Three weeks to go!

The Engagement

Clearly every wedding starts with an engagement whether the groom gets down on bended knee or a couple decide together that they wish to tie the knot. A week after I started at the Daily Post and ECHO in December 2007 Richard and I had planned a week away in Paris for Christmas. At the time we were pretty much living in one room together in a shared house and worked together so knew each other's every move. I knew he was going to propose on holiday as he told me to remind him to pack the ring as he knew I had spotted the box hiding behind a picture of my mum in my room. I didn't know when he would pop the question and assumed it would be on Christmas day and so was quite shocked when he got down on one knee on his birthday on the Mon Marte over looking Paris with the Eiffel Tower twinkling away in the background. It was perfect and exactly what I wanted. He even chose a beautiful ring all by himself.

The Dress

The dress is clearly the focal point of the wedding as it determines your theme and colour scheme. For example when I began my search I thought I would go for a champagne coloured gown and thus have a brown, turquoise and gold colour scheme. The dress I have fallen in love with is the complete opposite to what I imagined it would be when I started out. Firstly it is very pale ivory - almost white and is a halterneck. I tried on probably nearly 100 dresses in my search and thought I had found "the one" quite a few times. When I walked into Cherish the Bride in West Kirby on the January 24 with my Auntie Ann I wasn't hopeful of finding a dress. Not because the gowns weren't beautiful but because I had resigned myself to the fact I was probably going to have to settle. The owner of the shop, Kate, has been in the bridal business for over 25 years and she said to me: "you can't like your wedding dress you have to love it." And in love I fell. My dress is unlike any I have seen on a catwalk or in magazines and as it has an unusual neckline. When I first put it on I remember thinking that I either loved it or hated it. When I saw my reflection in the full length mirror I realised it was love. I almost ordered it there and then but we were on our way to the Confetti wedding show so I thought I had best wait. I ended up taking my father with me for a second opinion on Valentine's Day, the look on his face made me realise I had to buy it. The picture isn't my dress!!!

The Bridesmaids

After the Confetti Show my Auntie Ann and I had lunch for a breather. I then decided as we had time and weren't totally exhausted that we should pop into Liverpool ONE. We walked into Monsoon as there was sale on and sitting on the rack were the perfect bridesmaid dresses. As I had pretty much made up my mind early on in the buying the wedding dress process that I wasn't going to get married in champagne I knew I wanted aubergine bridesmaid dresses with a sweetheart neck. And there they were waiting for me with a massive 75% off. I bought five. I was originally having four adult bridesmaids and my little sister Danielle, who is 11, and thought buying a spare dress might come in handy if any alterations were needed. Danielle is wearing an ivory dress to match me. The spare dress was never needed and I was able to ask a very dear friend from school to wear it. I truly believe my mother was watching over me on that day. Before she died she asked me to promise to include her little sister, my Auntie, Ann in my wedding preparations. She has two boys and I think my mother wanted her to experience it in her place. I had a few tears that night.

The Venue

The venue is also a massive decision and one that Richard and I made together. I was brought up on the Wirral and knew I wanted to get married in St Peter's Church in Lower Heswall. It was where I went to Brownies and where my mother's funeral took place. It is also stunning with views over the Dee Estuary. We looked at reception venues across the Wirral and the Hillbark was the last one we visited. As we drove around the sweeping drive and the Tudor building came into view I knew nowhere else could compare and it got better inside. On our first date we walked from the church up to Thursaston Common where the Hillbark is situated which makes our choice that extra bit special

The Photographer

For me good photography is key on a day like your wedding day. In thirty years time we will need to look back on the pictures to help us remember the day. I asked the Hillbark for some recommendations and they sent me a list. I trawled through the website and was drawn to one in particular. Studio 900 based in Prenton. We made an appointment to go and meet John McCulloch and chatted with him. He then asked me if I had a sister called Danielle and if my father was called Stephen. We must have looked so confused. John's wife Lorraine was my sister's childminder and he had figured out the connection from what we had said to him. That made my mind up. Not only did I love his work adn the way he captures the light but I have known Lorraine for nearly five years since my mother died and it will be nice to have a friendly face behind the camera.

The Cake

If you want the perfect chocolate wedding cake there is only one place to go - The Chocolate Cellar in Liverpool ONE.I knew from the beginning that I wanted a chocolate wedding cake and we went to many shops and tried many different cakes. The cake at the Chocolate Cellar tasted divine, the ganache melts effortlessly on the tongue. The owner Bala went over a few ideas with us and I really can't wait to see her creation; four tiers of chocolate cake covered with white chocolate and decorated with strawberries dipped in chocolate - divine.

The Flowers

I have always known what I want from my wedding flowers - simple, classic and no huge displays. After attending my mother's funeral I developed a hate for big displays as they reminded me too much of death. Fishlocks on Castle Street have been very accommodating as I have changed my mind too many times to count. In fact at our wedding we are only having pew ends in the church and a small arrangement on the top tale. The other tables are having a candelabra as a centre piece. However, I have surprised myself at my choice of bouquet which is very similar to the one in the picture. I decided I wanted something a bit more dramatic than a hand tied bouquet of roses but it still looks very elegant. I can't wait to see the finished creation. The flowers are a mix of whites and purples to tie in with the bridesmaid dresses and the aubergine, pink and white colour scheme.

The Honeymoon

Richard and I have lived together for a couple of years now and have decided that as we have everything we need in our home that we would ask for Thomson holiday vouchers to have an amazing honeymoon. We have picked two weeks in the Maldives on Kuredu. The honeymoon may have broken the bank but it is, for us, maybe a once in a lifetime holiday. I can't wait to lie on a sandy beach and do nothing. I like the mantra of "no shoes, no news" that is in place on the Island. It will be bliss - the perfect start to married life.