8 sleeps...I'm on holidays!

I was thrilled to be able to bring some cheese along when we visted Kate, it was her last night in a gorgeous little weatherboard house she was looking after for a friend.

We relaxed over a couple of beers and Kate, my city sister, presented me with a very familiar and exciting looking yellow paper bag. Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing for Lush! And Kate knows just how hard it is for me to visit the store now that I'm not working in town - inside was a 'Figs & Leaves' soap to use while we're away!

Oh Kate! You're a woman after my own heart! Big Hugs to you! We all marvelled at the fact that this time, in a week we'd be enjoying dinner on the balcony of the Courthouse Hotel after the rehearsal. Kate showed us her gorgeous dress and necklace she'd picked out and I decided she definitely needed to try out my silver sandals.

It's these casual, lingering catch ups that I love the most.

Soon it was time to head home, Travis whipped up some delicious chicken, avocado and punkin pies for us and I celebrated the start of my holidays by cracking a bottle of bubbly, (and finishing the whole thing!).

What a guy, can you see why I'm marrying him?

I had a little surprise in store for him later on that night...

8 sleeps...handover (letting-go) time

My last afternoon at work was a strange one, my team were all in meetings until 3pm so I tried to keep myself busy and caught up with Belinda and Jess. Belinda reminded me that if I started getting agitated, i should think of how she regrets her attitude on the day and wishes she could have been nicer to everyone. She cant't have that time again and I much prefer to learn from others' mistakes.

Jess was very impressed with our sewing efforts and Callum, Sarah and Leon all dropped in to wish me well too.

After everyone returned to the office it still wasn't until about 4:15 that we popped the champagne (yes - Laurent Perrier!) and enjoyed some Tarago River cheese.

Joanne was just like a proud mum when she said the words 'Christie, you're a very special person' and  presented me with a beautiful card and gift, which happens to be Matthew Evans' The Real Food Companion cook book! Now that she saw how excited I was she promised they would all sign it when I returned. I was so touched - and then Kyle ducked out and returned with a big beautiful bunch of orienal lilies, gerberas and other beauties! He confessed that they'd been surviving on mugs of water, hiding in his car since yesterday as we'd postponed the handover. Their words in the card were so touching and we had a lively chat about mothers taking too many photos, whether we were sleeping apart the night before and how my hair trial went. I explained my philosophy of being quite flexible during these last few days, so that there would be less things likely to upset me by the time the 18th rolls around. All I hear is how fast the time goes and I just want to be sure Im soaking up every minute.

I handed everyone their printed, highlighted copy of my handover notes and funnily enough no one had any questions - once again I put this organisation down to taking plenty of time to plan and prepare. Of course I still desperately hope that i haven't forgotten anything but that seems to just be human nature.

Travis arrived soon after and got to meet Kyle, before we headed off to see Kate in Kensington...

8 sleeps ... getting giddy

...heart's beating fast...

9 sleeps...

More cards and a gift!

After a  work day that absolutely dragged, we met family and friends for dinner in Sunbury. It was lovely to see Michael before we leave for QLD and Marc and Amanda came along with Susan and Gary as well.


Susan presented us with a stunning handmade fabric card that she has embroidered herself using gold and silver thread and sequins from the lace on my dress. We opened it and there was a picture of St Mary's Chapel with our invitation wording printed across it, there was also an embroidery of the chapel and an embroidered message to us - complete with our little monogram that I'd come up with! There was also a little pocket made from the fabric of my dress which held some $.


Then we received our gift - an amazing tin chapel/birdcage that holds 3 candles. Susan said she could see this in our garden but I think it will look beautiful in our entrance until the weather improves!


It was such a nice evening to share with everyone and I think we might even be lucky enough to see the ring cushion at the rehearsal - I just know I'll hardly see it on the day and want to be able to really appreciate it beforehand!


Eight sleeps to go and today is my last day at work. It's kind of sad to think that everything I've been running through my head, how we'll spend each day up there and all the plans we've made for a wonderful wedding are almost here. It's exciting but I really do think that looking forward to something is almost as good as actually getting it. 


I hope we take the time to relax and really soak everything up. I know the days will go fast and won't always go as I've imagined, but I've got a feeling they'll be better than I could ever have hoped for. Just go with it. Everyone will finally be up there together as we've all been preparing for and we'll all be ready for our 'winter holiday'.


You can't plan things forever, they eventually come around and become real memories, not just wishful thoughts. We've prepared well, we're not expecting a perfect day and I think we've allowed a lot of flexibility so nothing can go too 'wrong' on the day.


Yes I think it's finally time to kick back and relax and allow all this planning and imagining to become reality...

warm wishes

Hi Christie,

I’m so excited for you!!!  Are you putting disposable cameras on each table? The “unprofessional” shots can turn out to be so funny.

It wasn’t until a week later after my first wedding that I found out what went on after we left, the staff at the reception centre joined the remaining few and were dancing on tables etc.....lol would have been sooooo funny to see that.

I hear that it is quite lovely up around that area – lots of beaches and sunshine

Delegate as much as possible on the actual day because with all the emotion etc it can take on a dream quality.

Damien, Frans and the crew also send their best wishes.

Lorraine

Trav's new look

Today is Trav's first day of leave! And it's going to be a busy on - dropped me off at work, met his dad at Formal Red for his suit fitting (he tells me he looks positively SMASHING!), a leisurely brunch together, back home, orthodontist at 4 to remove top front braces (!!) and then the dentist for a good clean. When I meet him in Moonee Ponds at 6 he'll be a new man! (for 2 weeks anyway, then those grills will go back on until February).

So with all the extra things I've asked him to do, there's be no rest for this guy on his first day off... he'd have less to do at work!

Mum came over last night to help me finish a little project or two, and tonight we're enjoying dinner with Susan, Gary, Marian, Egan, Mum and Michael.

10 sleeps

I knew there would be a moment when I just started to chill and it happened today. 

I’m feeling really calm now. Funny – it’s all the extra fluff that goes with it (reception) that worried me more than the actual ‘marrying’ part – I only just confirmed our flower selections and there may be one less guest attending which we might not find out until we arrive in Port Douglas but all that is just fading right away now too - I only need Trav, Deborah, Me and our witnesses to get married. All the rest of it can just roll along however it will on the day.

I saw my naturopath this morning and she is only about 5% concerned that I might 'crash' after the wedding - I'm sure it's natural to feel like something's missing after it's all over and you return home again but I know we've got so many things to look forward to that I'm not too concerned about it. We've got a week and a half at home and we're looking after Dudley for most of it. We've got a European holiday to plan and all sorts of other exciting things!

I dropped into Passionfoods today at Sharlene's request and they gave me a gift that Sharlene said she just cannot live without now that she has one. She said that she hopes I would love it and find it as useful as she does!

Yollie was there too and they both reminded me to just enjoy all of it. The attention, the fussing - 'this is the only day you'll have absolute exclusivity! It's all about you!' Sharlene said.