Everything's falling into place... kinda

 We’re exactly T-4 weeks, with T being W-Day, and I’ve less than a handful of days left at work before 5 weeks of leave and the common question of the moment is: “So, is everything organised?”

…

Well, do I have absolutely nothing to think about? No.

Are there still facets to finalise? Yes.

Am I worried? … No, not really. Honest.

Bridesmaids have just been measured for their dresses. I fully anticipate they will be wearing something lovely in 4 weeks time. Maybe not exactly what I had pictured – but is that the point?

Groomsmen have ties and pocket squares on order that should arrive by the end of the week, and Father has given his opinion on what he would like to wear (which I shall purchase at the same time as the groomsmen’s accoutrements). Will they all match “perfectly”? Nah. They should co-ordinate though and I don’t even like matchy-matchy stuff.

The Dress is sitting in its box ready for the plane trip. Am I certain it fits? Nope. Not really. It could be a little tight or a little loose, but I don’t want to take it out of the box to try it on in case either I can’t get it back in nicely (and then how will it fly?) or I somehow get it dirty (which is highly likely given my clumsiness). Am I freaking out? A little, but not really enough that it keeps me up late at night. Those two worries are enough to convince me it’s not worth trying it on here. If I get to NZ and it’s too small – I’ll be extra careful what I eat and make sure I exercise everyday; if it’s too loose, I’ll look into last minute adjustments or simply relax a little about food. Nothing can be done until I arrive in Wellington, so it’s not worth worrying about.

My poor Daddy. When enquiring what he wanted to wear and asking after his suggestions for the little brothers, he worried that the plans were too loose, “But I want it to be perfect”, he said. “It’s not going to be perfect, Dad,” I replied. “Something is going to wrong.”

And that’s just it. I fully expect something to go wrong, so I’m doing my best not to imagine the perfect wonderful day of my dreams (which it already isn't for various reasons). Partly to manage any possible disappointment when things go wrong. Partly because I couldn't have imagined anyone like Grant before I met him. Mostly because I sincerely hope that it's a happy and joyful day for everyone, but not the happiest day of my life - that I'm hoping is continuously updated, starting from T+1.

(source) 

 *love love love love love* 
Kiwa.

6 more weeks to go...

6 more weeks to go, 6 more weeks til - Oh, crap. 


6 weeks. 


I have no idea why that number is so much more than any other up until this point, maybe just because with each day IT'S getting closer. 


I think I'm reasonably calm. Am I? I hope so. It's not that I'm unexcited - I'm extremely excited and looking forward to 1. an awesome couple of days and 2. being married to my beloved. It's not that I'm not stressed - I'm stressed, there are a few things not going quite to plan, but what you gonna do about it? 


I think I'm calm because I've been expecting something to go wrong for the last year. I've been waiting. And with the knowledge that something(s?) will go wrong, I know that there's not always a lot I can do and it's a waste of energy to worry. 


So what if the bridesmaids dresses aren't made. That's ok. I feel very blessed and lucky and loved that Mary would offer in the first place and also that, rather than let herself get stressed out, she brought it up as not working with enough time for us to organise an alternative. Sweet. Done. Excellent. 


So what if the invitations are only being sent out in NZ this week. People, if you don't know the date (excluding Grandparents) than there a multitude of ways to contact me without an issue. I'm all over the internet. In the end, they're going out with enough time for guests to RSVP so that I can give caterers an accurate number. 


Perhaps the most calming aspect of 6 weeks is knowing that I have less than 3 weeks left of work, which means I have a little over 3 weeks in NZ before the wedding to sort out all those little details that may yet go to crap. 


We'll work it out - Me, Grant and you (because I assume the only reason you're reading this is because you care. I'm not that egotistical to imagine strangers reading...). 


Other thing 6 weeks means? Hen's night in Brissy! Not a lot planned, but I'm looking forward to an evening of special ladies from my life here in Brisbane drinking, laughing and talking smack. Should be fun times. 


On that note, please wish me continued calmness, decisive action and the strength to resist alcohol as my de-stresser (there's still That Dress... Eugh.) 


*love love love love love* 
Kiwa.

Invitations procrastination

I'm terrible. 


We're now less than 9 weeks til W-Day and I'm agonising/procrastinating over getting these invitations finished. 


I've done the official wedding and second reception invitations, I just need to do an RSVP card and a registry card. Instead of diligently working at them, I'm scouring through my blog feed reader for printables for the back of the invitations, after spending an entire day the other weekend trying to make one out of the little icon that features on the invitations. 


I just remembered I scanned the fabric samples I'd bought to test my theory of table runners. What if I use them as the backing? That sounds brilliant. If I could be bothered, I might even try and co-ordinate them to the tables, but I don't think it's worth it... 


So, I thought I'd just share my mini-brain wave (and further procrastination method) with you. 


That is all. 


Wish me luck, hassle-free printing and speedy postage and you may get them by the end of next week. 


Maybe. 

*love love love love love* 
Kiwa.

It's the final countdown...

Yep. 
I've started counting down. Today is 9 weeks away from W-Day, that's 63 sleeps until I'm Mrs B... WOOHOO!!! 


