Our relationship
We met through a random app online on the social networking site BEBO. the app was for sending smiles
to people by looking at pictures. I wasnt really looking for a relationship I was just kind of bored! I almost didnt "smile" at richard as i was about to close the app but i figured he whats one more smile?
when he "smiled" back and we began talking I was happy to have found someone who only lived 20mins away from me! I was almost 18 and had just passed my driving test and got my first car so after realising we had friends in common (my 2 best friends were in the year above me at school so they were old enough to go into town and drink in nightclubs and bars etc the boyfriend of one of my friends was also friends with richard so they knew him through drinking in a group setting in our now favourite metal music bar in edinburgh) with my best friends approval and after speaking on msn constantly for about 3 weeks we arranged to meet up. Since I was only 17 an richard was 21 i told my parents i was going to the cinema with my 2 best friends and not some random boy i'd met online who happened to be 4years older than me!
Our first date was amazing and i went home feeling the happiest i'd ever felt before.
(04/06/08 i could this as our anniversary date as its the first day we met in person)
Our second date was only a week later and to pizza hut and then to his parents house to play guitar hero
(To my parents this was and is still known as our first date).
I turned 18 a month later and we spent a lot of time partying with my friends and his friends. Our friends are all sorta merged into one big group now!
In the 4 and a half years we'v been together we'd been to so many places and events!
Magaluf with my family(mum dad and sister) - October 08
Download Festival June 09,10,11,12
Salou just us - September 09
Blackpool with his mum and dad- August 10
Blackpool and Alton Towers with my family- September 10
Florida with my family - July 11 (my 6th time in florida, Richard's first!)
We finally moved in together! - January 2012 we found a lovely little flat to rent that was half way between both our works and also half way between both sets of families!
The proposal
Since Richard is a chef he is given the choice to work christmas or new year as his restaurant is open all year round and never closes for even a day! He normally chooses to work xmas day and have new year off so we'v worked out a pretty good routine where I spend christmas morning and lunch with my family then pick him up from work at 5pm and spend christmas evening with his family (and stay overnight so i can have some drinks without worrying about driving home)
Christmas day 2010-proposal!
This year richard had christmas day off for the first time in years. We decided we would do the same as we'd done the previous two years with me splitting my time between my family and his. I did have quite a few hints a proposal was coming but it wasnt until a friend at work pointed out how all the hints could lead to a proposal that i started to suspect he might. But i secretly thought he'd hold off until the summer (2011) and do something hugely romantic like propose infront of cinderella's castle or something. I supose he never thought of this and when asked why he picked xmas day he said it was so he could remember the date!
so the hints were;
normally he asks me what i'd like as a present, he'd not asked me for any ideas of presents so far.
we were saving up to move out together and for spending money for the upcoming florida trip, but everytime i mentioned tht we shouldnt spend a lot of money on each other this year he'd avoid the question or get angry with me for bugging him about it so much.
the third hint was when i was sitting speaking to his mum one night and richard was upstairs watching football with his dad. Him and his dad are obsessed with football(soccer to you americans!) and i get on really well with his mum so this situation was quite a regular occurance for us. His mum was telling me/showing me how she had his sisters wedding ring as she was taking it to the jewellers for her to get it resized as it was now too big for her and she was afraid of losing it. Completely by my own choice i took the ring and tried it on. i dont remember what finger i put it on but i'v now come to the conclusion this is how he found out what size to get as i never had any rings before my engagement ring and i'd never had my finger sized.
So on the 25th of December 2010 when i arrived at his house with my family and presents in tow I'd completely forgotten about a possible proposal. I quickly said hi to everyone in the livingroom then left my family to say their hellos while i went upstairs to dump my overnight bag in his bedroom. Richard followed me up and came in and gave me a big hug
He was holding onto me for longer than normal, gripping tighter than normal and i could kind of feel him shaking. I asked what was wrong and said we should go back downstairs which was when he got down on one knee still holding onto me. He was so nervous he spoke so quietly that he was almost whispering! Turns out he was petrified i'd say no! AS IF! So of course i said yes! We went downstairs and shared the news and the rest of the evening is a blur of happiness!
