Three Years/Nine Years

Happy Anniversary Matthew!

Thank you for three wonderful years of marriage and a whopping nine years together. Would you have believed those two kids up there would have started dating, let alone gone 'all in' on the love, house and marriage stuff?

Thank you for your kindness, your humour, your intelligence and your patience.

Thank you for loving me (even when I don't love myself). Thank you for spoiling me and those katzen. Thank you for inspiring me daily to be a better person, a better wife, and a better version of myself.

Thank you for supporting me, no matter what Claire-brained scheme I'm pursuing. Thank you for working so hard to help make our home and our life so comfortable and cosy. Thank you for listening.

Thank you for all the marvellous holidays you plan for us - I'm so lucky to see the world, Matthew-style.

Thank you for enjoying my silliness. Thank you for playing Monopoly with me. Thank you for the way you love my friends.

Thank you for nine wonderful years, and three of those as Mr and Mrs. When I first met you and started speaking franglais I had no idea where this journey would take us, but I'm so glad to be here, with you. Thank you for being my better half.

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Love

Image from here

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Our Wedding: Group / Formal Shots

Because it's tradition, right?

Photos once more from the delightful A Sweeney Photography.

I love that the niecelet is on Matthew's side!

GIANT BADGER!

Bridal squad.

Team groom.

With my side of the family.

And Matthew's side too.

The whole gang!

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Our wedding: The Ceremony

All photos once again courtesy of the multi-talented A Sweeney Photography.

Fair warning, there are lots of photos in this post.  But you don't get married every day, right?

Matthew and his groom team.

Nick ushering up a storm!

With my gorgeous bridesmaids and my dad.

Loved this part - so cute!

The boys realised bridal squad are on the way - action stations!

Pretty girls!

My parents walking me down the aisle.

Mum & Dad.

A shot of the whole shebang.

Singing away.

Hee.  I don't know what's going on here, but I do like that we both seem to be quite chilled and silly with it!

Henry read beautifully from Corinthians.

And Jane gave a gorgeous reading from Union.

Clearly deep in thought!

Getting a blessing.

Ooooh, exciting!

I'm so pleased we got the words right!

Husband and wife.

Signing the register, surrounded by so many of our favourites.

Yep, lots of beaming and grinning going on.

I was clearly thrilled to see my colleagues from the English department and their families!

Confetti!

Love this shot of my Auntie Sandra making sure we got hit with every last grain of confetti!

And we're married!  Off to the reception...

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Our Wedding: Before the Ceremony

Yay!  Our wedding photos have all arrived and I'm so excited to share them.  Our photographer was the amazing Andy Sweeney, who Matthew and I have known for quite some time, and who we were thrilled to have at our wedding!

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be sharing some of my favourite shots from Andy.  Today, the pre-ceremony elements are the focus.  Enjoy, if weddings are your bag!

Our reception was in a marquee on my school's sports ground.  I was so pleased with how it turned out.  On every table was a collection of games, things to read, and knick-knacks.

Our welcome table, complete with a gorgeous hand-drawn table plan from the hugely talented Emily of Under a Glass Sky, who was part of our 'bridal squad'.

Sweetie buffet!

As well as sweeties to take away, we made up little favours of teacups, tea, shortbread and a bookmark.  It felt like it summed up a lot of our favourite things!

The pavilion & marquee.

Our ceremony took place at St Clement Danes, the central church of the RAF.  We both wanted that part of my family's history to be part of the day, and the church was just the perfect venue.

Such a beautiful church!  The little blue shapes are the many, many squadron badges of the RAF.

A priest's-eye-view - brilliant organ!

Matthew and his best men greeting the guests.

Bridal squad.

Yep.

I had fourteen bridesmaids.

How lucky am I?

Visions in yellow!

We were so lucky with the weather!  The days either side were rain, rain, rain.  On the wedding day itself?  Nary a drop!  Here, bridal squad members await go time.

So many people were kind enough to make time to join us for the celebrations; we were incredibly touched!  So many others who were unable to make it spoiled us with cards and good wishes.  It was so lovely to be at the epicentre of so much goodwill!

Such a fabulous guard of honour :)

The ushers look like they may be plotting something...

I'm here!  I love Siobhan's reaction!

One last primp from Emily and Siobhán...and then it's time to go!

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