Ta da.....it's booked!

In my head I have a plan and that plan is:  Getting married somewhere that is not religious in a small casual ceremony, with a pretty backdrop, then onto a marquee for a 'summer fete' type theme ie. a ploughmans and tons of cider.  

After our day of emailing and calling we have a few replies saying the only do 'whole' wedding booking ie the wedding and reception.  Or they are booked already.  Or no reply at all.  

The few that do reply we arrange to go and visit while we're at home visiting my parents and the place/field we're holding the reception.  We first go and check out a registrary office, I can whole heartily say this did not meet the romantic picture I had in my head.  So this option although cheap was vetoed.  I think it was the idea of coming out on the street afterward kind of ruined it.  

Next up is Chettle House, along with Mat and one of the bridesmaids (my twin) we head off, this one is bit further away but tucked in a lovely chocolate box village.  After meeting the owner and checking out the three areas licensed for a wedding and the gardens, we all give a knowing look of yes, this is it!!  

We don't let on and move onto the next appointment this house is a bit further away and down some very dubious country lanes, I think we know before we even get there this won't be the one.  We check it out and the house and gardens although lovely are not really anything amazing. 

After the long drive home the three of us collectively decide Chettle House is the one, we have to pay £600 for the hour and half hire and an additional £400 for the registrar.  This is more than expected but a House like this we decide it's worth it.  

Mat puts in the calls and within a matter of minutes we're booked with both!  Phew, so one year to the day we're getting marries on 20th August 2011.  Let the bunting making commence!

So we move on from there....

After weeks of procastinating we finally have a weekend free on which we settle on doing something wedding related.  So Mat sits at his netbook and I'm on the computer, we first settle on a date for the enagement party which we're hosting alongside my sisters leaving party (they're abandoning me to go travelling round the world for six months).  Finding a venue for this is proving diffficult but resolve on sorting this at a later date.  

Next up is emailing licensed venues in the Dorset area, as we want to host a party in my dads show field we'd prefer the venue within a close distance of there.  Since emailing these places I've had only a few replies, many of which saying they only hire their venue for 'whole weddings' the others we arrange to visit. 

How it started

Way back in April, my boyfriend Mat and myself decided to book a holiday.  We both fancied heading to Berlin as neither of us had been before and heard so many great things about the place.  With the flights booked for late June and then a few weeks later the hotel, the countdown begun.  This trip just happened to fall around our two-year anniversary.  We arrived on the Wednesday and hit the streets.  Discovering the beautiful historic city, taking it all in and enjoying the sights, particularly the higher ones also the delicious combo of currywurst & beer!  Friday was our last full day and by then we were both pooped, so we opted for a restful day and after a morning of sightseeing we hit the park with some beers and crisps.  This is the moment Mat took to propose; I must say having a mouthful of crisps (cheese and onion, if you're interested) and beer probably wasn’t my sexiest moment! 

Anyway I said YES and received the prettiest fancy ruby bit of bling you’ve ever seen! Then cried a lot, then text the two to be bridesmaids, my awesome twin Charlotte and my bestest bud Eloise. 

Then we come to this moment a few months later, where I want to document the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows, of planning and organising a wedding, a. on a budget and b. to how we want it, not anyone else, just me & Mat.  As of course it’s our day & we’re not religious or fancy, we just want to celebrate being together with a gathering of all our friends and family…..

Hmmm let’s see how it goes.