| Stereo-typed
Past…
Shaw and I have been together since 1998, when we met in
a local pub. I was working there part time while I was in
college and he was a customer- talk about a stereotype- chatting
up the barmaid. Luckily for me he isn’t a dirty old
man! In fact when I met him, I fancied him right back- tall,
dark and handsome- another stereotype!
As we are already living together and have a daughter we
sort of “decided” to get married before any manner
of proposing went on..(how romantic) and to book everything
before we told everyone so there wouldn’t be any "helpful"
suggestions from mad aunties (nervous breakdown prevention)
We bought my ring in a little antique shop in sight of the
pub where I used to work. The antique shop is gone now and
so is any resemblance of what the pub looked like when I worked
there, which means we can bore the ears off our children with
stories in years to come!
Present…
Well ,Thank God we have nearly everything booked or I would
be a gibbering wreck by now. I have handed the rest of our
plans over to Kate Deegan, my very able wedding planner -
how wonderful to have an objective voice to tell people- “Please
get out of the bar and go in to the ballroom” or “Auntie
Anne- please DON’T sing in the church”…
it sets my mind at ease already- there are enough other things
to worry about on the day itself, I’m sure!
Originally we had wanted to get married in a friends Georgian
country manor but no amount of convincing would persuade Shaw
that getting married in Greystones and then driving to Portlaoise
for the wedding party was a good idea. I really wanted that
elegant country house feel but trying to find the right one
is a bit like Goldilocks’ porridge- you have to look
at a lot before you find one that’s “just right”.
This included looking as far away a French chateau and as
expensive as Lutrellstown. We finally decided on the Summerhill
House in Enniskerry for our reception venue -a tough
decision but in the end it won out because it married value
and lovely location - and they provided corkage- something
which, sadly, ruled out quite a lot of venues for us.
I’ve so much on my plate at the moment that I’m
glad all the wedding stuff is organised- my dress is even
sitting in my sister’s wardrobe…Though that caused
a tear or two- of joy .. and frustration. My sister (16 and
CBM) was horrified at my ideas for the bridesmaids. I bought
a Polaroid to take pictures of any dresses we tried on (shades
of Clueless) - some of the pictures are hilarious- you
can tell the dresses she hated because of the big sulky face-
definitely made the choice easier in the end- which consisted
of me not asking anyone’s opinion and just buying 4
dresses- and it worked- everyone is delighted with them! Phew!
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