Okay, so the excitement over going dress shopping is mounting! And even though i'm trying not to get too carried away with myself because a.) i'm looking for something less weddingy than your average bride, and b.)i know i'm not going to find the dress i'm looking for, it's still exciting to think that i will have an excuse to try on anything i like because 'i'm getting married'.
No bridal or designer shop employee can look at me and say 'sorry, no messers allowed' because i am actually a bona fide bride to be and therefore it is my right to try on! I'm going to make the most of it because how many times in a girls life can she claim to have that excuse? (Well, just the one time i hope)!
I am stealing myself for disappointment though because i sort of vaugely know what i'm looking for but have no idea where to look. Most of the bridal websites i have traweled are full of beautiful but heavey and long wedding gowns which i just cannot see myself wearing (or wanting to heave around the Amalfi Coast in baking heat) and the odd one throws in one shorter style for good measure. But what they show on their websites and what they carry in their store, i'm clever enough to realise, are probably two different things! And i really don't want to wear the 'token' short dress. It's still my wedding day and i want something special. A good friend suggested a dress of a different colour and i admit, it could be an option for some. Why not? It's our wedding day and we can do whatever we choose!
But i am quite traditional at heart (in some ways) and love the idea of wearing white. Infact it has to be white for me. Not Ivory, or cappucino, or even champagne! No i really have my heart set on white. So wish me luck, i've a feeling i might find i'm being too picky!
Saturday is the big day so i'll keep you posted on how i get on.
In other wedding news we are still trying to choose a wedding car to take me to the town hall and then both of us (my husband and i!!!!) off to have photos taken in and around Positano before we head off to meet our guests in Ravello. I had really really really hoped to hire a vintage Italian car, something really old and quirky. But it is not to be. They just cannot be got unless you have them transported from Rome and want to pay extra for a driver.
So it looks like it's going to be a mercedes which is fine i guess, but not the statement i was hoping for! HWSRN is thrilled though cos he loves a really nice Merc!
I'm also going to have a scout around for invitation ideas over the next few days. I refuse to pay hundreds or thousands for them as i know some do, because i guess it just isn't that important to me. We made our own Save the date cards which were lovely, and i hope to do the same with our invites and keep the same theme (we found a lovely hand-painted pastel picture of Positano and used it as a back ground) so i'll see what i can come up with!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
27th January 2009-You can't please them all...
Whoever said having a small wedding would be simple? Er, that would be me i think!
Way back when all i knew of it were the beautiful close-ups i'd seen of two smiling models posing as a bride a groom-tanned and authentic-looking in their stunning white emsembles-on wedding-based websites and in holiday brochures.
The reality is they're not quite so simple. It seems not everyone shares our idylic dream of the warm Italian sun draped across the med as the perfect wedding day. Especially not those with children. I guess the idea of dragging three of lifes most energetic creations to such a gorgeous location-which just happens to be hundreds of miles from such things as a convenient baby-sitter-is, for some, too much to bear.
And so it has begun. Some of our guests can't come to the wedding because nobody will look after the children for more than a day or two.
We considered the issue of kids for a long time before we settled on the venue for our wedding-a tiny villa which hosts private functions on the hill-side of Ravello. They can accomodate no more than 20 people on their picturesque sea-view terrace and including children in our guest-list would have meant leaving out too many adults. Or raising the numbers to such high proportions that half of us would have to sit outside!
And to my mind this is not a wedding for kids anyway. No running around in circles on the dance floor pretending to be superman here! There'll be no dancing. Just sitting, talking and eating. Something most people under the age of 12 seem unlikely to want to do for more than a few minutes.
So because our hearts literally skipped a beat when we came across this place-and because we had never planned to get married at a kids party-we decided to include in our SAVE THE DATE cards a note which said that children-unfortunately-were not included in the invite. This was ages ago, and although we had fretted ourselves silly that no one would come, the reaction turned out to be positive.
They were all only too delighted to have a romantic break and leave the kids at home!
So all was well. Or so it seemed.
Now it has gotten to the time of booking flights and making arrangements, and our first drop-outs have presented themselves. 'Please can we just bring a couple of them?' they enquired but we have to stick to guns (it says this in all the wedding advice pages!) because if we allow one couple to come, kids and all they'll all want to. And before we know it the guest list will be 29 and the menu will include 9 orders of sausages and chips!
I can't say it isn't disappointing when people say they can't come-after all when you can only invite 20 guests you make sure they're the 20 you absolutely want to come-but we surely have to be allowed the wedding day we want, just as they were. And that's life isn't it? You can't please all the people all of the time. I just hope the one's who make the effort feel it was all worth it. Everything's looking so beautiful I'm feeling sure they will.
