Why Mike?

I was reading an article on why people married their spouses after a long time of being together. There were so many reasons for people taking their time to tie the knot, they wanted to save for houses, had children or a huge life event spurred them into taking the plunge.

With just 23 days until our wedding, after 11 and a half years together, we've certainly taken our time. I was never that worried about getting married, my parents aren't and it's not a popular past time in my huge family. Then Mike took his sweet time proposing and then we took further 3 years to get our arses in gear.

In the time we've been together, we've seen couples come together, fall apart... and yet we're still together. Some people have commented that our relationship isn't as valid as those who've exchanged rings, or that life is so different after saying I do. Can a piece of paper and jewellery really change 11 years of the way we live in our relationship?

One of my nieces asked why I was marrying Mike, I don't think she's meant, why on earth are you marrying that man... at least I hope she didn't! I guessed that she was asking what made me chose him.

Why do I love Mike? He is one of a kind. Geologist, Genealogist, Artist, Book Keeper, Handy man, Builder, Website designer, Photo restorer - a man with that many hobbies can't be anything but fascinating. He makes me laugh until I cry (Mike and his sister together render me to the point where my back spasms and I can't breathe with laughter!), he's protective without being possessive, strong, reliable, sweet and daft.

Mike's also grumpy, stubborn and sees everything in black and white, a trait I've spent a decade trying to fade into many shades of grey. But I wouldn't have him any other way.

We've been through deaths, court cases, rough patches, mental health issues, illnesses, road trips, holidays with both our families and a long distant relationship whilst he travelled the world for work and now we're embarking on a new business, marriage, babies. I think we're more than prepared for life post vows, but a wedding doesn't lessen the meaning or wonder of the 4180 days we've been together before that special day in front of our loved ones!

L xxx

Attack of the Bridezilla

After last week's announcement, that we had booked our wedding, we've had an overall wonderful response and have managed to book the majority of the companies/people we need for the day. I just have to find a makeup/hair artist and transport, plus even the hen do preparations have started - and who knew that would be more complicated that the wedding day itself lol!

After years of being a bridesmaid or guest at 3 dozen weddings, I've taken note from all the couples; the do's and don'ts of the day according to those who's been there, done it and come out thousands of pounds lighter the other side.

Much to our surprise, luck and gratitude, the wedding planning has come along beautifully and easily. I'm very much expecting something to have gone wrong or that I've forgotten something crucial, yet I have still found myself getting in a bit of a huff, the Bridezilla in me, rearing its ugly head.

Bridezilla gonna get ya!

Why are there no nice brown invite envelopes on Amazon Prime? Why did I eat that cake/prosecco/chocolate when I know full well that I have a wedding dress to squeeze into by July? Why don't I know what the weather will be like on the day? Is it crass and cheeky to ask for cash as a wedding gift? These are all very much, 1st world problems and mostly ridiculous thoughts but they've still kept me up at night, I don't sleep enough as it is!

Stupid brain, I didn't think I'd be so twitchy about the whole thing, I am someone who would have happily never married Mike, skipped that step and got straight onto having babies, but now it's happening, I want it to be a great day that people enjoy. I want them to be well fed, dance until they drop and drink lots so I'm not they only numpty throwing ridiculous moves on the dance floor; why oh why can't I control all my guests' free will and emotions damn it!

I am well aware that I sound like a self-indulgent brat, but I'm giddy with excitement. Over the years I've seen countless social media posts about other weddings; Brides panicking, Meme's telling brides to shut the hell up, so I've tried not to bang on about the wedding too much in person either.

I don't want to be "that friend", the one who manages to bring every conversation back to the wedding day, the one who complains when she can't find the right envelopes, the one who preaches at other brides to be about what they should or shouldn't be doing!

What a minefield weddings are! I'm enjoying the process more than I was at the beginning, despite the idiot thoughts running around my tiny brain. So I now pledge, in hopes that I don't drive my readers mental too, to limit myself to only one wedding vlog or blog a month.

So, now I've got to find 15 non-wedding related subjects between now at the day.... damn it again!
L xxx

In case you didn't see last weeks vlog watch below. If you can't see the video click here and please subscribe!

We have an announcement!

Yes, it's vlog week, but I don't know how to integrate photos into my video yet!  So here's the video, and the photos!

