The Day I Tied The Knot ... Literally

Yes, this is my chunky little thigh, the stockings went all the way up!

Well, we did it ... At last!

After almost a mere thirteen years of living together, I've finally made an honest man of my grumpy old man.

Of course the date 10.11.12 was significant to me because I've got a 'thing' about numbers. If my family hadn't insisted they were coming - whether I liked it or not - I'd have picked 12.12.12 (a Wednesday). This would have made it awkward for them as they'd all need a day off work ... I am soooooo considerate.

It would also have meant I'd probably have lost the services of our wonderful photographer ... I say wonderful, I haven't seen any photos yet and if he hasn't airbrushed at least 2" off my curves, and removed my remaining extra chin, then I'm not paying him! ... Hmmm, I'd better hope he doesn't see this or he may harbour bizarre notions about actually getting paid.

Right now for a recap on my The Nightmares Have Begun post:

1. We were early and there were plenty of parking spaces.
2. We didn't forget the rings although grumpy had to search frantically through his pockets until I told him which one they were in.
3. We remembered to take our choice of words.
4. He took the cheque - boy am I cheap, is that all I cost!?
5. We still went ahead with the music - Annie's Song by John Denver - that we'd chosen, even though talktalk had recently nicked it for an advert - grrrr.
6. The speakers on the CD player were fine and didn't require hitting with a big stick (I omitted that bit last time didn't I?)
7. Yippee it didn't rain - although the Radley umbrella I bought just in case the skies weren't smiling on us, arrived with a bent and broken handle - so the delicious shade of orange I had about my person, didn't dribble all over Ripley Market place.
8. My stay up stockings stayed all the way up and didn't budge. The same can't be said for my garter, it was silky ribbon on silky stocking, it travelled south frequently.
9. My dress didn't split.
10. No beads fell off it.
11. It fitted perfect with plenty of breathing room by the 4th November, talk about cutting it fine! So although I'd bought a little ivory lacy number as a backup (took the pressure off me) I got to wear the dress I'd bought all those years ago especially for the event.
12. No idea what my make-up looked like, I was hampered by suddenly finding I couldn't see to do it without the glasses that would be covering most of it anyway ... I may have looked a bit panto dame for all I know. The hair ... well that deserves its own paragraph.
13. My bouquet was wearing so much hot glue, it wouldn't dare fall apart (I may do a post about the making of the bouquet and buttonholes in the near future).
14. I didn't lose it or my engagement ring.
15. Even though I'd already done my hair I still had to fasten grumpy's tie around my neck and take it over my head ... hair ... and sparkly fascinator jobby ... for him to then put over his bonce, oddly he struggled, he must have a really big head.

The hair ... well I had to have nail extensions seeing as I'd broken four nails in the last few days before the wedding. These were a jolly good idea and a treat from my youngest sister and niece. What was NOT a good idea for someone who does creative things with their own hair, was having a nail charm on the wedding ring finger.

The ever so charming nail charm ... and still going strong

As fast as I was plaiting/weaving (whatever) my hair, this charm was undoing it. Something I'd previously got down to one attempt, taking a maximum eight minutes now took five attempts (from the left side) and half an hour! It was fortunate that Asda woke me up so early.

I suggested to grumpy - and this is a polite way of putting it - that he went back to bed while I was - literally - tearing my hair out, this is because he was hovering behind me and sighing ... and it was getting right on me nerves, I was fffffizzzzing with expletives. I got on so much better after I plonked down the mirror I should never have attempted to use in the first place - you need not to see what you're doing and just feel your way - on the other side of the room.

.....

The registrar who married us was lovely, he put grumpy at ease lest he should muddle the order of his lines (I am ... I will ... I do ... and not necessarily in that order).

Me? ... not a nerve in sight, I'd used 'em all up on the hair!
 

When he asked the bit about anyone knowing any reason why we couldn't legally marry blah blah blah, my (18 months old) great niece who had already eaten half of her flower girl wand/posy doodah, decided this was a good time to ramp up her volume and tell us all what she thought ... Oh dear. He said he wouldn't take that as a response, cleared his throat and tried to drown her out ... wasn't happening! She just went a notch louder.

The beads that didn't drop off or indeed flirt in anyone's eye

We had a really wonderful day - that we'll treasure for always - with our friends and my/our family ... my lot have long since adopted grumpy. My niece did an impromptu little speech where she said that she'd have liked to welcome him to the family but he was already well cemented in.

I'd like to thank everyone who joined us for making it a really happy event. And the same thanks to those who couldn't come but wished us well anyway - my neighbour fell in the latter category but she was with us in spirit and the item I borrowed was her hanky - and more importantly ... many thanks to them all for being happy for us.

I'd just like to finish with this little observation. Contrary to popular belief that having lived together for so long - not to mention the few years seeing each other before living ovver t'brush - that everything would be just the same ... this isn't so. It's totally weird and unexpected - but for both of us, it feels like starting out anew - and we're loving it!! ...