Plans are going great guns now! I've just ordered the most beautiful floral arrangements to decorate the table and chairs. They include lemons which are typical of the region and so unusual i knew they would be perfect. How easy it is to get carried along....
The ceremony is written and Rosa has approved it. She is a star and isn't even charging us any extra money to do the add-on of officiating the symbolic part of the ceremony. The actual ceremony is very official and un-romantic and would be awful on it's own i think so we are having an extra bit with readings and exchange of rings which she will do for us.
It's such great fun to pick out all the things you like and arrange a whole day exactly as you want it, and think that's what is so special about a wedding. It's a day of celebration of your own designing and i think our wedding day is going to be a true reflection of us and what we want in life!
Way back when all i knew of it were the beautiful close-ups i'd seen of two smiling models posing as a bride a groom-tanned and authentic-looking in their stunning white emsembles-on wedding-based websites and in holiday brochures.
The reality is they're not quite so simple. It seems not everyone shares our idylic dream of the warm Italian sun draped across the med as the perfect wedding day. Especially not those with children. I guess the idea of dragging three of lifes most energetic creations to such a gorgeous location-which just happens to be hundreds of miles from such things as a convenient baby-sitter-is, for some, too much to bear.
And so it has begun. Some of our guests can't come to the wedding because nobody will look after the children for more than a day or two.
We considered the issue of kids for a long time before we settled on the venue for our wedding-a tiny villa which hosts private functions on the hill-side of Ravello. They can accomodate no more than 20 people on their picturesque sea-view terrace and including children in our guest-list would have meant leaving out too many adults. Or raising the numbers to such high proportions that half of us would have to sit outside!
And to my mind this is not a wedding for kids anyway. No running around in circles on the dance floor pretending to be superman here! There'll be no dancing. Just sitting, talking and eating. Something most people under the age of 12 seem unlikely to want to do for more than a few minutes.
So because our hearts literally skipped a beat when we came across this place-and because we had never planned to get married at a kids party-we decided to include in our SAVE THE DATE cards a note which said that children-unfortunately-were not included in the invite. This was ages ago, and although we had fretted ourselves silly that no one would come, the reaction turned out to be positive.
They were all only too delighted to have a romantic break and leave the kids at home!
So all was well. Or so it seemed.
Now it has gotten to the time of booking flights and making arrangements, and our first drop-outs have presented themselves. 'Please can we just bring a couple of them?' they enquired but we have to stick to guns (it says this in all the wedding advice pages!) because if we allow one couple to come, kids and all they'll all want to. And before we know it the guest list will be 29 and the menu will include 9 orders of sausages and chips!
I can't say it isn't disappointing when people say they can't come-after all when you can only invite 20 guests you make sure they're the 20 you absolutely want to come-but we surely have to be allowed the wedding day we want, just as they were. And that's life isn't it? You can't please all the people all of the time. I just hope the one's who make the effort feel it was all worth it. Everything's looking so beautiful I'm feeling sure they will.
Plans are going great guns now! I've just ordered the most beautiful floral arrangements to decorate the table and chairs. They include lemons which are typical of the region and so unusual i knew they would be perfect. How easy it is to get carried along....
The ceremony is written and Rosa has approved it. She is a star and isn't even charging us any extra money to do the add-on of officiating the symbolic part of the ceremony. The actual ceremony is very official and un-romantic and would be awful on it's own i think so we are having an extra bit with readings and exchange of rings which she will do for us.
It's such great fun to pick out all the things you like and arrange a whole day exactly as you want it, and think that's what is so special about a wedding. It's a day of celebration of your own designing and i think our wedding day is going to be a true reflection of us and what we want in life!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
21st January 2009-We're going to Italy!!!
At last all of you lucky people who know you have been invited to our beautiful Italian Wedding(TM) can breathe a sigh of relief and start googling the various low-cost airlines pronto! For we, the bride and groom (along with our mixed bag of parents) have booked our flights! It is official! There shall be no refund! We have no choice now but to go (or lose a heck of a lot of money) so you can all stop worrying and go ahead and book!
I know what it's like-'oh yeah, we're getting married abroad. You're invited. It's all booked. Oh, except for the all-important flight which will carry us to said foreign country!'
Cue sniggers and uncertainty about the legitimacy of this wedding. 'Better wait until they commit' you think to yourself, 'don't want to lose my money if they change their mind'!
I know, i've been there. And it can turn into a game of cat and mouse while you try to get the best deals but refuse to book anything until it's all 'official'. So you can all rest assured that HWSRN and i ARE committed and as they say 'in for a penny...'
