Claire's Wedding Diary #1

October 2007:

So, this is the wedding diary page that I will be blogging throughout our wedding plans until our big day!!!
Everything from the initial ideas to what we’re actually doing will be here.

Where do I start??? Well, we got engaged on April Fool’s Day, seriously, that’s when my partner of nine and a half years proposed to me whilst we were sitting in the park with the Sunday papers and a cup of coffee. After realising that he wasn’t joking I said a very tearful yes.

So, we’ve set the date, 12th October 2008 and booked the venue which is the very beautiful Horsely Towers in Surrey – one of my favourite wedding venues!

We’ve got the whole place to ourselves for 24 hours!! I can’t wait!
We’ve photographed many weddings there and we never tire of it, everytime we go there we always see something that we’ve not seen before, I love it! I just can’t wait for us to be on the ‘other side’ for once and enjoy ourselves there. You can see more photographs of a wedding we shot there last year on the main blog page, Emma & Tommy, and look out for more HT weddings on the blog as we’re looking forward to working there a few times later this year.

We’ve settled on the guest list after much deliberation. I now understand it when couples tell us “we’ve got X guests, we couldn’t whittle it down”. I think this has been the hardest part of it so far as we’re limited on numbers and obviously the budget plays an important factor too.
So, guests need invites and we have now also chosen the invitation design as I am making them myself. I think it’s much nicer when you handmake something for your wedding, whether it’s the invitations, cake or place settings, it gives it a more personal touch.

We’ve sent out personalised save the date fridge magnets to our guests so that they have no excuses!! A great way for letting those who are important to you know your wedding date. I have also made a website and put the web address on the cards so that our guests can log on and see what we’re up and also leave us messages which has been fun.

We’ve also decided on a theme, which will be chocolate. We both love chocolate and I am a self confessed chocoholic – however I am seriously trying to cut down in order to loose weight for the wedding but then I think to myself that he asked me to marry him as I am today so therefore he can marry me as I am!
Anyway, our theme is chocolate and the colours are chocolate and cream. Yummy!!

I have also in the past few weeks chosen my outfit!!! A big thing for many brides. I felt quite anxious about the dress ‘thing’ especially as I haven’t worn a dress since I was a bridesmaid over 12 years ago and that was only one of 3 times that I’ve ever worn a dress since I left infant school!
I’ve always had an idea of what I wanted but when I tried that ‘idea’ on I completely changed my mind. After trekking around quite a few bridal shops trying to find what I initially thought I wanted I started to think that I’d never find what I really liked. I then started dreading the thought of more dress shopping trips with hot and stuffy shops and unhelpful assistants until I discovered Beautiful Brides in Gt. Portland Street, London which is where I found ‘the one’. Brides have always said that they instantly knew when they had found ‘their’ dress but I didn’t believe it until my mum said “what about this one” whilst holding up ‘the one’. I had a little heart flutter when I looked at it and then I put it on and couldn’t stop smiling or walking around in it. 
The shop is well worth a visit even if you haven’t chosen a dress as they also stock bridesmaids outfits, shoes, tiaras and other accessories. The shop’s owner, Kelly, is fantastic. Nothing is too much trouble for her. The details are Collezione Sposa Beautiful Bride LTD, 111 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QQ, Tel: 0203 205 0022 beautifulbridesltd@msn.com
Of course, I can’t say too much on here but I’m really pleased with what I’ve chosen, or should I say what my mum has chosen. I can’t wait to wear it now!!!!

That’s it so far. I have a wedding folder which my H2B calls ‘mission control’ full of ideas, lists, tear sheets from magazines and of course photographs of ideas that I have liked from the past weddings that which we’ve photographed!!

To be continued….

x