It's going well. Almost too well.

There's less than a year to go. Just a little under 11 months in fact.
I've checked through the list of things to do and we're well ahead.

• Venue and catering. Booked
• Registrar. Booked
• DJ. Booked
• Wedding dress. Bought
• Florist. Booked
• Bride's car. Booked
• Photographer. We thought we had one but it turns out his great rate is only on weekdays. We'll look again

If that's is not enough for you, well then, the nice people at the venue have been in touch to see if we want to pay in installments and from doing the sums, it seems it will actually save us money. It will even save us more money than we'd earn in interest if we put it all in the bank.
I'm going to talk to some local hoteliers next week to find out about rates.
It really is going too well...

What's left?
Well, little things like rings and cake.
Readings and music, seat covers and speeches.
Playlists, outfits, seating plans and menus.
The nuts and bolts, the finer points.
The things that make it different. The things that make it us.

Our New Home- 17 Oliver Road, Ascot

Love knows no boundaries

Love overcomes all barriers. Apparently. That includes the Home Office Border Agency.

There was a time when obtaining permission to get married meant appeasing parents.

More recently it alluded to convincing priests that you really had been going to church all this time, not just at Christmas and Easter if at all. Now getting a certificate of approval is required for all non-British people who dare to marry someone from these shores.

There will be those who say that it will stop marriages of convenience. But charging £295 and requiring a couple of photographs is hardly the way to do it. It’s not a measure to stop illegal immigration; it’s a method of raising revenue. Just like the £500 it cost for Diana’s Leave to Remain (and the £500 is cost last year too). Now doubt, once we’re married Diana’s visa will need to be altered to reflect her right to remain here indefinitely. That’s the big one at £795.

Marriage will not get Diana her ‘indefinite leave to remain straight away’. Marriage will give Diana another two years on her visa. After a further two years she will get resident status.

There are many conflicts here. First is the desire amongst our politicians to promote the family as the means of fixing an apparently broken society. Second is the desire amongst our politicians to promote strict immigration controls as a means of preventing our society becoming ever more broken. Third comes the promise to keep taxes low, direct income tax that is. Well, taxing foreigners who want to come here, or who are already here is hardly going to be unpopular as it helps to reinforce the fears stoked by numbers one and two.

And so marriage becomes a political football. Except for those involved. So forgive us if we don’t have a brass band at our wedding in October 2009, if we try and pass off the wedding cake as dessert or if we don’t have the finest champagne. Just remember the £1100 we’ve had to pay the government and enjoy the party we have managed to put on.

Change of Plans

We'll be spending Christmas in Silver instead of Denver...

Easter 2009

That's right. You read the title of this post correctly- Easter 2009. We've come up with a plan and it involves you...or some of you, we hope!

Part I:
Our next trip to the States is Christmas 2008; we're excited to be going to Mark, Tona, Jadyn, and Baby Detterick's in Colorado. However, we won't get to see everyone we would normally see in a NM trip as we won't be going to Silver City.

Part II:
We realize that not everyone who would like to come to our wedding will be able to do so...and we want to see you!

Therefore...

We've decided to come to the States in April of 2009!

Tentative plans are:
Saturday 4th April- fly from London to Nashville
Couple of days- visit with the Wolthers in Nashville (and anyone else in the southeast who wants to meet up in Nashville....)
Fly from Nashville to Albuquerque - drive up to Las Vegas to visit with Grandma D and company for a couple of days
Drive down to Silver City to spend Easter with the Dettericks/Hensleys/ friends
Return to London around 15th April or so.

We hope to see you! ( More details to follow of course...)

Er, is this thing on?

Just in case anyone really wanted a fish update. We are short at least one. I don't want to suggest for a moment that Diana has been neglecting her fish duties but there has been a reduction in the number of fish and not for the purpose of cooking.
An investigation has been launched.
By the way, the wedding previously referred to was of my friend Lisa and her, now, husband Martin. Lisa and I taught together from September 2002 until April 2005 but we've both changed a lot in the three years since then. I know that doesn't sound like a long time but it's amazing what can happen in that time. Sadly, I was ill the night before the wedding and although I managed to get through the day, we left before the party really got started.
Anyway, their wedding got me thinking about the friends of mine who are married. All of them are so perfectly matched with their partners that they provide a reminder of why the day and the life that follows, are so important.

Save the date...

Well, this weekend we went to a wedding. On our drive back from Birmingham (about 2 hours) we talked about two things: my parents upcoming visit (hooray!) and our wedding (time to get in gear!). The next thing we need to do is send save the date cards/magnets/coasters/bookmarks whatever we decide on. My job is to convince Andrew that yes, we do need to send cards to people that live in London and no, he can't just send them a text! :) If you get bored, google save the date cards and be prepared to be overwhelmed with the choices!