Always a bridesmaid.......finally a bride

It all started when I was four, I presented a horseshoe to my Auntie Judy at her wedding, then I attended my Mum and step Dads wedding, (in a matching dress with my sister Gail). I must have done well cause around 1992 the bridesmaid invites started.
The first 3 weddings all ended in divorce but the last one has become a beautiful marriage. I have only just got rid of the first three bridesmaid dresses, I certainly won't be fitting back into them even if I wanted too!

In cerise pink at Leanne's wedding

The first wedding could have been held in America, no expense was spared! It was a beautiful wedding with 3 bridesmaids, rehearsals happened weekly for 6 weeks prior, with the day going off without a hitch. My fondest memory of this day was watching the bride and groom dancing to a Groovy Kind of Love at the end of the evening and the bride not wanting the evening to end cause she would have to take her dress off. It also took me about 1/2 hour to find all the hair clips in my hair when I got home.

In forest green and black at my sister Gail's wedding.

Gail's wedding was held in Palmerston North beside a fountain which made me want to pee the whole way during the ceremony. It was the first time I had seen my step Dad in a suit to escort Gail down the aisle. My fondest memory of this was during the photos there is a photo of Gail and I perched on a tree and I had just told her there was a weta behind her and then she had to pose for the photographer! (there wasn't a weta snigger). Gail also hadn't sorted the music for the aisle walk so we ended up with Chariots of Fire which made me want to slow motion run down the aisle. LOL.

Pretty in pink at my friend Ann's wedding

This was my first attempt at being Ann's bridesmaid. Ann being the efficient sort or sucker for punishment decided to have a do it yourself wedding including supper which had taken her weeks to prepare and left her exhausted on the day. The ladies at the wedding had to make her sit down and try to enjoy her day LOL. Fondest memories were the day after really when we could all collapse and rest! And spend lots of time with wee Joshua!

Black and red for Ann's wedding

This was by far my favourite attempt at bridesmaid. It was relaxed, fun and the couple were made for each other. The dress, unlike all the others, I have worn several times since to weddings and funerals...alas more funerals than weddings!

the ownership papers, whoops I mean marriage licence

Then finally on 6th September 2002 Neil and I tied the knot. I was 6 months pregnant hence the heinous tent dress (what was I thinking!!!) and we snuck away to the registers office. With us were my rather shocked mother who had only found out about 5 mins before we were getting married, my bestest friend Ann who refused to stay in Auckland for the big event, Neil's sister Faye and her husband Wayne. The whole thing took seven minutes and then we went off to lunch at a nice restaurant followed by afternoon tea at Solway golf driving range before visiting Neil's mum on the way home to tell her. (She was very sick and wouldn't have been able to come anyway). We rang all the rellies and they turned up the next night for an impromptu BBQ. The whole thing only cost around $200. We did promise to have a renewal of the vows for our 10th anniversary but that is coming up fast and we still haven't organised anything so it may be the 20th anniversary! Neil and I have been together for 30 years next year (with only a couple of breaks due to stupid mistakes) its a long time! But it seems to have flown by when you are at this end of it looking back! My favourite moment of my wedding is the look on Mum's face when she found out why we were at the courthouse. Luckily Ann had a camera, cause I gave my camera to Mum to take photos and she didn't take even one! Of course the best of the wedding is becoming Mrs Morris, a grown up at last LOL!