Hello! I feel very privileged and excited to be a B.LOVED Real Life Bride and share my special journey with you all. On 21 February 2014, my Fiancé (still feels so strange saying that word!) Nick popped the question (well sort of - I'll get to that later!) and now it is just 9 and a half months until our big day.

Our story...

Nick booked us a weekend trip to Harrogate for my Birthday as it had been my dream to go and visit the famous Betty's Tea Rooms. The night before I had a few drinks and everyone was teasing that Nick would propose, my reaction was 'definitely not!'... you see Nick had made a very good job of putting me off the scent! A friend had said you'll know when it's going to happen as he will start acting 'weird', but there was nothing, no little hint. It was safe to say I was not in the slightest bit suspicious.

A coffee in hand, we were on the train and on our way 'up north!' (the furthest north I have ever been!). Once checked in at the hotel Nick asked what I fancied for dinner. Due to my Prosecco fuelled night before all I could think of was curry, whoops! We wondered around looking for somewhere nice, poor Nick, I turned down everything that looked the slightest bit romantic and suggested an Indian restaurant in an old converted church. We had the most delicious (and well needed) curry, and as most people were leaving we settled in to enjoy the rest of our wine. Then after popping to the ladies, I returned to the table and to a very 'weird' acting Nick - this was it!!

All a bit of a blur, but from what I can remember he had his hand closed in front of me with a very weepy look on his face, before saying, 'Gem....... ' he passed me a small box and my first reaction was to hide it under the table! I slowly opened the box in my lap to reveal a beautiful sparkly ring which he had got made especially for me. After a few minutes of extreme giggling and shaking like a leaf from head to toe in shock, I said to Nick, 'you haven't actually asked me the question!'... :)

I wouldn't of had it any other way, it was perfect and always makes me chuckle when I think back.

The rest of the weekend was amazing, we had afternoon tea in the Imperial room at Betty's which involved eating tiny delicious finger sandwiches, the prettiest little cream cakes I have ever seen and all while listening to a live pianist - I could have stayed there all week! It was entertaining watching Nick sip his tea out of the little ornate teacup! We also wondered around Highgate's antique shops, stunning park and did a lot of hanging out at the hotel bar drinking cocktails and learning how to make a real good old fashioned!

So here I am now... thrown into a big new world of weddings! I have loved every minute of the planning so far and have learnt so much, and so am very much looking forward to share more of our eclectic style and ideas with you soon. x