General Chat

What was yours like and where did you hold it?

I was married in 1960, I wore a full length wedding dress in Oyster satin with long sleeves and carried a bouquet of pale pink carnations. I had three bridesmaids. the two older ones wore ballerina length dresses in a bright bu pale blue and carried posies of pink and blue flowers. My youngest bridesmaid who was 7 years old wore a pink dress with a blue trim and carried a basket of pink and blue flowers. My husband to be wore his number one Royal Naval Uniform and the best man wore the dress uniform of a colour sergeant. The ushers were all in RN uniform. It was a baptist church wedding but we had two ministers, the current incumbent and the minister who had been there all through my childhood and most of my teens. I was not a bit nervous but my OH was.

Tell us about your wedding. I would especially like to hear about those who got married abroad, was it all you expected? It always seems so romantic.

We got married in the Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas in Feb 1997. NOT the place I wanted to get married in...but I was giving a nod to the MIL and my Mum who both wanted the traditional wedding pic for their sideboards. Given the choice I'd have got married in Jeans and a stetson (plus other clothes of course lololol )in the Gracelands chapel down the road lol...but I'd already rocked the boat enough by abandoning the traditional UK wedding (never wanted to be a *bride*.always made my parents aware from an early age it wasn't going to happen in my case and to enjoy my sisters wedding lololol)...it was the right thing to do with hindsight ...and now my FIL and MIL are no longer with us ...I'm even more glad I compromised.

Wedding dress shopping with my mum was a nice experience too ...it was bought off the peg in Monsoon. Very plain...Long straight length ..cream silk...I don't think I'd get one leg into it now...I was VERY slim in those days !!!

We went to the Venetian hotel for a posh lunch afterwards..then we shot off to the casino and did some serious gambling.til the early hours of the next morning....me still wearing my wedding dress...which was great fun as everyone made a huge fuss so we got so many good wishes sent our way ! Not to mention complimentary drinks also lol.

Everyone said I'd regret getting married abroad...but I never have. We had a fantastic day and we didn't spend a fortune on anything...in total..all in with dress, suit, accomodation and flights......£1000...we had just bought our own house and I refused to waste money on one day when we had so many more pressing things to fund.

My parents always knew I wasn't the traditional type so they were very supportive. OH's parents WERE initially disappointed but conceded eventually that it was our day and we should do what we wanted. .so I was forgiven in time !!

We were aiming to go back to have our Graceland wedding in the way of a renewal on our 15th anniversary..but it's doubtful we'll have the funds...so we've moved it to our 20th which gives us another 6 yrs to save up !! x

Sounds wonderful Muffy. And belies the notion that Las vegas weddings are tacky. (I am sure some are but yours sounds fairy taleish.) Nice to do what you wanted to do but with a compromise to keep the parents happy. did you 'do it alone'? or were your parents there?

Married in 1997 in Gloucester Register Office. Muffy, I'm jealous, I wanted to get married in USA (Lake Tahoe), long story but we didn't get to do it. We had a very small, quiet wedding (12 guests), we had a buffet at Mum's house and went to Devon for the weekend after the ceremony. I never wanted a big 'do' - was 35 so I didn't feel much like a 'blushing bride'! Wore a coral 2-piece suit which I bought in a sale, had a nice bouquet of cream roses, carnations etc.

It's all tacky really Ann...it's just degrees of tackiness lololol..but it's part of it's charm imho.

My parents owned a shop at the time and simply couldn't close up and come with us...OH's parents came with us for a couple of days to arrange it all and for the actual ceremony itself...but mostly we were alone. OH felt horribly guilty that mine weren't there...but they were absolutely fine about it and I'd decided from the start that if anyone of them could come it would be a bonus..I refused to look on the negatives.

The original idea was to have a huge garden party in the summer.to celebrate with everyone else later on in the year.but sadly my MIL was diagnosed with terminal cancer two months after we arrived back.. so it had to be shelved...and subsequently never happened.x

I am still waiting for the right man to turn up, Ann. Yes,yes,I know I am very picky :-D :-D

And so you should be BC !!! <3

I had a £23 wedding dress from John Lewis.OH had a suit made as you couldn't get many off the shelf then,a big kipper tie and platform shoes.
A two tier cake made by a friend.One bridesmaid who picked her own dress off the shelf.

50 guests all day.Wasn't many had evening guests then.
Meal was a choice of steak pie or chicken.Everyone had two drinks for the toasts.

A couple on an organ and accordian...that was the band.
One night in hotel then went to stay with my Dad the rest of the week lol.

Didn't have a lot of money and would rather it went on a deposit for our flat.
That was 36 yrs ago :-D

Paddington Register Office 1968. I made my own dress and wore the silliest head gear - a cross between a Juliet cap and a bonnet. There was a boozy party afterwards in the flat I had been sharing with friends.

