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!

Give a man a job – Table seating plan SORTED!

One of the reasons Lucy and Mark wanted to send out the invitations so well in advance of the day was to have an early RSVP to give plenty of time for the table planning malarkey!  Many couples they know have said that this has been one of the most stressful parts to the wedding planning. So with some trepidation last weekend, the subject of table seating planning came up.

Being MOTB , and relishing in this type of task,  I organised two sheets of A3 paper ( one spare in case of emergencies) and then typed out all guests names , printed off and cut them up – so we had approximately 90 pieces of paper with everyone’s names on. We had a slight panic when Andrew E disappeared off the kitchen table. Andrew was nowhere to be seen. I reassured the Bride and Groom that he couldn’t have gone far, as I knew I had cut him up earlier.

Anyhow Mark took charge and armed with pencils, ruler, blu-tak and a tin of spaghetti hoops ( well they are round table at Close House!) he made a start. He pretty much insisted at sitting on the top table, so Lucy agreed! They were joking...I think.

After half an hour, Lucy and I had to go out to our regular Sunday aquafit class – so we left Mark with the pile of names, still no Andrew E and instructions not to blu- tak anyone until “we”  I mean Lucy (!!) was back to check it over. So as we splashed and bobbed in the pool – Mark took on the challenge.

We returned an hour later, and he’d finished! We were most relieved to discover that Andrew E had been found - he had got stuck under his girlfriend, one of the bridesmaids the lovely Sarah – so all was well.

“We” had to admit that Mark had got it pretty much perfect. A very neat table plan lay before us. Mark hadn’t even needed the spare sheet of paper!

Once again, I found that looking at all the names of people coming to the day time does makes me smile in anticipation. 

Tiara for Princess Lucy

Lucy’s Chief Bridesmaid, the lovely Rachel now signs all her texts and messages as “Rachel, Chief Bridesmaid to Princess Lucy”. 

And my Lucy Sarah is a Princess...her wedding dress (obviously the design is a closely guarded secret) is a real princess dress. So to accessorise for that is easy, you have to go Royal!

Lucy asked my Mum and I to accompany her to view some tiaras in Debenhams. Got to love the 30% off days....

Lucy is a natural with sparkly headwear of course, and tried on quite a few – all of which were truly beautiful. And she was equally delighted when she just knew that the one she tried on first – absolutely was the one. So “we” bought it!

How lucky am I to have Princess Lucy as my daughter, and my best friend.

“Very lucky indeed” she tells me.

Cheerfulness!

Lucy and Mark were given a booklet from Granny called “Wedding Etiquette” published long before Granny and Grandpa’s wedding 52 years ago. It is full of handy hints from the late 1950’s relating to the BIG DAY. Much blog fodder I think.

While I wade through what to do and not do – here is an extract which had me smiling..

Entitled, “Cheerfulness” it reads...

Cheerfulness is of vital importance in domestic life as it helps you meet with good temper the little irritations and worries which are inevitable in running a household. The man does not always realise the anxieties and responsibilities with which his wife has to contend, and to look attractive and interesting after a harrassing day of domestic chores requires more than tactfulness, but men also have the responsibility, and the worry that goes with it, of being the provider, and a true woman proves herself the loved companion and wife when she combines sympathy, forebearance and tact without which her husband can never hope to succeed in his career.

That clearly explains a lot !!

Lucy has a theory that if you just wear the clothes the creases will drop out themselves, so no need to ever iron anything! Recently, Mark was ironing his shirts for work at our house. Lucy said she’d support Mark in his task by watching him, she soon announced that she was bored and disappeared leaving Mark to finish his shirt. Later over lunch I apologised to Mark that Lucy wasn’t very domesticated! Before he had chance to reply, Lucy piped up “ Well I may not be able to iron or cook, but I do know all the words to every Abba , Girls Aloud and Beyonce song” . Generally though, I'd say that Lucy is a cheerful soul, and so Mark's career is sorted!!

My Birthday Princess - cake anyone?

My beautiful baby girl turned 24 today. How on earth did that happen? In a blink of the eye, Lucy went from a screaming, colicky baby to the blushing bride to be.

Over the last 24 years my super Mum, Lucy’s Granny has made all 23 birthday cakes. Lucy’s first birthday cake was a teddy, the second a butterfly and then since then we have had all sorts of wonderful creations including a Robin Hood Story Book, marble cake with marble icing and a pink cake, pink icing and a pink beetle car ( Herbie) on top.

Lucy's 18th birthday cake 

Lucy's 2nd birthday cake

This got me thinking about the background to the history of birthday cakes. I discovered that the birthday cake has been part of birthday celebrations in Western European countries since the middle of the 19th century. 

In classical Roman culture “cakes” were made as flat rounds, made with flour containing nuts, leavened with yeast, sweetened with honey were occasionally served at special birthdays, but more often at weddings in Ancient Greece.

Coincidentally, today also happens to be my Mum and Dad’s 52^nd wedding anniversary! So the cake my Mum made for Lucy’s 24^th birthday today also included a silver wedding shoe from their wedding cake.  See image below - the rich tapestry of life eh? 

During the 17th century, the birthday cake appeared in its contemporary form. However, these elaborate cakes, which possessed many aspects of contemporary cakes (such as multiple layers, icing and decorations) were only available to the very wealthy!

The tradition of adding candles onto a birthday cake is attributed to early Greeks who used to place lit candles on cakes to make them glow like the moon. It was also believed that candles were placed on the cake because people believed that the smoke of the candle carried their prayers to gods. Others believe that the custom originated in Germany where people used to place a large candle in the centre of the cake to symbolize ‘the light of life’.

Lucy’s name - Lucy Sarah means light princess – and she really is the light of my life.

So that links me nicely from birthday cake to wedding cakes.

Mark and Lucy’s wedding cake will be made with love by my Mum and Richard. The plan is to have several tiers of sponge and a fruit cake too,  Granny’s quick reccie for a shopping list of approximately 20 eggs, about 3lbs flour,  2 ½ lbs sugar and 2 ½ lbs butter for the sponges alone! The plan involves borrowing Anne’s large cake tin, and the icing still to be confirmed. Then there’s also quantities of currents, sultanas, raisins, cherries, mixed spice, almonds, treacle, flour, butter, brown sugar, eggs and a snifter of brandy for the traditional fruit cake layer! 

Maybe we will pop a little candle on the wedding cake somewhere, like the early Greeks, to carry a prayer for a long and happy marriage for the Bride and Groom.

MOTB outfit – Top down or bottom up?

My lovely friend Barbara told me a good story recently on her flying visit to the North East from Muscat, which gave me food for thought. It was about one of her friends whose daughter got married last year. When the MOTB first went looking for an outfit – she found her perfect hat in Norma James boutique in Corbridge. It was exactly what she wanted, so she bought it. And as unlikely as it seems, she then worked her whole outfit very successfully to match the hat.

In my case, given my funny feet ( !!)  I know I will have to wear very comfortable shoes or else I will be in agony. So as the Spring season catalogue for Hotter Shoes “with comfort built in” recently plopped on the door mat, I think I may have found the shoes which would be the start of my outfit!

"Rumba" as seen above may just enable me to glide through the day, then boogie on down all night!

So the question is – if it works top down i.e. hat first – will it also work bottom up - shoes first?