Diary Of A Real Bride – The Week Before The Wedding

It’s a bittersweet post for us today, as our regular real bride diary contributor, Barbaranne Heaton, talks about what she has learnt throughout the wedding planning process, in what will be her final diary entry. During the past year we have read all about B’s surprise engagement in Thailand, empathised as she struggled with ‘wedmin’, heard her thoughts about bridesmaids dresses and recently found out all about her hen do in Sri Lanka.

In less than a week, B gets married here in Dubai, and we wish her all the very best, not only for her big day, but for her and Thom’s life together as a married couple. Over to you, B!

ONE WEEK TO GO…

I wasn’t prepared for how I’m feeling right now. I go from being calm and cool to nearly passing out from sheer panic in the cushion section of Ikea! I really did not think I would be ‘that Bride’, but maybe what I’m feeling is normal. It is, isn’t it?!

Thom and I are not planners. I can just about muster up booking a brunch, and here I am putting the finishing touches to one of the biggest events of our life together. The last year has literally whizzed by. I’m not kidding. A year has felt like six months and I think part of my problem is that I’m in total denial that the wedding is next week!

So, what have I learnt from the last year of wedding planning? Have I learnt how to seat 77 people successfully without causing World War Three? Yes. Have I learnt how to micro-manage 18 children at a wedding and keep them entertained? Yes. Have I learnt how to make a list? Yes. Stick to the list? No.

But more importantly I’ve learnt this…

Above: Team Bride Club ME wish B & her fiance a wonderful wedding!

Follow your heart

The beginning of our engagement wasn’t easy. We faced a few hurdles and disappointments, but in the end we stuck with what we believed to be the right decision and we’re so glad we did. Fifty of our closest friends and family arrive in Dubai over the next 6 days, how amazing is that?!

Think past the wedding day

It’s so easy to get carried away when planning your wedding. Pinterest and all the wedding blogs out there have opened up peoples’ eyes and ideas towards making your wedding that little bit different. But the cost can very quickly spiral out of control. You have to think past the fancy tipis and streams of string lights (I’m nearly over it) and also think about the life you’re going to have together afterwards, finding a happy balance. You can still have a beautiful wedding without it costing the earth. A huge arch of white peonies may look stunning, but are they going to make your wedding day? No. You will. Your friends and family will. Your memories will.

Plan!

A total no brainer, but how does that famous saying go? ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.’ Never. A. Truer. Word. Said.

Get a wall!

Our wedding planning really took shape when we painted a huge wall in our house with chalkboard paint. ‘The wedding wall’, as it’s now so famously known, has been an absolute godsend and the achievement you feel when ticking stuff off really gives you a boost.

Delegate

If people want to help, LET THEM!

Don’t sweat the small stuff

‘That napkin isn’t folded exactly like the picture I showed you on Pinterest!’ So what? No one is going to know either way, or care for that matter. Let it go.

Take a deep breath & enjoy it

I’ve been doing a lot of that recently. It helped in childbirth, and it certainly helps with wedding planning. Everyone keeps saying to me the day and time will flash by us, and I believe them. I’m going to try and breathe in every minute and moment that I can. Because I’m certainly not doing this again! ;)

Be thankful and remember why you’re doing all of this

When the stress gets too much, or something isn’t working out how it should, such as your hairdresser canceling on you, or the string lights you bought to light up the venue blow up when you plug them in (yes that really happened), take five minutes out and remember why you’re going through all of this. It’s because you’ve met someone who loves you so much they want to stand up in front of all their friends and family in their Sunday best and declare that they’re yours and you’re theirs. Pretty awesome huh?!

Lastly, all of this has just reaffirmed to me how amazing our family and friends are. People are jumping on planes, trains and automobiles just to get here to share our day with us, and our ‘Dubai family’ has been rocks throughout it all (you know who you are!). How lucky we are to have them, and I can think of no better way to celebrate the family we have become.

Right, I’m signing off for the last time before I become Mrs Sandham! (WEIRD!)

Wish me luck!

x B x

Thank s B! It has been a pleasure. Brides, watch out for our new ‘Diary Of A Real Bride’ contributor coming soon in 2016!