Hidden Talents & Lavish Spectacles

We've had some lovely offers so far: Elderflower champagne from Alison, a silver mercedes from John (!) handmade ceramics and baking, including a wedding cake, which Anne has kindly offered to design and make...We are really looking forward to sampling things made and shared by friends. It really will be a ''bring what you'd like to find'' kind of day. Which is always good.

I'm going round muttering things under my breath 'two hundred wine glasses, and bread, we need bread, and labels, and fairy lights'

Agghh! Somebody sedate me, before I turn into Bridezilla. But hey, maybe I'd be like this even if I was just organising any big party. It is funny the effect weddings have though, its hard to keep your head when there's so much hype and consumerism around. So many things that are part and parcel, the perfect bride (false nails, me?), the lavish spectacle. Weddings: old fashioned, romantic, spiritual, patriarchal, a symbol of hope? Seems to elicit all these conflicting responses.

Have steered clear of those glossy magazines on the shelves of WHS Smiths, but reading blogs like Indiebride makes me realise there is some sanity out there.

Heidi x