A Most Surreal Day

Mr and Mrs Buzz

The day has been and gone, and in this in-between time when we have gone back to our normal lives but still await our professional photographs and film, it seems a good time to reflect on being engaged, being a bride, and being a wife – and what our wedding day was like.

The night before our wedding my parents, sister and I went out for drinks and dinner, and my sister stayed the night with me in the hotel suite. I am very appreciative of her efforts to keep me calm and distracted, although ordering a bowl of hot chips at midnight and watching ‘Bridemaids’ was perhaps not the most serene of activities!

My beautiful bridesmaids

When the morning dawned bright and sunny, we ventured out in desperate search of caffeine at 7:30am, and in my head a little voice kept saying “You’re getting married this afternoon!”. Despite our agreement not to talk before the wedding, Buzz sent me a text that it was 0 weeks until we got married – the last step in a morning ritual that I had woken him with every Saturday since our weekly countdown was at 20 weeks. The day itself was slow, and as my bridesmaids had their hair and makeup done, the lack of sleep the night before must have begun to tell on me, as the girls politely but firmly suggested that I have a nap. This was less than easy with the rollers in my hair, but I did wake up after a little doze feeling a bit more chipper and ready for a champagne. Something that I didn’t expect was just how busy our suite would be.

As we finished getting ready, there was me, three bridesmaids, my mum, my dad, my grandpa, the hair/makeup artist, two photographers, two videographers, and a wedding coordinator. Getting dressed was more in the way of production than an activity, and at various stages I found myself announcing in very loud voice something like: “I am about to put my shoes on now”, or “I am about to put my jewellery on now”, or “Mum, please help me with my veil now” – and hoping the photographers would snap it in time.

Throughout the day the little nerves shimmering across me were getting more and more like a tiny angry fairy practicing Tae Kwon Do in my guts. I give enormous credit to my bridesmaids for not taking my increasing silence and tenseness personally! When Kat, our co-ordinator, came up to deliver Luke’s luggage to the suite, I realised that he was in the building … and it was very, very scary.

As everyone filtered out, I was left in our suite with my bridesmaids and my dad. Unable to sit down due to the boning in my dress, holding my incredibly gorgeous but weighty bouquet, wondering if I should co-opt a bridesmaid into helping me with one more toilet run … (yes that happens. I managed without help but my darling Josephine stood outside the door in case I needed someone to rearrange my layers of dress or help me stand up) … it was nerve-wracking.

As we made our way downstairs and outside the building to make our entrance, I can only describe it as being in a state of disbelief. People passed and stared and sometimes said congratulations, but I just can’t remember if I could even summon up a smile. We waited outside as I heard the music play that Buzz was walking his mum down the aisle to, and it felt like I was waiting in the wings of a school play, waiting for my cue.

When my aisle song began, louder than I’d ever heard it, I counted along in my head when each bridesmaid should walk, and despite having listened to the song repeatedly for over a year, when my cue came I realised I was still standing there. My dad and I walked up the steps and into the building. I could see only lights and flashes and so many people, so close in, lining the aisles like trees. I walked, holding my dad’s arm and not daring to look left or right, seeing only bright white light.

And then, flashing through the lights and the people and the music, I saw my Buzz and he was smiling at me in a way I’ve never seen him smile before, and I smiled too and walked towards him. As I moved down the aisle, knowing where I was headed and knowing who would meet me at the end to become my husband, it was the end of our wedding day and the beginning of our wedding ceremony, and that is a story for another time.

Thank you to Nickii and Paula for their photos.

Ms Gingham says: We’ve been following Rachel’s wedding journey for a few months now and it’s so beautiful to see these first few snaps of what looks like a beautiful day. Can’t wait to see all the professional photos!

Miss T says: “Organised to the max; fan of all things sparkly and organic; vegan (but no hemp or dreadlocks); proud mama to a Chihuahua princeling and two snooty cats; drinker of beer; and thrilled to her little cotton socks to be marrying the sweet, silly, smart and snuggly Buzz.”

Miss T has more fabulous stories to share here.