It's so exciting! I know, i keep on saying that but every extra step is another step towards the big week (yes my friends, not content with only a single day, a wedding abroad affords you a whole week of celebration!) and the thoughts of being basked in sunshine and treated like a very special princess (in the words of any 5-year-old girl) are really starting to kick in!
Oh yes, of course there's all that 'beginning a new life together' stuff aswell but to be honest, unless this new life is going to involve lots of extra cash, then i'm pretty happy with the one i've got! So i suppose we're just using the excuse to celebrate that fact in a beautiful place with all the people we love. Which in my book is as good a reason to get married as any!
I know what it's like-'oh yeah, we're getting married abroad. You're invited. It's all booked. Oh, except for the all-important flight which will carry us to said foreign country!'
Cue sniggers and uncertainty about the legitimacy of this wedding. 'Better wait until they commit' you think to yourself, 'don't want to lose my money if they change their mind'!
I know, i've been there. And it can turn into a game of cat and mouse while you try to get the best deals but refuse to book anything until it's all 'official'. So you can all rest assured that HWSRN and i ARE committed and as they say 'in for a penny...'
It's so exciting! I know, i keep on saying that but every extra step is another step towards the big week (yes my friends, not content with only a single day, a wedding abroad affords you a whole week of celebration!) and the thoughts of being basked in sunshine and treated like a very special princess (in the words of any 5-year-old girl) are really starting to kick in!
Oh yes, of course there's all that 'beginning a new life together' stuff aswell but to be honest, unless this new life is going to involve lots of extra cash, then i'm pretty happy with the one i've got! So i suppose we're just using the excuse to celebrate that fact in a beautiful place with all the people we love. Which in my book is as good a reason to get married as any!
Friday, January 16, 2009
16th January 2009- the right words to say.
Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to find the right words? I always presumed that if i couldn't think of what to say, someone else would be able to. I thought that every thought or feeling must have been expressed by someone at some time throughout history. Just think of all those lengthy tomes written throughout the years. But it turns out this is not a fact!
Finding the right words to use as our wedding vows and readings is turning out to be absolutley impossible! Everything i have read is either very cold and lacking the feelings i hope to express, or too mushy and sloppy and not exactly the tone i want for the Big day!
I have found one reading that i love and do intend to use but it's quite childish and funny and all of the other readings i'm drawn to are equally as childish (i'm sensing a theme about my personality here) and i worry that having two childish readings is a bit silly! Perhaps though, that in itself would create a 'theme' for the day which as we have already discovered might be fitting for me at least! The groom is not so impressed however!
As for actual vows! Wow, how hard is that? I want words which mean something, but i don't want all of our family and friends to burst out laughing if they're too 'flowery' or 'wet'. Ugh, this is possibly the hardest part (so far).
I thought choosing the reception venue was difficult. I spent months doing research on the hundreds of 'weddings in Italy' websites but mainly on Trip Advisor which was really brilliant for getting ideas and advice from people who live in the area or have already married there!
Eventually, after looking at loads of really 'nice' but somehow not quite perfect places we came across a place called Mamma Agata's (i know, i just love the name) in Ravello. It's a small cookery school which now also lends itself as a wedding venue. It's run by a family. The mother (Agata) is a cook who has spent years cooking for the likes of Robert De Niro and the daughter has been a wedding organiser in some of the worlds top hotels. They grow most of their own produce so what you are eating is growing around you and they even make the wine to go with the food. That just sounds like heaven to me and as soon as we saw pictures of the views we'll have from our dinner table on the terrace we knew it was THE place!
It's only drawback is that it holds only 20 people so we knew we had to keep the numbers small. That was always our plan but i'm finding that when you actually come down to inviting people it's really hard to keep numbers that small! Anyhow, we managed to choose our 'exclusive' guest list and immediately posted out 'save the date' cards, to make sure people saved up their holidays to come over to Italy. And we had to tell people they couldn't bring their kids! I was so worried about this cos i thought all of our mammy and daddy friends would go mental. But it turns most mammies and daddies are delighted with any excuse to go away without their kids so all is well on that front!
I can't wait to see Mamma Agata's! I've a feeling i'll never want to leave. And to see those views in 'real-life'...well, that really will be something special!
Finding the right words to use as our wedding vows and readings is turning out to be absolutley impossible! Everything i have read is either very cold and lacking the feelings i hope to express, or too mushy and sloppy and not exactly the tone i want for the Big day!
I have found one reading that i love and do intend to use but it's quite childish and funny and all of the other readings i'm drawn to are equally as childish (i'm sensing a theme about my personality here) and i worry that having two childish readings is a bit silly! Perhaps though, that in itself would create a 'theme' for the day which as we have already discovered might be fitting for me at least! The groom is not so impressed however!
