I need coffee and lots of it. Anticipation starts to hit as bridesmaid Emma and Vick friend and make up artist show up. Emma and Heather leave to deliver a package of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and a note telling David we were going to Artic Monkeys in November. I anxiously await for their return to see how he's doing. How did he look? Was he as nervous as I am? Why am I even nervous?
They return saying he ofcourse hadn't woken up til they got there. That he was very excited and he had something for them to give me. My hands seem to fidget and I must keep busy; I am not able to read it just yet. I'm in one room and in another. I go and lay in bed with my Oma for a bit and then my mom came in. The three of us sat in bed looking out over the grounds. All the hard work, all the months planning, all the years as a little girl dreaming of my wedding day and here it was. I looked over at the two generations before me and they looked so gorgeous and I was so thankful to have them by my side.
Pam, Gemma and Michelle our friend and hairdresser show up next. It seems so calm in the cottage and I know below in the Manor it was busy bodies moving around setting up.
The hair and make up process starts one in hair the other in make up and swap.
In this process my phone rings and I have a gut feeling of who it is. I answer the phone and my heart immediately starts beating and I feel a sudden warmth from within. It's my dad. He tried to make it but with his job in Afghanistan he has no control on when he is and isnt allowed to take off work. He sent some money before the wedding and I used some of it to buy my something blue. My wedding shoes, since he couldn't physcially be there, it was like he was there every step I took.
Mimosa time. I pop open the champagne and I look around and all these beautiful bridesmaids in their robes I bought them, Heather in matching underdress/robe as me; I love these girls. My oma is so cute, as she watches all the youngsters running around in the big room.
It was my turn in make up. My hands firmly holding each other, as my mind goes over a check list in my head making sure everything is done. Snap snap. Oh yeah Erika is here taking MY photographs. I am the bride. I am on the other side of the lens. This is unreal.
Time for hair. Curl, pin, hairspray and repeat. I look in the mirror and am in awe of how Michelle has created exactly what I wanted.
I had Erika take over David's attire to him. I had stitched our wedding date on the inside of blazer including a heart button that I found in his nan's tin, so she was near his heart. I put pink starburst in his pockets as I always take the pink and he never gets any and they are his favourite.
As I step up to the mirror to pin the veil I made in place; I can't believe it's me. I actually feel beautiful. I hope David thinks so.
Time for the dress. All my bridesmaids stood around me as my mom slips on my dress and zips me up. I didn't know how I would feel and there aren't really words to describe putting on a piece of material. I just kept grabbing it as if it wasn't real. I loved the feel of the lace on my fingertips. I slipped on my shoes. It was time for Pam to put on her mother's pearls. I felt so honoured. My mother put my owl earrings in. I put on my lace gloves.
The registrar ladies came and I instantly became emotional. The last time for me to say Tanja Heffner.
Diane came to the door. It was time. My heart is racing, I begin to sweat a bit and I can't believe this is it. This is actually happening. We walk down the tower spiral stairs and through the corridor. As I look behind me I see the beautiful girls who mean so much to me. We walk in the room that is just outside of the ceremony room and I can hear David. Erika go and grabs him and he stands on one side of the door and I stood on the other. We grabbed each others hands and said see you in a few minutes. I turned around to see everyone as emotional as me. It was such a perfect moment. I got a quick chance to see our LOVE SO SWEET table filled with our owl lollipops, cupcakes made by Pam, cake made by mom/oma, sweets, pretzels and a few others.
The caterer gave me a little piece of tissue to put in my gloves and I'm so thankful that I did.
Slowly each bridesmaid dissapeared out of site and into the room. Inching closer my heart began to race and race and I was a bit of an emotional wreck. The bridesmaids were walking in to Mozart Piano Concerto No.4 Andante, picked out by Heather.
I felt after they walked through it was eternity til my mom and I's turn to walk. Later found out that it wasn't just my mother and I that were feeling that. IT actually was taking forever. Instead of ending the track after the girls walked they let the song finish. So it looked like I had done a runner.
