{April A-Z Challenge} The Letter N

N is for ... Nature

I am fortunate to live in a country where I can experience the beauty of Nature as well as the glitz of the city, all within an hour’s drive from my home.

In 2007, a friend was married outside under a canopy of trees on a nature reserve, the Cradle of Humankind. Off the beaten track, but still close to home.

Guests were driven by 4x4s to the venue. The bride was 45 minutes late because the 4x4 had a flat tyre!

Under the shade of the trees (which offered little respite from the African heat) we watched a gorgeous bride marrying our school friend.

I loved the contrast between the starkness of nature and the pizazz of the guests, dressed in wedding goer attire.

What you can't see in this photo is that our feet are covered in a layer of fine brown sand! 

Guest Book? Nope, a Name Tree!

I saw this at a wedding I was at recently and loved the idea!
Instead of the guests signing a guestbook that gets put away, the guests were invited to add their fingerprint to a canvas-mounted painted tree and we wrote our names in the fingerprints.

This will be a gorgeous addition to the couples new home and a stunning way to remember the family & friends who attended their wedding.

The table arrangements were simple, yet so elegant that it didn't need much to make it pretty

The favors were Fizzers - delicious & affordable. Very convenient that they are available in the wedding colours!

This couple proved that there is no need to spend a lot of money, yet the little touches make it as pretty as any other wedding with a huge budget.

Official wedding photos

Just saw that the official photos were posted on the photographer's (Adam Hilton) blog

These photos came out really well, as my brother & his new wife hate posing for photos, and here they look like professionals!

Wedding Pics

Yes yes yes, you have all asked for the photos and here are a few.

Granted not the best, I seemed to be blurring most of them on the day, but I will post the photographers photos as soon as they are ready

Enjoy!

My hair

My mom, Bride & Me

Bride

Couple - not happy about posing!

MC & Me

Table

Gift

View from the deck where they got married

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Things I am looking forward to

Brother's wedding:

Wedding plans are coming along nicely. Phoographer is booked, invites are designed.

Dresses have arrived (eeek!) I hope mine will fit me - I am delaying the collection so that I am not disappointed.

Wonder if I will pull off the safety pin look a la Liz Hurley? ha ha ha!

Trip to Thailand:

I have sacrificed alot to be able to pay off some of the credit card debt I have incurred to pay for this trip - not the right way,  I know but this my reasoning: - I need to fit into a bikini because chubby wubby me aint gonna be wearing no bikini looking like this.

By having to save money, I have less to spend on food, therefore eating less, losing weight (see where I am going with this?)

Plus I get to spend some fun time with Tee - we are gonna have a blast!

Vampire Diaries Season 3:

Apparently Damon starts off episode 1 without clothes - Woo Hoo!

The NaNoWriMo Challenge:

I have been playing with some plot lines in my head, but I am going to leave it to crunch time & see which way the creativity flows

The Conclusion of Harry Potter:

I am dying to see who dies at the end, then I want to attempt to read the books.

Springtime:

I am so over this cold weather

Year End Bonus (hopefully)

I have already spent this money in my head, but I really do need more clothes, none of my stuff fits me anymore - I am sure my washing powder is shrinking my clothes, it cant have anything to do with my Tim Tam addiction

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good:

We have found a photographer for my brothers wedding - I really am having a blast planning this wedding.

The Bad:
I have to plan the wedding sitting on the toilet with my Blackberry because work is keeping me ridiculously busy
I am beginning to wonder if I am not being exploited too much.
I feel like slave labour and nobody is taking me seriously when I say I cant cope for much longer working at this pace

The Ugly:

My toe-nails | My eyebrows.
Peeling polish | Bushy

 

Flat Out = Pooped!

Is is impossible to explain how close I am to losing it.

Constant late nights & too much work are really cramping my social life & stressing me out.

I feel as if I have lost touch with everyboy in my life as well as all you lovely bloggers out there.

