Bridesmaids - Part 5 Steph (and Lola)

Steph and Lucy were friends at High school , and also both enjoyed the Splitz dancing classes and shows for many years together with Kate (and without them realising, Rachel).

Steph and Lucy really bonded when between the ages of 16 and 18, they both got part time jobs at the weekend cleaning the holiday lodges at Slaley Hall Hotel.

They had many funny times there...including Steph’s easy way of cleaning the banisters!

They always tried to be partnered together, or be in lodges next to each other so that they could spend their lunch breaks watching the reality show of that era “Ship wrecked”.  

Once they had both passed their driving tests and had cars, they took turns to drive up and back from Slaley, and Steph soon mastered the art of driving and applying make up at the same time!

We all have a lot to thank Steph for, because if it were not for Steph's persistent encouragement, there would no wedding - or MOTB blog. When Lucy and Mark had met "on line" through Match.com; and were emailing back and forward. Steph made sure that Lucy responded "yes" to Mark's request to meet up. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Steph is now a yummy mummy to the gorgeous Lola. Lola will be 14 months old in November, and the cutest Flower Girl ever at the big day!

Bridesmaids - Part 4 Sarah

Lucy and Sarah first met from their time at Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham, and in particular Health and Social Care courses. They kept in touch when they left school and then Lucy introduced Sarah to a job in restaurant management at The George Hotel, Chollerford - so they had a good time working alongside each other for a while. Lucy left The George to work at Family Chiropractic, so the girls  continued to meet up for long lunches, teas and a fair few good nights out. They both admit they could talk for England!

Anyway, here is Sarah’s memory.

“One of my favourite and funniest memories of Lucy is when we went to The Georges Staff Christmas party! As the party wasn’t exactly "swinging" we thought a few glasses of vino would help...The time ran away with us and we could not get a taxi home so ended up staying in the hotel. As we were heading up to our room Lucy and I thought it would be an excellent idea to "borrow" a box of wine, so Lucy hid it under her cardi. Waking up the next morning feeling slightly fragile seeing the box of wine we panicked and decided to hide it on a window sill in the corridor and tucked it behind a curtain! Was very funny at the time and talked about that party for weeks after!”

The Bride with three of her Bridesmaids (L to R Kate, Sarah, Lucy and Rachel )on her birthday night out March 2013

Bridesmaids - Part 3 Joanne

Joanne is Mark’s sister, and obviously met Lucy through Mark. I wasn’t sure if Jo would have a funny story/fond moment but she did, and it’s a lovely one!

“My favourite memory of Lucy is from our trip to Kielder in November 2011, it was so clear how much Lucy loved the place and acted as our tour guide.  Lucy helped me conquer my fear of birds at the birds of prey centre, for which I will always be grateful.”

Lucy and Jo at Kielder Birds of Prey Centre

Lucy’s love of Kielder is a funny thing really. As a child she had to spend many a day helping me (or being very bored in the car) while I worked on all sorts of events from Husky Dog Rallies, Swim marathons and folk festivals to numerous press launches, art works opening and cycle events!

MOTB and Lucy in 1996 at an event at Leaplish

I really love the place, and have very special memories of my 12 years working there. Lucy unbeknown to me must have absorbed that love, as at the time she really did give the impression she really didn’t like the place. When Lucy and Mark went on the trip Jo mentioned in November 2011, it wasn’t till they came back that she said she could not believe how much she loved Kielder. And how much she had enjoyed being the tour guide! Bless....

Bridesmaids – Part 2 Kate

Kate first met Lucy aged 6 when Lucy changed schools and went to Acomb First School. They shared many early childhood school events together, including the First school maypole dancing 

and performing in shows in the Village Hall. They became very good friends.

 I worked in Bellingham at that time, Kate lived on a farm in Barrasford , and Kate’s Mum “Auntie”  Clare was a teacher and had all holidays off, so the girls spent a good deal of time together in school holidays on the Farm. I often dropped Lucy off in the morning before Kate was up! So Lucy got used to making herself at home ...

At Hexham Middle School Kate and Lucy started Splitz together, and continued to do all sorts day trips and activities - all very happy days! Kate often accompanied us on family breaks and days out, both before and after Richard was born. And as Auntie Clare organised local bus trips to many events – we had many more happy times seeing shows, boy bands and even Ant and Dec in Panto just before they became really famous!

Lucy, Kate and ? at a Book Fair

The girls shared so much of their childhood and teenage years together that even when Kate when to Edinburgh University after leaving school they kept in touch. To me, they represent the old adage that true friends just pick up where they left off, they don’t have to be together all the time, but when they are, it is as natural as breathing! Anyone who has a friend like that will know how very special it is!

