I felt it only right to give the preparations a full post as so many people helped out and it was such a hard slog in the few days before the wedding, everyone was so happy but so stressed thinking of what needed to be done, and for the majority of the time we were all running around like headless chickens!
From the beginning of the week I started shipping boxes of vases, decor, signage, props etc etc down to my parent’s house (even sneaking boxes into the attic-turned-storage bedroom so I didn’t keep hearing “Not MORE stuff, Sally!”), and on Wednesday the marquee went up in the garden.
My parents also borrowed a gazebo from a family friend which was attached to the side and became a bar tent, complete with actual bar and about 7 fridges! Olivia, Mum and I hung the bunting (with absolute precision) around the marquee, in the sunhouse and down the driveway.On Thursday the tables and chairs arrived and were set out, and Mum, Olivia and I went to (probably) every florist in the area filling up our cars with every garden-type flower we could find!
On Friday, Olivia, the ‘girls next door’ and I formed a production line in the courtyard arranging flowers before I rushed off to photograph a wedding and was instructed “NOT to come back, go and relax”. That night Olivia set the tables out with all the paraphernalia I’d collected over the past few months, set up the table plan, photo hearts, guestbook table, card suitcase etc etc, sending me picture messages to check she’d done it right (She had)! So I’ll leave it there for now, I went home after working to meet my bridesmaids where they made me eat something and we had a bottle or two of champagne to calm me down and get me to sleep before the big day! Apparently David spent the night (after he had been to the Boro match) sleepwalking around his Mum’s house before falling asleep on a pile of my clothes in their attic rooms (he must have been more nervous than he thought)!I’d also just like to thank everyone who helped with the prep, I can’t name everyone as there were so many (and I have no idea where all the borrowed fridges etc came from), but would especially like to thank ‘the girls next door’, Evie, Sophie and Katie who helped with so much in the lead up to the wedding without moaning or getting stressed like the rest of us!
Next up.. the morning of the wedding!
Sally x