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Our summer wedding in the garden – part VI

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Our summer wedding in the garden – part VI

Next on the list was cutting the wedding cake. Our imperfect Pisa wedding cake, as this cake decided over night to drop to one side. My sister and me were doing it the day before and the plan was to give it the final finish the next day but when I opened the fridge in the morning I saw an uneven cake. We fixed it a bit an then decided not to add more as it may fall completely to one side. Nevertheless, the cutting worked without ruining it and it tasted wonderful.
Everybody was now completely relaxed after the ceremony. There was music playing in the garden and plenty of people were enjoying chatting and eating and enjoying the day. We took the opportunity to walk around and talk to everyone, sit down here and there and capture every moment while always looking out for each other and smile happily. We weren’t able to take our eyes off each other. After a while friends of my sister arrived to prepare the summer barbecue we planned as dinner. They were more than professional as almost invisible and did a great job.
We’ve got lots of wonderful feedback for the variety of the dinner and especially for the quality and taste which is also a thanks to our barbecue masters. We prepared everything the other day but only if you know how to prepare it on the fire it will end up perfect.
Our dessert was a big buffet of fresh fruits with a double chocolate fountain on top and it seems as if what one of the highlights for many. They were gathering around it as if there’s no tomorrow.

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Our summer wedding in the garden – part V

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Our summer wedding in the garden – part V

My best friend came and told me embarrassed that she forgot to hand out the happy tears handkerchiefs but that she gave them now to all guests and that was exactly the right thing.

There were no tears during the ceremony but after we arrived we started again music – Van Morrison with these are the days – and I started my bridal speech.

Standing next to my husband in front of all of my family and friends I felt exited, emotional, happy – all at once. I had so much on my notes but ended up talking freely instead of reading what I wrote down. Welcoming all was the easiest part but when I started to talk to my parents and about his parents it was the moment when tears started to run and handkerchiefs were needed. My sister came quickly to give me a handkerchief as well and after all was said we’ve got applause from all.

My husband told me later that evening that it was one of the most appreciated things I did that day and that he never expected me to mention his parents as well as I unfortunately never met them.

But I knew how important they are for him and they are as well for me as they are the reason for him being alive and being now my husband.

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Our summer wedding in the garden – part IV

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Our summer wedding in the garden – part IV
 
The reception started and everyone was hugging and congratulating while saying cheers to the couple, handing over gifts and flowers. I just felt like the happiest person on earth at that moment.
 
We had all our loved ones around us and the moment was perfect.
 
As this villa were we married has big stairs into a garden, we told the photographer upfront that we would like to have a picture of the whole wedding party exactly there on the stairs with my little cousin as flower girl in front of us.
She was proud to have these important tasks – she was also responsible to bring us the wedding rings during the ceremony. So cute!
 
Time to throw the bouquet.
I started to pick up all the single women and went up the staircase. They were gathering behind me and after I threw it I glimpsed while turning around that my best friend was almost jumping like a basketball player to get the bouquet.
 
After the reception all guests started to drive or walk to our garden and we stayed with the photographer and went straight out into the beautiful summer afternoon for some sun-kissed, romantic bride and groom photos.
 
The plan was that we arrive in our garden when all guests were sitting and had coffee or tea in front of them so that I can start my bridal speech before we cut the cake and open the cake buffet.
 
What I wasn’t aware of and I think my husband although hadn’t planned it like that is that he asked me after we parked the car if I want to walk up the street towards our house. I was wondering what he meant, why shouldn’t I be able to walk these 100 meters?
All of a sudden he grabbed me and started to carry me towards the garden.
Unfortunately no one was aware that he will do that so only a few saw our arrival and we don’t have pictures of him carrying his wife.
But the surprise was so lovely that I will never forget it.
 
 
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Our summer wedding in the garden – part III

Our-summer-wedding-in-the-garden
Our summer wedding in the garden – part III
 
Mom and my best friend left 5 min earlier than me and dad so that we were really the last ones to arrive at the ceremony.
 
My best friend was carrying our happy tears handkerchiefs as she was intended to give them to the guests. 
 
I, the bride herself, was driving as I have a company car and dad is not allowed to drive it without permission from the company so I decided a modern bride can drive herself. It was much stress and all of a sudden this stress was gone when I stepped out of the car and was walking at dad’s side towards the ceremony.
Our photographer was waiting for the first shots of the arriving bride and two of my best friends were waiting in front of the old villa to wish me good luck.
 
When the music started the door opened and I wasn’t able to stop smiling.
 