I am looking forward to some time alone to catch up - I wonder when that will be??

In the meantime, I wont leave you high and dry - below is a photo of my future sister in law's dress & the fabulous venue!.

I generally work until about 10pm and then I come home and work on wedding stuff, we are finalising teh flowers and table arrangements.

Exciting stuff!

Gorgeous site for photos

Imagine how pretty it'll be in Summer if this is in winter?

Look closely - can you see the beautiful lace?

3 weddings in 2 months....

.... and I know only 1 couple!

Being a bit chubby of late, none of my pretty dresses really fit me & these days I am not so sure what to wear because inevitably I get to a wedding and the guests are all a mishmash of clothing styles.

The last wedding said Smart dress and 3 women pitched up in jeans!

I am begging for enlisting the urgent help of you bloggers out there.

Wedding number 1: This Saturday (Tee asked me today thanks to her date dropping out at the last minute with a lame-ass excuse about having to work)

Wedding starts at 14:00, dress code Smart.
The one dress I could fit into (pink halterneck with sparkles*), I wore at her birthday party last year and all her family saw me in it & her mom commented on it.

Option 1: Other pink and white dress with handkerchief skirt*?
Option 2: Black pants with black top with silver sequins

Wedding number 2: 23 April, afternoon reception, dress code Smart Casual
These are old school friends - so I am under alot of pressure!

This is where I need your suggestions my blogging friends!!
What on earth do I wear to make a good impression and look great?
Is this my excuse to go out and buy that skirt from Big Blue (at R500 a pop nogal)

Wedding number 3: 21 May, evening portuguese wedding, dress code Smart
The portuguese usually go big, so I am guessing a cocktail dress would work here?
My pretty black dress definitely doesn't work, because I look and feel like a stuffed sausage.
My favourite burgundy dress from my 30th* - same sausage look and WAY too much cleavage!
Would my pink halterneck help me here?*

Looking forward to your suggestions my friends! Heck I feel wild & could say - give me the best wedding outfit & I will .... TA DA DAAA!!! ....send you a photograph of what I really look like GASP!

Yeah I know, not very motivating, but considering that I am an anonymous blogger, at least you will know what I look like!

*Wanna know what these dresses look like? Go HERE

Wedding Sparkle

It was LS's wedding on Friday - she looked like a princess! Her dress was made so beautifully that she floated.

The dressmaker has alot of his dresses featured in bridal magazines and his new website will have my friend in her dress as his main page.

The day went off with but 1 hitch - her 1 skirt was a bit lose on her - luckily the dressmaker owns the venue so he was on hand to fix it.

1 guest commented that he had never seen LS smile so much before.

The cold was a bugger, but it was still a lovely wedding.

I had my stunning black and white bridesmaid dress and MAC did my makeup.

I wish I had a MAC lady every morning when I woke up!

I just love weddings - I already have my whole wedding planned in my head right down to the flowers and table arrangments - I just need a groom now! :-)

Wedding Bells

How cute is my new present?

Lizelle's wedding is drawing closer - we have got all the details planned and it has been almost stress free, I am having lots of fun being her bridesmaid - right from the beginning where I helped her try on a hundred dresses - some weighing more than she does!






We have the perfect dress for me - black with white flowers.






Her dress is silver and it is a proper princess dress.






They have been taking dance lessons and will be doing their first dance as they walk into the hall - to my absolute favourite wedding song (my suggestion!)



You know our love was meant to be

The kind of love to last forever.

And I want you here with me

From tonight until the end of time.

You should know

Everywhere I go,

Always on my mind,

In my heart,

In my soul.



Baby, you're the meaning in my life,

You're the inspiration.

You bring feeling to my life,

You're the inspiration.

Wanna have you near me,

I wanna have you hear me saying,

"No one needs you more than I need you."



And I know, (And I know,)

Yes, I know, that it's plain to see,

So in love when we're together.

Now I know (Now I know)

That I need you here with me.

