Well it’s finally all over, I am now Mrs Hodges. Not sure about the new name, but I’m sure it’ll grow on me.........

Well the Wednesday before the wedding I finished work at lunch time after spending the morning dressed in L plates and a veil and having the students wander into the office to gawp at me and ask the obvious question – are you getting married then? No I just like to dress up like this for work now and then! After finally getting my balloons into Harvey I headed down to collect Chris from his work (minus the veil) and managed to get all his balloons into the boot too!

We got back into Bedford fairly quickly and started getting more bits sorted out, including getting the kitchen waste pipe fixed as it was leaking. Then we finally sorted out the timings with the photographer.

Thursday, my parents invited themselves down to the flat and sorted out the tidying and ironing etc, whilst I headed off to the hairdressers and salon for my nails and tan (yes in the photos I am significantly browner than normal).

Friday I was up pretty early, yet again and nice and brown! Headed off to Ampthill for the rehearsal (9am) then back to Bedford for an appointment with Estee Lauder to sort out my foundation and I was horrified by the whole experience. They used dirty brushes and spent no time with me what so ever. So I bought a couple of bits to grab my free gift and ran across to the other department store in Bedford and got myself sorted out there. Then off home and grab the shopping list and some food, then off to Tesco. Flowers and some whiskey plus dinner and then half way around my phone went – CBM arriving in half an hour. 2 hours early. Rush through and off to the station. Then an hour and a half and off to the station again to pick up Viv. Manicure, hair etc then tea and off to Ampthill again, drop Chris off at the church and show Gem around. Then rush off to Chris’s mum and dad to drop off Viv and the clothes etc then back to Tesco cos I forgot to buy anything for breakfast!!!

When we finally get back to the flat I was knackered. Plucked eyebrows, moisturise, etc. Started to make the back panel for the dress and just got too tired, finish it in the morning. Rang home to check if all was well – ‘the cakes almost finished’..... it’s 11 pm, ah well dress is nearly finished too!

Off to bed, read a bit of Harry Potter to send me off – very weird sleeping in the bed without Chris.

Woke up at 6 am and decided it was way too early to get up so went back to sleep again. Eventually decided to get up at about 7.45 after the alarm refused to take no for an answer. Pottered around and had a couple of croissants. Had a shower, washed hair, pottered around a bit more, finished off the dress and then got dressed in my tracksuit and wandered across the road to get some French sticks for lunch. The girls arrived at about 11am just as I was finishing hair and makeup. Managed to burn myself on the straighteners – typical eh! Had some lunch soon after and checked in with mum and dad – they’d reached the hotel but were being delayed – eventually they turned up and collected the table decs and set off for the hotel again. Then I decided it might be an idea to get into my dress. Put the corset on first – schoolgirl error then had to push the skirt inside – silly girl! Just as I was getting into the dress the photographers arrived.

At the same time, Gem was having fun sticking her bra on – one of those front only ones.... plasters etc were on standby!

Then we had some photos taken and we were waiting for mum and dad to arrive – they were late...... I gave them a ring – they were just getting changed – too late. We’d have the photos of us taken at the church or the hotel depending on the weather. The girls left with detailed instructions on getting there at about 1.45 pm leaving me and Gem in the flat checking everything was ready and figuring out how to go to the loo in a massive skirt.

At around 2pm the parents finally arrived – mum and dad were starving, but my bro and his friend Maz had been to find something earlier on – clever people. Dad was faffing with some frenchstick and the car arrived. It had trouble parking and so I had to walk a little way down to where it was, with half the street gawking! Including upstairs neighbours and a taxi driver.

So Gem and I set off with mum and dad locking up and following on behind... or they should have been....

There was tons of room in the back of the beetle – it’s just getting in the door that’s the problem!! Skirt up around knees and hold it in! On the way through Bedford traffic was slow and everyone was looking at us – felt like royalty!! We also passed another wedding car going into town, which I think was the other wedding at the hotel... apparently they spent 30k+ on theirs – massively more than ours!

We arrived at the church at 2.45 pm with no sign of Dad at all. I was getting really teary as family kept going past the car into the church With the doors of the car open I could hear the choir singing in the background – it was fabulous – they sand, O thou the Central Orb, Give Ear Unto Me (Marcello) and Psalm 23 (Vicar of Dibley theme). Eventually at 3 minutes to, Dad arrived.... they went the wrong way ..... bad daddy not listening to my instructions!!