Watch to find out our news!

Our Afternoon Tea at Cake boy London was courtesy of Red Letter Days 

Celebrating our 11th Anniversary

Afternoon Tea at Cake Boy London

These are not just sandwiches

Dessert like I've I've never had before

Shoes at Selfridges

School of Rock

I highly recommend School of Rock! It was such a wonderful musical, funny, heartfelt with a rocking soundtrack!

Until Next Wednesday

L xxx

Gi, Tom and Me.

The last week has been a funny one, odd and unusual you might say. I left you with a rant about wedding planning. We've now narrowed it down to two local, very different, venues. I'm so far, not enjoying the wedding planning. There's so much to consider, luckily we have a lot of friends and family keeping me calm.

I had a great day at my Mums last Thursday, snuggles with my youngest nephew, time spent with three of the bigger ones. I cooked dinner for my Mum and Sister, whilst introducing Mum to Bridget Jones, we're doing two more nights to see the other two films, educating our Mumsy in the wonder on Miss Jones. This day made up for the fact that Mike and I were meant to go and see Davina McCall, film A Year From Now at Elstree Studio's - my not sleeping for two days put a stop to that treat *sulk!*

But, the next day I ticked an item off my bucket list. My friend Alison and I took a road trip to Brighton, we popped into my Sister in Law's cafe (The Coach House) and then into town to meet Author, Actor, Writer Giovanna Fletcher. She's written a book on her experiences as a mummy. A tad premature on my part, but I see the book as research - that's what I've told Mike anyway lol!

Gi was lovely, she spent a couple of minutes getting to know each of her fans and then was gracious to have a selfie with each and every one of us. I adore her, and her husband, Tom Fletcher (McFly) and have followed their careers/lives for years now and to meet Gi made me a little giddy.

Me and Gi

Gi, Me and Alison

After getting home from Brighton, driving Mike mad with every little detail of our road trip, I slept for a solid 12 hours. I needed it as we were seeing our first possible wedding venue - Southend's Pier (where Jamie and Jimmy's is filmed). It was a wonderful seaside setting but my caster wheels kept dropping through the planks - not a great start. I had, had my heart set on the place, so I was pretty sad afterwards, but luckily we were heading to Balham that evening for my friend Tom's Birthday, house party.

Obligatory pre-night out couples selfie

Tom is married to my gorgeous friend Kirsty, who I met at school and regular readers may remember we spent four days in Tuscany for their wedding in 2015. We had so much fun, we'd effectively been on holiday with all of the house party guests so it was a mini reunion too. We rocked in at 3am, having experienced my first Uber - how trendy of me!

Kirsty and Tom

I spent the next two day's recovering - not just because of my medical conditions, I'm officially old, the hangover was horrendous - I'll need to build up my tolerance before our wedding - more on that next week!

Until next time, for vlog week!
L xxx

Accessible Romance

When you're planning a wedding, and you're a disabled Bride, it's not just guest lists, chair covers and DJ's you need to think about! Today I talk about accessible romance! If you can't see the video click here!

Please subscribe to my channel, Youtube have changed their rules and I can't get my personalised URL without a certain amount of subscribers.

If you're in Essex and have any wedding related businesses or recommendations, please get in touch; Lynsey_Ellard@hotmail.com, all vendors used in our wedding will get a full write up in my blogs and all social medias.

Until Next Wednesday!

L xxx

P.S In case you didn't see my last blog, I wrote about disability discount, click here to read all about it, who doesn't want to save some extra pennies? 

Tuscany for the #Nutbrook Wedding!

You'll have to forgive such a huge time lapse between blog posts. I'm in the grips of a very bad relapse... possibly the worst I've had in 10 years. I’m using the walking frame that has been in the loft for ten years and getting that out again was a sad day. It sucks BUT it's not the first, it won't be the last and as ever, it could always be worse!

Tuscany

After the hustle, bustle and madness of Rome, we were in need of some R&R, so, after a breakfast in bed, we bid farewell to the Royal Court hotel and headed to Tuscany for the main reason we were driving around Europe - The #NutBrook wedding!

I met Kirsty at secondary school when we were 11, we remained polite "Hi and Bye" buddies until we left school and then became wonderful friends - despite our lives being completely different and cities apart. She and her fiancé Tom had been together for over 10 years and they couldn't be more suited to each other - a truly genuine and lovely couple, we adore.  

