Soon it won't be a daydream, soon it will be a reality!

I am getting married in 2022!

My Fiancé and I have been together since 2014 in a long distance relationship and we have spent the last 7 years trying to meet the UK income requirements. It has been difficult because as a self-employed person you have extra hoops to jump through to prove income status. There was also a huge downturn in his industry at the beginning of our relationship which made things impossible. After that we had to fix tax issues because things weren't done right with the previous accountants. Things have finally come right. He changed industries, and next week he starts his new job with a new company who I am positive will treat him well and reward him for all his hard work.

I have decided that I no longer want to immigrate to the UK. It caused fights between us because I have said countless times to him how much I hate things in South Africa, especially the crime and lack of opportunities here. Covid changed all of this for me. During the last 6 months the UK has turned into a place I want nothing to do with, I don't want that life that currently exists and the one that will exist in the future. Africa is the most stable place to be in the world right now, and South Africa is a little like a first world country in parts. Lots is wrong here, but lots is right as well.

I've looked into things and I am going to be going over to the UK to marry him there, then return to SA and continue preparing things for buying our farm and getting things set up for self-sufficiency.

The wedding!

This is the place where we will get married...

Above image source is a screenshot from Wikipedia

Above image source is a screenshot from Tripadvisor

Why that location?

• It's close to Gatwick airport which is where I fly into when I visit him - I hate Heathrow, they treat people like criminals when they go through customs.

• It's low cost.

• It's beautiful, it's nature, it's stunning.

• It gives us the perfect opportunity to do our road trip honeymoon.

Our wedding overview

It's going to be a small wedding, the only people who will be there is:

• My Fiancé

• Myself

• The person marrying us

• The photographer (witness 1)

• The videographer (witness 2)

The reason it will be so small with no family? My Mom and Dad will be in South Africa and my Fiancé's family is scattered across Europe, funds don't (at this point) allow for everyone to fly to London and be there. Neither of us have any desire to put on a show for friends and extended family who may be able to attend. We want to have our day, our moment, and if it's not possible to have those close family there for our special day, we want to share that time in our own crazy way. Inviting friends for the purpose of just having people there is costly and makes no sense.

We are going to renew our vows every year

To some people it might sound corny or weird or crazy or some type of a waste. For us? We want to have a lifetime of photos of our married life together. Each year older and wiser, celebrating another successful year of being husband and wife.

Our family wedding will happen when finances permit and travel permits. But our first renewal of our vows will be in South Africa with Mom and Dad there. It will be another wedding. It will be a beautiful and special day for all of us. It will be the joining of my very small family with his big family and it will be a beautiful time of love and the celebration of finding that person you wake up to every day and say, I can't believe I found you.

My wedding dress

Below and lead image source(s), screenshots from: https://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/dresses/view/281639/Julie-Vino-2018-Venice-Collection-1414-Size-8

I am so excited that I have managed to find it again and that it is still out there for sale! The last time I looked (a couple of months back) it wasn't anywhere to be found.

I wanted a dress that is both sexy and classically beautiful. To me this dress is all of that and so much more.

The shoes

I am not one for stilettos! They are not practical and I don't want to break my ankles when we are dancing on our wedding night 🤣

These are the type that I want...

Image source is screenshot from: https://www.weddingjournalonline.com/15-affordable-and-gorgeous-flat-wedding-shoes/

They are practical, really pretty and will go with the dress. I just need to find them in ivory. The white wedding has never really worked for me.

My hair 😍

I'm keeping my hair long for many reasons, but mainly because of the wedding day! This is the style I've been dreaming of...

Above image source, screenshot from: https://therighthairstyles.com/wedding-hairstyles-for-long-hair/18/

I just need to get my hair thicker, would appreciate any suggestions in the comments 😬🤪

Makeup?

What makeup? I don't wear it much and don't believe I will be wearing much on our special day either. It comes with too many issues and when I start crying with happiness it's just going to run all over my face anyway. My Fiancé has also always said he thinks I look better without any on anyway so I'm happy with some lip gloss! Strangely enough I'm not really a "girly" person, I love to wear nice things once in a while and look / feel pretty, but I'm not much into the glamour stuff. I prefer simple and natural.

The cake

Below image source, screenshot from: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/16677461103438105/

I want something like this, but smaller. Simple, classic, white with red roses.

Photography

We are going to have a night wedding because the photographs you get are absolutely spectacular. There is so much that can be done with lighting and contrast. We also want to enjoy a party into the evening and following morning where we can have some type of a braai at the location, dance and just enjoy some beautiful time next to nature. Watching the moon and seeing the sunrise the following morning after we are just married...ahhhh...it's going to be heaven.

Here is just one example of something that we love!

Below image source, screenshot from: https://www.lidadebeer.co.za/night-wedding-photography/

Food and Drinks

A braai is the South African word for a BBQ. I want to make a fire and cook some meat on it as a married woman haha I feel that it is good luck and not to mention how beautiful the flames will look for photos as well. Snacks? Sushi. Why? Because sushi is delicious!

Drinks-wise, we have got a stash of alcohol that our friends have given us as presents over the years, so there will be plenty for the person marrying us and the photographers to enjoy once they are done. For us though? Vodka and coke for my Fiancé, and white wine. For me...Malibu and coke, as well as a good red wine.

Our honeymoon!

We are going to go road tripping and head to Scotland. We're going to stay at Loch Lomond.

Image sources, screenshots from: https://www.loch-lomond.co.uk/rooms/carter-suite/

The best part of getting married

I can't wait to wake up as his wife. I can't wait to be MRS. I can't wait to share the rest of my life with him and to be able to have my special person forever. I know that you don't need marriage or a wedding to do that, but I want that. I want be his wife and I want him to be my husband.

Thank you for reading my wedding rambles!

It's so nice to dream and to also know that the time is getting closer and things are falling into place. It's nice to be ending this year with positivity for me, it's nice for me to feel as if there is a weight off my shoulders and be able to breathe again.

2022 is the start of beautiful things for all of us 🌸