Countdown to the Wedding! – “On choosing a venue”

Before I came to live in England, I had only been to 4 or 5 weddings in Spain (two of them my brothers’). Weddings in Spain (at least the ones I’ve been to) are nothing too special: Ceremony in the church, then the guests go to the reception, which usually is a hotel or a big restaurant. Dancing and drinking after dinner, and that’s it. No father of the bride speeches, not bridesmaids, not best man speeches, never heard of “favours”, etc. After that kind of experience, I never thought much about weddings.

But then I came to live in England and I’ve been to three weddings here. All of them were stunningly beautiful, and apart from those little details that make a wedding day unforgetable, I think the real secret lies in choosing the right venue. Leaving hotels and restaurants aside, in the UK you can choose from dozens of different venues, from Manor Houses to Castles, from Town Halls to Golf Courses, from Spas to Museums… Any place you can imagine is available for weddings in the UK.

Now Jon and I must choose a venue for our wedding. There are so many things to take into account, for example: prices, location, surrounding grounds, availability, chooses of menu, hiden costs, etc. Not an easy decision and probably the one decision that will determine the rest of the wedding.

Jon’s parents have set their heart in a very expensive venue called Foxhills in Ottershaw, not too far from us here in Byfleet and quite near them in Virginia Water. I love the place, it’s simply gorgeous and you can breathe the “class” and “opulence”. Something Tito Pepe would definetely approve of. Problems? The venue is already taken for every single Saturday in 2008, which would mean having to choose either a Friday or a Sunday. Also, the prices are a bit prohibitive. We would have to cut down our budget on something else in order to be able to afford this place.

I have set my heart in a much more modest place called Silvermere. It is 5 minutes drive from us in Byfleet and it is not as grandious as Foxhills. On the other hand, there’s a gorgeous lake and the grounds are stunning. We have checked the rooms out yet, but according to what I’ve seen on the internet the place is much more affordable and somehow it inspires me a bit more confidence than Foxhills. I suppose we will have to give them a call and also see the availability for next year and ask all those tricky questions that one must ask before making a decision.

Top 5 reasons why I know I’m getting old

1. I get annoyed at concerts when I am surrounded of teenage girls shouting / screaming / jumping, when all I want to do is to enjoy the concert in peace! “Remember you were like one of them once” a friend of mine tells me. “Bollocks” I say, I was never that blooming annoying. Last time it happened was during the 30 Seconds To Mars concert in the Give it a Name festival in London. That band is awesome, great, musically perfect, but I couldn’t enjoy the music because of the amount of 13 year olds around me! You had to turn your attention to them at times because they were even more entertaining than the act!
2. I rather stay in and watch a film, or have some friends over and play cards / board games than go out on a piss. Well, let’s be honest, it’s been years since I enjoy getting drunk. The last few times have been pretty embarrasing, and I don’t enjoy the feeling any more as when I was at uni. Those days are gone.
3. I only drink alcohol when I feel like it and I enjoy it rather than feeling pushed by the rest of society. I enjoy a glass of white wine or a pint of beer occasionally at home while watching a film. And most of the times I just have a lemonade when I go out, because most of the times I’ll be driving back anyway!
4. Teenagers annoy me regardless of what they do: drive moppeds at high speed in residential areas, sit in the park smoking and laughing at everybody, say stupid things that they think it makes them look intelligent, etc. No, I don’t like teenagers. Thank god I didn’t end up being a teacher.
5. And finally: I am ready to settle down. For years I said no to marriage. I even had a full list of pros and cons against marriage, and I never thought it’d happen to me. But people change. I have changed. I have grown up, and I have finally realised that I AM getting old. Turning 30 was the first clue. Jon proposing to me and me saying yes was the last hint. Me being the happiest person ever because of that is the ultimate realisation. The final form of acceptance.

By the way, I am getting married! On the night of our second anniversary together, Jon went on one knee and asked me to marry him. It caught me completely by surprise and for a few moments I didn’t even know what to say. But who was I trying to kid… I had been secretly wishing that this would happen for a long time. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon!
We are now engaged and we are thinking to get a definitive date about May next year. Organising a wedding is a long and winding road, and there are far too many things to think, decide and contemplate before we rush into anything. But definitely, a process that I am looking forward to going through. Alongside my fiancé!