You might remember the bride we featured last year- Abbey (if not, refresh your memory!) Well she’s coming back down to earth and I asked her about her wedding day in hopes it might help future brides!

What was the best part of your wedding day?

Besides marrying my husband, the best part was sharing my day with the people I love. I was so amazed how many family members and friends were prepared to travel to celebrate our day. There was not a single moment I didn’t enjoy!

I also loved walking down the aisle while my friend who I have known since I was seven played the violin. That was really special!

What was totally unnecessary?

The outdoor settings! We went through this huge drama about whether or not to get them, and decided we would get them for the smokers. It was an extra expense and no one used them because it was raining!

What would you change? Any regrets?

I don’t think there is anything I would change, it was the day I imagined and I was really happy with the way it turned out. I love the fact the decorations weren’t traditional wedding, and that it was relaxed while still going through the usual motions.

What was unexpected that you loved?

My cousin, the bartender did an amazing job on his own! I can’t believe he volunteered for the job. The speeches were good and I loved seeing everyone getting up to dance!

What are your favourite memories?

I have so many! I like the funny moments that I wasn’t expecting! I love thinking about my panic attack I had before the ceremony and how my bridesmaids looked after me.

I loved it when we were posing for photos and it started to rain and the girls started running, with the photographer running along next to us trying to get a snap and us giggling like crazy.

I loved dancing with my new hubby, and with my dad who I don’t get to see often. All the planned events were great, but it was the unplanned moments that were my favourites.

Is there anything you wish you had spent more time on?

I wish we had organised a better sound system for both the church and the reception. Although we couldn’t have predicted the weather, it drowned out the music and the speakers at the back of the room. We were also unorganised with our song choices!

I also wish we spent more time on our ceremony…it was a bit messy but it was fun!

Is there anything you wish you had spent less time on?

I don’t think anything deserved less time, it takes a lot of work to get things the way you want.

Any unexpected surprises?

My mum! All the build up to the wedding made her have an emotional mother of the bride moment. She completely broke down in tears and had to take some time out. She can’t believe it happened, but she tells me we had been planning it for so long that she could finally relax and it all caught up to her. Dear old mum!

Apparently it is a regular occurrence, so look out for it if you are getting married!

What’s your number #1 tip for brides?

I have lots of tips! The most important is doing what you want! So many people will have an opinion and that is ok, as long as you don’t feel pressured into anything.

If I had of fallen to the pressure my day would have been completely different! Instead of our country wedding with my dream dress, it would have been at a golf course, with me in a long sleeved dress (with a high neck), platform shoes and balloons galore!

The other one is to make yourself cry before you get your makeup done! Lets face it, you are most likely to cry sometime during the day because there are a lot of emotions, but I forced myself to cry beforehand and got it out of my system!

Oh yes, don’t forget to breath! I almost fainted when we were getting ready!

We taught ourselves to dance (very basic) by watching a few videos on YouTube…I am glad we had some kind of routine otherwise it would have been chaos with limited space.

How did you feel after the wedding?

It was really strange the day after the wedding. It felt very surreal and for quite a while I was very happy, while also being glad I no longer had to plan for it!

I love being a wife, and now that we have our wedding photos I can look back and enjoy the memories!

From L-R The ceremony venue, the bridal party was transported in classic Chevrolets, a sign at the reception talks of love, the seating chart was tied with gold ribbon, Abbey’s reception venue was set in a gorgeous country garden with a tin roof, the room for the partying! Tables were laid with green table clothes and hessian and guests sat surrounded by beautiful brick work and hanging art, guests were directed to their tables which had orange watering cans with a herb stake poking out, the three tiered cake was made by a family friend, tables were adorned with bunches of flowers, guests received chocolate chip biscuits with a ladybug peg for favours, the exposed brick of the venue.

Abbey was kind enough to share a few little details of her wedding with us- I love her country theme with the bright colour touch. Abbey tried hard to make her wedding personal to her and her fiance and I think it was very reflective of them! I wish Abbey and her fiance a wonderful start to their married life together!

Congratulations Abbey on your beautiful wedding and becoming a married woman!

Hopefully Abbey will let me share some goodies with you all soon

Well there’s exactly a week until Abbey’s wedding. i can’t quite believe its come up so fast. i still find things in my travels I want to drop Abbey in an email and realise she’s probably sorted that bit out by now!

In August 2006 on a bended knee, Abbey’s fiance proposed to her on the grounds of where their new house was to be built.

Now over a year later, with a new house and an exciting new adventure to be undertaken, in just over a week two very special people will tie the knot.

Abbey’s wedding planning experience has been pretty typical of many I’ve witnessed since I got into weddings. A rollercoaster ride of emotions with many smiles and tears along the way.

What started as a spring country wedding idea grew and morphed into all kinds of directions. But I think it’s safe to say it reflects Abbey and her fiance and the people they are today. An element of orange (or tangerine as Abbey likes to call it!) was added into the mix which has added a vibrancy to her original palette of brown and green. Watering cans, herbs and ladybugs have all become special touches that tie into the beautiful homestead and country church.

Hopefully Abbey will allow me to share photos of her special day next week. But until then I want to wish Abbey and her fiance a very big GOOD LUCK and CONGRATULATIONS on their special day. I hope it brings them both a lot of joy and a great start to their life together.

Abbey is less than a few weeks out from her wedding date (last time I wrote how much time she has left I got a very panicked email in my inbox!) Abbey is well on her way to walking down the aisle!

Straying from her original country wedding theme she picked up some ‘mango’ coloured bridesmaids dresses, she’s ordered her ring cushion and has decided to ask for money for the new carport instead of gifts- so the gift box is also ordered. Favours will be cookies wrapped in bags with raffia. She’s got her candles and table centrepieces and is almost at the stage of just having the last minute details to take care of.

Unfortunately this is the time family and strange guests can rear their ugly head and Abbey is finding that difficult to deal with! Guests pulling out of doing parts of the wedding (Poor Abbey needs to find a hairdresser!) and guests making crazy requests!

Breathe in, Breathe Out. Only a little while to go Abbey!