(no subject)
On the 12th of september 2008 "tatianitska and I were married, it was the best day ever.
I kept meaning to write about it or other things but I couldn't write anything else until I'd done the wedding and that needed more than just a quick post in a spare few minutes, or something.
So, it was rather delayed. Hiding in the bottom of my too hard bin.
Because Tatya's family are all in NZ and so are a lot of our friends the wedding was held in Christchurch, our favourite city.
Venue was The Old Stone House www.netrix.co.nz/osh/ which was awesome as well as really well priced.
The most important thing for us was to have lots of guests, sharing the event with our friends and family being rather the point of the exercise.
Meredith and Beast sorted the catering for us as well as being bridesmaids on the day which was both awesome and meant we could actually afford to invite lots of people and still get married sometime this century.
Tatya and I were dressed in amazing Russian garb with lots of brocade and in my case fully embroidered sleves. The Bridal party (Meredith, Beast, Amy, Jacqui) was also in garb and were also impressive. We wanted the guests to wear whatever they felt comfortable in so we expected most people to be in some sort of modern formal. My grooms party (Cody, Paul, Ben, Keith) were in suits which suited them pretty well and I think reassured all the guests that what they were wearing was fine.
Tatya absorbed most of the pre-wedding stress so I was doing pretty well up to the day, where I had to coordinate getting people and things to the venue and arranging the furniture and such. Having not seen the venue before the wedding other than in photos and with no prepared plan in mind that got kind of interesting. Fortunatly I had a lot of help from the groomsmen as well as Trevor and John and anyone who turned up early and couldn't hide from me.
The weather gave a bit of a scare. Overcast with brief light rain. It looked like it was going to stop raining and be fine or at least dry, but it kept changing. So I'm all dressed up and striding about the place trying to decide where to put things and I pick a layout outside in front of the building. Then it rains lightly for a few minutes. Word is sent back to the bridal party with a photo of the spot and a query about inside or outside. Word from The Bride is not to risk it and move inside. In a moment of insane recklessness and disregard for personal safety I decide to actually override her and keep it outside. The fact that there is not a small plot somewhere with a headstone and the words "I'm going to stick with holding it outside" is evidence of the fine weather that followed.
By the time the rest of the guests arrived and time approached I was feeling quite stressed, and it was still overcast. But everyone was on time and the layout seemed to be working and we had the vows, and paperwork and rings and celebrant etc. So, all ready to go.
Tatya and the Bridal party arrived almost exactly on time, and not just because the bride is on time by definition. Actually at the planned time. Once I heard that and saw them coming around the corner all the stress drained out and the fight/flight reflex was replaced by excitement.
Did I mention that Tatya looked awesome? Because she did.
The ceremony itself went really well, Tatya wrote her vows and I wrote mine to compliment them. They were fairly long so we cheated and used index cards which I think worked well.
One of my favourite things that really made it feel like OUR wedding rather than A wedding was the laughter.
I had joked with Tatya that I might arrange for signs to hold up behind her at some point saying 'mine' and 'gloat'. People who had heard that story told Tatya after the ceremony that signs were entirely unnecesary as the massive grin permanently nailed to my face said it all.
Canon lent me a video camera which was mostly operated by John Seaton. Wedding photos were primarily taken by Ian, with extras from Robert Urquart, Phil, John Morton, and others.
There are many, still not many online though. I still intend to send DVD's or CD's of photos and or video to people to share around.
The Reception went well, speeches were nice although sadly we somehow failed to give my father a chance to speak.
Food was excellent and there was plenty of wine for the toasts and the Cake was simply awesome. Meredith made the cake and it was chocolate and spectacular with a layer of chocolate prune fruitcake. And Bell decorated it with the most amazing edible flowers.
We both got to see old friends who we don't get to catch up with very often. Several people said it was like being at a KAOS 94 reunion.
Between several people having to leave early to catch planes etc and parents with small ones having to retire enough of the other guests got confused into thinking things were winding up that it was one of the shortest receptions I've been too, finishing about 4pm. But it was also the most fun and Tatya and I joined people at John and Tracy's for a post wedding BBQ and geekery in the evening.
And of course the following day KAOS provided a party complete with wedding games. Which I may post about later.
It was so much fun, and just an amazing day. We had so much help and support and gifts and friends and family and Tina that I will never get over how fantastic it was.
There are plans for some sort of anniversary celebration here in Sydney for our Australian friends. Not sure exactly but plans indeed.
