From my husband of six days....

On Wednesday evening, still suffering from the post wedding blues (seriously, why don't people clap and cheer when I enter the room anymore? Why don't people follow me around telling me how beautiful I am?), Steve and I took ourselves out for dinner to a new little restaurant, situated in a shopping centre (it is a lot nicer than it sounds, I promise, and no, it was not a Burger King).

We enjoyed a lovely dinner, with only a few minor gripes - mainly that I still insist on telling everyone that we just got married, what can I say? I am still basking in the glow of the congratulations I get every time I mention it!

As we were leaving, we passed the new 24 hour gym that has just opened in town. As you may remember, both Steve and I became little exercise bunnies pre wedding and are hoping to continue (but with less panic and sweating ideally).

Steve: I might join the gym I think, it's only £25 a month and better than trying to do squat thrusts in our living room.

Me: OK... I hate gyms.

Steve: Hmmmm, actually, you have to have a full year contract, not a rolling one.

Me: So?

Steve: Well, it's year. I just don't think I'm ready for that kind of commitment....

Yes, this was four days after he pledged to spend his life with me....

I got me married

Hello, the new Mrs Parham is signing in!

Today I am mostly very, very tired and a tad teary that it is all over and that I have to go to work tomorrow! Seriously, nothing can prepare you for how rubbish the come down is and how fast the day will go, all I want to do is rewind to last week and then do it all again.

Even more so, I wish that I could experience more of the day, we were so busy trying to see everyone and chat that we missed so many little details like people's reactions when I walked in the room, people crying at the readings, vows and speeches, our dearest friends doing absolutely hilarious things. It would be great if you could go back and just watch from a corner - all your loved ones having the best time!

The best thing about the whole thing was, well, firstly getting married, becoming Steve's wife was by far the best part of my day, saying those vows and meaning those words just went beyond my expectations. Secondly, having everyone there; I got so so emotional having everyone I loved in that room with us and feeling the amount of love and support they were giving us. It is tearing me up right now thinking that all those people came there just for us and that, they will never be all in the same room again - very silly I know.

We simply had the best, most wonderful day.

Pictures coming as soon as I get them and, once I have explored the best way of doing it, I will hopefully do a full account, maybe on a twice a week post - probably a little dull for you lot but a great account for me to keep!

xxxxx

Going to the chapel....

So here we are, the day before the big day. I really can't believe it is actually here. Today is full of things to do - rehearsals, picking up cakes, picking up my dress and finally, oh so finally, sitting with my girls with a glass of champagne.

I just wanted to say a big thank you to you all for all the wedding advice you have given me, all the help and excitement. And for putting up with the numerous wedding posts!

I am signing off for a few days now as.... wait, oh yes... I AM GETTING MARRIED ON SATURDAY!

xxxxxxxxxx

ps promise to post photos and please keep fingers crossed for a rain free day! x

Touching wood

So we're on three days to go and things are getting crazy. Like insane.

As a nice break from the insanity, last night I went home to see my family and popped up to my Nana's. Now, I love my Nana, she is brilliant, one of the smartest and sharpest people I know as well as one of my favourites. Once we got there she insisted that we had a sherry.

I hate sherry.

How a drink manages to be so sickly sweet and yet so strong tasting, anyway, I manned up and accepted my drink (Steve didn't. Because he is a wussy pants.).

I politely sipped it and only winced slightly.

After a minute or two, my Nana proposed a toast,

'To the end of Olivia Kerridge!' she announced, raising her glass.

Ummm.... lovely sentiment Nana but lets remember that I am not in fact dying. Just getting married and changing my surname....

Can I tell you something?

It is such a very strange feeling to be getting married in less than a week. This whole process I have been counting down, saying 'In one year's time', 'in six months time', 'in three months', 'in eight weeks', 'in three weeks' that to finally actually get here is beyond... well everything.

It is beyond exciting, beyond bizarre. It really feels weird. Like this day that has been in my mind for so long, that I have planned and slaved over, that every little detail I know about, is actually going to happen. It feels so abstract, like it was something that I daydreamed about, that would never really happen.

But it is.

This Saturday, Steve and I will stand in front of everyone we love and declare we love each other totally and completely, that we will care for each other, stay with each other and support each other. We will all eat and drink and be merry, we will dance and laugh and pose for photos, we will wear lovely clothes and celebrate.

I always wondered what the few days before a wedding were like for a bride and groom, I assumed a whirlwind of appointments and packing and business. And it is. But it is also full of a feeling of anticipation, of nervousness, of tingley arms and random spates of butterflies, of frustration as I try and get everything finished, of excitement and jumping up and down joy. And a little bit of sadness.

I have loved being engaged. It has been such a special time for us, bringing us closer together, not only Steve and I but our families and friends, both to us individually and to each other. I have been so conscious that I will never have this time again; we have been surrounded by excitement, with love and just brilliance and it is ending.

So, in a pre-wedding toast, please grab that glass of wine (or juice box or cuppa...) and here is to the marriage we will have and hoping it will kick my lovely engagement's bum!

PUSH IT!

In preparation for the wedding, both Steve and I have been trying to eat healthily and work out crazily. This officially started way back in the depths on September but really only got going the first week of January.

Now, as documented in the comments of my favourite wedding site Rock My Wedding, I am a big fan of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It is pure evil but by god it works, a dress size down since January = happy happy Livy.

The thing is, the work out is brutal, each move is compound meaning everything aches. And aches some more.

To start with, I would battle through with Steve laughing at me but then things changed.

A spell of icy mornings meant that Steve couldn't go for his 6am run so I innocently suggested that he did the DVD, it's only 20 minutes long, and, after all, he was sure it was super easy.

Now he no longer laughs.

And listening to him doing the DVD is the funniest thing ever. He huffs and puffs and growls and occasionally you'll hear:
'Five more? Fuck off!'

'Jillian you evil sadistic bitch'

And my favourite, at one point on Level 3, Jillian tells you to remember why you wanted to do this in the first place and focus on that:

'I've changed my mind Jillian, I want to be fat, lazy and happy!'

And that is why I love him and why, in less than one week, I will be proud to be his Mrs.

Hair - not the musical

As I am sure you can imagine, my wedding to do list is fairly long and includes such gems as 'Buy knickers', 'Find out how long aisle is' and 'Feed pianist*'. But the thing most on my mind?

My hair.

Last week I had a hair trial with my wonderful hairdresser Emma, I have been going to her for years and she knows my hair inside out. So inside out that neither of us can decide what to do with it.

Do we go for very classic with all the hair off the face and up and risk looking severe?

But obviously less pouffy - sorry, I got bored of looking for pictures...

Do we go for the more popular curly up do?

Do we go for the cool quiff/messy do?

I just don't know!!!

And then we come to my new love... plaits. Can they fit in? Help!

* That made me laugh, how dirty does that sound? x