As for actual vows! Wow, how hard is that? I want words which mean something, but i don't want all of our family and friends to burst out laughing if they're too 'flowery' or 'wet'. Ugh, this is possibly the hardest part (so far).
I thought choosing the reception venue was difficult. I spent months doing research on the hundreds of 'weddings in Italy' websites but mainly on Trip Advisor which was really brilliant for getting ideas and advice from people who live in the area or have already married there!
Eventually, after looking at loads of really 'nice' but somehow not quite perfect places we came across a place called Mamma Agata's (i know, i just love the name) in Ravello. It's a small cookery school which now also lends itself as a wedding venue. It's run by a family. The mother (Agata) is a cook who has spent years cooking for the likes of Robert De Niro and the daughter has been a wedding organiser in some of the worlds top hotels. They grow most of their own produce so what you are eating is growing around you and they even make the wine to go with the food. That just sounds like heaven to me and as soon as we saw pictures of the views we'll have from our dinner table on the terrace we knew it was THE place!
It's only drawback is that it holds only 20 people so we knew we had to keep the numbers small. That was always our plan but i'm finding that when you actually come down to inviting people it's really hard to keep numbers that small! Anyhow, we managed to choose our 'exclusive' guest list and immediately posted out 'save the date' cards, to make sure people saved up their holidays to come over to Italy. And we had to tell people they couldn't bring their kids! I was so worried about this cos i thought all of our mammy and daddy friends would go mental. But it turns most mammies and daddies are delighted with any excuse to go away without their kids so all is well on that front!
I can't wait to see Mamma Agata's! I've a feeling i'll never want to leave. And to see those views in 'real-life'...well, that really will be something special!
Monday, January 12, 2009
14th January 2009-Everyone is lovely!
So we went to meet the solicitor who had been recommended to me by my boss, and he was a really lovely bloke. Not what i usually expect a solicitor to be like (i'm not going to generalise here-you probably know the type i mean) but a really nice, chatty, down to earth fella. Turns out he suffers from the same disease as me and is absolutely mad about Italy! He told us tales of some of his various trips there and i could have listened all night!
He has actually been to Positano and Ravello and assured us that we won't be disappointed when we eventually get there. It's always great to meet someone who's been because in my experience they invariably tell me the same thing-it's heaven on earth! And this is always good to hear considering we haven't actually BEEN to the Amalfi Coast! He said that Ravello is the prettiest little village he's ever seen and said how jealous his own wife would be when he told her about us getting married there.
So that was pain free! Bonus! He signed both of our affidavits and i posted my other forms off yesterday morning. I got a call from my lovely contact in the British Embassy today who confirmed she had received them and everything is in order! Woohoo! All going according to plan so far! Is it just me, or is everyone i'm dealing with regarding my wedding really pleasant? I'm thinking that there must be something about working in a job which involves making people really happy that makes you happy too. It makes perfect sense doesn't it? I hope any of you reading this are having a similarly pleasant experience with all the people you have to deal with.
So the paperwork is going okay, and i'm on day three of the dress diet. All is going well so far. To be honest i'm so tired that i'm not interested in food! This awful January weather is making me feel worn out all of the time. Plus i haven't been able to go to the gym since Christmas so i'm hoping that once i get back i'll have some more energy. I'm not eating that much but i don't feel any slimmer so far! Mind you, it has only been three days so i suppose a smattering of patience is called for!
Some of my friends have started their wedding diets too! It's amazing what a sunny holiday and a photographer will do to spur people on! I just hope they don't all look better than i do on the Big day!
I need to get my finger out now and begin writing my wedding ceremony soon too. I am doing my own because we are having a civil ceremony in the town hall which is very basic and business-like, and much as i prefer short and simple i would still like a bit of romance too. So Rosa, my wonderful Italian translator, has offered to carry the ceremony on a bit longer for me and say whatever i want her to! She sent me some templates that she wrote herself and told me i can change the wording if i want to. Usually in the town hall your slot is about 20 mins in and out but because we are paying a little extra to hold the ceremony at 3pm on a Wednesday (which is after hours for them) they have very kindly told us they won't take another booking for at least an hour so we can have a longer ceremony and drinks if we like! As i was saying, everybody is so nice! Fingers crossed it stays that way.
Anyway, i'm off to google wedding reading and order of ceremony sites! I want to get that part done next, then the fun can begin with favours and invitations!
He has actually been to Positano and Ravello and assured us that we won't be disappointed when we eventually get there. It's always great to meet someone who's been because in my experience they invariably tell me the same thing-it's heaven on earth! And this is always good to hear considering we haven't actually BEEN to the Amalfi Coast! He said that Ravello is the prettiest little village he's ever seen and said how jealous his own wife would be when he told her about us getting married there.