I'm getting excited, and I just can't hide it anymore. We've worked through a number of items on the to-do list in the last week or two, which feels verrrrry good, like: 

• Suits - the boys are back from Vietnam, with suits and they look swish; need to get ties
• Table decorations - dress rehearsal was successful; need to buy stuff now
• Celebrant - selected, deposit paid; need to get ceremony planner and work that out
• Party venue - booked and deposit paid; need to finalise decorations, drinks list, entertainment?
• Invitations - designed; need to print and send out (I know they're late, and I'm sorry times a million!!)

I'm also getting a little bit stressy because the to-do list is looming in the back of my mind... 


But... the countdown is on. I hope you're ready!!

*love love love love love* 
Kiwa.

Mushy Musings whilst I wait...

Written while waiting at Brisbane Airport to get on the plane to Wellington. 

Lately, I've been getting pretty mushy. I'm happy like gooey toasted marshmallows, go-with-the-flow/it'll-work like mushy peas. I swear my inner monologue could write a Mills & Boon novel - minus the sex scenes, cos I have no idea how they write those. Seriously.

It's strange, because I don't think of my and Grant's relationship as being romantic in the typical sense so I didn't expect this. He doesn't recite poems, sing serenades, write mushy texts or send flowers regularly. Ours is not a house where you'll hear declarations of love to rival a sonnet, nor does it abound with (embarrassing) compliments.
Our romantic is a little different. It's Grant buying me a yellow rose plant to grow when he was out "shopping" for a work thing. Or him eating almost anything I serve up for dinner (because I'm very experimental). It's a cuddle on the couch that's so comfy I'd rather go to sleep there and squished up than in bed alone. It's "love you, see you later" when we leave for the day rather than "have a good day" because the best part of the day will be probably be when we're both home together again. And all sorts of other little things.

Why am I sharing this?

I don't really know.

I think because a lot of the time I'm not excited about all the little things in the wedding. Yeah, I'm talking about them and I'm glad to find them, but mostly I just want to find them and get them sorted. So, I don't want you to think I'm not excited about getting married. Cos I totally am. Also, if I'm away with the fairies and incessantly positive, this is probably why ;)

I'm really enjoying being engaged. It's got all the anticipation of being married and we're planning an awesome party. It has its stresses, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime period. I'm surprisingly not stressed. I expected to be. I expected to become Bridezilla. I'm not sure if it's latent procrastination and I'll get massiveo stressed later, selective dismissal where my head is so overwhelmed I'm just not thinking about it, or me being in gooey-gooey happy fantasyland.

Right now I'm passing time away at the airport. I like to think about the ceremony and look over different readings. It will be a civil ceremony so we have almost free reign and the options are vast, almost too vast. To try and narrow it down and find meaningful readings, vows and songs I'm thinking about what makes us unique - like the mush before. I'll go into more detail about the ceremony in another post.

Maybe it's because I'm drinking my way through a mini $8 bottle of duty free gin and lemonade.

Whichever reason it is, I'm pretty happy right now. I'm excited to go to Wellington and get stuff sorted, excited to see my sister and friend as Maid of Honour and Bridesmaid. I'm so happy I'm sitting here with a 2 hour flight delay and I'm stoked about $12 meal voucher and mini bottles of gin.

And my pretty shiny ring ;)

*I did get grumpy when I had to wait at Auckland International Airport from 1.30am until 5am when the Domestic Airport opened, and then until 6am for the flight to Wellington. All by myself. With multiple bags and no one to watch them and no sleep. But I had a sleep when I got to Mum's and it was all good. Promise :)

*love love love love love*
Kiwa.

Prepping for the return home

Greetings! 
Firstly, should helpfully point out that Save The Date's are in the mail :D Ozzies should get theirs by the end of the week, NZers by next week (they're being sent to Mother/Teia to then forward on cos it made no sense to mail them individually from here) and internationals I have no idea when yours will arrive... Thanks in a million fillion ways must go to Hannah for designing, Jake for pictures and Grant for his wonderful contribution of shopping (even though we didn't use them) and then finding cheap printers. 

Mostly, It's not long now until I've returned home, albeit briefly, and I'm excited! I am very lucky that Mother offered to pay for me to go back to Wellington for my birthday way back in August, and then I found super cheap flights - return from Brisbane to Wellington with Air New Zealand for $250!! Gotta love my obsession with signing up for every contest on the internet, hmmmm? Big yay's for www.homesweetas.com.au - Air NZ's Trans-Tasman Grab a Seat.

Very quickly, here's the plan for my lightning fast sojourn: 

• Finalise important details like
• Caterers
• Photographers
• Wholesale flowers/Florists
• Research things like
• Bridesmaid dresses
• Venue for the Party
• Catch up with
• Parents
• Cousins and other family
• My best girls
• Jake

I'm hoping that by the time I leave I'll have a caterer and photographer picked, an idea of bridesmaid dresses and whether or not we can do our own flowers. Is that too ambitious for 3 weeks time? I hope not, cos I'm getting over this stasis...

*love love love love love*
Kiwa.