Well, that’s it.
A year ago, I introduced you to Lee and I, and you have very kindly stuck with me since. You’ve listened to my ramblings, humoured me when I’ve had a meltdown and shared my excitement at all the things that only those immersed in weddings can really appreciate.
For that, I thank you. It’s been an amazing ride.
By the time you read this, I’ll have taken a walk down the aisle and married the love of my life. Understandably though, I’m writing this a few days early because I want to finally share with you some of the things I’ve been working on.
Songs in the Key of Wife
You know when you first get engaged and think you’ve come up with the most amazing original idea? I did that LOADS. Apart from me thinking I was the first person on the planet to use books as centrepieces (those young and naive days!), I also had a great idea for favours. At every party, it falls to me to do the playlist and I’m well known amongst friends for my mix CDs. So they were the natural choice.
Turns out it wasn’t such an original idea AT ALL. But you know what, It’s totally me and Lee and everyone will love them – that’s the important thing. It ended up being a bit of a project – the lovely Ian at Strange Case took Thom’s original design and mocked up an old vinyl style cover. I’d bought vinyl effect CD’s so also made some retro labels to go over the centre, personalised to us and our day. Half of the tracks were from Lee’s collection, and the other from mine. We called one album ‘Please Please Lee’ and the other ‘Songs In The Key of Wife’… gotta love a pun.
In hindsight, there are probably more suitable tools for cutting out 100 circles and 100 holes than a compass cutter, but we live and learn and they turned out pretty good.
My love of badges also had to manifest itself somewhere too. So in true RMW spirit, Lee and I put together some little phrases that mean something to us and made badges for our guests. I want them all for me.
Rag Tag Misfits
If you shop in Liverpool One, chances are you’ve walked past a gorgeous couple called Helly and Andy – also known as Rag Tag Misfits – busking in the street. Wandering through town one day, Lee saw them, heard them, and had a lightbulb moment,it’s one of the best wedding decisions we’ve made. Half way through the day, these guys will just turn up and start playing. We’ve bought a load of percussion instruments to fill Andy’s guitar case, and guests will grab a tambourine, a bongo or a set of maracas and turn the day into a groovy singalong.
These guys are brilliant, I can’t wait to hear them.
Strange Case Saviours
I introduced you a few months back to my friends Sophie and Laura, the girls from Strange Case Collective who are so kindly adding some cute handmade touches to our day. They’ve been busier than me!
One night, back at the start of everything, Sophie and I were pinning away when I stumbled across a photograph from a Chanel runway show a few years back. A beautiful sweeping staircase, covered in a variety of giant paper flowers. We’d found our inspiration.
It’s kind of escalated from there and taken over all of our lives! Without wanting to use an entire forest, or hide the beauty of the staircase at our venue, Sophie’s team set about making a whole heap of gorgeous giant flowers, along with co-ordinating chair backs for every guest featuring mini versions.
That’s all folks
I’m afraid that’s all I’m able to share with you for now, mostly because I have to return to my CD making sweatshop.
It’s time for me to say goodbye. As I come to the end of my time as a Real Bride, I just want to say thank you again to Charlotte, Adam and the team for encouraging me and giving me such a fantastic opportunity. As if planning a wedding isn’t exciting enough, I’ve been incredibly lucky to be a Rock My Wedding Real Bride. I came into this whole experience with a love of writing, wanting nothing more than to enjoy putting my thoughts down, but I got a lot more than I expected.
I’ve said it before, but I’ve met some absolutely wonderful people and lifelong friends along my way. The beautiful Rock My Wedding team, my fellow Real Brides, all of you in the bride community who have stuck with me – you are all fabulous – especially those of you who have crept into the realms of real life, thank you for being such amazing friends – Charlie, Sarah, Pip and the princess of RMW-based banter Pamela.
Thank you, I love you all.
Thank you too, to everyone who has helped to make our wedding day perfect, especially Claire, Sophie, Danny and Colette – I honestly wouldn’t know what I’d have done without you all and I can’t put into words how much what you have done means to us.
But mostly, thank you to my husband. I haven’t even experienced the day i’m writing about yet, but I know it will be perfect. Even if the rain falls, even if it all goes wrong, it’ll still be perfect, because I’m with you. I’m so proud to be your wife and I can’t wait to live the rest of our lives together, taking on whatever life throws at us as a team. Lee, I love you all the world.
Anyway, less of all that emotional oscar speech nonsense. I’ll be back as soon as I can to share the story of our big day, until then…
Peace & Love
Karen xxx