So that was pain free! Bonus! He signed both of our affidavits and i posted my other forms off yesterday morning. I got a call from my lovely contact in the British Embassy today who confirmed she had received them and everything is in order! Woohoo! All going according to plan so far! Is it just me, or is everyone i'm dealing with regarding my wedding really pleasant? I'm thinking that there must be something about working in a job which involves making people really happy that makes you happy too. It makes perfect sense doesn't it? I hope any of you reading this are having a similarly pleasant experience with all the people you have to deal with.
So the paperwork is going okay, and i'm on day three of the dress diet. All is going well so far. To be honest i'm so tired that i'm not interested in food! This awful January weather is making me feel worn out all of the time. Plus i haven't been able to go to the gym since Christmas so i'm hoping that once i get back i'll have some more energy. I'm not eating that much but i don't feel any slimmer so far! Mind you, it has only been three days so i suppose a smattering of patience is called for!
Some of my friends have started their wedding diets too! It's amazing what a sunny holiday and a photographer will do to spur people on! I just hope they don't all look better than i do on the Big day!
I need to get my finger out now and begin writing my wedding ceremony soon too. I am doing my own because we are having a civil ceremony in the town hall which is very basic and business-like, and much as i prefer short and simple i would still like a bit of romance too. So Rosa, my wonderful Italian translator, has offered to carry the ceremony on a bit longer for me and say whatever i want her to! She sent me some templates that she wrote herself and told me i can change the wording if i want to. Usually in the town hall your slot is about 20 mins in and out but because we are paying a little extra to hold the ceremony at 3pm on a Wednesday (which is after hours for them) they have very kindly told us they won't take another booking for at least an hour so we can have a longer ceremony and drinks if we like! As i was saying, everybody is so nice! Fingers crossed it stays that way.
Anyway, i'm off to google wedding reading and order of ceremony sites! I want to get that part done next, then the fun can begin with favours and invitations!
Friday, January 9, 2009
9th January 2009-Paperwork headway!
Hello again.
Today we've been making great strides with our paperwork situation. My wonderful Rosa in Italy (wedding translator extraordinaire) emailed me yesterday with so much information that it's all beginning to make sense! The woman is a God-send honestly! Today HWSRN rang his embassy and got a bit further and on Monday we have an appointment with a solicitor who will witness the signing of our affidavits! It's all very exciting and starting to feel 'real'! Once the paperwork is done i'm going to feel like a proper bride-to-be and i already feel more encouraged to diet properly to look good in my dress (whatever dress that turns out to be)!
I've been trying to diet since we actually set the date last summer but am failing miserable thus far! Even though i work out most days and am a pretty healthy eater i just can't seem to shift those few extra pounds. But now i'm beginning to feel newly motivated and i think this always helps when you need to shift a few pounds. Don't get me wrong, i don't want to loose a massive amount, but i think every bride wants to feel she looks good on the day doesn't she? And i will be spending a week in Italy before the big day so i do need to take into account all those extra pounds from the huge dishes of pasta and beautiful desserts i'll have eaten (well, a girl can't deny herself on her holidays, can she)?
And besides, the thought of being on holiday with my father-in-law and brother-in-law, as well as all the friends who'll be there is enough to scare anyone into skinnydom! So the diet proper starts Monday, then hopfully i can start looking for a dress. I've been cutting down this week after the indulgence of Christmas (don't go there!) so next week it shouldn't come as too much of a shock to the system! I'll let you know how i get on.
Today we've been making great strides with our paperwork situation. My wonderful Rosa in Italy (wedding translator extraordinaire) emailed me yesterday with so much information that it's all beginning to make sense! The woman is a God-send honestly! Today HWSRN rang his embassy and got a bit further and on Monday we have an appointment with a solicitor who will witness the signing of our affidavits! It's all very exciting and starting to feel 'real'! Once the paperwork is done i'm going to feel like a proper bride-to-be and i already feel more encouraged to diet properly to look good in my dress (whatever dress that turns out to be)!
I've been trying to diet since we actually set the date last summer but am failing miserable thus far! Even though i work out most days and am a pretty healthy eater i just can't seem to shift those few extra pounds. But now i'm beginning to feel newly motivated and i think this always helps when you need to shift a few pounds. Don't get me wrong, i don't want to loose a massive amount, but i think every bride wants to feel she looks good on the day doesn't she? And i will be spending a week in Italy before the big day so i do need to take into account all those extra pounds from the huge dishes of pasta and beautiful desserts i'll have eaten (well, a girl can't deny herself on her holidays, can she)?
