The celebrations began on the Friday before the wedding when fellow 'forumites', Jess and Alice, arrived at the airport at, as Jess put it, "stupid o'clock". We had a fantastic weekend with both being absolute stars and mucking in to help with last minute preparations and lots of girlie giggling… poor Peter!

The day before the wedding is one I'll never forget as we crawled to the flower wholesalers at an ungodly hour to collect the flowers for the bridesmaids' bouquets. I was so relieved that I'd asked a florist to make my bouquet and had already gone to the cathedral on the previous Thursday to do the church flowers.

That afternoon, Alice, Jess and the best man sat in the dining room removing thorns and foliage, while I began to put the bouquets together, then it was a mad rush to pick up the cake, get back to the house, paint my toenails blue (my something blue), grab food then drop the girls plus favours, cake etc to the hotel!!

I then grabbed the dresses and finally arrived at mums house at about 10:45pm to be met by flowers, balloons and two excited bridesmaids (my cousin and sister) and an even more hyper mum! We downed some Champagne, sandwiches and chocolate before collapsing into bed after midnight…

I was so exhausted that instead of lying awake with excitement I dropped off straight away and heard nothing until I was awakened by my mum at 6:30am shouting "Wake up -it's today! It's today!!" to which I groaned and tried to roll over back to sleep!

I dived into the bathroom straight away, knowing that with two teenage girls in the house, I'd never manage to get in if I left it any longer! There then ensued an almighty battle with my contact lenses, which were refusing to go in, and a frantic search through my overnight bag to find a top with buttons so that I didn't have to wreck my hair later on!

All too soon the taxi arrived and we piled in, to go to the hairdresser, where we met my SIL2B and were transformed into goddesses! We had a fantastic few hours, drinking bucks fizz and being pampered while mum looked petrified - she said she was more nervous than on her own wedding day. Meanwhile, I was still waiting for the excitement and happiness to be replaced by nerves, which never arrived. Having been freezing when we left the house, the sun was now shining through the trees and it was lovely and warm - a perfect day for a wedding. We left the hairdresser a little late at 11:30am, looking hilarious, with tiaras and jeans and me with my cathedral-length veil on!!

We arrived back at the house to find that the videographer was waiting. He got some shots of us all piling out of the taxi and into the house. Next my CBM Claire and I had a few hilarious moments trying to attach my stockings - she had false nails on and was finding it slightly difficult - it eventually took both her and mum to manage it! !

I finally slipped into my dress at 11:50am, looked outside and wondered why there was a crowd outside. Then it dawned on me that the limo had arrived with the horse and carriage. While the girls were getting into their dresses and mum into her outfit, the videographer took some footage of me coming down the stairs and going outside, petting Megan the horse who was a real sweetheart. Soon it was time to leave, so I went inside and picked up my gorgeous bouquet and grabbed mum, leaving the girls, who were leaving later than me because I was going in the carriage, while they would be in a limo. We set off at 12:10, expecting the journey to take about 45 minutes and loved every minute - people waving and shouting congratulations and stopping to look, and when we were about half way there the girls passed us in the limo, waving and shouting!

We reached the city centre very early and slowed down to a walk from a trot to try and kill some time but the traffic wardens came out and stopped the traffic for us and we passed some very startled guests on the way! We pulled into the street that the Cathedral is in at 12:35, almost half an hour early, much to the photographer's horror. He literally pushed Peter inside the church and refused to let him out again. We parked at the end of the street and Jess came running down to ask what on earth I was doing breaking tradition and being early! At 12.50, we pulled up outside the cathedral and I had to nearly be restrained by the photographer to stop me running inside - I just wanted to get up the aisle and see Peter!

After what seemed like an eternity, 1 o'clock arrived and mum was escorted to her seat and the crucifer and acolytes took their places to lead the procession. The organist struck up Charpentier's Prelude to TE Deum and we set off - At the rehearsal the previous night, we'd agreed that I would wait for the BM's to be almost at the top of the aisle before I set off, but I was so excited I was nearly on their heels - the one thing that stands out from then is the photographer hissing at me to slow down!