From tonight until the end of time.

You should know, (Yes, you need to know,)

Everywhere I go,

You're always on my mind,

You're in my heart,

In my soul.



You're the meaning in my life,

You're the inspiration.

You bring feeling to my life,

You're the inspiration.

Wanna have you near me,

I wanna have you hear me saying,

"No one needs you more than I need you."

(No one needs you more than I.)

Wanna have you near me

I wanna have you hear me saying,

"No one needs you more than I need you."

(No one needs you more.)

You're the meaning in my life,

You're the inspiration.

You bring feeling to my life,

You're the inspiration.

When you love somebody

'Til the end of time.

When you love somebody

Always on my mind. / No one needs you more than I.

When you love somebody

'Til the end of time.

When you love somebody

Always on my mind. / No one needs you more than I.

Wedding Bells & Kisses

I have always loved Gazebos. Have always wanted to get married under 1.

Quite fitting then that I should meet MC at the wedding and sit with him under the gazebo by moonlight. All very romantic I must say.

I think that was the moment I decided that I am crazy about him - after an hour - I know it seems silly, but something just clicked.

MC is a friend of RaceCar's who flew up from Durban for the wedding. His nickname is Gorgeous & he really does live up to the name!
But no only is he Gorgeous, but he is also such a decent, intelligent guy.

He is blonde, with pale green eyes & a fellow gemini.
At 31 he is also 1 of the top Architects in SA.

He told Racecar that he thought I was, and I quote:

Superhot

I was quite chuffed and really excited to chat to him more exclusively.

We flirted at the bar a bit, drank 1, 2, maybe 3 Tequilas and then went for a walk and ended up at the gazebo and sat under it and chatted for over an hour.
He thinks the same way I do and I understand exactly what he is saying when he talks about something.
At 1 stage he leaned over and gave me a kiss on my temple - I didn't think that could ever be sensual but - it was!

The wedding ended too soon for my liking and he had to get a lift with someone. He walked me to my car and hugged me and kissed me in my neck (Spot #2) and on my cheek and forehead.

He only came for the wedding and flew back today. I was very disappointed that I wouldn't get to see him again but he made me a R100 bet that I would see him before 16 January (1 month)
I hope I lose this bet!

I told him in case I don't see him within the month I need a proper kiss to tide me over. He promptly gave me a very decent kiss that stirred the loins!

As I drove out he smsed me to tell me a month is too long to wait, he will be back sooner.

RaceCar said something really sweet - MC & I were standing and talking and RaceCar walks up to us and tells me that I am 1 of the nicest people he knows and MC is also one of the nicest people he knows and that is why he thinks we are good together.

It all just seems so.... Fated? Am I reading too much into this? Why does it feel so right?


My best friend gets married and I meet a guy that actually seems to be the type I am looking so hard for. A sign from the Gods?

I am a very passionate person, and I tend to get really excited about a person I really like. I am really super-excited about MC. And it is not only hormones, it is something deeper.
We were able to connect on an intellectual level, and he makes me laugh. he isn't too outspoken, is a gentleman and very well mannered, even when he has had a few too much to drink (I can vouch for that because I was in the same boat)



I don't fall often, but when I do, I fall hard.


MC has made quite an impression on me.

Is he The One?

Perhaps I am being presumptuous and jumping the gun, I have after all only known him for a few hours, but I really hope that it turns into something more.

Meanwhile, the wedding was absolutely stunning. I was the Maid of Honour and my friend looked absolutely amazing.
I am so happy for them, they are so deserving of each other and everlasting love and happiness.

RaceCar has recently gone into kidney failure and has a 4 year wait on the organ donor program. Turns out his new wife is a perfect match for him and will be donating him a kidney after they are able to have a child.

This is 1 marriage in particular I know will stand the test of time.

This is the type of relationship I am holding out for. I know it exists.

True love. Total compatibility. Best friends. Lovers. Understanding & Patience. (all in no particular order)