Mr & Mrs Grieve

---

It's hard to write about such an amazing day in one's life but I'll give it a whirl and hopefully for those of you who weren't there you will get a feel for just how amazing it truly was.

It started out with Stu and I waking up next to each other, the last time as single people, both very excited about the journey that lay ahead. After a relaxed breakfast and swim, we parted ways about lunchtime with me going up to Ma and Pa's room and Stu staying at ours to get ready.

As part of the package we bought, my hair and make-up lady arrived about 2.30pm to start the beauty process and we were done about 4.30pm (yes it takes a while!). The nerves didn't really set in until I put my dress on and then I got a little bit emotional. I was soon to discover that the emotion wasn't a passing phase, it would continue on during the day for both of us.

After pacing the hallways for 5 minutes while I put on my dress, Stu met me at Mum and Dad's room. If I wanted a certain reaction I couldn't have asked for a better one. As soon as he saw me, his eyes welled up, his lips started quivering and when we hugged we both started sobbing! It sounds completely soppy but was absolutely gorgeous and a memory I will remember always.

After pictures taken around the resort and our guests on the way to the beach after some group photos of their own, we were on our way to the opposite end of the beach from our guests to wait for our 'ride'. The age old saying of never working with children or animals turning out to be true and our elephant taking a wrong turn and rocking up to the wedding without us, it did an about turn and came back to it's rightful starting place to get us! Although the element of surprise was gone for our guests, they whopped and cheered when they saw us break through the forest and onto the beach on top of Wan Chai (Sweetheart) our elephant limosine! Leading the procession were some long drummers and thai dancers, making our entrance quite a stunning and unique one!

The location itself was absolutely stunning. Calm water lapping at the shore with hills covered in jungle greenery in the background and a couple of traditional thai long tail boats thrown in for good measure! The red carpet was adjorned either side with thousands of orchids, and Caitlin and Josie threw even more petals down the aisle before I walked down.

Walking down the red carpet aisle is something I will never forget. The location was gorgeous but I was looking at my future husband at the other end and was surrounded on both sides by people who loved us so much they made the journey over to share in this amazing day.

Mum and Dad gave my hand to Stu's, and in turn their blessing, to look after me from this day on. As a child I don't know how that feels but I know they feel like there's no better person for the job and Stu barely managed to hold it together during this time.

Our ceremony itself was amazing, with gorgeous love poems and Cherokee Indian blessings throughout. Our families lit candles which Stu and I took from them before lighting a single candle to signify the joining of the families and our now united life together.

Bailey outdid himself when he handed Stu and I our respective rings, after which we said our vows, both through tears, and we were pronounced husband and wife. It has a great ring to it! We walked down the aisle through a shower of rose petals and bubbles before our guests were asked to take part in a traditional Thai water pouring ceremony where guests pour water over our hands and give us their blessing for marriage.

This was followed by Stu cracking open the first bottle of champagne (we've kept the cork!) and pouring me a glass of champagne. And so began the first of many, many toasts for the evening!

We then asked our families to light a large lantern (like a mini hot air balloon) which were released to the sky for good fortune. The three of them (Stu and I lit one too) were an amazing finale to a beyond words day that had people crying yet again...it was all very emotional.

Drinks and dancing on the beach followed, before we went back to the restaurant for an amazing dinner, some great speeches and dancing...and then it was over...or was it?

Exhausted from the day, we went back to our room with me expecting a gorgeous love heart shaped rose petal bed, only to find the tsunami had come back...but only reached room 4131! Toilet paper, potato crisps, bed upturned, wheelchair on bed (the wheelchair is a whole other story!), clothes strewn from one end of the room to the other along with my cosmetics, lovely well wishes in shaving cream on every mirror...in one word CHAOS! I calmed down in the shower whilst Stu, Floss, Flip and Robbo put on their maid uniforms and had the room in semi-normal order before I got out...bless them.

So - that was our wedding day. More emotional than we ever anticipated, as beautiful as we dreamed and as calm as we wanted...

And tomorrow sees the beginning of the next stage in our honeymoon adventure...back to Bangkok before our flight to San Fran early on Tuesday morning.

I will try and be better at updating this once we're on our own...it's been pretty chaotic the past 10 days or so trying to coordinate 31 people!

Much love to you all, I'm going to try and attach some pics so you can see how amazing it really was but I hate to say you'll never really know how perfect it was unless you were there...

Until next time...Mrs (and Mr!) Grieve xox

---