I am sorry you lost your husband Brissles and I hope it was a good 23 years. When you were getting married, I was on an aeroplane, heading off for a family holiday in Tunisia. I remember that day because my Dad was annoyed because he wasn't able to make it the polling station!
The occasion wear on QVC is dire. The Frank Usher dress is suitable and I actually have the green paisley Monsoon dress (193942) which I might wear to a winter wedding but nothing else stands out as suitable for a celebration. I suppose a funeral is still an occasion but I don't think that Q are eluding to that type of occasion. I go to more funerals than weddings these days sadly.
Weddings, oh my goodness! Get yourself a cuppa and sit comfortables.
We got married in 1987 when we were both still students and broke. Despite this, my parents wanted to whole shabang. Paul and I just wanted to hop on a bus, go to the registry office in Sheffield and tie the knot. He is an only child but I have 4 brothers and am the only girl. It was, without a doubt my Mother's day. They were paying and she was dictating. I will say that we enjoyed the day but it wasn't our day and we had minimal input into the arrangements. Paul's parents were skint at the time as his Dad had been laid off work. It was hard times, especially in the North, as I am sure we all remember. They were not in a position to pay for weddings and I felt sad that my Mum took that to mean that they would have no say in the occasion, just turn up basically.
We were married in the Catholic church in my hometown. My Mother had the church busting with flowers, everywhere, the altar, the aisles, the balcony, the organ, everywhere. It was a full nuptual mass, so we enjoyed them for about an hour and a half. I wanted an ivory silk dress and ivory vintage car. I got a white lace dress, that covered every inch of flesh and itched like crazy. Dad and I rode to the church in a blue and silver Rolls Royce. Bridesmaids and other top table guests went in ivory Mercedes cars, irony! Paul had to buy a blue suit, which was handy as when we went shopping, there was a navy one in the sale on blue x for £25, sold! He had to wear blue as I wanted pink bridesmaid dresses but my Mother ordered blue. She ordered them without consulting me and just liked the colour. I was 250 miles away at nursing school, it was really manipulative of her and pi$$ed me off. My own bouquet was pink and I had to add blue accents to make it match, the same with the 7 tier cake. The cake had to have it's own bloomin' table. Hey-ho, as long as we get hitched we thought, just play along. By the way, my bridesmaids looked like a strippers in electric blue, so 1980s. Mum got her friend to play the organ, even though I have a friend who is a professional pipe organist ooh matron!. Result, Ron bollocksed the whole thing up. He couldn't play a pipe organ, a wizzard on the old Bontempi. The wedding march, hymns, the whole lot was a complete dogs dinner, bum notes and off key. Endless photographs that I am sure cost a small fortune and a videographer on top. I would have been happy with a few friends taking pics but Mother wanted it "properly" documented. It was her day after all!
Reception. What's wrong with the local social club? Nothing, if you are normal. But, we had about 260 guests. Paul had invited about 20 people and I invited just 6. The rest were family, who came mostly from Ireland and Sweden, Paul's Yorkshire family and friends. Plus shed loads friends of my parents, several of whom I had never even met. She invited even more people that were unable to make it, thankfully! So, the reception was held at Tylney Hall as it was big and grand enough for her ladyship. Full silver service meal, entertainment, the ballroom was also groaning with flowers. I was seriously relieved that nobody had allergies with the amount of pollen, she even had them placed in the toilets. We had Irish dancing girls from the local Irish society. I must say I loved that part as i used to do it. We had a full ceilidh band in the evening, absolutely no disco was allowed. Mum calls that "noise". We had another full cold running buffet which was brought out all evening long until about 10:30pm. Dad insisted on paying for an unlimited bar from arrival drinks to the end at 1am. He would not let anybody "put their hand in their pocket for anything at his daughters' wedding". Let's just say, everyone took full advantage of that and rised it.
It was a really big do. My parents still talk about it and how fantastic it was. Goodness knows how much they spent, they would never discuss the prices. If Mother wanted it, Dad wrote the cheque! She says it is never the same being Mother of the groom as it is being Mother of the bride. I would have thought it is just as special but that's just me. I just joke that we have been married for 34 years, so we become a better investment every year
It is nice that my parents had the money but I still think all the extravegance is totally unnecessary. I think Paul and I would be as happy and still married if we had just hopped on that bus and done it at the registry office.
So, that is the story of my big fat Irish wedding.