Fin

Okay, more than a year after the blissful day, finally there is a post. But it's here.
That's all!

xoxo

While we were out

Well, it certainly has been a while since either of us last posted, but not much has been happening. Currently, everyone is gearing up for Janet's sister's wedding, so we have been sitting quiet... just watching everything unfold and developing ideas for our own wedding based on what we have noticed.

An example is the head table at the reception. Janet, being a bridesmaid, will be on the head table at her sister's wedding, so I will be away from my beloved during this occasion. Should we try to accommodate the other-halves of the wedding party on our table, put parents on the table or scrap it all together.

Who said this wedding thing was simple?

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

...we had an engagement party. On 5th November, to be exact.


We enticed our loved ones with these, which I painstakingly created many moons ago. I was besotted with the pewter charms, and was glad to be able to incorporate them in a design which I could share with those most special to us.

The festivities took place at McClelland Gallery + Sculpture Park, beginning at 8pm, around dusk, which enabled our friends and families to explore the outdoor exhibits before coming in. We'd also negotiated to have the indoor exhibits opened for the first half hour, so that guests could really enjoy all that the facilities had to offer.

There isn't a single photo of us as a couple to show you, though I wore a black broderie anglaise a-line skirt, tomato red fitted top, with an overlapping bodice reminiscent of kimono style, jade bracelet and earrings, all purchased to match my favourite kanzashi. Stu looked scrumptious in slate grey dress pants, white shirt with charcoal and salmon pinstripe, and beautiful new dress shoes. Every single guest was the epitome of their own glamour, and this one made a special effort - this neon chrome lady.

The main gathering, a cocktail party-esque affair, took place in the cafe, a deliciously minimalist space, all white marble and floor-to-ceiling glass. We subjected our guests to an eclectic mix of soul, jazz and rock, only really background music, but reflective of our style.

Beverages were abundant, as were canapes, and the service was attentive. We adored the decadent dessert - massive chocolate and walnut brownies, made from the finest callebaut chocolate, and adorned with our initials.

We had just over forty attendees, and though there were some notable absences, mostly due to geography, those who came were most generous in their praise, congratulations and gifts.

After the short, sweet speeches, my parents also presented us with a quilted wall hanging featuring origami kimono and breathtaking fabrics imported from Japan, it has already become a treasured posession, and will take pride of place in our home, when the real estate approve the hanging apparatus.

I must say that we really weren't expecting gifts... it was never our understanding that they were part of the deal, but we are so grateful for them, and the memories they will undoubtedly revive in years to come.
I made these cards to show our appreciation, they're quite simple, but I think the freshwater pearls impart an elegance befitting our gratitude.

The Jewels

Today, I received the jewellery set which I will be wearing at our wedding. The set consists of a hair comb, two pairs of earrings (I'm indecisive), and a necklace. All feature draping silver chain and clear Czech crystals, and the necklace is accented with a stunning pewter centrepiece, lending a romantic vintage flair. I will soon update with photos, so you too can sigh at their beauty.

I have worn the same pendant for over six years, which my beloved gave me for my seventeenth birthday. So stunning is this bridal set, I am happy to have a pocket sewn into the bodice of my dress, so that I can keep the pendant close, and indulge in wearing something truly perfect for the day.

The intricacy and balanced design are a credit to their creator, and I thank her profusely for providing me with pieces which will inspire the rest of my outfit. Of course, I will beg her to make something unique for the bridesmaids as well, lucky girls!

Planning a Party – Part 2

It's been a while since I've posted, but previously I talked about how we had begun planning our engagement party. We had found a perfect venue – a local art gallery with a café/function area. We met with the head chef and discussed our requirements. One of the reasons the gallery had first appealed to us was being able to share pieces of art with friends and family. Unfortunately, the gallery itself was usually closed off during after hours functions, but we managed to negotiate a 30 minute viewing at the beginning of the night. With this, the venue was confirmed and we could start inviting guests.

Janet had a specific design in mind for the engagement invitations, and so went about creating a sample. It is a DL sized piece of black card in landscape with silver and black patterned paper sitting 5mm from the edge of the card. The text is printed on transparent paper with a black ribbon set ¼ of the way from the top of the card. A pewter buckle adorns the ribbon towards the left with the text aligned to the right.