There he was – standing, waiting for me, my love, kissing me slightly when he took my hand.
He was desperate for me to arrive as he was standing there alone in front of all our guests which were mostly my family and friends.
I chose “I’m ready” from Bryan Adams for my arrival as it was exactly how I felt. Glad to be together we sat down and started to listen to all the officer told us. Our translator explained everything to my husband and his uncle and finally we had to answer the question we were waiting for. Yes, I do! Yes, I do!
Then we were announced husband and wife.
Woohoo – officially, legally married, husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. K.
I never imagined how it may feel and can just say, it was wonderful!
My little cousin brought the wedding rings and it wasn’t that easy for my husband to get it on my finger. This ring is really sitting tight and I love it!
After changing the wedding rings, signing up the document with our witnesses and the congratulations of the officer the music started again and we walked out of the room into a sunbathed park full of flowers and singing birds. “You’ll never walk alone” from Mathou as leaving the ceremony song.
 
 
 
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Our Summer Wedding in the Garden – Part II

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Our Summer Wedding in the Garden – Part II
 Our Summer Wedding in the Garden Part II
I drove to the hairdresser during lunchtime.
 
My husband-to-be was happy to have this time for himself to get ready without me bothering him with questions “think about…have you…what if…”.
 
When I came back home he welcomed me fully dressed and he looked amazing!
 
From that time on he wasn’t allowed to go upstairs anymore where I intended to get ready but he enjoyed the fully decorated garden already while having coffee with his uncle.
While I was running in circles in jeans and t-shirt and my done wedding hair to fix the last details he left as he was supposed to leave half an hour before me.
 
My intention was to have 30-40 minutes for myself before I had to leave just to have a quick shower, get the last finish on my makeup, step freshly into my dress and put on the earrings, the new bracelet, etc.
Plans are there to be ruined, aren’t they?
 
Honestly, I ended up with roughly 15 min. During these 15 min. Dad was reminding me every felt 5 seconds that we have to go, that I need to hurry, that he’s ready downstairs and just waiting for me to come down.
I think he was even more exited than me as he would lead me down the aisle where my husband would wait. And another point that I’m his eldest daughter and the first who married.
I’m glad that I always was a perfectionist although it’s not one of my best habits but on the wedding day it was helping. I already had make up on so it was quickly pimped and the evening before the wedding I had a long bath so a quick shower was really enough to feel still bridal.
 
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Our Summer Wedding in the Garden – Part I

Our-summer-wedding-in-the-garden
Our Summer Wedding in the Garden – Part I
 
There are those long, hot Summer days that just seem to go on for ever and that usually end in an evening of sitting outside, drinking, chatting and laughing.
 
Our wedding in the garden of my parents was exactly one of these days.
 
The most perfect weather for a wedding you could imagine and a perfect location in which to enjoy it.
From start to end it was a wonderful, sunny, happy day and we so enjoyed it.
 
On the morning of the wedding we still had lots to prepare although we did a good job the days before.
But as always, there are many small things which need time and I loved to see how everyone was helping us along to make it happen in time and for us to have an amazing wedding.
We can’t say Thanks often enough for that.
 
My husbands uncle and aunt arrived shortly before I had to leave for the hairdresser and gave me the first touching moment of the day.
I never had the opportunity to meet my parents in law because they died years before we met.
One touching story is that my father in law gave a watch to my husband to wear it on his wedding day, I liked this story already and reminded him not to forget to wear this special watch.
His uncle, the brother of his mum, and his wife came to me with a small present. She explained me that this is something she received from my mum in law when she married her brother and she thought it to be perfect for me now.
A silver bracelet which is the most perfect gift for me.
It has even the style I like so much and fits as if it’s meant to be.
 
That was honestly the best and most precious gift I received that day!
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Insanity or just a bride to be?

Insanity or just a bride to be?

