Bideford Bridezillar

This was a good read.  Please keep us updated regularly with your story.

What a lovely story.  I hope that local businesses who provide bridal facilities will read this & consider offering their services at a discount - just think what good publicity that would be.

Ahhhhhh 2010 has arrived the Year of my Big day!!! so I bet your wondering how the planning is going.....

where to start......No seriously Im asking!

I have booked the venue always a good place to start and Yes I kept it local Im getting married at The Royal Hotel in Bideford you know the place that little hotel over the bridge.
They won me over at he wedding fair they offered me a package that I couldn't refuse, I don't want to let all there secrets out but  I honestly don't think they could be beaten on affordable wedding prices in North devon!

As you all know Im trying to do this wedding on a serious budget and Im not afraid who knows Im not ashamed just very sensible and don't have money to be throwing away on one day after all the outcome will be the same no matter how much I was to spend, I'm going to be marrying the love of my life!.

We managed to get a 5pm wedding arranged so that means I've saved  a huge amount of stress by avoiding the sit down meal, I will simply marry have my  photos taken by any budding photographers that may be at my wedding then a  few canapes alongside a slice of cake and few sherries ooooops I mean a glass of sparkling wine!! then straight on to celebrate being husband and Wife with a disco and finger buffet!

Next task was to book the registrar, Taking in mind getting married is not what I do every day I really didn't know how to do this?
I went a long to the civic center (Barnstaple) where the receptionist told me to basically get lost and get over to my side of the river where I was to find my registrar in Northam  Mr Bob Hookins who I can honestly say was born to marry people such a lovely gentlemen incredibly helpful and will hopefully be the man we get marrying us on the day.

So those were the easy bits and I've managed to get those tasks done with very little stress :-0

Next up dress shopping and like any girl who has watched mamma mia I wanted her dress! very simple very natural with the flowers in my hair,I even almost persuaded my 10 year old brother to play "I have a dream" on his flute when I walk down the aisle.........but my dream seriously ended there,  firstly I couldn't find a dress like hers anywhere and when I found one almost like it the style just didn't suit my figure!!

But local help was at hand at  ALWAYS AND FOREVER up by the market in Bideford, I met Andy, Wow Gok Wan eat your heart out this guy knows wedding dresses!!!

A very busy saturday afternoon me and mum went in and were instantly overwhelmed by the huge choice of Bridal dresses they have, I had not long been a bridesmaid so was perhaps a little more familiar with the whole wedding shop etiquette then my mum but we were both quietly pleased to how the shop assistance let you browse at your leisure offering a reassuring smile incase you needed help!

We saw a few dresses 4 in fact which I fancied trying on and were teamed up with Andy who managed to make us feel like the only people in the shop considering it was extremely busy!

I was impressed to hear Andy giving me his opinions on dress shapes for my figure after all its a mothers dream to see her daughter try on wedding dresses and think she may have said Id have looked beautiful in all the dresses as me in a dress is a very rare sight! (In fact Im debating the whole dress over jeans for on the day!!!)

So I now have a dress in mind and as promised Andy rang me this morning to let me know that it is possible to have that dress arrive in time for my wedding.

My first worry now is.........."Is it the ONE!!!!"

next task Bridesmaids!!!

Oh, I just love your bridezillar blogs hiccupgalore.

I feel very excited for you.  When I was married we had very little money and it was a low key affair.  I didn't even have a wedding dress, opting for a nice little two piece which I could subsequently use for job interviews.  I wish I had worn a white gown now, when I look back.

I am looking forward to the next instalment.

My Big day is fast approaching....... actually a little to fast I can't believe I started these blogs back in November and Im now 2 days away from my wedding day its crazy!.

As you can see I survived my hen party and the wedding is still going ahead so the Stag obviously behaved himeself while he was out! ha ha I think I believe the swollen red mark on his neck was where he got hit be a paintball and not a little last minute love bite!!

Its been a busy few weeks really and I have come to the conclusion that no matter how hard you try to plan a stress free wedding its actually impossible.
My Fiance keeps telling me that we have been stress free its when others get involved that the stress levels heat up so now we are having the last few days as quite as possible with only really each other and close family input.

At the moment we are busy making photo boards and writing Thank you cards and wrapping Thank you presents YES the costly part of getting married but yet a very important part I feel! and its finally something nice to do after alll the rubbish bits......

Its no good Im going to have to break my silence The Bridesmaid dresses have been the bane of my life over the past few weeks no fault of my 2 bridesmaids . think I may have mentioned earlier that one of bridesmaids has recently had a baby so has found it difficault to ge out and about which meant dress fittlings for the dresses was going to be difficault and then my other bridesmaid has recently got back from holiday so had to fit in her dress fitting quickly before she went away this meant that we thought best to use a lady we knew that lived closer to us all and known for fitting prom dresses, sadly I got the dresses back last week and only stopped crying last saturday I can honestly say I think I could have done a better job they were buckled at the zips and had blood stains down them absolutely terrible I keep having to take my self back to the fact that she only charged me half price but perhaps that was her reason I don't know?

Luckily after taking them back to Always and Forever and chatting to Andy and Denise about how dreadful my dresses had been done They saved the day Yet again and Gave me the number for the seamstress they use in their shop Lorraine Brumham from Hartland, I should have used her in first place as she is truly an amazing lady who right now I can not Thank her enough for making my Bridesmaid dresses wearable again.

Lorraine was due to go on holiday 5 days after Andy phoning her and asking her to look at my dresses and where most people would say no Im really sorry Im off on holiday in a few days I cant take on any more work, Lorraine dropped every thing and came to the rescue seeing my Bridesmaids in the shop and even working on the dresses up until the day before she left on her holiday! not only did she re stitch new zips and tidy up other stitching she also removed the blood stains that the previous dodgy seamstress had left behind!.
The dresses were returned to Always and Forever and Andy and denise pressed them all and I now have 3 absolutely stunning dresses again hung up waiting to be worn in two days time, I am one happy stress free bride now all thanks to Andy Denise and Lorraine.