The day Kristie and Ally got hitched.

(This is cross posted from the wedding forum!)

(if any of my guests who read this had a digital camera - can you send me some pics? I don't have any to share!!!!)




Well folks, here I am, in the newly weds section. I can hardly believe it myself!

The week leading up to the wedding was a blur of organising and pampering - nails, makeup, champers, drinks. The works.

we had the rehearsal at the gardens on the friday and many of our guests came along to help out and work out what needed to be done to set everything up. We had a run through and made some changes to the original plans I had, and then we practised the walk. Mum and dad were pretending to hold up my train, and joking around turned into my dad giving me wedgies while I was in absolute tearful hysterics trying to listen to the music!!

The night before the wedding we spent at the pub with guests who were arriving and saying hello. I even managed to win the meat raffle while I was there! There were a few boys who were suffering headaches on the saturday however! ha! My wonderful photographer, Anjella Roessler, even managed to drop in before heading to their accomodation. My sister and my best friend had tied me down and given me hideous makeup, donned me with a veil and a flashing tiara and set the mood for a wonderful fun filled day...

After a couple of hot days, followed by days and days of rain, I was a little skeptical we'd get lovely weather, but the heavens were nice to us and after some morning showers the sun came out and set the mood for a truly wonderful day.

At 5am I was awake. I just could not sleep. It was not nerves or excitement, just the thought of all the things I needed to do!! I was trying to print off the ceremony ready for laminating, as well as the schedule - however the network was down, and the net-savvy boy was in a different town!!

We got stencils cut out, laminating done and the car packed ready for our first trip to Hamilton for the day. We had to be at the reception at 8am to set it up, and be out of there by 9am for my hair.

There were a few seating adjustments that had to be made, but all in all everything came together in our reception room. It was looking so surreal - that in a few hours we'd be back and married!!

after setting up the reception we headed to my hair appointment. The hairdresser was so lovely, and she did such a superb job. I was so impressed with her and her girls. They asked us what we wanted and worked their way through perfecting our hair. Amazing job. We had the champers flowing and everyone was in great spirits. A few days prior I had given the girls jumpers with their initial on them and we wore them to our appointment. We kept joking we were the pink ladies in blue, walking down the street with our matching hair and jumpers! My photographer joined us here and took photos of us goofing around and enjoying ourselves. Ally got his hair done just after we did, and I finally got to meet some of our international guests...

Running out of time, we headed back to my mum's place to get ready. Ally was having some photos done getting ready before Anjella was to meet us at my mum's place (which is 25mins from where we were getting married!). Back at mum's we were running around getting make up done, and trying to smooth out my foundation, getting Tara ready, attempting to fix the fake tan (Mental note Brides to be - don't mix up your fair skinned fake tan with your friends' dark fake tan the night before your wedding!!!!!). Anjella turned up at some point with Marty her assistant hubby and started taking pics. I barely noticed the camera clicking away, it was just a friend hanging around.

In our collection of photos at Bethany (mum's house) there will be pics of me spitting out toothpaste, dressing tara while in my underwear, doing each other's makeup, sticking hollywood tape in the right places... Of course there will be flowers, wedding dresses in windows, jewellery and perfume - not to mention the Hurricane that was Bridal Party.

Time was escaping us and I did not have my itinerary! I was freaking a little. I wanted some shots taken at the front of the house, so Anjella and I went to do that. Quickly loading things into the car we went and got everyone, jumped in the cars and off we went.

Tara fell asleep in the car instantly and slept almost until the ceremony! made life a bit easier.

The cars were parked int he wrong spot so we had to do a u-ie and turn around. I was desperately after the laminated copies of the ceremony which were in my brothers car as I kept forgetting my vows. But due to my brother getting confused he'd got straight to the reception place (which is a motel) to get my bridesmaid the underwear she forgot to pack!! Finally he came back, bridesmaid got some knickers on finally, and I could get the ceremony stuff. Unfortunately for me in my haste, I did not think what I was doing and the wind caught my dress and pushed it all up against the exhaust of my brothers car. Oooops! I now had big marks down the front of my gown! I was about to panic. But I was determined not to have anything screw up the day, so I just said screw it! haha. I CHOSE not to be stressed. An exhaust burn was not going to mess it all up!

Finally we got into our vintage cars. Bridesmaids and Tara in one, and Mum, Dad and I in another. OMG. What are my vows. I kept reading them but my brain was not working. Comfort and Encourage. I kept forgetting those words. Bother. it was too late, I just enjoyed the ride as the drivers took us down the main street and we waved to people out shopping.

Time to get to the gardens. We drove in the gates and I could instantly see guests and I was all of a sudden full of butterflies. wow. they are here to see us. OK. Let's go! I was excited, a little nervous and full of beans.

My darling daughter was half asleep, so my sister carried her down the aisle through the gardens. She was quiet the whole service! Next my dearest friend Ruby walked down, and then my mum and dad and I followed. We got to the start of our Aisle and we took a breath and started walking. I looked at ally and tears just started. he was wearing the buttonhole he was so desperate not to wear. My heart lurched. I walked down the aisle to Angel (the series) Theme by Darling Violetta played on accoustic guitar. I got to the end of the aisle, kissed ally, kissed my mum, then my dad. They sat down and we smiled and laughed and the ceremony began.

My wonderful celebrant, Bernadette, loved my ceremony so much. It was a quick ceremony but it was full of love. In it we had a section where we wanted our guests to answer "We Will", however they all forgot to read their OOS, and had to be prompted big time to answer! it was so funny. We were laughing and joking. Everything was so casual.

Ally had not prepared vows before the day, so I did not know what he was going to say. It was so beautiful. So heartfelt. I was taken aback and any hope of my remembering my vows were quickly gone. I got through half, had to be prompted (I remembered Comfort and Encouragment though!) and finally got the words out (only stuffing up the word promise and saying pledge!).

We exchanged rings with each other holding hands and staring into each others eyes.

Next we had a handfasting where we joined hands and had our wrists bound with a black linen scarf I made. The words were beautiful and very touching. It was such a lovely thing to do. It meant the world to me, and I think Ally would agree it was a nice hting to have in the ceremony.

We kept joking about skipping down the aisle, running, jumping all of that. We were announced as husband and wife, and asked to seal our marriage with a kiss. It was the best kiss of my life! Pure magic in it's everydayness. We signed the certificates and came once again to the centre of our aisle where Bernadette presented us to our friends and family, we were clapped and then took our first steps as husband and wife. We walked down the aisle smiling, laughing, and me calling out for grog. we had fun!

We said quick hellos to lots of our friends and guests, had a bite to eat, then we had to race off for photos.

Since I have bored you enough already, I'll add a quick bit about location shots

Ally, Tara and I had photos in a ceremony where I got scorria rock in my shoes.
We went to a private residence where the whole bridal party climbed a gum tree - including me in my dress!
Tara had a go on an old tire swing
We went to some sheds that had warnings about the instability and dangers of being on the property.


I may write more soon, but my finger are cramping and we have guests and some wedding cake to share!

I hope to have couple of photos in the next day or so... I left my entire handbag at my mum's place so my camera has no photos at all

I am tired but feeling so blessed today.

Ally and I even did a first dance!

Amazing, inspiring, special, intimate, fun, exhilorating, specail, just some of the words to use to describe the day.

anyways... time to go.

Kristie xxx