Our Wedding

On Saturday 13th June I had the privilege of marrying my best friend. We had such a fun day, just how we had imagined it, thanks to a good dose of creativity, the help of family and friends and some amazing wee local, independent businesses.

My dress was made by Lisa Cochrane at Dragonfly Dress Design. From start to finish Lisa was a joy to work with. So easy, with no faffing. The dress was everything I had imagined and it was so hassle-free. 

Our amazing photographer, Jane Henderson, captured our day so perfectly. I especially love this picture in the middle of a rhododendron bush - the petals look like confetti and the colours are stunning.

Miriam at La Belle Epoque made me a bespoke headband from vintage brooches and pearls. Miriam designed the piece to tie in with the colours I had in my dress and petticoats and I can't wait to find an occasion where I can wear the band again.

My gorgeous bridesmaids, Rose and Megan, wore dresses from Lindy Bop. And shoes from Oasis. Our make-up was by Cat Robertson. Cat was great to work with, super-relaxed and gave us the lovely natural look we were after. Our hair was done at Curlers, Giffnock.

My super-talented sister-in-law did the bouquets. They were so much more than I had hoped for and the bright colours were just right.

My shoes were Red or Dead from Schuh - not exactly local or independent but they were just too perfect.

We handmade our Orders of Service and our invitations using an image by the great Lou Davis. Her doodle is inspired by James 1:17 - Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly lights who never changes like shifting shadows.

We held a coffee and cake reception at the church after the service. We were so blessed with an abundance of home baking from lots of our friends, family and members of the church.

Our amazing friend Libby Rodger made us this incredible wedding cake which we cut at the church. The macaroons were delicious - 5 different flavours depending on colour. 

I made 4 wreaths - red, yellow/orange, green/blue and pink/purple - which decorated the church and were brought to the reception hall by our good friend Lee Samuel. Lee also transported the jars that I wrapped in yarn and Megan filled with cut flowers. These, along with some lanterns, lined the aisle at church before coming to the reception.

In total I made somewhere close to 500 pom poms to complete the wreaths and these garlands.

Tammy at Balloon Boutique Scotland did these jolly balloons for our centrepieces. They were attached to bright coloured lanterns.

We had Three Sisters Bake doing the catering. From the first time we met with Linsey to discuss what we were looking for we knew they were the perfect match for us. We chose to have our meal served family style at the tables and it was so great to watch our guests digging in and enjoying the informality of the dinner. The food was so yummy too.

The forecast for our big day was very changeable so we hired umbrellas from Brolly Bucket at the last minute. It didn't rain in the end but it was great to have so much added colour.

Our wedding band were Something Blue and we had so much fun dancing the night away.

I could go on and on and on with photos and thanks to so many people. Our day really was perfect and filled with so many people that we hold so dear.

http://www.dragonflydressdesign.co.uk

http://www.labelleepoquevintage.co.uk/stockists

http://www.threesistersbake.co.uk

http://www.janehendersonphotography.co.uk

http://www.balloonboutiquescotland.co.uk

http://www.catrobertsonmua.com

http://www.somethingblueweddingband.co.uk

http://www.brollybucket.co.uk

http://www.curlersgiffnock.com

http://www.doodlingintongues.org/about_lou/

Making Lemonade

I haven't written for a few weeks because since going back to work I have found myself absolutely exhausted. This level of exhaustion is new to me. I've felt tired in the past but always been able to just plough on and do what needs doing. What is different this time is that my whole body aches quite a lot of the time and often I am struggling to be able to concentrate through a foggy and achey head. I am having to accept that sometimes I am just not able to do anything - as evidenced by the fact that I am currently in bed at 5pm on a Monday. 

Accepting that my capacity is limited for now is really difficult. I am a do-er and I find it hard to sit still. I'm also a thinker and switching off my brain is also really hard. But with limited energy to draw upon I am having to be ok with some things just not being on the agenda for now. It is still very much a case of one day at a time, and even that can feel too challenging. Sometimes the goal is even shorter - just get through this workshop and then it's lunchtime, just get through this meeting and then you get to go home. It's hard, as someone who is used to dreaming and scheming and thinking off into the future, to only be able to see a few hours ahead, but thinking any further ahead is just too overwhelming for now.

Thinking in the short term has it's bonuses though. The mundane little tasks of life become huge achievements and I count as blessings things that I would, in normal circumstances, take for granted. It's back to that word perspective. It seems to me that what I am learning most in this season is to see the world from a different angle. 

As the platitude says, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” I'm a strong believer that it's good to find the best in every situation. In the pain and struggle of our current circumstance and in the stillness that my exhaustion insists upon, I am finding new ways of seeing the world. The platitude speaks of making sweetness from bitterness and I have always thought of bitterness as being a sinful state of the heart, but looking it up in the dictionary a couple of definitions seemed particularly fitting to our situation:

•   Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear

•   Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment

In Romans 8:28 Paul writes, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I can’t begin to understand why we miscarried, and I definitely don’t have any sense of the theology around it, but I know that in the midst of this bitter pain, God is working for good. I know that He can use this time of exhaustion for His purposes. I am trying to rest in Him, knowing that He has a hold of me even when I’m too exhausted to make it to church, even when all I can manage to read of the Word is one or two verses at a time, even when all I can pray is “God, give me strength”. I will hold strong to the promises I know of His goodness and I will be open to what He is doing in this season, knowing that it is Him that makes the lemonade and that all I have to do is just keep bringing Him the lemons.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119: 103

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34: 8