So here we are - it's the 24th of June which means that it's been exactly 6 months since our Engagement and exactly 6 months left to go until we're married!
It's been a whirlwind 6 months and we've both loved our first few months of being an engaged couple. Everyone has been so supportive and helpful and I genuinely believe we've grown closer as a couple these last few months. It's a funny thing, deciding to make a commitment to someone - it puts everything in your relationship into perspective. We no longer sweat the small stuff. Being able to look into the future and make plans together is the greatest feeling. Knowing that we will have a partner and a live-in best friend for life makes us happier than we've ever been. And I think it shows.
Believe me, we're not living in cloud cuckoo land. We know it won't always be easy and things may change and get harder as we go along. Coming from the families that we do, we know marriage isn't all sunshine and flowers and sometimes it doesn't work out. But we're feeling confident - we're so happy together. Isn't that the most important thing? And we've worked so hard in getting where we are today, and that's not going to stop.
This summer we'll celebrate our 5 year anniversary from the day we met at a music festival in August 2010. We had our first official date on Halloween night 2010 (Michael Archer, ever the slow mover) before I took off travelling for 8 long months in January 2011. We were in contact almost every day while I was away through whatever way we could including postcards, hand written letters and ridiculously expensive telephone calls (for Michael...I was a skint backpacker...) When I returned home the following August we went out on our first date in months and have been inseparable ever since.
We've made two very happy homes together and adopted two furry friends. We've seen each other through some of the hardest times in our lives so far and come out stronger at the end. We've gone on so many adventures together including Dublin, Paris, Barcelona, Portugal, Spain and now onto New York and Las Vegas - we're so lucky to be living the life that we are, together. We have 5 years of amazing memories and we can't wait for the years ahead and the adventures to follow.
We're buzzing with excitement about New York and Vegas! We've been concentrating on the NYC plans recently and we've our whole day planned as much as we can - much of it will need decided upon during our 3 days in New York prior to Christmas Eve. We're leaving much of it to fate, embracing the spontaneity of it all and trusting our lovely and ever-helpful photographer Amber to give us the best advice.
In 6 months time...
We'll be waking up in our room in the Sheraton Tribeca where we've requested an executive king room with a view so fingers crossed that works out. I've booked myself in for an early morning blow dry (or blow out, as the New Yorkers call it!) at the Dry Bar in Tribeca just a couple of blocks from our hotel. I've been getting some pretty ridiculous quotes for make up (most in the region of $600) so I'll likely do my own make up and invest in some really nice products or nip into the MAC store in Tribeca and see if I can book an appointment, which, Amber tells me would cost around $60. Much more affordable!
We'll likely have our ceremony around midday (around 4/5pm back home). We can't wait to meet Amber and Marley, our Photographer and Officiant. I've been following their blogs and they are such a cool couple with bucket loads of talent for photography and writing and all those lovely things. Amber lists on her bio her appreciation of a good "that's what she said" joke (like me!) and Marley lists 'Ill Communication' as his favourite Beastie Boys album (like Michael!) so I think we'll get on swimmingly! It's good to know that we have 2 New-York-Know-All's to call upon with any questions. And the fact that they're engaged and very much in love too makes it all the more special.
We're still hoping to be able to use the terrace in our hotel for our ceremony, but I'm worried that it will be closed for the season. I'm hoping we'll be able to sort something out, but if plan A fails I know that Amber and Marley will whisk us off somewhere even better. We're keen to have a skyline backdrop and we don't mind if it's freezing cold outside and we have to get married in our coats. Prepare for red cheeks and red noses in our photographs! I'm super nervous about the photographs and I know Michael is too - we're not photogenic whatsoever but hopefully Amber will be able to make models out of us - she has her work cut out! I can't wait to see what ideas Amber has for locations :)
After the ceremony and photographs we'll likely go back to the hotel to get changed - we have to wear our dress/suit again at our Reception so it's best to limit their wear, especially when food and drink will be involved. I may even throw on another white dress, sense of occasion and all that. Americans love a good costume change. We'll then either hop into a taxi or onto the subway to Rockefeller Centre, which will be hiving as it's Christmas Eve. You just have to visit 'The Tree' on Christmas Eve, don't you? Very Kevin McCallister.
We'll probably book a table at a restaurant nearby and have a quick lunch before popping into Magnolia Bakery on Rockefeller (even though the best one is on Bleeker) for some wedding cake. I love this idea. You have to have cake after your wedding! We have booked tickets to the Christmas Spectacular in Radio City Music Hall for the 4.30 showing and we're so, so excited about it. It looks fantastic. I have a few friends who highly recommended it to us so we thought it would be a fun thing to do the evening of our wedding. It's important to keep the energy going, too, seeing as it's just the two of us.
After the show, we'll probably go to a bar or restaurant. Probably somewhere we can grab some dinner with an amazing view of the city. We've stumbled across a bar called SixtyFive which is a rooftop cocktail lounge which looks pretty great. Everywhere is going to be so busy but we'll try to get reservations booked well in advance. But if the crowds are too much, heading back to the hotel bar seems like a good option too.
It'll be amazing to wake up on Christmas Day in New York as husband and wife - ahh! The plan for Christmas Day is to order breakfast in bed and have a lazy morning watching Home Alone: Lost In New York (has to be done!) and then bundling up and heading to Central Park for a long, Christmassy walk. We are going to look into The Plaza Hotel for Christmas Lunch/Dinner. When in Rome etc...
It's all very exciting. Lots to look forward to! So the countdown has begun - no doubt it will fly in as quickly as these 6 months have!
