It’s official we are now married!!

Well after 18 months of planning, stresses, tears and of course floods we finally got hitched on Saturday 21st July in Gloucester. I am now a Skillett!

We had a fantastic day with our family and friends with some going to unbelievable lengths to be there! For those who don’t remember our wedding was in the middle of the Great Floods of 2007 (well done Keiron for officially naming the event!)

Everything was perfect, people would never have known that in the day leading upto it we had no groom (stuck in traffic for 6 hours from swindon), a flooded boiler room in church, flooded church graveyard, our vintage car stranded full of mud, a standby car, guests in Evesham leisure centre, usher late (arrived at reception), a stand in usher, guests in army landrovers, no water, 20 hours in car from Newcastle, nearly no vicar (should have been on holiday) another wedding which should have been held in the neighbouring parish requesting to use our church at the same time due to flooding the list goes on……………But most importantly we had fun and enjoyed it.

Hopefully over the coming week we will upload some photos for you all to see. We have had 928 from our photographer!!!

We would like to thank everyone for their cards, gifts and for sharing our special day with us!

T-1 (and counting!)

It’s 12:25 and this time tomorrow we’ll be just about married I suspect! I think we both hit the scared stakes at 7 o’clock this morning – having just plodded through logistics for the last few days!!

Emma trundled off to Quedgeley a few hours ago (and has already rung to remind me of things), with a car full of traffic cones, flowers and orders of service! Mum and Toria have nipped to the outlet (to buy more umbrellas) and I’ve had an hour to get myself sorted….

I’ve attempted to pack some of the car but got drenched with every step. I’ll wait for the rest to get back before I load anything else in I think!

The “good luck” texts, emails and blog posts (Els) are pouring in and I haven’t got around to replying to them all yet, but I will, I promise (he says hopefully!).

More to come if I get a chance later!

We’re shattered! What a fun weekend!

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone that made it down this weekend, for our friends weekend (whether you just came to gamble your life away on the Saturday in the rain, or you stayed the whole weekend and nursed a hangover today!).

Saturday morning arrived and Kate took the tough decision of where to prominently display her racing pass to heart:

Kate displays her racing pass!

After waiting for Gav (no surprises there!) to arrive, the “Stealth Bus” (Nick and Brent’s title I believe!) departed Swindon – with the form guide at the ready several people started to work their bets out – including Darren’s accumulator (more on that later!!).

The racecourse was busy when we arrived, and worryingly the clouds beckoned:

Bath Racecourse

We weren’t going to let a little thing like rain dampen our spirits (largely by sticking to beer and not spirits – and holding our hands over the glasses!). Stuart went on to ask for a Fosters at a bar that only served Fosters (personally I’d have told him “we haven’t got any sir!”.

Everyone proceeded to get in to the spirit of things, with some early wins and a few beers despite the rain!

Nick & Mike Darren & Ceri The Hughes Clan
Keiron & Glenn Kate, Gav, Shona & Emily Nick and his beer!
Brent, Mike and a lot of beer! Keiron, Glenn (pulling a face) and Emma! Keiron, Dan and Stuart
Nick, Brent, Els (and Bryan’s Body!) Looking Skyward! Studying the Form!

Even the youngsters were having fun!

Els and Amelie! Helen & Zara

Those that weren’t drinking resorted to Ice Cream!!

Els and Bryan with Ice Cream

After some minor losses, a few wins and Darren cursing as the final horse in his six race accumulator didn’t come in. We boarded the bus back to Sunny Swindon… And all that excitement had tired some people out!!

Gav and Kate Sleeping Shona and Luke sleeping! Rich sleeping!

It was only when we got to the Mexican that we learnt we’d got a stowaway aboard (Rich had brought a bird!).

Rich and a bird! Chicken and Hot Sauce!

We had a fantastic meal, and played pass the hat!

Rich waits for food! Keiron and John Shona and Luke
Gav finds that the hat really suits him! Emma finds a drink! Sian tries the hat for size!
Everyone tucking in! Luke tries some different headgear! Emma finds another drink!
Emma finds yet another drink! Nick doesn’t look sure about having his photo taken! Nick looks happier now!
  The motley pharmacy posse  

A very full bunch of people then headed off to The Spot, for more drinking, dancing and playing “Name that Tune!”

I’m not sure what was going on here! Watching me, watching you! Caroline looks shocked!
Keiron & Kate Emma & Brent Emily does Thriller!
  Group Hug!  

After nursing mutual hangovers this morning, we met for lunch and a chat before everyone went their seperate ways home! We’ve had a fantastic weekend, thank you all for coming!

Keiron & Emma

Keiron & Emma

Umbrellas, Easter eggs and honeymoon…………………..

It’s now less than 10 weeks to the wedding (as I type this Emma informs me it’s 9 weeks 4 days) and Emma is sat next to me getting excited about posting on our honeymoon destination forum, whilst eating an Easter Egg – anyone notice a Chocoloate Egg theme to this blog?!?! She’s promised she won’t put on weight, but looking at the size of this egg (and the accompanying bar of chocolate), along with the size of our dinner – I have my doubts!

Emma’s just been discussing the virtues of White Umbrella’s with me (Shona! I blame you for this discussion!!!), apparently one will now be winging it’s way towards us along with all the other random tat that Emma buys on eBay. A miscellaneous parcel failed delivery this morning and somewhere between them knocking our front door and taking it back to the depot they’ve lost it (some very bad language from Emma has ensued),  she’s not sure if it’s an eBay bargain (wish I’d never shown her the site) or whether it’s something to do with the Wedding (wish I’d …………………………………………… – I’m being accused of being a cheeky sod, by the person feeling sick from too much chocolate egg!).

See you soon!

108 nights to go – aghhhhhhhh!

I was just asking Keiron how many days till our wedding and remembered he had put a little countdown on this site. Where have all the days gone???????????

Well I’m busy ordering bits and pieces for wedding like favours etc etc. And we’re also collating all our replies for the wedding and getting people into rooms etc etc. All good fun!

We’ve found our most productive wedding planning days are ones spent with glasses of wine, pringles, dips and curries! I feel another one coming on this weekend!!

Em xx