Up or Down?

{Image from Stylemepretty}

Hair up or hair down? Not something I have given a huge amount of thought but at the weekend I met another bride-to-be, and as one does, got chatting. We were joined by my sister-in-law-to-be (what a mouthful) who has long blonde hair. "I love your hair" said the bride-to-be to her, "I wish mine could be that long for my wedding" and they proceeded to discuss hairstyles as her with the long blonde hair had got married only a few months prior. And then they both turned to me.

"How are you wearing yours?" they asked? "Well, I hadn't given it much thought" I replied. And then I was told that I simply must "wear it up, you look so elegant with it up. You have to". So that's me told...

Perhaps a simple bun (image above) or perhaps a pleat (below) but it will depend I think on what sort of veil I wear - birdcage ideas progressing but rather slowly, that net is a little tricky to bunch into a shape which doesn't make one's head look like it is caught in a shrimping net - and whether I choose to keep the veil on for the reception as well.

{Image from Stylemepretty}

The one thing I think I am clear on though is that I shall be doing my hair on the morning. I might go to the hairdressers before the wedding for a cut and colour but in general I do not find hairdressers relaxing or peaceful and I usually avoid them unless absolutely necessary. The fact that they also charge an eye-watering amount of money doesn't help, nor did my run in with one before a ball last year (I booked one thing, they offered something subtly different on the day, to which I agreed and then tried to charge me twice as much. I refused - their comment "we don't know what the customer has booked when she sits in the chair". My response - "good job I wasn't expecting it to be coloured then"). So the chosen style must be simple enough for me to do myself. I don't think either of the above styles will prove too much of a challenge although curls might just tip me over the edge into hair style insanity.

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Began filling in the Archbishop's Licence form last night which reminded me of countless job application forms: you are so paranoid about putting the wrong response in the essay box that you forget how to spell your own name. Thankfully filling in almost 100 applications has left me in good stead that Rachel is spelt with only one 'a'. I have yet to write the essay which will convince Dr Williams why M and I should marry in our university chapel but once I have done that it has to be sent to the Chaplain who must also write his own essay, including providing evidence that he is happy that both our families consent to the marriage. Then we must part with £145 (I wonder which fund this benefits: are marriage licences paying for the roof of Westminster Abbey?) and then a further £5 for the swearing of an affidavit if good old Dr Williams is convinced by our arguments. Still, I suppose we shall marry in the explicit knowledge that the Archbishop of Canterbury personally thinks our marriage is a decent prospect...

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Off to visit the proposed venue on Sunday. We last saw it in glorious sunshine on possibly the best day of the year so I suppose it would be best if it was 'issing' (word taken from a mother's account of her daughter's wedding 2 weeks ago) with rain so we can see what to expect should the weather be inclement on our 'big day'. Mentioned to our proposed caterer that we were planning the trip and would pay him his deposit once the venue deposit had been paid - no good having a caterer but no venue - and he wondered if we would like to meet him at the same time. Was very impressed by his service and it will be good to meet him before we agree to the catering and he can double check the venue is suitable for him. Obviously a visit to the venue means a return to our university town for the weekend and a chance to party nostalgically at my favourite night club with a few friends who never made it home from the place which I moved to 8 years ago this coming month. How time flies.

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