It took a number of nights for all of the invitations to be created. I typeset and printed them, while Janet did all of the hard work cutting up and assembling them. Janet also wrote up the envelopes; her handwriting is much more elegant than mine. :)

We've now received the attendance responses. We only have the music left to choose – I’ll keep you posted how that goes.

Of course you can be my bridesmaid!

A while ago, I decided upon the girls I would love to have by my side on the day of my marriage to my high school sweetheart.
My sister, because, well, she's my sister. Stuart's sister, because it felt good to include her. And my friend for the longest time, Jicks, because I couldn't imagine not having her play a part in the day. All happily accepted the challenge, thank goodness!

As with all aspects of weddingness, there is a shroud of mystery surrounding the role bridesmaids play in the proceedings.

The money part is possibly where most issues lie. Some brides pay for everything involved in having their friends look the part, some for nothing. I feel it would be appropriate for us to decline gifts, in lieu of the girls buying their dress and shoes. We can take care of hair, makeup, jewellery, etc.

Of course, the girls deserve to have a say in what they wear. I'm playing with the idea of each of the girls wearing the style of their choice, but all in the same colour. Matching hemlines to unify the look would be nice. As long as there aren't too many bows or ruffles, they'll be gorgeous.
I won't even begin to pretend that they will wear them again (I have been told so many times that I will be able to wear my bridesmaid dress again, which is just rubbish. It's pale pink, it's polyester, it's delustered satin. It's being resold.), but I hope it is something that they are proud to wear on the day.

I'm so lucky, all three have beautiful smiles, always look their very best, but are also individuals, so I won't have clones following me around all day. They will all have their own ideas about tanning and nail polish and hair colour, and I encourage them to pursue a look that suits them. If the wedding was today, and they all turned up looking as they are, they would be the three most stunning bridesmaids ever to grace a chapel.

Stu and I have a fair idea of the kinds of things we're interested in for the day. Colours and music and stationery... we'll sort it out. We won't be sending the girls (or boys) on errands, because they're busy people too. We have a long time to organise everything, and should be able to book it all without too much stress.
But if any of the girls had opinions on details, or information on suppliers, they are welcome to let us know. Not required, but appreciated. And should we decide to DIY bonbonniere or invites or whatever, an extra pair of hands might be useful!
Oh, and it might be fun to go to a few wedding expos, and flick through some magazines together, to see what things they like, and who can supply them to us.

I guess the one thing that most would know as being a bridesmaids' job would be organising the hen's party.
I hate strippers. I'm sure they have lovely personalities, I just don't want them gyrating in front of me. And whilst I love a dance, and a nicely flavoured drink, I can't imagine too many of my friends running around to clubs.
I would have the best time if the largest possible amount of my female friends and family could celebrate with us... so something tasteful, and probably daytime, would be best. Wine tastings, spa days, picnics - all bake my biscuit. But it would be fun to do those things with a tacky veil on my head!

Either way, I'm so glad to have these girls on my team.

Please, God, don't let this happen to me!

A grand day out

Learned purveyor of good sounds and witty blogmeister, DJ, raised a good point today - what nufty-head would plan their wedding on the day of the AFL Grand Final?

Well, Stu and I will become Mr. and Mrs. Nufty-Head on September 29th, 2007.
That's right, we dedicated Melbournians are saying our vows on the most holy of days on the football calendar.

This was a much considered decision, driven by one notion - good old-fashioned romance. Both Stu and myself had been privately considering the idea of marrying on the same date as our current 'anniversary'. So when we mentioned it to each other, we couldn't help but want to continue the tradition. We don't much subscribe to the commercialism of Valentine's Day, and have always put a lot more effort into celebrating our togetherness on a day more unique to us.
It was only later that we realised that this date might have some significance to more than just ourselves!

We thought about the people that are to be invited, and with the exception of my Saints-devoted brother, we're sure that most of them would be delighted to spend that day with us. Well, my brother will still be happy to come along, but you know what it's like for a sports mad teenager!

We will hopefully come up with a way to quench the thirst of our friends and family for news of the game, but don't want it to dissolve into thirty men gazing at a widescreen TV while I cut the cake with my girlfriends. Really, we would give our guests more credit than that - but we are so spoilt with the media giving us news 'as it happens', we couldn't deprive them of some kind of update!

But how, without ruining the elegance of our much anticipated event?