Joanne and Paul's VR - 4th May 2011

[pixie921]

Oh, Joanne, that was beautiful. I am so happy for you that you were able to have such a gorgeous, meaningful ceremony. You are so deserving of it, and I'm just thrilled that it came off so well!

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

your exit photos are simply gorgeous!! you must be so happy with them!! i just love how happy everyone looks!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Beautiful!!! I love the staged exit photos.

Oh, Joanne, that was beautiful. I am so happy for you that you were able to have such a gorgeous, meaningful ceremony. You are so deserving of it, and I'm just thrilled that it came off so well!

your exit photos are simply gorgeous!! you must be so happy with them!! i just love how happy everyone looks!!

Jilian sweetie - Thank you. The confetti shots worked really well!!

Amy sweetie - Thank you for your lovely comments. I am so excited that your VR is back on track!!

Sweet Deena - Thanks so much!!

 

[Happy 2 B Me]

I stumbled upon your VR report while getting ready to log to a different site. I ended up spending a great part of my afternoon reading and seeing pictures about your special day. Thank you for sharing. I totally loved the "Cinderella Move Over" jacket. You have a handsome family. Your daughter is so so pretty in her "wedding" dress. Meeting the "Love of your life" when you needed that special person is so fitting. You sound like a Perfect pair. Wishing you many years together --maybe we will see a 25 year VR in a few years.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hello, Happy 2 B Me (what a sweet screen name you have) - I am absolutely honoured that you are following along!!! I hope you will stick around for the rest of my ramblings - including the Trash the Dress report which was one of my favourite parts of the trip!!!
Thank you for your wonderful comments about my family - I am very lucky to have them and my gorgeous husband. I am very blessed!!

 

[J.ThaddeusToad]

Question for you, my dear Joanne: Did Christine play music throughout your ceremony or just pre-ceremony, processional and recessional? Trying to figure out if I should have any music elsewhere during the ceremony and so I turn to you again

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Catherine sweetie - Here is what we had from the lovely and talented Christine

Pre ceremony - A selection of classical favourites (which included 'Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring' which I love and had asked her to play.
Paul and Rev Tim's entrance - 'Stairway to Heaven'
Emily and Alfie's entrance - Theme from 'Swan Lake'
My and Henry's entrance - 'Canon in D'
Recessional - 'Hornpipe' from Handel's 'Water Music'
During the cake and champagne ceremony - A selection of Disney songs

I didn't have any music during the ceremony itself, but if we had had a utility candle or sand ceremony, we would have had something played during this.
I am not really sure if it would work to have music during the actual ceremony, as it may be difficult for your guests to hear (especially with an outdoor ceremony).
Christine is wonderful and very accommodating, and will, I am sure, play what you want, when you want!!!
She played 'Happy Birthday, during our cake/champagne reception, for my friend's daughter, at my request. She really is the sweetest and most talented of ladies!!!
If I can be of any more help with anything at all, don't hesitate to ask!!

 

[J.ThaddeusToad]

Many thanks! I agree that it would be hard for guests to hear if there was music playing. My DF is completely against having a sand ceremony especially since it would be difficult to travel with (and we have witnessed an outdoor ceremony where the candle would not stay lit!). So I'll continue to plan for pre-ceremony, processional, and recessional! Also as a special treat, my very talented brother will perform Over the Rainbow at some point during the ceremony! I'm not quite sure where it would best fit in the ceremony as of now - maybe after our vows?

 

[brer rabbit 28]

Joanne, there are so many of your wonderful ideas that I need to steal! I love the ring box and plan to get one. I was wondering what to do with our rings as we don't have a best man to entrust them to, you have given me the perfect solution.

Could you tell me where you got your "Move over Cinderella" from please? was it an Etsy transfer? I fancy doing something similar for our breakfast together on the wedding day, I think it would make for some fun pictures at the character breakfast.

 

[chickyann]

I stumbled upon your VR today & I just wanted to add my congratulations, looks like you had a wonderful trip

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Joanne, there are so many of your wonderful ideas that I need to steal! I love the ring box and plan to get one. I was wondering what to do with our rings as we don't have a best man to entrust them to, you have given me the perfect solution.

Could you tell me where you got your "Move over Cinderella" from please? was it an Etsy transfer? I fancy doing something similar for our breakfast together on the wedding day, I think it would make for some fun pictures at the character breakfast.

I stumbled upon your VR today & I just wanted to add my congratulations, looks like you had a wonderful trip

Claire sweetie - Steal away!!! I assume that you have the link fot the ring box seller from the previous posts (do you have a logo for it - any logo submitted to them has to be in black and white)
The transfer sellers link is

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PeaceLoveRhinestones?ref=seller_info

You may have to request it as 'custom' as it is not in her regular shop!!

I wish I had seen this one before my VR as it fits with my logo. It must be new!! Rats!!! I may have to buy it anyway!!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75452554/happily-ever-after-with-mickey-and

chickyann - Thank you for taking the time to read. Hope you will be kind enough to read the rest when I get around to posting it. I was particularly pleased with the TTD photos, so I am looking forward to posting these!!!

 

[princess_ariel_85]

I know I already posted after you posted this pic but I had to look at it again. I love this photo, the look on your face is so natural and beautiful. Of all your photos I can't help but look at this one, I think it sums up your day. So happy

I have never read the Velveteen Rabbit, I'm another one who's only heard of it from Friends. The bit you chose for the reading was lovely and touching, it brought a tear to my eye.

