The morning of the 16th

I slept better than I thought I would the night before, ably assisted by two cats pinning me down, and my childhood friend, penguin.

I did wake up early though, which gave me a chance to write my cards to the girls and my parents. (cards from papermash, that were in this post many moons ago.) I got up, left my presents out for my parents - I got my mum an amethyst and silver bracelet, and my dad got one of the tie pins we had made for all the men, I'll show them later. I managed to eat a banana, which I was actually rather impressed with since I cant eat when I'm nervous. The girls had all arrived by ten, and we all, with mum trooped p to the salon at the top to have our hair and nails done. the nails took the longest, with our hair being done shockingly quickly. really there was nothing to be done to mine, except having it nicely blow dried with a few rollers, and the girls had theirs put into poufy buns on the right hand side of their head. we'd only trialled this with one of them, and the other two were certain that it wouldn't work with either of their hair types (one too short, and one too fine) so they seemed very chuffed when it worked.

We walked back to our house via the butchers - he had taken a massively sarcastic interest in our impending nuptuals over the previous year, to the point where he got mentioned in our sermon, so I wanted to see him - and we found Anna at our house with Dad.

The next hour or so was a whirlwind of photos, makeup and running round in circles. I wasn't very nervous, certainly not like I had expected I would be, which was good. Anna took photos of all my outfit, we hung my dress off the massive old chestnut in the garden, I think James dad could see this happening from next door and must have thought I was mad! I'd mentioned the chestnut and the porch for hanging the dress up in as it would mean some of the photos had things we associated with the house in.

She also took photos of all my jewellery, thats my great grandmothers locket above, which was my something old and borrowed, and the earrings James had bought me the year before to wear at the wedding.

The girls hadn't been allowed upstairs before we went out, as I'd put their presents out up in my room. There was a little pile for each of them, with a card, a clutch bag, different jewellery for each of them, a hankie (remember them from way back when?!), and I'd found toeless tights, great for peeptoes on an october day, but they were more a practicality than a present! (M&S in case you were wondering)

Our shoes were all different, as we all wanted different heights, and I had anna take a photo of them in height order, as a little joke for me, and she popped them in the porch, which I love!

Lovely bridesmaid spent most of her time doing mine, my mums, and her own makeup, while we all floated around eating cheese and biscuits, and drinking bucks fizz.

I ended up with much less makeup than in my trial, just enough to give me some cover, but since James had done a double take at me that day, I went for a more natural look.

It was around this time that Anna left to meet the men in the pub, so there are no more photos, but we all ran around getting changed, my dad caused 20 minutes of panic when he went off up to the church to drop the car off with all our overnight bags in, and didnt come straight back. Turned out that the car park hadn't been opened as promised, and he went to sort it out himself!
meanwhile the wedding car turned up early to pick mum and the girls up and Mum got in a tizz because dad wasnt back (in all fairness two serious accidents had happened on that road the previous week). eventually he turned up, and mums parting words to me were 'make sure he sorts out his hair'.

Dad and I were left alone in the house, he went and got changed quickly while I stood around in the dress, and then I had to tell him what to do (movetheironingboard/letthecatsoutoftheconservatory/movetheirfood/tidythekitchenabit) while I sort of pivoted on the spot for fear of damaging said dress.

then it was time for us to go too!

all photos by the wonderful amazing Anna