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Wedding day

(64 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Sun 23-Jun-24 10:54:29

I have just been looking at a thread on Mumsnet where the bride is feeling disappointed. Frankly her expectations were so high that this was inevitable.

Anyone have any hiccups with their wedding? Or funny anecdotes?

On the eve of my wedding, my Dad took me on one side and said that Mum had asked him to have a word with me about contraception! What a joke!

And on the morning itself I started a period unexpectedly - and I had very heavy periods. Blood and a white dress are incompatible!!! - so led to some anxiety during the day. And I spent my wedding night clutching a hot water bottle to my belly with dreadful period pain!

fiorentina51 Tue 09-Jul-24 16:56:44

We hired a Bentley from a local taxi firm to take me to the church and later transport my husband and I to the reception.
It arrived on time to pick me up from outside my parent's pub, and looked fine from the front.
Unfortunately, much to mum's dismay, the boot was tied down with string.
I didn't care as long as it got me to the church on time, but my fiery tempered Italian mother was furious and gave the driver a good telling off.

It was 6 months before he plucked up the courage to come into the pub again. His visit lasted 5 minutes as she refused to serve him and banned him for life.

madeleine45 Tue 09-Jul-24 14:10:08

when I married my second husband, we were both members of the methodist church just round the corner. I used to sing and read lessons, and my husband used to help with the teenagers. My mother and father came to stay and look after my son while we went off for a few days honeymoon. So, the actual wedding was beautifully old fashioned. I took my fathers arm and we walked round to the church. All the neighbours came out and clapped as we walked by. All my family are singers and I was a member of 3 choirs , so we had lovely 8 part harmonies to all the music ,. We decorated the church with flowers from the garden and my best friend who was in nafas made it all look very lovely. We chose to have just a wedding cake and a drink so that more people come to the reception. I told my minister that we intended to have some alcohol besides fruit juice and other non alcoholic drinks. Different methodists have different points of view. So everyone was able to walk round and my singing teacher - who was a professional singer and a great pianist played the piano and we all sang many different things until we left to go to Ludlow. A lovely memory. I am a widow now but will always remember our lovely day shared by so many friends and family.

Hellogirl1 Sun 07-Jul-24 19:38:22

Georgesgran, we used the services of a local undertaker for 3 of our childrens` weddings. Those cars were SOOOO comfy, and the driver wore a nice uniform.

Bobbybrown111 Sun 07-Jul-24 08:01:27

Oh, weddings always have their share of unexpected moments! On our daughter's big day, the limo we booked had a surprise breakdown, so we switched to a party bus from www.limohire-in-london.co.uk/party-bus-hire/. Despite the hiccup, everyone had a blast dancing and celebrating onboard. Memories were made, proving that sometimes the unexpected adds to the joy!

NanKate Tue 25-Jun-24 06:42:26

I have always loved the Autumn so chose 23 October 1971 for our wedding day. My mother kept saying ‘why have you chosen then, the weather will be bad’. The wedding day dawned to bright warm sunshine which lasted for a week 👍.

We couldn’t afford a honeymoon so went straight to our new home. The following day we had a Sunday roast and I had to ask DH how to make gravy, I’m still a rotten cook.

I’m still laughing at the vibrating sporran Flora 😀

Whiff Tue 25-Jun-24 06:00:52

We got married in May 1981. I was up at 6am as we where catering for ourselves. It could have ended up in disaster.
My dad got stuck in traffic jam for over hour fetching my cousin who was a bridesmaid,the hire company sent the wrong glasses my husband to be also got stuck in a traffic jam.
Mom was with others was getting the hall ready. When finished my aunt took me to see I left by the front door and forgot my keys it was a Yale lock. Got locked out of the house as mom didn't have her keys. Luckily my husband to be came with the glasses . I hid in the back room so we wouldn't see eachother. He grabbed one of my cousins luckily my brother's bedroom window was wide open and using a ladder he went to get the keys .
My best friend was late from the hairdressers she was a bridesmaids . Mom arrived from the hall 10 mins before the car arrived for her and the bridesmaids. Never seen my mom get dressed and made up so quick.

It was pouring with rain when my husband and brother who was best man arrived at the church so the wedding party before us wouldn't come out of the church until it stopped. Both soaked.

Wedding car came for me and my dad but the photographer took so long over the photos was 10 mins late getting in the church.

After ceremony the grass was soaked so all the woman had to stand on their toes so heels didn't sink in. It was blazing hot.

Reception in the church hall across the road but we went round the block in the car. Last guest got into the hall as it hailed.

Rest of the reception went well. Had changed my dress after eating.

But because we hired the hall. My parents and husband where cleaning the hall after everyone went home . At midnight I was sweeping up on my wedding day. My husband had to clean the car off all decorations before we could drive to our home. To knackered to even get the wedding presents out of the car until morning.