And besides, the thought of being on holiday with my father-in-law and brother-in-law, as well as all the friends who'll be there is enough to scare anyone into skinnydom! So the diet proper starts Monday, then hopfully i can start looking for a dress. I've been cutting down this week after the indulgence of Christmas (don't go there!) so next week it shouldn't come as too much of a shock to the system! I'll let you know how i get on.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
8th January 2009-Getting started on the paperwork! Ugh!
Hello again!
Okay so today i'm starting to get all the paperwork organised with a vengence! I did a good bit of research on this a few months back but never really got it fully sorted. The thing is you can't do it any earlier than 6 months before the wedding and no later than 4 months, so basically you have this 2 month slot to get it all done! And like most people i need a bit of pressure to motivate me so i've left it all until the last minute!
Our 6 month date was 24th December (i spent Christmas eve being really excited about that rather than Christmas!) so we had to leave it until the holidays were over and it's taken a few days to get my back-side into gear but i'm ready now and determined!
The big problem for us is the fact that i'm British and HWSRN is Irish so we are dealing with different embassies. The home side of things is okay (so far) i have down-loaded the various forms and just need to fill them in and get them witnessed by a solicitor or justice of the peace. However, my form has to be posted in the British Embassy in Dublin for 21 days before they can issue the Nulla Osta (that's the form we need in Italy to say we are allowed to marry). With both applications we have to send both passports and birth certs so you can see why time might be a factor. The really complicated part however is where to have the forms sent to in Italy? And do we have to collect them or can they be forwarded on? And how do we pay our fee's there? Agh! You have to contact the embassy you're dealing with in Italy to ask about payment but they don't seem to be contactable by email and are only open for a few hours each day which will mean making calls from the mobile! I've so far tried emailing a couple of places and sending a fax. I'll let you know what happens! But regardless HWSRN and i are sitting down tonight and filling out as much of the forms as we can!
We still have loads of other things to organise like flights and my dress! I'll be honest and tell you that i haven't even been inside a bridal shop yet and don't know if i'll even bother! I don't really want a traditional style wedding dress as i don't think i'd suit one and i think it'll be way too much hard work in the heat! I'm hoping to see something a bit different in a regular shop that would be suitable but don't know if i should just go into a bridal shop and try a few on. While i have the excuse to! My worry would be that i'll decide i want one then though and that'll cost a bomb!
I need to arrange music for the ceremony too. A guest has offered to sing for us and i think we might go with that option as we can choose songs we know and love rather than traditional wedding stuff but i also think it might be nice to have a local Italian folk band or violinist because it's going to be a real Italian wedding.
And then there's a party to organise for when we get back...
Talk soon,
Leanne.
Okay so today i'm starting to get all the paperwork organised with a vengence! I did a good bit of research on this a few months back but never really got it fully sorted. The thing is you can't do it any earlier than 6 months before the wedding and no later than 4 months, so basically you have this 2 month slot to get it all done! And like most people i need a bit of pressure to motivate me so i've left it all until the last minute!
Our 6 month date was 24th December (i spent Christmas eve being really excited about that rather than Christmas!) so we had to leave it until the holidays were over and it's taken a few days to get my back-side into gear but i'm ready now and determined!
The big problem for us is the fact that i'm British and HWSRN is Irish so we are dealing with different embassies. The home side of things is okay (so far) i have down-loaded the various forms and just need to fill them in and get them witnessed by a solicitor or justice of the peace. However, my form has to be posted in the British Embassy in Dublin for 21 days before they can issue the Nulla Osta (that's the form we need in Italy to say we are allowed to marry). With both applications we have to send both passports and birth certs so you can see why time might be a factor. The really complicated part however is where to have the forms sent to in Italy? And do we have to collect them or can they be forwarded on? And how do we pay our fee's there? Agh! You have to contact the embassy you're dealing with in Italy to ask about payment but they don't seem to be contactable by email and are only open for a few hours each day which will mean making calls from the mobile! I've so far tried emailing a couple of places and sending a fax. I'll let you know what happens! But regardless HWSRN and i are sitting down tonight and filling out as much of the forms as we can!
We still have loads of other things to organise like flights and my dress! I'll be honest and tell you that i haven't even been inside a bridal shop yet and don't know if i'll even bother! I don't really want a traditional style wedding dress as i don't think i'd suit one and i think it'll be way too much hard work in the heat! I'm hoping to see something a bit different in a regular shop that would be suitable but don't know if i should just go into a bridal shop and try a few on. While i have the excuse to! My worry would be that i'll decide i want one then though and that'll cost a bomb!