I kept meaning to write about it or other things but I couldn't write anything else until I'd done the wedding and that needed more than just a quick post in a spare few minutes, or something.
So, it was rather delayed. Hiding in the bottom of my too hard bin.
Because Tatya's family are all in NZ and so are a lot of our friends the wedding was held in Christchurch, our favourite city.
Venue was The Old Stone House www.netrix.co.nz/osh/ which was awesome as well as really well priced.
The most important thing for us was to have lots of guests, sharing the event with our friends and family being rather the point of the exercise.
Meredith and Beast sorted the catering for us as well as being bridesmaids on the day which was both awesome and meant we could actually afford to invite lots of people and still get married sometime this century.
Tatya and I were dressed in amazing Russian garb with lots of brocade and in my case fully embroidered sleves. The Bridal party (Meredith, Beast, Amy, Jacqui) was also in garb and were also impressive. We wanted the guests to wear whatever they felt comfortable in so we expected most people to be in some sort of modern formal. My grooms party (Cody, Paul, Ben, Keith) were in suits which suited them pretty well and I think reassured all the guests that what they were wearing was fine.
Tatya absorbed most of the pre-wedding stress so I was doing pretty well up to the day, where I had to coordinate getting people and things to the venue and arranging the furniture and such. Having not seen the venue before the wedding other than in photos and with no prepared plan in mind that got kind of interesting. Fortunatly I had a lot of help from the groomsmen as well as Trevor and John and anyone who turned up early and couldn't hide from me.
The weather gave a bit of a scare. Overcast with brief light rain. It looked like it was going to stop raining and be fine or at least dry, but it kept changing. So I'm all dressed up and striding about the place trying to decide where to put things and I pick a layout outside in front of the building. Then it rains lightly for a few minutes. Word is sent back to the bridal party with a photo of the spot and a query about inside or outside. Word from The Bride is not to risk it and move inside. In a moment of insane recklessness and disregard for personal safety I decide to actually override her and keep it outside. The fact that there is not a small plot somewhere with a headstone and the words "I'm going to stick with holding it outside" is evidence of the fine weather that followed.
By the time the rest of the guests arrived and time approached I was feeling quite stressed, and it was still overcast. But everyone was on time and the layout seemed to be working and we had the vows, and paperwork and rings and celebrant etc. So, all ready to go.
Tatya and the Bridal party arrived almost exactly on time, and not just because the bride is on time by definition. Actually at the planned time. Once I heard that and saw them coming around the corner all the stress drained out and the fight/flight reflex was replaced by excitement.
Did I mention that Tatya looked awesome? Because she did.
The ceremony itself went really well, Tatya wrote her vows and I wrote mine to compliment them. They were fairly long so we cheated and used index cards which I think worked well.
One of my favourite things that really made it feel like OUR wedding rather than A wedding was the laughter.
I had joked with Tatya that I might arrange for signs to hold up behind her at some point saying 'mine' and 'gloat'. People who had heard that story told Tatya after the ceremony that signs were entirely unnecesary as the massive grin permanently nailed to my face said it all.
Canon lent me a video camera which was mostly operated by John Seaton. Wedding photos were primarily taken by Ian, with extras from Robert Urquart, Phil, John Morton, and others.
There are many, still not many online though. I still intend to send DVD's or CD's of photos and or video to people to share around.
The Reception went well, speeches were nice although sadly we somehow failed to give my father a chance to speak.
Food was excellent and there was plenty of wine for the toasts and the Cake was simply awesome. Meredith made the cake and it was chocolate and spectacular with a layer of chocolate prune fruitcake. And Bell decorated it with the most amazing edible flowers.
We both got to see old friends who we don't get to catch up with very often. Several people said it was like being at a KAOS 94 reunion.
Between several people having to leave early to catch planes etc and parents with small ones having to retire enough of the other guests got confused into thinking things were winding up that it was one of the shortest receptions I've been too, finishing about 4pm. But it was also the most fun and Tatya and I joined people at John and Tracy's for a post wedding BBQ and geekery in the evening.
And of course the following day KAOS provided a party complete with wedding games. Which I may post about later.
It was so much fun, and just an amazing day. We had so much help and support and gifts and friends and family and Tina that I will never get over how fantastic it was.
There are plans for some sort of anniversary celebration here in Sydney for our Australian friends. Not sure exactly but plans indeed.