Suits you Sir .... and a Roman soldier!

The main men in the Bridal party have now all been for the initial fittings for their suits. They will look so very smart. Here is a funny coincidence for MOTB to report.

When Lucy and Mark sent me the link for Greenwoods suit hire ( and just to clarify - this photo below is not the suit they will be wearing as “we” are keeping this a secret till the day) imagine my delight at discovering that the male model showing off the men’s suits was the lovely Adam - who long, long ago did some work for me at Hadrian’s Wall.

Here's the story..

Adam became a bit of a local legend as we used him in our controversial marketing campaigns to break the mould of all former marketing of the ancient World Heritage Site. 

Hadrian's Wall had previously been marketed with classic postcard views of the ancient stone Wall, whereas Adam the Roman Soldier as we called him...was put in full roman costume into a number of different contemporary settings to illustrate the range and breadth of activities visitors could do in and around Hadrian’s Wall. There was always a link to Roman times, so we'd show heated bathing, eating al fresco or enjoying fine wines – our creative genius at that time Antonio set up these scenes at venues in the Hadrian’s Wall area and the resultant photography was very memorable!!!

In the evaluation of the campaigns, we proved to be very effective – as they did exactly as intended – made all visitors really notice the adverts and brochure. The publications became collectors’ items. And we even turned some of the photos into very creative corporate Christmas cards, which colleagues told me they kept stuck on their office walls throughout the year.

So to indulge myself in nostalgia, I have dug out a few photos to share.

Who chose this chariot!

This photo below is one of the mouse mat my friend Sarah organised when I left Hadrian’s Wall. I had special memories of attending this actual photo shoot as it was the first time I met Adam. I had parked in the middle of nowhere ( middle of very rural Hadrian’s Wall Country) , walked up and down the ancient monument, heading towards what I could see in the distance a gathering of people and masses of photography equipment under a temporary white gazebo. When I got there, slightly out of breath with a ruddy complexion and very windblown hair – Adam was spread out on the picnic blanket looking drop dead gorgeous. As I was the client, I was introduced to him and his first words to me were “All right pet”. Adam was a true Geordie, a really nice guy and consummate professional. And he never seemed to mind whatever strange situations he was asked to pose in his roman soldier outfit!

Almost everyone in the Hadrian’s Wall Tourism Partnership team office and our marketing partners Wall wide envied me having to attend these photo shoots! We used to joke that we had launched Adam’s career – he went on to model for Storey’s carpet, Officers Club, Rene Lizard, Haven, Circ shampoo to name but a few and now Greenwoods wedding suits – but in truth, I suspect Hadrian’s Wall was a sideways deviation in his otherwise very successful modelling career.

The Bride’s dress. Tick.

We may have been diminished in numbers for the posse but we were not diminished of enthusiasm as we headed again to look at wedding dresses on Friday. Using Neil’s car with sat nav, I didn’t need my goole maps with street view this time. However, after the experience of the last trip looking at dresses, both Granny and I had packed flasks, sandwiches etc “just in case”.

The first point of call was to AJBridal Wear in Newburn. We were met by A and J, in their temporary home an old Warmseal unit on a small industrial estate. Well at least we knew we would be warm...

First thing A and J said, after introductions, was – “Would you like a tea or a coffee?”. Lovely jubbly...

Second conversation was rather amusing. While starting to view the dresses, Lucy was telling A and J that her and Mark’s wedding would take place in Hexham Abbey. Both A and J were most impressed, not just the historic venue but it would be a “proper wedding!” as these days  the majority of weddings are civil services where everything is held in one venue . Then they added , “Don’t tell us you still live at home!!”; when Lucy replied that yes she did, A and J were both delighted. Lucy was the FIRST bride they had ever had (after a year in business) who lived at home and was having a church wedding...they then added quickly, “ You haven’t got a baby have you? “ NO....they were both stunned and further delight.

The tea and coffee arrived on a tray with some shortbread biscuits  - and we were off. The next two hours were a real joy! Alison and Julie were so friendly, helpful , amusing and very enthusiastic. And we had top ups of tea and coffee, AND there was a toilet...( see previous wedding dress shopping blog post for relevance of this!)

Lucy was expertly fitted into 5 or 6 dresses, getting a clearer idea of what she really liked and didn’t like with each one. Half way through, she found one which “just felt right”. Lucy swooshed around  very princess like, and we all agreed this was a real contender. Ohhh exciting...

Granny and I were constantly amused by the chatter from behind the silver silk screen. Julie “ I’m going underneath now...”; Lucy “ We’re in, we’re in....”’ Julie again, “Sorry Lus, I have to stick this in by your boobs...”

We heard about A and J's temporary relocation due to the terrible floods in Newburn when the North East of England was suffering the typhoon weather last year. We heard discreet tales of other brides, and about a seamstress called Tay-Yan in Milton Keynes who is something of a miracle worker. We heard about their passion for John Barrowman, pictures of him all over the office walls, and how they go and watch his shows all over the world.