Kate is like a second daughter to me, and it will be a real delight and source of pride to have her as one of Lucy’s bridesmaids at the wedding. 

Kate says,

“I have been trying to think of one memory but there's too many... I remember the day I first met Lucy. You (MOTB) had dropped her off at Acomb school and she was crying, so I took her under my wing after that the FF began! (* FF=Famous Five which comprised Kate, Lucy, Katie, Megan and Astrid. The FF shared so many adventures and activities over the next few years)

" Too many memories from that time but the birthday parties were always a highlight, the Spice Girls era watching the Spice Movie over and over and over again!

Then there were all the day trips and holidays you kindly took us on. And the many walks you dragged, sorry took (hehe) us on especially around Kielder with a picnic. Then holidays like Oasis for the week, and I remember Richard being sick all over the table and me and Lucy just hid underneath the table until it was all cleared up. We also wrote our names above the wardrobe in the bedroom- I wonder if there still there ?! Also liked the day you took us on our Solar Eclipse adventure to Sunderland glass centre to make things!

 Most recently, my favourite Lucy memory was when me, Lucy and Jodie went to see 'Magic Mike' at the cinema. Only Lucy could turn around in the middle of a film about male strippers and say-' there's not much of a storyline is there?' Me and Jodie hadn't noticed :) "

Bridesmaids - Part 1 Rachel

I am slightly incapacitated at the moment. A classic MOTB accident while attending a “Perfect Balance” Pilates/yoga type class – I over “balanced” and thereby dislocated my right shoulder! The resultant pain was excruciating, and second only to pain I’d experienced in child birth. Thankfully Hexham’s A&E department supplied morphine and sedative and the dislocated shoulder was popped back in. It now means a minimum of 2 weeks of left handedness and no driving. A funny coincidence is that growing up I was the only right handed one in my immediate family, My Mum, Dad and brother all lefties!

Once I got over the initial pain in my shoulder and arm and the frustration, I now see this as an opportunity to relax, watch films I would never get to watch, read books I have been piling up and do some blog research ( and slow left hand typing....)

One of the films I have watched was the 2011 film “Bridesmaids” starring Kristin Wiig. It’s entertaining enough and set me off thinking. Always dangerous. Lucy has five adult bridesmaids. They are all lovely ladies who have different connections to her and her life.

The Bridal magazines and internet sources offer much and varying advice on how to choose your bridesmaids, the wisest that I came across which is very relevant, being “ Only ask those you'll be thrilled to hear a "yes" from”. And that was true for Lucy when she asked Rachel, Kate, Joanne, Sarah and Steph.

I thought it might be nice to ask the bridesmaids what their favourite memory of Lucy is/was; which with their permission I can share on this blog.

Let’s start with Chief Bridesmaid to Princess Lucy also known as Rachel. Lucy and Rachel met as receptionists at the George Hotel, Chollerford. They immediately hit it off, and discovered that they had both been attending Splitz dancing for years, never having met as they were in different groups.

Lucy and Rachel formed 2 of the 4 “blonde receptionists” at the George at that time, Sonia and Jill being the other two who will also be attending the wedding to help celebrate in style.

I think Rachel could do her own blog from her story telling abilities! Enjoy..

“Lucy and I went on our road trip to Manchester to pick up my wedding dress last May - you can imagine 2 blondes trying to get to Manchester. Once we eventually got there the lady was at the front door - she looked me up and down and said 'your boobs are bigger than mine' me being me thought she was just being complimentary ha ha! We went inside and she had prepared her spare bedroom for me to try the dress on, once in I stripped down and climbed into the dress, before I even had it on Lucy was welling up. Once in I needed Lucy to do up the zip at the back, if you can imagine that the dress was sooo expensive in the shop when I had first seen it that this second hand version was my only chance to have the dress of my dreams so regardless of whether it fit or not I had to get into it. Poised and ready Lucy stood behind me and forced the zip up to just above my rib bone, we were at my bust and that is when we both realised what the lady had meant by 'my boobs were bigger than hers!!' Lucy bravely fought on and was as set on getting me into the dress as I was, with one last sharp pull the zip was up and I was in the dress, we had done it! I could not breathe but that was not an issue for either of us!! We were both emotional wrecks but the trip had been all worthwhile, a few hundred pounds and hundred miles later I had the dress of my dreams and I could not have done it without Lucy!”

