Casting my mind back 14 years to May 16th 1997, I recall my wedding day with a mixture of emotions! I was finally tying the knot with my Mr.Right. Our 9 year old son Joe was best man and 6 year old Megan was the maid of honour. Ella was a year old and was my cute, little bridesmaid alongside my nieces.
It sounds idyllic, but unfortunately Megan had broken her arm the week before in a flower picking related injury (don't ask!), and Ella had the onset of chicken pox and slept throughout the service instead of displaying her new found walking skills by toddling in with me clutching the bride teddy bear we had bought her for the occasion! However, we were not to be perturbed. Our ceremony was in a register's office followed by a reception at a local hotel. We had flouted all the official advice given to us by the Master of Ceremonies and had a relaxed and informal reception with a top table full of kids who all gave speeches, held up artwork, sang or delivered a prayer. We had a black, burgundy and cream colour scheme. It was very "us" and was brilliant!
But there are things I would love to change!
1: My Outfit
I chose my outfit to reflect me and my personality. The see through black lace skirt and high heeled DM's were really cool, but in hindsight I wish I'd had an amazing dress and girl shoes. You only have one wedding (hopefully!) and it's an excuse to go all out with something extravagant and exquisite...I missed my opportunity.
2: My Alcohol Consumption
- I thought that filling my handbag up with Dim Sun from the evening buffet was a sensible idea. I was saving it for later...but a load of squashed chinese dumplings mixed in with my make-up, house keys, purse and camera was not my best plan!
- I snogged by best friend's boyfriend ( another inappropriate alcohol related snogging incident that my husband had to remove me from. Seriously, the man is a saint for putting up with my drunken misadventures!) In my defence he was a bit of a man tart.
- I was virtually paralytic by the end of the evening and so dehydrated that I was crawling around the floor and trying to drink a bottle of mouthwash in the hotel honeymoon suite.
- I was way too ill to even contemplate the complimentary breakfast the next morning.
- The alcohol poisoning made me ill for the first week of my marriage.
3: My Photo Venue
We had some photos taken in a park behind the register's office. It looked OK but there was a bunch of drunkards with cans of Special Brew heckling us and an assortment of used condoms littered about the stone wall. Classy!!
4: Ian's Hair Do
I adore Ian but in hindsight, a pony tail and ear-ring combo is not the best look for a man in a suit. I loved his long hair at the time, but I have to say, I think he looks much better now he wears it short!
5: My Guest List
You try and do the right thing by everyone at a wedding and I invited a bunch of people who I didn't really want there and who obviously did not really care about my wedding. I ended up having to change table settings because certain people were not happy about where they were put, and they refused to socialise with anybody else. When I think of how much money was spent per head on guests who didn't enter into the spirit of my day, I could spit nails! Due to the costs and restriction on numbers at the Register's Office, I had to not invite some good friends to the service in favour of others who didn't even speak to me during the day.
I would be less bitter if any of them had reciprocated my generosity and invited me to their subsequent weddings! If I could do it all again I would not be a slave to wedding politics and would instead have invited people that I wanted to surround myself with, who would have enriched my day.