Anyhow, there is an expression – “When you love what you do, you never have to work again” – and that was certainly true of A and J.

So we departed to head to our  next appointment, little did we know how different an experience we were going to have. We were all buzzing in the car at finding a “contender”, on route to the next bridal wear shop in Newcastle. We snatched a quick drink and sandwich in the car. I had to make a couple of telephone calls, so Lucy and Granny went in first. ( I am not going to name the shop as the experience was so poor!) I went into the shop about 5 minutes later, and as I joined the group – I heard one of the ladies saying to Lucy, “So, I don’t really know what to show you....” I gathered that Lucy had told her what she liked and they had in stock one of the styles Lucy had favoured. We were the shortest appointment they had ever had! We must have been there no more than 10 minutes. No tea, no trying on...no enthusiasm, NO nothing!

We went back into the car, all totally bemused, none of us really sure what had happened in there. SO we headed back towards town...Lucy soon declaring that she really loved the one dress back with A and J. Well at some point you have to make the decision. And with a lead time of ordering a wedding dress between 6 to 8 months, it was getting close to decision time. So Lucy rang them and asked if we could call back in on our way back west so that she could try the contender on again.

Lucy rang Mark en route to tell him the exciting news, his reply.. “Well that’s another thing ticked off the list”. We know what he means...

Back in Newburn Industrial Estate we were greeted like old friends, more tea and coffee was produced ( I swear they had the kettle boiled ready since Lucy’s call) Lucy was helped into THE dress; Tay-Yan already contacted for a couple of queries regarding sewing miracles. So Lucy made the decision, yes this was the dress . She looked stunning..

We did the paperwork with John Barrowman smiling down on us.

As this decision sinks in, this was another of those memorable moments when another part of the jigsaw fell into place. You can start visualising the walk down the aisle, the receptions, the evening dancing with Lucy in this dress with Mark beside her. Tick!

The pleasure of your company! No strangers here...

In one of the early conversations about the wedding “we” discussed having a unique logo or design for stationery. Both the Bride and Groom were keen on the idea and gave me permission to approach my colleague and friend, Mike to help with design and print.  Once we had initial design proofs, we all knew that we were on the way to creating a very special set of stationery.

Mark did a really thorough job in compiling an additional information sheet. It covers everything you need to know about the day.  It has a spot of history and scene setting with details of the venues, directions, accommodation, dietary requirements and more.

Mike kindly arranged all the design and then sourced and dealt with the printers to ensure that everything was absolutely spot on! The Bride took delivery of the invitations and information sheets last week, and then as MOTB (Mother of the Bride – not to be dyslexic-ly confused with MOTD Match of the Day) I was asked if I’d like to write all the envelopes and invitations from Mark and Lucy’s spreadsheet lists. I’d love to – being a completer/finisher I just wanted to get them all written and posted out!

The process of writing the invitations was thought provoking. As I addressed each one, in my best joined up handwriting; an expression my Dad favours for social gatherings came to mind. “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met”. The list of our family and Lucy’s close friends along with Mark’s family and friends made me think of the rich tapestry of life being woven for a date in the future; the day of the wedding when all these people will join together with us in Hexham Abbey or at Close House. I loved writing the names of many people we haven’t met yet, and anticipate greatly meeting them, putting names to faces and most of all sharing in the special day.

The canny chap who served me in the Newcastle’s main Post Office in Newcastle , who I always try to have  a chat with, told me a funny story when  I presented him the large ish pile of silver envelopes out of my “Keep calm I’m the Mother of the Bride” bag. I couldn’t help myself, and told him they were my daughter and her fiancé’ s wedding invitations. Other than Auntie Muriel in Canada, Babs and Mister David in Bahrain and Marks Cousin in Luxembourg, the invitations all had stamps on already.  I asked if he could check that I had the correct UK postage on – as how awful would it be to post them all out without checking. He told me that nightmare had indeed happened when a family sent out over 200 invitations, without checking the size or weight of the envelope. The wedding invitations design included buttons which meant that they didn’t fit through the standard sized Post Office measure gadget. So each person invited had to go to collect their invitations and pay the 70 or 80p to retrieve it! A few guests must have informed the family, and so they in turn then contacted all 200 to apologise and told them they would refund them at the wedding! Oops...

Most of the day time invitations have all been posted now so I can reveal the design. The same design will be applied to all printed materials for the big day – and afterwards. So we still have the name place cards, order of service, table plans and thank you cards to produce. Exciting times...

World of envelopes..

Who’d have thought- a whole website full of envelopes?

“We” were looking for some special ones to post out the wedding invitations. Mike my colleague and friend advised me of World of Envelopes website. http://www.worldofenvelopes.com

How amazing, hundreds and thousands of colours, styles, sizes, padded, jiffy, anti static, gold lined, grip seal, gusset......( really!)

And as Mike replied when I said it was a whole new world, “That’s where they all live!”

“We” ordered one day and they came the very next day. Now the Bride and Groom just have to address them all!! Ha...