We arrived at Castello di Modanella (Castle and wedding venue) just south of Siena. The Castle and estate was incredible, most of the wedding guests were staying on site in converted farm buildings. Mike and I were staying in the former slaughter house, it sounds gross but it was huge, yet cosy and bigger than our own flat (not hard!).

View from our apartment

We found Kirsty after hearing laughing and cackling in the bar, we were greeted by lots of family and friends, introductions were made and wine was already flowing freely, a theme that would continue for the next three days!

After an afternoon of sunbathing we went to dinner with most of the guests in a little town 10 minutes from Castello di Modanella, feasting on gorgeous Italian fair, meeting new people and watching the Sun set over beautiful Tuscany – I was one happy bunny!

Tuscany Sunset

On Friday we made our way into town with a few of the other guests Graham, Zoe and Bruce, for some shopping, a cheeky glass of something, bought pool toys and a water gun, more on that later though....

The bulk of Friday was used for sun bathing and getting to know everyone, my nerves were getting the best of me so I had to make a real effort to chat to everyone – the wine glass always in my hand certainly helped!

Our pool

In the evening the Grooms family had provided a pre wedding BBQ by candle light – we were all stuffed, dancing and to put it mildly - merry! I didn’t help matters... I thought I’d bring a bit of Essex to the event and filled the water gun with Limoncello – which went down very well, especially with the bride and her Dad!

The evening ended at 4am with various fully clothed friends in the pool (looking at you Benny, Gemma, Sarah, Ross!) and a Grease Mega Mix dance off – Yup Essex had landed in Tuscany J

Saturday was the wedding day! We’d all waited 10 years for this day and the excitement was electric! In the morning we took to our “usual” positions by the pool, the heat was incredible so I wussed out taking cover with Sarah – a wonderfully hilarious Australian with a ginger kid curfew!

After brunch many of us attended a pre wedding wine tasting, sampling the estates wines and homemade breads – despite not liking most wines Mike came anyway, I and our table mates Rosie, Natalie and Seb shared his left overs – You cannot waste wine as good as this was!

By 4 it was time to get our glad rags on! I always find wedding outfits difficult to find as most formal summer dresses drag on my wheels but I was happy with an ASOS pink number that also was long enough that I wouldn’t be flashing my knickers at any one!

The castle chapel was stunning and authentically Italian, I found myself getting nervous on the couples behalf. When the time came, I shed a tear, Kirsty looked so beautiful, elegant and graceful as she made her way to Tom who was nervously grinning at the altar. 

The Blushing Bride

The ceremony went perfectly and we headed for the drinks reception where we were treated to wonderful food, drink and a four string quartet. I was chatting to the grooms’ cousins as one of them is an aspiring writer; she was so excited as a lot of the guests were writers (our Bride works for a UK Newspaper) - her enthusiasm was infectious.

When it was time for the wedding Breakfast, Mike and I sort out our table on the planner to find we were with 7 members of a family we had yet to meet! My nerves kicked in once more but I shouldn’t have worried our dinner guests were four of the Smithers brothers and three of their wives/girlfriends, they were so welcoming and chatty.... another side effect of my nerves is that I talk...in over time mode... thankfully no one seemed to bored of my waffling!

Our meal was scrumptious, the speeches were heart-warming and the newly Wed Mr and Mrs Brook looked blissful!

Sadly by the time the band started my body had given up and I was in too much pain to fling my upper half around like I normally do at parties! But guests came back and forth providing me with shots and company and a silver lining to the pain was that I got some epic photos of the night!

The Reception

The party finally ended at 4am, we were all drunk, and laughing, even when the music stopped Mike and Phil  - the best man started an hour long Acapella choir singing hits from Bon Jovi, Spice Girls, Will Smith and Celine Dion... of course they did!

Mike was tie-less, shirt untucked and wearing neon glasses when we got back to our apartment – what a day!

Mike and I

Sunday... we were all very delicate and sad that it was time to part ways; I think we’d made some genuine, lovely new friends, taken hundreds of photos and had tons of new memories! We bid farewell to the Brooks and headed on to the last leg of our European road trip!

Mr and Mrs Brook

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Brook! Xxx

L x