I need to arrange music for the ceremony too. A guest has offered to sing for us and i think we might go with that option as we can choose songs we know and love rather than traditional wedding stuff but i also think it might be nice to have a local Italian folk band or violinist because it's going to be a real Italian wedding.
And then there's a party to organise for when we get back...
Talk soon,
Leanne.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
7th January 2009-Welcome to my diary!
Firstly, welcome to my wedding diary. I'm guessing that if you're reading this then you have some interest in weddings in Italy-either because you are getting married there yourself or are considering doing so. Perhaps you already did and are hoping to rekindle some of the memories of your own special day. Or maybe you are getting married somewhere else and simply have an intesest in weddings? Whatever the reason, i'm delighted you have decided to join me and i hope in some way my tales of planning, organising and dieting for my wedding on the Amalfi Coast will help you or entertain you just a tiny bit!
Okay, formalities over with. Lets get down to the real nitty gritty. I got engaged to HWSRN (he who shall remain nameless) about 2 years ago on a romantic trip to Kilkenny! Yes Kilkenny. None of your top-of-the-Eiffel-Tower rubbish for us! After all, who needs the romance of Paris when you can have a few days break in a four star hotel in what's known in Ireland as the 'marble city'? In fairness to HWSRN, just the fact that after 5 1/2 years together he finally planned and did the deed, and got down on one knee was enough for me and to be honest, when you're in love it's true-who needs Paris? Besides, we went there for our first Valentines day (so we do 'DO' romance sometimes) together and it really isn't all it's cracked up to be...although it is pretty nice.
So anyway, we're engaged. A situation i wasn't really sure i ever thought i'd find myself in, given that i was never a white-dress-and-walk-down-the-aisle-dreams kind of girl. But i guess love does funny things to you and i think it'll be pretty nice to be married to this man, (even if it means living without proposals on top of famous land-marks) and to show the world (or at least 20 of our close friends and family) exactly how we feel about each other.
Since then i've been doing loads of research on weddings in Italy. This is mainly because i have this disease called madaboutitalyitis which i just can't get rid of! I love the place, seem to always have done-even before i had actually visited! And as i don't do churches and don't want a big white wedding with 200 drunken, vaugely familiar guests, going to the world's most romantic country (see, i told you we did romance) seems like the perfect answer.
First it was going to be Rome. Who doesn't love Rome? I've been twice, the first time was to attend a wedding of a friend over there, and i adore the place! But before i had even gone there i had already moved on to Tuscany.
My love affair with Tuscany began when i started to read books written by people who had at some point managed to relocate there, you know the sort. They buy a run-down old villa, spend the summer renovating it with help of various local 'charcters' and throw in a few local recipes as they recount their tale of discovering paradise. I lap it up! Love it all! Dream of the day when the woman plucking olives from one of her own vines to toss in a fresh salad with her own sun-riped tomatoes will be me! I visited Florence and Chianti, saw the olive groves for myself and couldn't wait to book a gorgeously run down yellow villa to hold my wedding. But then i started to research venues and found web page after webpage filled with beautiful dark old rooms with historic tapestries and crumbling stone walls and i knew i couldn't go all the way to beautiful Italy only to spend my wedding day in darkness.
And that's the problem you see, because the wedding has to be legal. And in order for it to be legal it must take place inside a legal building, with the authority to hold weddings. You can hold a symbolic ceremony just about anywhere-and believe me i looked at some amazing places-but you'd still have to hop down to the dreary old town hall beforehand to have the 'official' legal wedding. Where's the joy and excitement in that?
So i was getting closer. I knew it had to be Italy. Rome was out, mainly because it's appeal lies in it's beautiful churches and as i have already stated churches unfortunately are not for me. If they were-and if anyone out there wants to have a beautiful traditional church wedding in Italy-then Rome is your man for sure!
And Tuscany, beautiful Tuscany, was also unexpectedly a none runner because i need to feel that Italian sunshine on my skin as i make my vows to know i'm really there! So what to do? Where to choose? Lots more research was to follow. Months of reading wedding planning websites and Lonely Planet-style travel guides, contacting wedding planners and my biggest help of all-Trip Advisor website. I wanted to get married out-doors and i wanted it to be legal. After much reading, checking and questioning it became obvious. There is really only one building (well perhaps two which i will explain later) in which you can hold a legal, out-door ceremony in all of Italy-the Town Hall of Positano.
And so my decision was finally made. With it's beautiful, panoramic terrace with views of the pretty town and sea below this simple town hall has got to be it! I have read and re-read so many wonderful reviews of the town and weddings held there that i feel as if i've already been, and i can't wait to go over there for our wedding on the 24th June!