The engagement party
Since our funds were low we knew it would be a good few years before we'd be able to have our dream wedding in florida we decided to have an engagement party to celebrate our happy news with all our friends and family. We hired a hall, got a cake and dj and mine and his mums organised the buffet. We had around 80guests turn up and it was a great night full of smiles, dancing and quite a lot of drinking! oppps
we have some great memories though and dont regret a thing about it.
our nephew and my cousin's son
our cake
one of the only decent pics of us lol
me and my best friends
Disney and us!
So on a previous trip to WDW with my family when i was only 14, I'd seen the Wedding Pavillion from the monorail and instantly feel head over heels in love with the place! since then i'v had my heart set on getting married there. I'd been very open with richard from when we first met that this was i wanted to get married and he'd always been happy with it. We didnt look into it too much until after the engagement tho!
us at the wedding pavillion
examining how small the castle would look in photos!
The decision to get married in florida has caused a few problems so far. Firstly it means we have had to restrict it to close family only. I'd love my 2 best friends and their partners to come but their all not long finished university, have quite a bit of debt and dont all have full time well paid jobs yet. Its too much to ask them to save up for a trip to florida, which is very expensive from the uk even for a week. There is the same issue with richards best friend who he'd like as his best man but is yet to confirm if he can afford it (we both sadly doubt that he can
)
We have distant family (cousins etc and family friends) who are abit annoyed we'v choosen to get married in florida as they wont be able to come (also mainly for money reasons) For me i'm quite happy we'r just inviting immediate family as we'r both quite shy and dont like being the centre of attention, it stops any jealously or problems between the families eg my cousin came to the wedding and his didnt, his aunt and uncle attended but mine couldnt etc etc and secondly Richard's mum is a very welcoming person and believes family celebrations should involve EVERYONE. if she was able to make up the guest list we'd end up with about 100-150 guests including some of her family in america who neither me or richard have ever met!
The last issue so far has been granparents. My gran, his nana and papa and his nana b have never been on a plane since before we were both born. So a 9hour flight would not b the easiest thing for them to handle. Then the heat in florida in june would be very hard for them to handle. Getting around would also be a problem for them all. My gran has good health but his papa and nana b dont and healthwise a doctor would not recommend either of them to fly/holiday in florida at summer temperatures and humidity. Travel insurance would be very hard to come by for them all.
My gran has always said since i was 14 that she'l get a big hat and get on a plane and come to florida for my wedding but she's recently admitted that as much as she wants to be there, its best she stays at home.
His nana and papa have been stubborn from the start, telling me i need to give up my "dream wedding" there is no way they are missing their only grandsons wedding!
since then they'v warmed a little to the idea and the current situation from them is that they are saving up the money and will make the final decision nearer the time but after speaking to Richard's mum a few month ago(nana and papa are her mum and dad) she agrees that its not a good idea for them to come and that papa's health would only get worse if they were to come.
Hi everyone, well i'm still pretty new to the DISboards and the whole forum thing but decided its time to start my planning journal and get myself, my thoughts and ideas and plans organised and all in one place! 
from one Swan bride to another!
do u have a planning journal yet? would love to follow along an share plans with u 
, so happy 2 b a swan bride an b part of our wee club 
if it was me as a bridesmaid personally i'd rather wear lilac than green but my sisters a law all to herself fashion wise and she makes anything look good *** she has the confidence that she jus doesnt care what anyone else thinks. i'm not fussed what colour she picks as long as she's happy wearing it 
ur not a bad bride sometimes theres just not a lot happening to update on lol if i'd started mine when we first got engaged this would'v had LONG breaks between updates.
through to glasgow tomorrow with my mum, richard's mum, and his sister and meeting my sister through there for a big wedding fair!!! super excited for it and if it gives me any good ideas 
then i'l post an update when i get back 