Your ring box is amazing, it really is & your hearts cut out from Alice and Peter Pan are brilliant, love the idea.

The photos of your ceremony are so beautiful, you really look amazing and you photograph so well. I look forward to more updates! xx

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Sweet Ruth - Yay, I just found out your name!! What a lovely post. You really made my day with your wonderful comments!!! Thank you so much!!! I love this photo too, I can't remember what had made me laugh, but it must have been something Rev Tim said, as it was taken during the homily. I did a lot of smiling and laughing that day. I don't remember ever being happier!! I was re-affirming my commitment to the love of my life, I was surrounded by my dearest family and friends and to top it all off, it was all happening in my most happy of places. Perfection, and all a girl could possibly desire in life!!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

So after we had done with the staged exit and the confetti, it was time to pour the bubbly!!

Once everybody had a drink, Emily said a few words and proposed a toast to Paul and I

Paul responded, and started off by thanking the vendors for the wonderful jobs they had done, and our family and friends for travelling so far to be with us and for their ongoing love and support over the years.

In the next part of his speech, he complimented all the ladies on how beautiful they looked!!! He then said 'It's such a shame, Tracey, that the hairdresser had to leave before she got around to doing your hair'.

Everybody thought this was hilarious. My friend Tracey and Paul get along very well, and enjoying teasing one another. This was the reaction Paul got from this comment

My beautiful friend took it all in good fun, and here is a picture to prove that her hair looked wonderful really!!

The next thing to do was cut the cake!! I loved my cake and Heather had done exactly as I had asked her. Looking at the photos now, I do wonder if it may have been better to have asked for the little dots on the quilting effect on the bottom tier, to be turquoise. Never mind, it was still lovely

Randy, of course took a few shots of us with the cake before it was cut

The cake cutting set had very much been an afterthought, as I had determined not to buy one because I knew it was something I would probably never use again. Emily, however, had come across this set (which was very cheap in Wal-Mart) the day before and bought it for us. Luckily, I had some turquoise ribbon in the emergency DIY kit I had brought with us, and dressed it up a little with that. It did the job nicely, and I am glad that I didn't spend a fortune on an expensive cake cutting set!!

So, without further ado, we cut the cake

Like a lot of brides, I think, I had a nasty moment when I thought that the whole thing was going to collapse with the first cut!!

But all was well, and the cake went off to be cut and served. We all sat (and stood) around eating cake and chatting happily. The cake was as delicious as it was beautiful!!

I love this photo of Paul and his Mum. Paul looks so relaxed now that the ceremony is over and his Mum is actually smiling (a rare occurence I am sorry to say, on this trip). As for DMIL's partner, well, I don't think we managed to get one photo of him where he isn't fiddling with his camera!!!

Alfie had finally given in to the heat and removed his jacket. Here he is with Tracey's youngest, Nicholas (who had, apparently, point blank refused to dress up for the occasion!!!)

For the first time in his life, Alfie was wearing cufflinks and he was very proud of them!!! My Mum had bought all the boys cufflinks for Christmas the previous year (in anticipation of the VR), and had fit them to each boy's interests. Alfie had Batman, Paul had golf clubs and balls and Henry had the comedy and tragedy drama masks.

We had a lovely 30 minutes or so, talking, eating cake and drinking bubbly, and all the time the amazing Christine was playing Disney songs on the harp

I asked her to play 'Happy Birthday' to Bethany (my friend Karen's daughter) as it was to be her 13th birthday the next day!! Bethany was very pleased, if a little embarassed!! Here is the gorgeous birthday girl!!

Soon it was time to get back into the limo and head to the GF. First Randy grabbed us for a last couple photos at our beautiful ceremony site

We reluctantly left the Swan. It had all been so fantastic, and the staff so wonderful and obliging, that we really didn't want to leave, but we had to.

The last photo is so natural!! Emily looks terrified, as she is really nervous of those revolving door things and Henry, on my instruction, has grabbed an unopened bottle of bubbly to take with us!! Paul and I enjoyed this together on the final night of our trip!!

I love this next photo!! We were both laughing at something Randy had said. It really sums up the happiness of the whole occasion

So, into the limo and off to the GF!!!

Next up - At the Grand

 

[pixie921]

Joanne, I just can't help but smile the whole time I am reading your TR installments. Your happiness just comes through in the pictures and in your writing, and I love it!

 

[Sccrmnky2005]

You looked so happy in all your pictures!! I'm really happy to hear how weel the ceremony and everything was for you.

You cake is sooo pretty. May I ask what is the crystals by the swans is that a micket head?? If so where did you get it. I'd love to get some smaller ones for hidden mickey's on my cake.

Can't wait to hear more about your VR.

 

[J.ThaddeusToad]

Yet again, such a lovely post and wonderful pictures!

 

[J.ThaddeusToad]

Oh and your cake looked wonderful! Heather is doing a groom's cake as a surprise for my DF - I'm so excited!

 

[quandrea]

Joanne, what a lovely cake reception. You had beautiful weather and the courtyard looked lovely. Looking forward to hearing about cocktails and dinner.

 

[bubsmoljo]

Hi Joanne-

I found your VR thread through your Disign thread with all your beautiful disigns. I don't usually read trip reports but I decided to go ahead and read yours. So then for the next 3 hours I read each page and post! Your photos are beautiful and brought tears to my eyes several times. You were peach of a bride! All your beautiful pictures and words reminded me how much I love my husband and my kids. Congrats to you and your beautiful family-and many many more years of happiness!