Sista..... Stand Up!

I had chosen my wedding ring some time ago before beginning this diary so I had forgotten to add it before. It was the first symbolic wedding buy we’d made so it was a very special time for both of us… Its funny how much your priorities change when you start organising your wedding as the first things that come to mind are the obvious bits like the dress, venue and food etc… Then when you start drilling down into the details the emotions of the journey make you think about things very differently. I had not really thought about the type of ring I wanted and I suppose I initially thought that a plain band would be the obvious choice. After looking around to see what was available it dawned on me that my ring was one of the most important things in the wedding as it would become attached and part of me both emotionally and physically. This would be a symbol to the rest of the world of my commitment to Rene so it had to be chosen carefully.
There’s a gorgeous little antique jewellers across the road from where I work and I always admired the antique art deco pieces they had. I knew I didn't want a plain wedding band now and passing one day I spotted a gorgeous diamond eternity ring.... The men assisting inside the store were very friendly and from old school of retail with their professional ‘Are you being served’ style of politeness. It was clear that these guys had worked here some time and probably their fathers too. I was very excited as they fetched the ring but it was too big for my spindly fingers and it didn’t feel like ‘the one’. I explained that I liked the style but I would like it in a smaller size with much bigger diamonds. Don’t tut! Every girl always wants bigger diamonds! They measured my ring size and I left the shop and thought no more of it.... To my surprise 1 week later I received a call. The assistant admitted that he thought it would be near impossible to find what I wanted in my size as I had such slender fingers, however an antique one had come into the shop today and would I like to come and have a look!!! I loved the idea that it was a vintage piece that properly had another love story attached to it….I rushed over during lunch and it was perfect.... I tried it on with my engagement ring and it was so beautiful.... I won’t describe too much about it…You will all have to wait and see it on the big day…..I summoned Rene to come and have a look and he loved it too. That was it!!

I was very excited today because I booked the registrar! Exactly twelve months today I will be Mrs, big nose, Jean - Baptiste! something about the whole thing still feels surreal but every time something get booked and paid for it feels a closer to reality... now the venue is booked and the registrar is pencilled in it just seems strange... had a really heavy time this week at work and organising thing at home but the most fab thing to come out of it is that i fell in love with my new car! My cute new mini that I am hoping to buy next week.... just a couple of little bits to sort out and then I will be the proud owner of a cute little motor.....

I had asked for a new dress to be ordered so I would have mint one for my big day…. Extra money had been paid to get anew one but when Mum received it it looked like the warehouse team had been off roading in it for the weekend…. Mum was fuming!!!! It had deodorant marks on it and some of the detail was ruined!! When questioned about it the sales assistant was quite rude and claimed it had not been worn and had been caused when it was being ‘transported’ around the warehouse.!!! Whatever fool!!!!! To cut along story short there were some stern words from the Jamaican Mrs Allen and some more stern words from the Anglo Jamaican Ms Allen before a new one was order sharpish! 1 week later… we have our crisp, new, gorgeous gown!! Ahhh……

For most little girls, her wedding dress was the focus of the big day but for me ‘the shoes’ were just as important. The dress would be a beautiful canvas and the accessories would bring everything alive.... The prospect of looking for a dress was very daunting at first as I had not quite made up my mind who I wanted to be on my wedding day..... Risqué Josephine baker maybe?? Or Dorothy Dandridge Hollywood glamour? As trawled through the hundreds of wedding magazines, I had to keep reminding myself that I going to walking down the isle to marry the man love and not swanking down a runway with paparazzi waiting at the alter..... I had to keep focused on how my look would fit into the bigger scheme of the whole day....

After looking at hundreds of American bridal gowns magazines with Little Boo Peep syndrome I had given up on an American dream dress. I made up my mind to wait until I got back to the England to find something simple & stylish... I had already started spending the evenings I had left in Florida glued to eBay hoping to find a vintage beauty that would jump out and kiss me...

I knew that mum would be disappointed about not being involved with getting my dress because of the distance, so having an opportunity to help me look for it meant alot to her. Being the rebel daughter, I was a little anxious about how the dress issue would be addressed with my mum as I knew she was praying I would one day wake up and suddenly fall in love the biggest ever frilly meringue possible..... I never expected to find anything I wanted in America but I thought I would look anyway and see how things went.... the first dress I tried on was very prom dressy with lots of sequins but had some serious Boo Peep going on... My mum was clearly cooing like any mother would at her daughter in a white dress but I was determined to make sure I felt happy in what I was wearing and not just because the I loved the look on her gorgeous face! After looking in a few more stores we finally came to a shop that had a couple of nice pieces in them... then I noticed a cute little number that really got my attention... I won’t say too much but it slipped perfectly over my frame and felt gorgeous.... It is very simple but exactly the right feel I wanted..... I shut my eyes for a second so I didn't get distracted by the beam on my mums face again... I focused inside so I could really feel that I was making the right decision.... I was anxious about making the choice then and there as it was so quick and I had only tried on one other dress... I also didn’t want to feel pressured into buying the dress because we had limited time in Florida I knew it was the right one cause I could just see Rene beside me in it without feeling overdressed... I accepted…. Mum got her daughter in great Wedding dress and got my vintage shape.....