Rachel in THE wedding dress greeting Lucy and Mark

Make up trial and not an oompa loompa in sight!

As people who know me will know, this MOTB goes through one mascara in a year, and believes true beauty comes from within....so Lucy encouraged me to have my make up done professionally for the wedding. And to prepare for that, a “trial” was needed to gauge exactly how much concrete/filler etc would be required. We went together on Friday to Hands On www.handsonhexham.co.uk   in Hexham, and met up with the lovely Claire who looks after Lucy’s beauty requirements on a regular basis. 

 

The reason for going on that day was that Lucy was taking part in the annual Splitz dance show at Queens Hall. And so thought it was a good idea to have make up and hair done nicely for that event.  Lucy went on from the make up trial to have her hair trial with Sophie at Transcend. Some beautiful results...

 Lucy and Chief Bridesmaid to Princess Lucy, Rachel have taken part in the Splitz show for 15 years now. It’s a great event which involves children from about 5 years old up to adults all doing dance routines and fashion shows, to raise money for local charity. Judith who leads the Splitz crew has raised well over  £60,000 in the  29 years she has held the show.

Lucy and Rachel together with Judith, Suzanne, Ruth, Joan and Maureen have a great time each week at Splitz rehearsals – and an even better time when (joined by Eleri) they all have an evening out together  The Splitz girls will all be at the evening reception, so everyone be warned they will take over the dance floor and have a serious boogie! And not to spoil the surprise, but just wait till Elvis comes on!

Back to MOTB make over. We decided on a natural look and after a very enjoyable 45 minutes chatting and laughing, it was done. My friend and honest advisor, Jeanette told me to be careful I didn’t end up looking like an oopa loompa! I am pleased to report that I think we succeeded!

Verdict of the trial – make up not guilty!

A sign of eternity

The Wedding Etiquette booklet says of wedding rings ....

“The ring which may be plain or facetted may be of gold, white gold or platinum according to the Bride’s choice. Care should be taken to ensure that, when the ring is placed in position on the ring finger, third on left hand, as part of the ceremony, it will be a perfect fit.”

Now that may seem obvious to us – but I guess there will have been times when it didnt fit!

Mark and Lucy had done some armchair research earlier in the year on wedding rings. At this point as MOTB I have to share the fact that I do admire my soon to be son in law’s ability to multitask. Mark frequently demonstrates an unusual male ability to multitask. He can surf the internet on the Ipad WHILST watching any manor of football game on the television AND hold his beer bottle (often between his legs ) without spilling a drop...

I digress, the happy couple have researched various types and styles of wedding rings. After the armchair research, they visited a number of High Street jewellers where they found the rings to be perfectly fine, but they both were after something a bit different. 

Now as it happens, Rachel ( Chief Bridesmaid to Princess Lucy) who got married last year, has an Aunt and Uncle who make jewellery. And they made beautiful wedding rings for Rachel and Graham when they got married. They have a lovely workshop at Kirkharle Courtyard in Northumberland. So as you by now already know – there is no show without MOTB and her side kick Super Granny....so we four headed one Saturday afternoon to make initial contact.

http://www.kirkharlecourtyard.net/shops/shopfa.php

To be honest, we didn't intrude! My Mum and I after mooching around the delightful jewellery shop, went to the tea room while Lucy and Mark had their first chat with Audrey and Alan. Since then Mark and Lucy have had samples made and fitted, and now ordered their rings to be made. Very exciting!

I knew that the wedding ring as an unending circle, means a sign of eternity. But it seems it is much more than that.

The exchanging of the rings expresses the couple’s promise of faithfulness to each other. The wedding ring is the outward expression of the inward bond, as two hearts unite as one, promising to love each other with fidelity for all eternity. Wearing of the wedding bands throughout the couple’s lifetime will tell all others of their commitment to be faithful. 

Going back to the Etiquette book - at least by being handmade, Lucy and Mark’s rings will most definitely fit perfectly!

For the eagle eyed among readers, you will have also spotted in the extract from the Wedding Etiquette book above there is information about invitations and presents. 

I love the language used in the Wedding presents section, where it suggest that MOTB and Chief Bridesmaid to Princess Lucy may have some “acknowledging” to do as no doubt more than a handful of thank you letters would be too numerous for Lucy (and why do it yourself if the Wedding Etiquette booklet says you don’t have to?!)  ; as well us appropriately displaying wedding presents at Close House to ensure we “ obviate subsequent enquiries” ......or maybe we just let House of Fraser do that electronically ?!

Happy Days!