So, here they are, photographs from our wedding day. I didn't think it would be possible to narrow it down to just a handful, but I decided not to show pictures of our guests. This blog isn't known to them all so I couldn't ask permission and felt it would be unfair of me to publish their pictures without their knowledge.

What I'm showing you here are some of my favourite shots, all of these where taken by Katie Drouet and, I think, show what an absolutely fantastic talent she is. She captured the details, the quiet moments, the action and the atmosphere of the day so perfectly.

Andy's favourite photos are those taken before the ceremony, the 'getting ready' shots. I have so many I don't know where to begin but the shots of my Dad when he sees me in my wedding dress make me go teary every single time. The shots of Andy's first look as I appear by his side bring back the feelings so vividly, and the outdoor shots of just the two of us make me smile so deeply that I feel like I'm right back there.

I hope you enjoy them.



















If you'd like to see some of the non professional photographs from the day just leave me a comment below x

Just as I was starting to write a different Wedding Wednesday post the postman knocked at my door. I knew why, I'd been eagerly awaiting him. Yesterday our wedding photographer, Katie Drouet, sent me a message saying our wedding photos where in the post.

The kicker is that I can't look at them yet as I've promised Andy that I'll wait until he gets home from work, so we can see them together.

So, this post is really a diversionary tactic to stop me from having a peek. What I am going to share with you is the awesome package that arrived wrapped in brown paper (as we know, all the best packages come wrapped in this).


Under the brown paper was bubble wrap (saved that to enjoy later), and a cute sticker. I could hear her cheery voice in my head.







As well as receiving the cutest USB stick, Katie sent us come fridge magnets and stickers. And her business card which I am shamefully sharing with you here - if you're getting married in Suffolk or Essex, I can't recommend her highly enough. Having Katie take our wedding photos was amazing, she's is such a sweet lady and super talented, I genuinely think she bought a little special something to our day.

I'll share some photos with you soon, I know I won't be able to wait until next Wednesday!

In no particular order her are some of my favourite moments from our wedding day.

1. The vows

I was convinced that I'd get very emotional and would cry my way through our ceremony but I’m glad to say that I didn’t (OK, maybe a little teeny tiny bit). I was able to speak clearly and held it together during the reading by my sister-in-law.

I enjoyed it all so much, I held Andy's hands and we looked directly into each others eyes as we made our promises to each other. We also giggled, I stuck my tongue out at him, we didn’t let go of each other and, I later found out, we both had to fight the urge to kiss each other when I first arrived by Andy's side. I stole a cheeky second kiss after our first as husband and wife, and couldn’t help but comment on how clean Andy’s hands where as I put the ring on his finger.

If I had to describe our ceremony in just one word, I would say 'perfect'.

2. Waiting outside the room with my Dad before the ceremony

Someone from the hotel was meant to come and collect my Dad and I from my room before the ceremony, but Andy had given me strict instructions not to be late, so at 2.55pm Dad and I started making our way to the ceremony room, practicing our 'slow walk' on the way.

We arrived and had to wait for the music to start and I chattered away, knowing that if I kept my mind and mouth occupied I wouldn’t think too much about what I was about to do and get emotional.

I’m told they could hear me chatting and giggling inside the room, including my rendition of the Benny Hill theme tune. The perfect music to make your entrance in my opinion - I only wish I'd thought of it sooner.

I nodded to my bridesmaid to go in and as Dad and I waited for our turn I told him I loved him and off we went. Andy kept looking straight ahead, only turning when I arrived by his side. He was beaming from ear to ear.

3. The drive between venues

Andy decided a long time ago that he would drive us from the day venue to our evening venue. He wanted us to be completely alone. And he was right, it was absolutely the right thing to do.

People seemed perplexed that we didn't want a 'wedding car', we didn't want to be chauffeured - it just wasn't important to us. We love our car and when the mud is washed off it looks pretty respectable, and the chance to be completely alone meant so much more to us than a hired car ever could.

We chatted away, he told me how he’d spent his morning, and of how our girl cat, Tinker, had followed him wherever he went the night before, making him laugh and putting him at ease. I sat in the passenger seat with my dress bundled up around me and we giggled and chatted all the way.

4. The photographs

We’d chosen a spot off the beaten track to have some photographs taken. Our photographer, Katie, is an old friend of mine and it was an absolute delight to have her photograph our wedding. I donned my wellies and we traipsed over long grass into a clearing in the trees. Later we wandered hand in hand down the pathway, and also had some shots taken with Andy's tractor. We can’t wait to see the results.