Did you ever plan a wedding?
My wedding ticker on the web is telling me “31 days to go”. And yes, you got it, I have a wedding ticker. Is that still me?!?
I tried to look at myself and what I’m up to during these days and realized that I am one of these brides I was joking about before. If you would have asked me how to marry the clear answer was in the same second “just a tiny formal celebration and then off to honeymoon”. Where is this woman now?
I catch myself being more on google and wedding web pages than sleeping.
And I start to make these noises. You know, these bride noises when she’s looking at something soooo cute, like “Aaaaaah” and “Ooooooh”, which means “I need that too!”
My husband to be is already asking me almost daily if we are still within the budget. Me, the one who tried to save where possible, seeing myself thinking about wedding bubbles where the price is three times higher than for normal ones.
Is that phenomenon normal or is it just me going insane?
But at least I’m still able to judge properly and I don’t know how exactly but yes, I kept the budget (so far).
31 days and while the day is getting closer I seem to relax mainly. Mainly because my subconsciousness seems to have another sight. A few days ago I woke up and knew that I dreamt of an awful wedding but luckily I wasn’t able to recall details.
As nice and perfect as a wedding should be, it’s a bit scary too, isn’t it? It’s not that I have doubts, not at all. It’s more than sure that I will say “Yes, I do!”, I mean the whole day. Will it be like we want it to be? Do we have higher expectations than what’s possible? And how will I survive my speech? Yes, the bride’s speech. Which is unusual, I know, but I said I will do it and now I have to. No way back. Just because I did it more than often in my job doesn’t mean I will get a word out on my wedding day – this was my personal misjudging. Here we go, the bride will look like a zombie while crying and trying to finish a sentence in front of all. I have to rehearse before but it will never reflect the situation…lets hope I’m doing it at least with not too many tears and interruptions.
For the time being I’m just happy that almost everything is prepared and planned so I have around 20 days to calm down. How to do that best? Any tips – they are more than welcome.
Still faithfully,
Miss Faith

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Wedding traditions

Wedding traditions

Which wedding traditions do we want on our wedding day and what is completely not our style?
There are so many typical things and some are even “expected” by guests but what we decided is to make our day as comfortable for us as we want it.
So here’s a list of traditions we will/may have:

– the husband is not allowed to see the bridal gown before the wedding day! That’s for sure.
– the wedding kiss – maybe even double as my husband could kiss my forehead also as this is more convenient to him.
– something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
– the husband has to be at the registry office or the place where the wedding will take place before the bride arrives. My dad will guide me into the room.
– a little girl which will bring the wedding bands to the couple
– flower petals, this is a maybe as we have to check first if it is allowed.
– cutting the wedding cake
– witnesses, even if they aren’t officially needed nowadays. They will be his uncle and my dad. Quite nice as we have a Libyan tradition inserted where both, bride and groom, have an older married man as witness.
– gifts for the bride’s parents, sisters and brothers from the groom and vice versa (means from the bride to the groom’s family)
– to feed each other as sign of the caring for each other. It can be milk, dates or the first piece of the wedding cake.
– carry the wife over the threshold.
– a morning giving

What we for sure don’t want:

– spending the night before the wedding apart.
– hen night
– dancing
– bridesmaids
– kidnapping the bride
– a penny in the shoe, I will wear sandals
– wedding newspaper
– doves
– games
– veil dance

The list may grow on on both sides, I have the feeling as if we are still at the beginning of our planning although many things are prepared or planned already.
If you have nice ideas please which aren’t listed here please share them – at least the bride can never get enough hints and tips on what’s possible…

Greetings from the bride to be, Miss Faith

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The Wedding Dress

The Wedding DressI never imagined how hard it can be to find a wedding dress.
I always said I’m not the typical woman when it comes to a wedding. Never dreamt of being a princess for one day. And then I detect myself in front of thousands of dresses to like some which fit totally in the picture of a princess.
Was that the flood of pictures or what was it? At least I’m glad that I realized it myself before doing the final choice. What could be worse than walking down the aisle in a dress which let everyone stare at me in disbelief – murmuring “where’s she, that couldn’t be her?” or “what drugs is she taking recently?”.
But even with a clear mind I still had the problem of ‘being a woman’. How should we choose one when there are so many nice styles?
I reduced it a bit by buying the shoes and the bag before the dress which is limiting the dress style itself a bit and fortunately NO princess dress is going along with my shoes!
So what to do now? Once bought its yours, and if alterations have been made its even more yours.
Here the realistic Miss Faith started to think – as realistic as a bride to be – I have to add this as brides are never 100% realistic.
We will celebrate in a garden which means long trains don’t make sense as well as dresses who are too expensive. Who wants the bride to stay in the house the whole day because she’s too scared that she may have grass ruining her dress?
Our wedding should be kind of laid-back, summer, garden, loved ones around us, a big summer barbecue with a chocolate fountain as dessert. Kids running around maybe with ice cream when it’s hot in August.
The realistic bride decided now to order a dress from China, the prices are more than OK, reviews of the dresses more than Ok and I don’t have to worry in the end if something is happening to my dress.
The only thing I have to worry about is how long it will take until its here and if its fitting properly.
And here comes the “being a woman” Miss Faith – to be on the safe side I just ordered two different dresses from two different sellers and the total price is more than good so I won’t have to worry about little chocolate hands passing by my dress or pieces of cake falling in my lap.
I like both styles so much that I’m not able right now to decide which one it will be in the end and I would love to post picture here to hear your opinions but the groom knows the blog and he is not allowed to get a clue of what I may wear!
Now it’s time to keep fingers crossed until they hopefully arrive and I can make the final decision.
The story will continue…

Keep the faith – you only win if you take a risk sometimes.