So bundled out of the car and sorted out the last few photos and took our places next to the door. Dad walked me down the aisle to Bridal March from the Birds of Aristophanes (Parry) behind Michael (the vicar), David (the rural dean) and an altar party (cross and 2 candles). Then the 3 bridesmaids behind. We looked really impressive! We walked a little fast and I nearly fell over.... ah well can’t be helped. I followed that up with chucking my bouquet on the floor instead of handing it over to my CBM (accidentally of course).

The service was fab, the choir (well over 20 – they had to bring in extra seats!) really went for it in the hymns (O praise ye the Lord, Guide me o thou great redeemer and Praise my soul) and sang Zadok the Priest at the signing of the register. I sounded great from the vestry! Our readers did great and there was a slight comic moment when Gordon removed the box that Heather had been standing on before my friends who are nearly six foot followed with their reading.

Then Gordon sang he solo – which stunned most of the guests – he really has got a fantastic voice and everyone complemented him on it.

I just can’t wait to see the photos! After the blessing we headed out to the vestry for the signing of the register, which was witnessed by Gem and Edmund. Every man and his dog came out to see it all, but that was ok. Then we cam back to the church to process out of the church to Bach’s first short prelude and fugue. As we came through I noticed that the choir had disappeared, which puzzled me, but then we found that they had lined up outside the church door to cheer us through. It was lovely.

Next up were photos, which seemed to go on forever. It was freezing, but we kept going, I was snuggling up to Chris for warmth, velvet was a good choice! We couldn’t get a photo of Gordon at this point as he’d disappeared up the bell tower. Eventually we headed back in our beetle after a couple of photos in the car (after Chris had removed his seatbelt). On The way back I was sure the pink ribbon was going to come off the car, but it held on for the duration. We were followed by Pip and the girls all the way until we pulled up outside the hotel (after a taxi moved!). Pip was blasting her horn as she flew past.

Then we had our red carpet welcome from Sara and Laura at the hotel and met the photographers flying up from the other end of the hotel. And it was back outside for more photos. It was drizzling a bit so we didn’t go over to the river for pics, but we had the inside of the hotel instead. We had our welcome drinks – I stuck to OJ as I was absolutely parched, but Chris went for wine (very thoughtfully white – I hate the smell of red on him – I know very odd).Then upstairs where we found some guests had already arrived, had a few sips of my drink and then back to the pictures – the fake cake cutting!

Then we started mingling and then.... we got called down the stairs for more pictures – family ones, friends ones etc all up the staircase – gorgeous. Then eventually we started the line up and everyone came through and sat down followed by us. The meal was fabulous, although by the end of it I was so stuffed that I couldn’t managed the wedding cake. I was glad we hadn’t had any speeches – the toast was enough – it would have eaten into the evening even more.

Then we had a brief interlude while the disco set up, so we went around and talked to everyone, although I was quite sad I didn’t get to spend so much time with them all. Eventually I had to be dragged onto the dance floor for the first dance (endless love) and then I had to drag Chris away to do any more chatting. About 10 pm I decided that I’d had enough of my dress and needed to change – I couldn’t drink or eat any more and it was so so hot!! So I ran off and grabbed the hotel key and found my way up to the room, where I found that we were next door to Gem and Laura, plus we had a bottle of champers in our room – which we still have in the lounge unopened..... then I cam back down and mingled some more – Chris was still on the dancefloor, he joined me later on for a while and then dragged me back to the floor for the last 20 mins of the evening, which ended with a dirty dancing medley and finally angels. It was lovely.

We spent the last few minutes of the evening picking table diamonds off the floor as Maz wanted them for a design project then we made our way up to the room (me barefoot) and headed for bed. Apparently loads of the guests were to be found still in the bar at 3am. My brother was bartering lollipops for ham sandwiches and yet they were all up and about before Chris and I. We didn’t make breakfast the next morning, but we checked out in time to give hugs to half the guests that stayed over that night.

It was a magical day – and now I can’t wait for the offical photos!!!


Some examples below.....

Fabulous!

I can empathise about the parents - the only reason my Dad actually made it on time to the house was because the CBM's husband put him in a car and drove him ignoring Dad's directions...

You sound so happy

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The IVF worked!!! William Robert born 21st Dec06www.picturetrail.com/jonathansel

Us & Chris's Nana and Grannie

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Us with my family.

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