Palchabel Canon in D Major began and the next thing I know we are walking down the aisle. Looking at husband to be looking so handsome and then looking back at my mom. We'd talked about this so many times and here we are.
Pam read a reading from the chapter on Marriage in one of my favourite books the Prophet. Then we read our own vows which I had shortened the night before of utter fear of messing it up if it were too long.
After we were announced man and wife, we walked down the aisle together and into the corridor. Immediately jumping in each others arms and sigh of relief. The hard part was over.
The bridal party and family went off on the grounds to have some pictures taken as the guests enjoyed Pimms, Champagne and Canapes. The weather was absolutely perfect which was the biggest sigh of relief considering the weather of England.
Our guests were then called into the Music Room for "Wedding Breakfast" as the english call it aka Reception Dinner. David and I were walking with Sue from Chapman Holmes Catering Company and she gave us some direction on how to walk in. Clearly I don't pay attention because it went in one ear and out the other. We were supposed to walk through the whole room, instead I headed straight for the top table. Oooops.
Oh my gosh there are alot of people here & WOW everything came together so well.
The Angels Events company had set everything up for us. Birdcages and pearls spread everywhere with soft dainty flowers. Oh I just can't wait for you to see the pictures.
Speeches. Emotions. Let's Eat. YUM.
We head out for a bit more mingling and a cheeky little photoshoot off with Erika.As we were sneaking off a bit it was so nice to see guests going for a little walk in the gardens and on the grounds. It was so romantic.
Cutting of our lovely button cake decorated by dear friend and neighbor Pauline.
Now it's time for the Party to start. Richard Daniels was all set up doing his thing.
First Dance time. Oh god, there's more people here now. All eyes on us. Nerves kick in again.
Harvest Moon -Neil Young. Insert swaying to and fro. Towards the end I grabbed Jim my technically step dad and David grabbed his mother to finish the dance off. They were surprised. It was lovely.
Officially the party has started.
My feet are at the point of where I have to keep moving or I will literally crash. I snuck out with Heather to her room in the manor to touch up make up and put some deoderant on. I HAD to take my shoes off. Which was a big mistake. Not as big as my swollen feet had now become.
Well the show must go on. As I went back into our reception party I just stood in the middle of the room and I tried to grasp what was really going on. My perfect world practically complete if only it didnt have to end. I sit down with my parents for a minute to catch up. This is surreal. Oma is having the time of her life. A bit drunk on wine.
Dancing time.
Some of our favourite sound tracks from evening:
Harvest Moon- Neil Young ( DUH)
Shout- Isley Brothers (As we all jumped up and down as if we were Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers)
Do you love me- The Contours
Big Love-Fleetwood Mac
Build me up Buttercup- The Foundations
Get up-James Brown
Ain't No Mountain High Enough- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Twist and Shout- The Beatles (Our friends formed a big circle, linked arms and danced and then David and I got in the center and danced)
Mess Around- Ray Charles (not only I like doing impersonation of John Candy in Trains, Planes and Automobiles)
Your love is lifting me higher- Jackie Wilson
We danced the night away. We began saying our good byes to guests that were leaving or good nights to those staying in the manor who had boogied enough. Had a go at the Photobooth and then headed out back onto the patio with our friends and sat around as we began to wind down. David and I tried to slyly make our way to bed so we didn't get all the bullying and banter. We got to our suite labeled "Tanja and David Aden" on the door; that had been attatcked by toilet paper and rose petals.
The next morning we had breakfast with both parents, Paul &Gemma, Oma, Heather, James and our friends Mike and Emma.
Emma says to me so how was your room? I go into telling her all about the vandalization. She's like Oh my gosh that's insane who do you think it was? Only later on in the day to find out it was her and Michael!! Sneaky bugger.
Well that's that. I've probably bored you to death even though I've left loads of details out. I thought I'd keep some for descriptions when the pictures come. We don't have them yet but when we do I shall post them. :)
Day 217 of 365:
It was a lovely warm day today.
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