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The Wedding Wish Jar

The Wedding Wish Jar

I read a few weeks ago about a nice idea for the wedding party.
The wedding wish jar, comes from the US, and is a glass where guests put little notes in on which they pin down wishes, tips, nice words for the newlyweds.
We are not connected to the US at all but I want this jar on my wedding as I like the idea.
It’s even nice to say we take it with us on honeymoon afterwards to read in peace what our guests wrote and recap like this the happiness from our wedding day.
That’s our wedding wish jar, which hopefully soon is filled with lots of notes.

Faithfully, the wedding Miss maniac bride Faith

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Wedding maniac

Wedding maniac

My intention was to write posts during my days off around Easter and what happened?
Google seems to be my best friend nowadays and I spent time on thousands of bridal dress pages, wedding tradition pages, wedding planning pages, wedding…pages.
Here comes the wedding maniac – that’s the new nick name my husband to be gave me shortly.
But that’s how women are, isn’t it. I would be scared if I’m not planning and checking and organizing and and and – I told him he has to appreciate it as a sign of my love for him and to have the day planned as best as possible 😉

I promise to try my best and write ‘updates’ from time to time.
Faithfully, Wedding maniac formerly Miss Faith

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Stay with me…always!

Stay with me…always!Another stay…has come to an end…
For almost the whole last month we had time together, my husband was back home here with me and we had lots of things to plan. The wedding should take place in August and we will not be able to have an actual date until all our documents are submitted in May and reviewed by the German registry office.
Nevertheless we should have a plan in place by then on how to organize things quickly as we cannot move the wedding to a later date – all docs have to be ‘not older than six months’.
Besides I was working full time this time and had no holidays in between as these vacation days are also needed in August and September. A tough time where we had small fights due to me being stressed and nervous from work but even more lovely moments until deep in the nights.
You want to spend as much time as possible together and therefore the evenings were extended up to two or sometimes even later in the night. Snuggling up in front of a movie, talking, eating, just time for us. The result is a major lack of sleep and the knowing that it won’t be easier with every goodbye. No, it’s getting worse. I thought we will get used to it to be apart and then back together but the truth is that I can’t wait for the day when we have one home where we both belong to without saying goodbye for two months.
This evening is kind of strange as I’m back to the being alone status and I don’t like it.
Skype will be started later on and no more real hugs and kisses.
I will start to write more again during the next weeks now, at least this is time filled with sense and I know my love will read it over there.

Stay faithful!

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Wedding brainstorming – part I

Wedding brainstorming – part IMy mind is crowded during these days with everything related to our planned wedding.
A wedding is exciting but what do you think a binational wedding is? I didn’t thought that it’s so hard to plan as you need to keep in mind the timeframe.
Biggest problem for us will be the final date.
As long as all personal documents from my future husband are under review we just can stay calm and wait for a reply. This reply is essential for the further planning as it could be good, means everything is ok and we can go ahead and schedule a date, but it could also be that we have to bring something additional and the whole package has to be send in again for a review.
As not even one of these papers has to be older than six month we are facing a tight schedule.
What does it mean exactly? It means we have to plan a whole wedding within a half year but we won’t be sure until around eight weeks before the wedding if it could really take place or if we have to start the whole process again.
Did someone ever planned a wedding within six month? I think that’s already a challenge but what about eight weeks?
The main problem is that we cannot invite someone more than eight weeks before as we will not have a date. And who will be able to confirm his or her attendance without exact dates?
Therefore we have no clue how many guests we will have, how much food we need or which location will fit.
A wedding planner will quit his job at this stage as its almost impossible to book a location within eight weeks unless you don’t care about how it looks like. I do care! The last I want for my wedding is a crappy location. To get out of this challenge we said we will have a small intimate celebration with just family and best friends around so that all will fit in the garden of my parents house.
This plan was nice until some became aware of our upcoming wedding.
The draft guest list went from around twenty five to fourth five within a couple of weeks.
It seems as if our loved ones are sure they will be able to attend without knowing a date, which is causing us the next problem. My parents garden is really so nice but it’s not a park!
Where to start and where to stop now? I have no idea, my fiancé will be here with me in a few days and I can’t wait to discuss all these things with him face to face instead of talking on Skype with interrupted connections from time to time.
Until then I try to stay calm and stop thinking too much. Everything happens for a reason and I believe in it even when reality let me struggle from time to time. As long as I can think it was fine in the end.
Faithfully, Miss Faith

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