I had outside caterers and the West Indian Cook where I worked made the cake. I had to keep topping up her budget because she soaked the fruit in rum for weeks. It was delicious.

Vera

Muffy, maybe the garden party for a significant anniversary then. At least your MIL was there to enjoy the wedding. We actually love Las Vegas tacky bits and all, been there three times now.

I forgot to mention the wedding reception, we had 80 guests, one drink, a sherry on arrival for those who drank. Many of my family didn't. The reception was in a local community hall and catered for by outside caterers who also made the cake. No evening 'do' then of course, that had not caught on.

My parents were unable to afford the wedding so we paid for it all ourselves. (Actually that was a ploy my Mum tried because I was only 20 and she wanted us to wait another year. - We had been together for 4 years by the time we married. Honeymoon was in Jersey.

I held off from marrying because I didn't think a piece of green paper meant anything.

Finally caved in and got married dressed all in BLACK (1979) in a register office....lolol

Sue

Mine was pretty much non-event!! When I met my husband he was separated from his first wife ( so the story went - future events have made me question if that was the truth lol).

We lived together waiting out the two years for the divorce to go through. He then booked date at Norwich Register Office, provided the divorce was final!! We only invited people who we could on a 'if it happens can you come ' type basis.

It did happen (just, he got the divorce papers with just hours to spare) and there were about 15 people there. I just wore an ordinary dress, no attendants, and afterwards we went back to a friends for a small buffet which I had prepared.

Honeymoon was a visit to my parents the next day, where we had a family party. It was too far for them all to travel when we only had a provisional date until the afternoon before.

Our divorce was made absolute the day before what would have been our 20th anniversary. And I daresay he told his next wife the same old story lol!!

Now there's a plan !! I'd like to do something for our 15th as we're not going to be renewing our vows in Vegas !!

I've just got my little wedding box out..and I've got the hotel we had our wedding lunch in wrong :-S

It was La Mirage not the Venetian !!

You'd think I'd have remembered such a detail wouldn't you !!! But I don't remember a thing after the ceremony itself....except for the casino bit.....I was just like any other Bride in that the day just seemed to whizz by so fast !!! (well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...I won't admit it could also be my age to blame LOLOLOL) x

Oh well, think mine was the quietest of the lot, Got married in my home by Special Licence (I didn't want banns called) about 9 or 10 of us present. Had wedding cake etc and then in evening took our guests went to a very 'posh' castle for dinner and dance and my groom and I stayed overnight. We honeymooned in Stratford in a four poster!!!!!

Married Nov 5th, 1955.I took leave from the Qaranc for a week. We were married in the church the other side of the road from Dads flat, but he wouldnt let me walk it, borrowed an old ford Pop and drove me round the block so I arrived in style! Made my own dress and jacket on the barrackroom sewing machine, with input and help with the hem from other nurses My stepsister was matron of honour, wearing the dress that she had worn as bridesmaid to our other sister, and the reception was at her home, food prepared by stepmother. Dearest part of the whole thing was OH's new suit! He has only ever had one other, wont wear them. His side had to come to folkestone from Lewisham. Mil and two aunts, one uncle, and his brothe was best man. we sent flowers to the hospital for his dad, to arrive as we were being married. Altogether cost us just over £50, and we spent our honeymoon in Chatham, where we stayed at the Naafi club Now every year people celebrate with us when they light their fireworks and bonfires
We had known each other for all of 3 months.

LA happy and sad memories for you. How lovely that both you and your daughter wore your Grandmother's dress. And your husband';s ring now has so many memories intertwined in it. I hope you have many happy years with your present husband.

Fascinating to read of so many different weddings and clothes. I think Sue's black dress has to be winner so far for most unusual outfit.

Muffy La Mirage, lovely hotel, lots going on there. Yes 15th anniversary, time to hold your wedding party. If youw ait too long you will get to my age when sadly not so many of the original guests are around.

I got married in 2005 it was a lovley sunny day a little windy but very nice.
I wore black tail suit with gold cravat i think my waste coat was cream. I didnt bother with top hat as im small and it looked stupied when i tried one on.

The OH looked great i didnt think she would turn up as normal with you ladys she was running a bit late. we had a vintage rolls and the company sent another vintage car as they had finished another wedding early which was very kind of them.

OH still has her dress i dont know why as we have all boys maybe its incase she dumps me lol :-D

Or for a Granddaughter Robin.

Thats lovley Greenfingers i hope they have FAB! day. :-)

Ann i never thought about gran kids lol but its true im gonna ask her when she gets home from work i bet she is keeping it for that reason lol.