Hello!

It feels like I haven’t sat down to type on my laptop and create for you all in ages. I’ve been scheduling blog posts for weeks so I didn’t have any extra pressures during the whirlwind of wedding life.

It feels like I have a lot to tell you. The wedding was a wonderful hot sunny day filled with obvious love, enough to be slightly nauseated at the perfection of the day. Baloo and I managed a good chunk of the day (I was thankful for my bag filled with stuff for the bride and myself) and we left just before all the fun jazz started. My sources tell me that the jazz band was sublime and everyone was on their feet. But it was incredibly noisy. I also asked my brother to record the speeches so I could watch them later.
It was such a fabulous day that didn’t have any massive mishaps and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

I felt like I managed the day pretty well. I was so happy I got my hair and my makeup was done for me. It took the pressure off and let me relax and enjoy the getting ready stage. At one point we had the hairdresser, makeup artist, the bride and three bridesmaids singing along to ‘Grease’ with the men sat next door wondering how we got the party started early. The wedding wasn’t until the afternoon so I had plenty of time to rest and then it happened so quickly, the photographer was telling us it was time to get into our bridesmaid dresses and we had a mad dash to not disturb our hair and get zipped in and shoes on. Photos were taken and off we went to the church.

For me besides the noise of the organ in the church, I struggled most with posing for the photographs. It was a hot day and there were many family members there and a lot of variations to get through. I made sure to sit when possible but that for me was the most tiring. My sister was lucky as the cherry blossoms outside the church were in full bloom. It was a spectacular day with a perfect backdrop.

I know I had promised some photos, but I got caught up in being present and trying to help my sister out as her maid of honour. That was my most important priority that day and with the help of the other bridesmaids we had her and the train on the dress covered. I failed at taking photos completely, Baloo and I aren’t sure if there are any photos of us together- oops.

The payback from the wedding was not what I was expecting. I ached from head to toe when we got home from the reception but I didn’t feel too awful. In the aftermath my tolerance for being ok with activity to not diminished to nothing, it was a brick wall that sporadically hit and I had no choice but to stop. A few days after the wedding I started to full body ache again but it was only for a couple of days before it started to ease up again. As big as the wedding was it was a lot of activity in short bursts of time with lots of waiting about. So in terms of energy, there was plenty of time to sit and fuel up ready for the next burst.

As soppy as this is, my Baloo was an angel all day. He was by my side when he could be and carried a backpack full of stuff for myself and the bride. He made sure I ate and rested when possible. We took breaks out in the fresh air and it helped my ears to have a break before going back into the bustle of the wedding reception.

My tips for wedding survival as long as you aren’t the bride or the groom would be:

1. Wear comfy shoes. I had pretty silver flats on that I knew were comfy but as soon as we got to the reception I changed into leather ballet slippers that I had roughed up the suede soles. They cost about £8.00 and were great for feeling feminine but ever so comfy. Just like wearing slippers and my long dress meant people couldn’t see that much.

2. Take a bag of drink, food, any medication, plasters and earplugs etc. You won’t worry about the what ifs quite so much if you have prepared for many eventualities and it means you can relax about having access to food and drink when you need it. Especially if you have dietary requirements this is essential.

3. Consider having your make up and or hair done so you don’t have to waste energy on it. I know it is an extra expense but it took the pressure off of me and for myself that was worth the cost. Alternatively, ask someone you trust to help you get ready.

4. It’s a long day so make the most of any opportunity to rest and take a breather in fresh air.

5. Check the accessibility out if you use aides or a wheelchair. That way you know what you are facing and you cut down on anxiety.

6. I chose to leave when I was ‘just tired’ rather than ‘shutting down exhausted’ whilst this is a personal choice I wanted to still look ok so that I didn’t worry my family. I went before I reached my absolute limits for myself and for my sister.

I am pleased that the wedding went so well, but also I am pleased it is over. It was a whirlwind of six months but so worth it. My biggest sadness was I didn’t get to try all the flavours of cake as we missed that part. I was smuggled some the next day which was delicious. I now have a lot more spare time, but I need a holiday soon. Do you have any tips for surviving weddings? Leave them down below, I’d love to gather some more.