Last year in the midst of planning my wedding I posted a few confessions of a bride-to-be. I wore the dress, I said I do and I am now married.
1. I planned absolutely everything down to the last detail but so many of my plans unravelled in France. You just cannot plan EVERYTHING for a wedding. Be prepared for the unexpected.
2. The one aspect I didn’t even have time to think about, our first dance, turned out to be my most treasured memory from the wedding. It was spontaneous, fun, romantic and so magical.
3. Our first dance. I had taken my bra off as I was too hot in my dress and had no shoes on. We danced on a cobbled driveway with my dress falling down to Andrea Bocelli. My husband the hero that he is decided to pick me up, spin me around and tangled himself in the longest train I have ever seen. Oh, we must not forget how he almost pulled my veil off, swinging the veil in the air like superman before covering it over us while he kissed me. I can honestly say it was the most magical experience of my life. Nothing else mattered. It was just us.
4. I had 2 hours sleep before the wedding after being woken up. Unfortunately I am one of those people that just needs sleep. At 3am I wrote the bridesmaid cards. At 5am I painted my nails. I was a little cranky and cried to the best man on the morning of the wedding after texting my husband-to-be twenty times telling him how tired I was.
It has taken 6 months but I can now look back and laugh.
5. I was so organised (read: probably a little bossy) on the wedding morning that the Chef I had hired thought I was a wedding planner. Until he saw me in the dress.
6. I had 3 wedding dresses. Well, technically four. The fourth was a 1920s vintage dress I decided to cut up here and sew there – suffice to say, it was never worn.
7. I cried walking up the aisle. I cried during the ceremony. I cried during the speeches. I cried pretty much 50% of the day.
8. My wedding spreadsheet is now hidden far away and I haven’t looked at it since I left for France. I never want to see it again.
9. The people that helped me the most were the people that I never even thought would be there to help. And I am forever grateful. Delegate and ask for help where you need it.
10. During the wedding meal my little brother accidentally dropped his plate of dessert on my white wedding dress. I had designed a trio of three individual desserts including a rich chocolate ganache cake which looked awesome splashed over my dress. I laughed as it really was quite funny.
11. At our wedding reception in Cambridge I took around bottles of Sambuca and offered everyone shots. It started as a joke with the barman as my name is Sam (Sambuca, get it?) but it was fun. And our wedding party was just one big party.
12. I actually want to redo the whole wedding in 10 years with only my husband and I present. Probably in Paris or a faraway exotic beach.
13. Marriage is so much more than I thought it would be. It is pretty amazing – I recommend it 🙂
14. I am still writing thank you cards – all wedding etiquette has well and truly been and gone. Hopefully I’ll have them sent out by the time we celebrate our first wedding anniversary. You can probably tell from number 1 to number 14 of this confessions list, I have gone from an organised control freak to laissez-faire about the wedding.
15. I have changed my name. I am now Mrs Njenje.
In all honesty, so much went wrong with the wedding that I could write a book. And I am not just talking about ‘those little things that only the bride will notice’ – although that would have been better. However I can look back and remember some pretty amazing moments with my husband and they are the memories I will cherish forever.
If I was to give one piece of advice from my own experience, it is to really make time for just you and your husband (and wife, although I am pretty sure my blog demographic is primarily women) during the day. Sneak off for a glass of champagne with just the two of you or write a note and hand him it over dinner.
It is the little things that matter.