 Gary
and I became engaged at Alton Towers on 18th May 1998,
four years to the day after we met at the Secrets nightclub
in Romford, Essex.
Neither of us wanted to get married in a church so we
looked into having civil wedding. After looking at brochures
and prices we decided we would much prefer to go abroad
and get married. We chose Kissimmee in Florida as Gary
has friends and family out there and I¹ve always
dreamed of going to America.
Gary's parents offered to rent a villa and we decided
to get married in the garden. I originally booked a wedding
coordinator but was not happy with them so I cancelled
and organised it all myself using the Internet. Marleen
the florist was very helpful and found me an officiant
to marry us and helped me to organise most of the wedding.
We arrived in Florida on the Saturday and had until Friday
to make the final arrangements and get the marriage licence.
The night before the wedding Gary stayed with his five
friends, who had come to Florida for the wedding and had
rented their own villa. I stayed in with Gary's parents,
my dad and some of Gary's family having a drink before
the big day. Everyone kept asking if I was nervous, but
I felt amazingly calm. I went to bed about eleven o¹clock
and fell straight to sleep waking at half nine in the
morning. Our wedding was originally planned for 3 o¹clock
but as there had been rain everyday at about four o'clock
we decided to bring it an hour earlier for 2 o¹clock.
 Marleen the florist arrived with the buttonholes
and my bouquet. I had sent her a picture of what I wanted
and she had copied it perfectly. She also made me a duplicate
in silk flowers for me to bring home. I had arranged for
her to help me get dressed as I didn¹t want anyone
to see me until I walked down the aisle.
The morning was very calm and not at all hectic as I had
imagined it would be. The chairs arrived and were set
up in the garden to make a small aisle. I kept walking
around getting very excited and not knowing what to do
with myself. Gary was due to arrive with his best man
at about 12.30 so he could get ready upstairs and I would
get ready downstairs so we wouldn¹t see each other.
I did my own hair and make-up and as I was getting ready
I could here everyone in the front room and was starting
to get a bit nervous. I called out the door for a Malibu
and Coke to calm my nerves and Gary shouted out upstairs
for a lager!
By 1.40 I was ready and looking in the mirror. I couldn¹t
believe it was me. I felt like a princess and I had the
biggest smile I had ever seen. Marleen called my dad in
and as soon as he saw me tears welled up in his eyes which
started me off and my make up lasted all of about five
minutes. The photographer came in and took some pictures
and then it was time.
 As my dad walked me down the
aisle I felt like I was floating on air.
There were about 20 people all together but all I could
see was Gary at the end smiling back at me. Shirley the
officiant started the ceremony and when it came to our
vows Gary and I were both crying so much we couldn¹t
get the words out which made us start laughing.
After we were pronounced husband and wife everyone blew
the wedding bubbles and threw rose petals over us. It
was the most beautiful ceremony ever and the happiest
day of my life. We all went inside after the photographs
had been taken.
 After a buffet Gary's mum and
aunts prepared, we cut our wedding cake.
I then dragged Gary upstairs to get changed and consummate
the marriage! We came back downstairs to cheers from everyone
having guessed what we¹d been up to.
We left early the next morning for our two week honeymoon
at the Couples resort in Jamaica. It was like paradise
and neither of us wanted to leave.
A week after we arrived home we had our wedding reception
in Chadwell Heath. We were three quarters of an hour late
for our own party because it took us so long to decorate
the hall and get everything ready.
The evening went really quick. It was great to wear my
dress again and celebrate with everyone who couldn¹t
make it to Florida. I gave out the wedding cameras I won
in a WeddingGuideUK.com competition. For favours we had
chocolate bars with personalised wrappers that I had made
myself and bonboneries which were inside a swan frame.
 I¹m
so glad we got married the way we did because the whole
wedding and celebrations lasted over a month and I got
to wear my dress twice!
Do Differently: We would have a proper video made.
Someone did video our wedding but all we got up to is
"I now pronounce you" and then the tape finished,
so we didn¹t even get to see the kiss. Apart from
that everything was absolutely perfect and we wouldn¹t
change a thing.
Comments: I'd like to thank Mike and all his team
for such a great website and all the forumites who helped
with all their advice and support. |
If
you would like to contact Caroline and Gary, you can e-mail
them.
|
