The Lovettes (Ria): 10 Weeks To Go

Since my last post we managed to escape to Ibiza for a week of sunshine! It was really nice to have some time away and step back from wedding planning. However now we’re back planning is in full swing! Most things are booked and it’s now a case of focusing on detail. We’ve written the first draft of our service, which was more emotional than I thought it would be. I’m so glad we get to have so much input into our ceremony, it definitely reflects who we both are. James has gone spreadsheet crazy and is gently prodding me to stick to a schedule.

Thank goodness one of us has a plan! James is definitely just as involved in planning as I am, which makes it so much easier. Most importantly the bouncy castle is booked! People assume that we’re catering to all the children we’re sharing our day with but no, this is definitely for us.

I also feel very lucky to have so many kind friends and family who have offered to help. I’ve realised that I have to learn to delegate otherwise I’ll never get anything done!

I’m trying to navigate that balance between not boring people about the wedding but forgetting that people do want to be involved! Please keep prodding me people, I’ll get organized and get you round for a crafting session!

The thing I’m most enjoying about wedding planning is letting my imagination go wild! I’ve always been creative and love doing things with my hands. This is reflected in my work as a trainee obstetrician/gynaecologist, but at home I’ve lost touch with my artistic side.  The plan is to keep it simple and focus on small enjoyable things rather than huge projects, so it doesn’t become overwhelming (confetti for 100 people has been a learning point). So far I’m making my veil, a guestbook and sorting reception décor. My crafting highlight so far has been wondering up and down London’s Goldhawk Road testing out different tulles. We’re also thinking about buying our flowers from Covent Garden market the week of the wedding, so if anyone has any tips I’d be really grateful! In keeping with our Caribbean vibe to the day we’ve decided to have rum punch at our drinks reception. Obviously we have to test at least four different punch recipes for quality control, which made for a fun tipsy evening activity!

Last month I went to visit my lovely dressmaker saw my dress for the first time, and I love it! It is unrecognisable compared to when I bought it, but so far the gamble of buying a charity shop dress has paid off. It feels so much more like my dress watching my imagination come to life in front of my eyes.

As the wedding gets closer I’m becoming more aware of how divisive weddings can be. Some of my ideas have been described as brave/spirited/unorthodox!  Examples include letting my bridesmaids choose their own dresses… No they don’t match, yes I’m fine with it, and no I’m not worried about being upstaged. My bridesmaids are five incredible women with different figures, skin tones and preferences. I have nothing against matching bridesmaids but as I wasn’t wed to a style (see what I did there?) I let them chose. I respect and trust my girls implicitly and want them to feel comfortable on the day.  I’ve also managed to ruffle feathers by choosing my wedding dress alone and deciding to make a speech, which is most unladylike. We won’t tell anyone that I’m not changing my name at work in case the world implodes…

I’m also not as stressed as I should be and am not dieting enough. I have no doubt that as it gets closer I’ll be stressed; I just don’t see the point in looking for unnecessary drama!  Ultimately, weddings are an amazing day to share your love with people close to you, and I feel that people should do that in the way that works best for them. That doesn’t mean being selfish, but it does mean not bowing to tradition because it is the done thing.

Luckily, most people are lovely and supportive about our upcoming wedding and I can always find someone who wants to know how our planning is going. Prior to dress shopping the lovely midwives I worked with kidnapped me and made me go through pictures at 4am until I had a shortlist. It’s really nice to have people around me who are genuinely excited about our plans. In the next few weeks we’ve got to sort out tastings, an engagement shoot, wedding bands (fingers), wedding bands (music) and suits! I have no idea what we did with our time before we starting planning our wedding.

My hen do is also in the next few weeks and I’m full of nervous excitement! This will be the first hen do I’ve ever been to (strange I know), and my maid of honour has kept it all secret! She’s one of the most organised people I know so I’m confident it’s going to be amazing, although I also know her and am a little bit scared about what’s in store.

Although wedding planning is really fun, the thing I’m most excited about is being married. I’ve found the person who joins me in random living room dancing, impromtu duets of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ (neither of us can sing) gives me piggybacks, and buys me flowers “Just because.” I’d get married tomorrow in a onesie if it meant we could be together.*

Love Ria x

*As long as it was somewhere warm, I feel the cold.

 

Ria Clarke and James Rice will marry on 5th September 2015. You can connect with Ria via Instagram @SouthLondonLass