5. Our first dance

Andy was adamant that there would be no first dance and I wasn’t keen on the idea but I did want to dance with him on our wedding day. I’d asked all of my guests make a song request and a few requested Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud, which I love. So, I asked the DJ to play it near the end of the evening (when Andy was more likely to dance), followed by my bridesmaid’s wedding song, You & Me by Dave Matthews Band, followed by his parents song request (also their wedding song).

Technically we first danced to a snippet of The Eagles, Take It Easy (one of Andy's all time favourite songs) but when the DJ saw us on the dance floor he switched to Ed Sheeran, Andy protested a little but stayed with me chatting, and laughing at his friend's reluctant appearance on the dance floor.

When my bridesmaid heard the start of their song, she ran to the dance floor with husband in hot pursuit. It was so lovely to see them dancing away, bringing back memories of their wedding and mixing them with ours. Next up was his parent's wedding song, Leo Sayer, When I Need You. Andy was so sure that his Dad wouldn’t dance, I was delighted when I saw his Mum heading for the dance floor, dragging his Dad behind her. This prompted a round of applause from both Andy and I, and his sister and her husband who had joined us. Happy doesn’t even begin to describe it. It was such a lovely moment.

6. My speech

It wasn’t the speech itself that I enjoyed but the kindness of those listening. I was visibly nervous and Andy pulled me close to him as I spoke, everyone laughed in the right places and as I looked around I could see I’d touched people with my words.

I’d told Andy that I was just going to say a few words of thanks but when I started to write it all down I realised there was so much more I wanted to say. I’d written two versions (one long, one short), telling myself that I didn’t have to say much if I didn’t want to, at the last minute I decided to go for it and I’m so glad I did. It was the only speech of the day and I felt really rather chuffed with myself.

7. Getting ready with my bridesmaid

This didn't really begin until the lady doing our hair and make up arrived. With my hair done, Siobhan had hers curled and put into a waterfall plait, once her make up was done, she got dressed and things started to seem real. Very real. I was sat there in a robe, bare faced and a little overwhelmed. Nerves really started to kick in. My photographer had arrived and the room buzzed!

Everything from here went very quickly indeed and Siobhan was amazing throughout, calm, helpful and thoughtful, I don't think I could've done it without her. She also took her defeat in the Lego speed contest at the wedding breakfast in good spirits...

8. The Lego speed contest

We put some small Lego sets on the table for the younger ones to play with. What followed prompted this Facebook post from my sister-in-law;

'Funniest moment after the wedding ceremony was the Lego speed contest between Tom and Siobhan. Both contestants carefully laid out their pieces in a methodical fashion, one of them cited sabotage when their time slipped away.... The same claimant had failed to tip the box out completely - comedy gold'.

9. Leaving the ceremony

Andy and I held hands and walked out of the room, only we've never had to walk side by side with so much dress in the way. I marched on oblivious as Andy struggled to keep up, trying not to step on the dress. The result looked like I was dragging him out like a naughty child.

10. A little help from my friends

After dancing for a while I needed to head outside to cool down. I went up to one of my friends, Jane, who was flanked by two male friends and said 'will you come outside with me a hold my dress up?' They all answered 'Yes!'. Having told the men to stay put, Jane helped me to hold my dress so I could cool down, I thought we were out of eyesight but another friend spotted us and came out to help - queue lots of girlie chat and giggling with my dress up around my thighs. I just hope there are no photos of this anywhere in existence.

A quick post for you today to introduce my wedding photographer Katie Drouet. I'm very lucky to have so many talented friends and Katie is no exception. Naturally, she was the first person I thought of for our wedding photos and I was so chuffed to find that she was available - a happy result of getting married in early April.

I think she'll have her work cut out for her - a large number of the guests at the ceremony are terribly camera shy, the groom included. We're meeting up soon so I can brief her on my ideas (and generally have a good catch up and gossip) and to fill her in on the difficulties she might face, my Dad can spot a camera from 50 paces and slide from view in a nano second! But I'm more than confident that she'll do a marvelous job, she has the ability to capture those little moments that make the day special, her candid shots are amazing. I just love, love, love them.

I'm feeling terribly blessed at the moment. Everyone seems so excited. I had no idea that planning a wedding would mean so much to so many people and offer up so many opportunities to get together and build stronger bonds with one and other. I'm going to treasure these moments. I keep thinking that if the build up is this good, I'm going to be utterly blown away by the wedding itself.