I reached the top of the aisle where I turned to my stunning husband and he lifted my veil back and gave me my last kiss as a 'Miss', I turned to face two very excited Priests - Rev. Kenny Hall and Rev. Raymond Fox, both very good friends of ours, and the service began. During the first hymn - 'Angel Voices Ever Singing', we both lit a single candle as symbols of our single lives and after the collect our choir (Grosvenor Chorale and the choristers of the cathedral) launched into a beautiful Walford-Davies Psalm 121. After the Psalm I saw someone walk up to the lectern and I wondered who on earth it was and where they were going. I'd forgotten that I'd asked my uncle to read a lesson! Our soloist, Elaine, began the gradual - Mozart's Alleluia and I remember wondering if it was shorter than usual or if I was imagining things. After this, Raymond gave a wonderful sermon and we sang the hymn, 'Sing of Eve' and 'Sing of Adam' and then came the bit I'd been waiting for - the marriage ceremony - we had a funny moment when Peter was slightly too enthusiastic and lifted my ring from the prayer book before they were blessed - Raymond carried on with the prayer of blessing and Peter realised his mistake and quickly dropped the ring back onto the prayer book!

The vows were incredibly moving and I couldn't help crying when we got to the 'In sickness and in health' bit because we'd had a few rough months before hand and weren't sure if I was going to make it to the wedding. We then lit a bigger candle from the two single ones to symbolise our union as man and wife.
Alice and our friend and usher, Richard then stepped up to the lectern and beautifully read some prayers. We then sang the offertory hymn, 'Love Divine' and proceeded into the nuptial Eucharist, for which Kenny was the celebrant. The choir again sounded stunning signing both the 'Sanctus' and 'Agnus Dei' from Haydn's Little Organ Mass and Peter and I received the sacrament as our first act as man and wife.

After having received the Eucharist, Peter and I sat together beside the choir stalls, at which point he leaned over to me and whispered that Elaine had lost her voice - thus explaining the short gradual! The look of horror had just left my face when, as the choir finished singing 'Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus', instead of the planned Bach/Gonoud 'Ave Maria', Elaine launched into 'Panis Angelicus', at which stage I got an uncontrollable fit of the giggles. Elaine and Peter have done more than seventy weddings together over the years, with him as organist and this was the first one she'd ever lost her voice at!

When everyone had received communion, we went round beside the altar to sign the register while the choir beautifully sang Duruffle's 'Ubi Charitas' and the organist had to play Handel's rejoice greatly as Elaine's voice wasn't up to it.

The recessional, 'Lemmen's Fanfare' struck up and the choir processed out first to form a guard of honour and we walked back down the aisle grinning from ear to ear. After many photographs and much confetti throwing, the carriage took us around the block for some time alone and the groom presented us with a real horseshoe, a lovely touch.

We arrived back at the Cathedral and set off with my new SIL Claire, cousin Dawn, sister Amanda (the bridesmaids) and Best man Stephen, Usher Richard and Groomsman Nathan (my brother) in the limo to drink 'Champers' and drive to the hotel.

When we reached the hotel we were greeted by the owner bearing Champagne and red carpet and were taken through to the conservatory to have some shortbread and coffee before the guests arrived. We were also shown the ballroom, which was stunningly set up and then whisked off to the gardens for photos and more photos!

All too soon it was time to get people into the ballroom, which the hotel organised for us, while we were taken to the dining room to enjoy a drink and a few minutes together.

We entered to the traditional applause and started the speeches. Peter's was so lovely and I couldn't help thinking how lucky I was to have him, I began my speech next, having decided on the Saturday night to do one and wrote it in half and hour with the help of Jess and Alice! Peter's dad made a very touching speech in which he reminded us that if we ever needed anything, he was only a phone call away. Stephen then made a wonderfully funny and touching speech before we began to eat an absolutely beautiful meal. Nothing was ever too much trouble for the staff and the owner of the hotel was on hand at all times to make sure that everything was absolutely perfect for us. After the meal Stephen again made a great impression reading the cards. My little brother presented me with a horseshoe that one of the elderly members of the day centre that mum works in, had made for me.

We left the room after cutting the cake, which was delicious, to allow the staff to set up for the disco. The first dance began, Shania Twain's, 'From this Moment'. This was followed by a fantastic evening, which all seemed to end too soon when the DJ got everyone to sing 'Auld Lang Sang' and we ran round everyone who was gathered around us in a circle and hugged them and thanked them for coming.

We collected gifts that had been left at reception for us and took them up the bridal suite and sat in the middle of the floor opening them - a perfect end to a perfect day.