Next day popped to my parents for leftovers and bottle of champagne they had for us . Our honeymoon was in a Hoseason's chalet in Devon for a week . Rained most of the week.

grannyactivist Tue 25-Jun-24 01:25:56

The minister who officiated at our wedding was an American friend and hadn’t yet been authorised to conduct weddings in the UK, so we were married by special license in the church we regularly attended, with a Registrar present. In addition to family and friends the whole church congregation was present and my husband and I decided that, as we are both known by our middle names, it would lessen confusion if the ceremony was conducted using those names.

The service was very special and included lots of involvement from friends and family - then once concluded we walked starry eyed up the aisle…….to be met at the door by the Registrar who whisked us off into the church hall and told us he couldn’t register our marriage as our ‘correct’ names hadn’t been used. He then asked us to very quickly recite the marriage vows again, using our full names. So, technically we got married in the church hall and not the church.

grumppa Mon 24-Jun-24 23:55:09

I am still not sure why the flowers to decorate the wedding cake went off to Heathrow while we were being shown round the City Guildhall by the Registrar (places were being laid for a banquet for the President of Nigeria, who was about to be deposed during his visit to London).

Dizzyribs Mon 24-Jun-24 23:01:49

My “lovely” cousin poured handfuls of rice down out backs (and fronts) as we left the reception in our going away outfits. We were taking the train to our honeymoon destination and the carriage seemed to be full of students on their way home from university. Several were stretched out in their socks with bags and trainers in the aisle (obviously they’d had a “tiring” last day! As we stepped over the bags and shoe the rice moved and left little piles of rice in them! Funny now but quite embarrassing at the time 😂

biglouis Mon 24-Jun-24 21:55:25

I had a very small unfussy registry office wedding. However I made sure to take the pill so no period or pregnancy.

Floradora9 Mon 24-Jun-24 21:44:26

My DH to be refused to tell me where he was going to park the car we had hired for our honeymoon ....big mistake . He parked it outside the MIL of one of our guests and she was staying withere so we found a car covered in " just married " made with treacle and confetti and lots of rubbish tied to the back . We were really worried in case it did not all come off but we stopped at the first garage we came to and got it cleared .We had not booked anything apart from the first night so the second night of our tour new DH went to reception to see what they had and came back worried because all they had was a roon with twin beds. I was delighted as I thought this sharing a bed lark was uncomfortable .
DS had a traditional Scottish wedding and he put his phone on " vibrate " mode and put it in his sporran . Facing all the guests it rang and his sporran visibly moved.

GrannySomerset Mon 24-Jun-24 19:47:08

The bouquets were done by a school friend’s mother and dispatched in the care of an errand boy on a bike. He stopped to chat with a friend and my aunt was frantically scouring her garden so that at least I had something to carry even if the bridesmaids were empty handed. I was actually in the car with a very nervous uncle when the boy, quite unconcerned, turned up. It must have taken him several days to recover from the ear bashing my furious aunt delivered! That was the only hitch and I have such good memories of that sunny day nearly 62 years ago.

PenE Mon 24-Jun-24 19:21:32

where to start!! I had a dreadful hangover still where from three days earlier had been persuaded to go out with MIL, and SIL I hadn't wanted a hen do but felt I should as they wanted me to go. My mum didn't come. If she had then I would not have been given a mixed drink which I stupidly drank and then really suffered from including bruising my lip -all of which BIL made fun of in his speech. Luckily we bumped into my husbands stag do and he saw that I was safely taken home. I had to be up very early on my wedding day to help get food prepared for the reception and to make button holes .My Grandma wasn't able to attend as she had fallen ill in the week before and was in hospital. My godmother was going to do my hair and bring me her veil to wear- stuck in traffic! was able to just get to the church in time but I had to do my own hair and we fixed the veil at the church door--but before that I had got into my dress and looked at my self in the mirror and to my horror realised that my underwear could be seen through the lower half of the dress. I had to take the stockings and suspenders off and go without -luckily my knickers were not on show! When we left the church after the ceremony the ants started flying and seagulls were circling! when the photos were being taken my husbands twin brother was nowhere to be found as he had gone off with his then gf who had spilt something down her dress and insisted going to change so he isn't in any of our pictures. Apart from that it was a lovely wedding. We have been married 46 years in July.

HowVeryDareYou2 Mon 24-Jun-24 19:05:46

At my wedding reception (1980), a friend's husband was smoking Cannabis, unknown to us, until he started offering people a toke. He was asked to leave.

magshard20 Mon 24-Jun-24 18:41:32

Have been married since 1971, the night before the wedding, my future father in law said to me, "it's not too late to call it off, if you have changed your mind"
I often remind my OH if we "have words" (thankfully not very often) of his dad's words and remind him that I married him, when I could have taken his dad's advice and walked away!

crissy Mon 24-Jun-24 18:26:28

1973 - I made my own wedding dress in a lovely white satin embossed with roses in silver thread. As we started the photograph session our little dog decided he wanted a bit of fuss from me. He broke away and very enthusiastically jumped up at me and left muddy pawprints on my dress. I still have the dress with those - rather faded - pawprints. Needless to say I was rather upset, but soon forgot about it and it was a good talking point.

