still 5 invites sitting on the table.
My hensnight is 2.5 weeks away and I'm so excited.

What has surprized me the most is that I'm not stressed (about the wedding). I'm not losing sleep over it like I was a year ago. I'm not staying up going over every decision over and over again. I keep telling mum that I'm not making a very good bride.

Monday is the two (2!!) year anniversary of Ri's proposal at Montville. :)

DECEMBER 2009

I was writing in a med chart and I realised it was 1/12/09.
One month until 2010!
We've been engaged for something like 20 months.
There have been so many weddings lately that I'm really feeling the long engagement.
We're going to a wedding on Saturday actually :) I'm very excited about that. They got engaged a couple of months after us and I can't help but think. I just want to be married!
The wedding is starting to eat into my sleep. I stay up and think about all the details of well everything. And the thing is I'm not even worrying! I'm just thinking about it, the wordig of the vows/invites are the big ones. And the speeches. I'm trying to figure out how to pad out the vows so it takes longer than 5 minutes. I've been looking at ceremony add ons. Sand ceremonies look nice, but it's not a beach wedding and in fact I'm not a beach person. Candle ceremonies can be nice, but I'm not sure how Ri would feel about fire on our wedding day. Oh and I don't want our vows to be to lovey dovey because that is not me. I actually prefer them to be on the funny side.

some inspiration:
Dr Seuss wedding vows
Pastor: Will you answer me right now
These questions, as your wedding vow?

Groom: Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow.

Pastor: Will you take her as your wife?
Will you love her all your life?

Groom: Yes, I take her as my wife,
Yes, I'll love her all my life.

Pastor: Will you have, and also hold
Just as you have at this time told?

Groom: Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I will love her all my life
As I now take her as my wife.

Pastor: Will you love through good and bad?
Whether you're happy or sad?

Groom: Yes, I'll love through good and bad,
Whether we're happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold
Just as I have already told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!

Pastor: Will you love her if you're rich?
Or if you're poor, and in a ditch?

Groom: Yes, I'll love her if we're rich,
And I will love her in a ditch,
I'll love her through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love all my life
This woman, as my lawful wife!

Pastor: Will you love her when you're fit,
And also when you're feeling sick?

Groom: Yes, I'll love her when we're fit,
And when we're hurt, and when we're sick,
And I will love her when we're rich
And I will love her in a ditch
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love for my whole life
This lovely woman as my wife!

Pastor: Will you love with all your heart?
Will you love till death you part?

Groom: Yes, I'll love with all my heart
From now until death do us part,
And I will love her when we're rich,
And when we're broke and in a ditch,
And when we're fit, and when we're sick,
(Oh, CAN'T we get this finished quick?)
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold,
And if I might now be so bold,
I'll love her my entire life,
Yes, I WILL take her as my wife!

Pastor: Then if you'll take her as your wife,
And if you'll love her all your life,
And if you'll have, and if you'll hold,
From now until the stars grow cold,
And if you'll love through good and bad,
And whether you're happy or sad,
And love in sickness, and in health,
And when you're poor, and when in wealth,
And if you'll love with all your heart,
From now until death do you part,
Yes, if you'll love her through and through,
Please answer with these words:

Pastor and Groom: I DO!

Pastor: You're married now! So kiss the bride,
But please, do keep it dignified.

Fast forward, wake me up this time next year

We are finally almost there. And by there I mean, ONE YEAR to go. So really we are almost at the end of a big waiting line getting ready to go into another. But I don't care there is something about knowing that this winter will be my last winter as a *insert maiden name here.*
I think I may have found my dress!
I've been shopping with mum, lovely bridesmaid, lovely MOH, and my Aunty.
The most recent was in Melbourne with my Aunty who was able to find me 'wedding dress street.'
I haven't seen anything like it in Brissy.
High St, Armadale. Ever second shop was full of bridal gowns! It was wonderful, exhausting, but wonderful.
Anyway since I'm too lazy to go into any more detail right now, if you'd like to see the dress I'm hoping to find here in Brissy.
http://www.sophiatolli.com/CollectionProductDetail.aspx?cname=SophiaTolli&did=503823&pid=504140&year=2009&season=Spring&

Less than 13 months to go

We now have less than 13 months to go!
Last weekend it was one year since Rhys proposed! (He proposed on the same day as Earth Hour). I cannot believe how different life is, last year I was a student and lived just outside the city. Now I'm a speech pathologist and live in the 'burbs.
We've now reached the point in our engagement where it is ok for us to be organising our wedding. This time last year when I said May 2010 I was looked at like I was a lunitic for even thinking about our wedding plans!
Why the long engagement? Well I was still a student when he proposed and I wanted to focus on my studies and not juggle wedding plans and thesis. It gives us plenty of time to save. Most of all it gives our families time to believe it.
Yes, we are getting married.

We went to a wedding expo this afternoon. I've decided that in the next two months I want most of our service providers booked, and to find the dress.

I've decided on a final three florists, apparently it's the ideal amount to visit, any more and its too much information, any less and you're not giving yourself enough choice. Two of them were at the expo and one was recommended by the reception venue.

I've been very slack with this blog, now that we're starting to put our plans into action I'll try and update it more often.
Tori xoxo