So that's it, booked! With the help of my wonderful translator Rosa who i will tell you all about soon. I'll also fill you in on how i picked my fabulous reception venue and where it is, what other decisions i've made so far and how the 'credit crunch' almost forced us to cancel our dream wedding.
This week i'm beginning my paperwork (complicated due to the fact that we have to deal with 2 different embassies both here in Ireland and In Italy to our different nationalities) so i'll keep you posted on that too.
Happy reading!
Okay, formalities over with. Lets get down to the real nitty gritty. I got engaged to HWSRN (he who shall remain nameless) about 2 years ago on a romantic trip to Kilkenny! Yes Kilkenny. None of your top-of-the-Eiffel-Tower rubbish for us! After all, who needs the romance of Paris when you can have a few days break in a four star hotel in what's known in Ireland as the 'marble city'? In fairness to HWSRN, just the fact that after 5 1/2 years together he finally planned and did the deed, and got down on one knee was enough for me and to be honest, when you're in love it's true-who needs Paris? Besides, we went there for our first Valentines day (so we do 'DO' romance sometimes) together and it really isn't all it's cracked up to be...although it is pretty nice.
So anyway, we're engaged. A situation i wasn't really sure i ever thought i'd find myself in, given that i was never a white-dress-and-walk-down-the-aisle-dreams kind of girl. But i guess love does funny things to you and i think it'll be pretty nice to be married to this man, (even if it means living without proposals on top of famous land-marks) and to show the world (or at least 20 of our close friends and family) exactly how we feel about each other.
Since then i've been doing loads of research on weddings in Italy. This is mainly because i have this disease called madaboutitalyitis which i just can't get rid of! I love the place, seem to always have done-even before i had actually visited! And as i don't do churches and don't want a big white wedding with 200 drunken, vaugely familiar guests, going to the world's most romantic country (see, i told you we did romance) seems like the perfect answer.
First it was going to be Rome. Who doesn't love Rome? I've been twice, the first time was to attend a wedding of a friend over there, and i adore the place! But before i had even gone there i had already moved on to Tuscany.
My love affair with Tuscany began when i started to read books written by people who had at some point managed to relocate there, you know the sort. They buy a run-down old villa, spend the summer renovating it with help of various local 'charcters' and throw in a few local recipes as they recount their tale of discovering paradise. I lap it up! Love it all! Dream of the day when the woman plucking olives from one of her own vines to toss in a fresh salad with her own sun-riped tomatoes will be me! I visited Florence and Chianti, saw the olive groves for myself and couldn't wait to book a gorgeously run down yellow villa to hold my wedding. But then i started to research venues and found web page after webpage filled with beautiful dark old rooms with historic tapestries and crumbling stone walls and i knew i couldn't go all the way to beautiful Italy only to spend my wedding day in darkness.
And that's the problem you see, because the wedding has to be legal. And in order for it to be legal it must take place inside a legal building, with the authority to hold weddings. You can hold a symbolic ceremony just about anywhere-and believe me i looked at some amazing places-but you'd still have to hop down to the dreary old town hall beforehand to have the 'official' legal wedding. Where's the joy and excitement in that?
So i was getting closer. I knew it had to be Italy. Rome was out, mainly because it's appeal lies in it's beautiful churches and as i have already stated churches unfortunately are not for me. If they were-and if anyone out there wants to have a beautiful traditional church wedding in Italy-then Rome is your man for sure!
And Tuscany, beautiful Tuscany, was also unexpectedly a none runner because i need to feel that Italian sunshine on my skin as i make my vows to know i'm really there! So what to do? Where to choose? Lots more research was to follow. Months of reading wedding planning websites and Lonely Planet-style travel guides, contacting wedding planners and my biggest help of all-Trip Advisor website. I wanted to get married out-doors and i wanted it to be legal. After much reading, checking and questioning it became obvious. There is really only one building (well perhaps two which i will explain later) in which you can hold a legal, out-door ceremony in all of Italy-the Town Hall of Positano.
And so my decision was finally made. With it's beautiful, panoramic terrace with views of the pretty town and sea below this simple town hall has got to be it! I have read and re-read so many wonderful reviews of the town and weddings held there that i feel as if i've already been, and i can't wait to go over there for our wedding on the 24th June!
So that's it, booked! With the help of my wonderful translator Rosa who i will tell you all about soon. I'll also fill you in on how i picked my fabulous reception venue and where it is, what other decisions i've made so far and how the 'credit crunch' almost forced us to cancel our dream wedding.
This week i'm beginning my paperwork (complicated due to the fact that we have to deal with 2 different embassies both here in Ireland and In Italy to our different nationalities) so i'll keep you posted on that too.
Happy reading!
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