The blood is pounding in my ears. I feel the tips of fingers start to tingle and my chest begins to constrict. I haven’t felt like this since high school. I take a deep breathe and I begin with, “Oh my god I’m so nervous”.

Note to everyone, this is not the best way to start off an engagement party speech. I always thought that compared to planning a wedding, an engagement party would be simple. “Don’t you just chuck a few steaks on the BBQ, beers in the Chilly (yes I am from New Zealand) and just all sit around having a good time?”. This would be the case if only 10 – 15 people were attending, but after throwing the word out, friends and family from all across Australia and New Zealand decided to put in that extra effort and come to little old Mackay.

Our small function turned into a party of about 50 people we cared about. In the midst of all of this I managed to convince Mr W that we needed a new deck, which meant that as soon as each of our friends showed up, they were given a hammer and put to work. It’s a good thing our friends and family love us so much because due to their hard work, the majority of the new deck was finished at 10pm the night before the party. The day itself was hectic, but with “The Mums” on hand and a group of wonderful friends and family, our boring backyard was transformed into a cream and red delight. Even after a hair and makeup disaster and a butcher losing my 30 kilo pig, walking into my house and seeing the finished result bought a tear to my eye.

I think that the best thing to remember when you are throwing a party at home is to not stress. I was a bundle of nerves made worse by things that didn’t go the way I planned. Remember to be comfortable, to be yourself, and to enjoy the time that you have with the people you love the most. And if like me, you end up giving a speech, just practice, practice, practice. From what everyone told me it was a good one, but it was turning to Mr W and telling him how much I loved and cared for him that made it all worth it.

Image from Melanie’s collection.

Ms Gingham says: I’m so excited for Melanie and Mr W. Their destination wedding in Rarotonga is sure to be absolutely beautiful!

Melanie says: “I’m a kiwi girl who lives in regional Queensland and am planning a wedding in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Come with me as I experience the perils of organising a destination wedding in one of the most beautiful places in the world.”

You can read more about Melanie’s wedding planning journey so far here.