"I do" - making 2012 a year to remember

There's no doubt that the Olympics and Paralympics left me on a feel good high and I managed to prevent any sort of 'October will be the month I come back down to earth with a bump' feeling by deciding that 2012 should also be the year that Mike and I get married.

Then I spotted that 20th October was a Saturday and all of a sudden it just felt like THE date to get married - as we met in October 20 years ago.  The timing was tight - we gave notice to marry with one day spare and the whole thing was organised in 3 1/2 weeks!

A friend recommended the hotel - the perfect Hotel Endsleigh, I already had a nice dress from Monsoon which I hadn't worn yet, the boys had bizarrely pointed out some suits in Next that they really wanted [but at the time we had no Big Event for them to wear them at!], Mike bought his own suit, I booked hair appointments, charged cameras, got the car cleaned and the dog groomed in preparation.  By sheer luck Mike and I had a weekend in London late September which gave us the opportunity to go to Hatton Garden in London to choose my wedding necklace [as I don't wear rings].  Sorted.

At the last minute we invited 2 friends to be witnesses and another friend to come along too, a total of 5 adults and 5 children. 

The day was faultless.  The sun shone as we drove across Dartmoor to the hotel and it just continued all day.  The ceremony was simple and perfect, the boys read The Owl and The Pussy Cat and it was a real highlight for me as they pulled out all the stops to read it brilliantly.  I didn't cry because I was just so happy and a friend commented after how happy Mike looked in the photos and he did too.

After, we sipped champagne in the sun, ate a fabulous lunch, had surprise wedding cup cakes organised by our witnesses, the meal was rounded off with impromtu speeches before having a wander in the grounds followed by an evening in front of the fire, more food and drinks.  Everyone pitched in taking photos which are a wonderful reminder of a wonderful day.

It doesn't feel very different being married but if I'm honest I do feel very happy about the fact we have done it and an increased sense of security which means I feel more relaxed and calm.  The boys are also delighted because as they put it I am now 'one of the family', not sure what I was before but heh I like being one of the family too.