TanaMa Mon 24-Jun-24 17:56:43

Married in 1953 - almost to the Church and realised I had left my bouquet in the house! Quick turn around and all the neighbours who had cheered me thought I had changed my mind!
On our honeymoon in Jersey I started my period on our first day. Thinking I would be 'with it' I decided I would try Tampax instead if my normal pads - but couldn't understand why they were so uncomfortable! On telling my new friend, an older lady at the hotel, of my problem it caused great hilarity when I was told I had to get rid of the cardboard tube first! Obviously I was very naive in those days!!

M0nica Mon 24-Jun-24 16:40:50

DS & DDiL decided to have all the wedding photos taken at the church, so to occupy the guests while this happened they decided it would be a nice idea to serve a fruit cup - and we were delegated to provide and do it.

So when we got the the church we paraded up to main door, and round the back holding between us a a large, new and cleaned plastic gardening container filled with the bottles of carbonated water, fruit juice and a small quantity of wine.

We started to make the fruit cup in the vestry ready to be serving it as we came out of the church, but all that carrying all the bottles in the container had shaken then up and when I opened the first bottle of carbonate water it absolutely exploded out, completely soaking the front of my clothes.

When the wedding started, the grooms mother was standing there in a soaking wet silk skirt that was clinging to her legs, although no longer dripping water from the hem.

Knittypamela Mon 24-Jun-24 15:31:16

We got married in Ireland although my husband's family live in England. Against my better judgement mum invited his three year old neice to be a bridesmaid. I was having the dresses made in Ireland so posted the material to future sister in law asking her to find a dressmaker and have the dress made. I would pay for everything. Instead she said her 16 year old sister would make the dress. When they arrived a few days before the wedding I asked to see the dress and she refused. My dressmaker had said she would fix any mistakes. On the wedding day the little 3 year old was wearing a dress far too big and falling off her shoulders. At the time it mattered a great deal to me. Also to my dressmaker who didn't want anyone to think she'd made it. 51 years later it isn't important at all.

Glorianny Mon 24-Jun-24 15:24:08

No one can match my late mum's wedding day. In wartime Hull during the blitz. The day was designated for a mock invasion, the town was split in two with checkpoints to find the 'Nazi invaders'. My dad had to pass through one on his way to church fortunately he had his army paybook with him so they believed him and let him through, But the organist was in the Home Guard and had been called up, and the photographer was bombed out the night before.
Mum only had snaps taken by family on their cameras.
They were married for over 50 years.

Years later we visited an exhibition in Hull about the war and there was a photo of the mock invasion, the man showing us round said they had no record of the date. Mum immediately told him. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I should be," she said "It was my wedding day."

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 24-Jun-24 15:17:31

We were engaged on 2 May 1976 and married on 29 May 1976. OH had been offered a 2-year stint in Seychelles and we had to be married so I could go too. We managed to get a slot in the Register Office in Henley. My sister and I went to Oxford to buy a dress. Mum and her friends organised the food, dad hired a marquee for their garden and borrowed tables and chairs. Mum made the cake and asked someone to ice it. When we tried to cut the cake the icing had set rock hard. Mum and one of the aunts disappeared into the kitchen with a saw. All was well and we are still together 48 years later.

Marleygirl Mon 24-Jun-24 14:59:45

Oh, such wonderful stories - still laughing - thank you so much - I'm sure we can identify with those far off days (coming up to our diamond anniversary) - you have livened up a dull old Monday morning!

TinkerBell777 Mon 24-Jun-24 13:59:33

On our wedding day as we were having the speeches, our 3 tier wedding cake collapsed. I thought it was a sign that our marriage would fail but 45 years later we are still going strong.

Glorianny Mon 24-Jun-24 13:13:20

I had a lovely wedding day. Although we did see that under his surplice the vicar seemed to be wearing what looked like his painting trousers (pale coloured with splashes). But not many people noticed.
We had a party for the reception and had decided to stay in a local hotel for the first night. In the early hours of the morning we heard a lot of noise but couldn't be bothered to investigate. It turned out than someone had climbed onto a flat roof and broken into the hotel. They had run round banging on people's doors including ours! We never found out who it was.

jojochurchy Mon 24-Jun-24 13:05:28

We booked the Registry Office for midday but, on the day as we completed the paperwork, was informed that it was half-day closing and the last ceremony should have been at 11.30am. However, luckily they did agree to honour our booking, although i did end up in a panic and rushing up to the front before my DH