Saturday snapshot: because it's bridesmaid-day, me 'n' my husband from our wedding party last year.

We did it gangster style.

In honour of my lovely friend's wedding week, a little story about my proposal..

So, I think you must know by know, we got married in Vegas - two years ago in September for any of you that are counting. It wasn't something we had planned for months or even ever thought about before. It was all a bit backwards. 

My lovely husband went on a business trip to Houston, Texas, and because he is a lovely husband he went in to De Beers. He bought me an incredibly pretty diamond pendant necklace and goodness me I was pleased when I got it. But, it was a little shorter than I would prefer so we agreed I could change it. Then I saw this ring. This rather beautiful, awfully perfect ring. 

And somehow or other we agreed it would be just right as an engagement ring. I can't even remember who suggested it. If it was me, and it quite possibly was, I would like to say that it wasn't in a pushy way. Actually.


So as it turns out, they don't have De Beers in Norway, so as I was in London the following week I went to buy it myself. Yep, for realz. I didn't tell the girl it would be an engagement ring, I really couldn't think of anything more desperate than going to buy an engagement ring on your own. Without an actual other half with you. Imagine all the pity. Very Miss Haversham.

A few days later I was back in Norway and handed the ring over to my then-boyfriend-not-yet-fiance. We talked about a wedding and whilst I love me a bit of attention I suddenly panicked a bit at the thought of getting married in front of actual people. Even actual people that I actually like. So we decided on Vegas. And from there it went super fast. We only did this a few weeks before we actually went so that we could get married on the anniversary of the day we met. Super cute and awfully efficient, only one date to remember.


Anyway, the point of all of this was the proposal. It was, of course, perfect. After the necklace, after the ring, after the Vegas deciding, my then-boyfriend-not-yet-fiance asked me to marry him when we were home, just the two of us. Then the kids came over later that day and it was all very lovely. 


Oh and spoiler alert, I did say yes...

Another American story for you in what turns out to be the longest post ever as I try to point out what to expect in Vegas despite the fact that it is probably only me that was even a little surprised.

Yeah, so despite all the research I normally do, I didn't bother with so much on Vegas, because you know, it's Vegas, it's kind of obvious. Really, what do you need to know?

No-one told me you have to queue to take a picture. 

Firstly, and in my defence, we obviously went there to get married and we were there for something like six days before that happened, so we had a little time, but we needed to get rings and a suit for my honey and our paperwork done, so there was a bit of a to do list, it wasn't just a drinking jolly. So when we went to the Coyote Ugly bar (yes, really, I liked that film, secretly quite a lot actually), I just wasn't feeling the urge to lean backwards against the bar and get 'free shots for the ladeez' and take my bra off. Shame on me. 

Pure class, that place.

So, Vegas, it is full of casinos. Yep, for reals. Not sure why that was anywhere near a shock, but it was a bit. I think it is the sheer volume and relentlessness of them all. 

All worth it with the Fonz.

I have no idea what happens if you spend longer than a few days there, the whole world is in one street, when you walk past New York City to a pyramid to Paris to Venice it is really rather disconcerting. Especially if you aren't expecting to see Camelot or a big old pirate ship on the way.

Pretty sure he's in it for the boobs.

It turns out that buying things wasn't so easy - we had to special order our wedding rings and have tailoring adjustments to the suit. They were all shocked that we wanted it done in the next couple of days, at one point it did seem like we wouldn't have wedding rings. Uh, hello wedding capital of the world?

Shiny new rings.

Brilliantly our wedding chapel was down the strip between a petrol station and motel with adult movies and short rent rooms. We tried to get the photographer to take some photos with the Adult Movie sign in the background but she was having none of it. It is just possible they might consider it bad publicity I suppose..

Not a porn motel in site.

I totally should have watched The Hangover before we went.

Saturday snapshot: in which my husband sits around in cafes on both sides of the Atlantic wearing a pink shirt.

LA (or actually, possibly San Diego but that's not the point)...

London..

It's uncanny.

Saturday snapshot: Wedding day death grip.

This was one of the shots the wedding photographer took, zooming in on the flowers and engagement ring.

Cute.

Yeah, about that.. It was a lovely wedding and just right for us. But did she not see the white knuckles? Look at that vein popping out on the back of my hand, I couldn't have held those roses any tighter. 

Am awfully glad they didn't have thorns.

My heart belongs to: LA #2

Yeah yeah, I know I said before that LA was more of a kind-of-heart-belongs-to-place, but I did like it and it was a fabby holiday. 

Despite the pictures of shiny, shiny jewellery on this here blog, I'm not so very materialistic, but we did go to Tiffany on Rodeo Drive, and you know, it was pretty nice.

Here I am having a sit down with my honey after we did some shopping.

And here I am doing a faux engagement pose with the super cute rings I got from Tiffany, giggling at even the thought of getting married. Oh, if only I'd known.......

And a couple of years later, we did get our wedding rings from Tiffany.

I love a happy ending.

I know my husband loves me - he gave me diseases.

Well, more accurately, one bed bug..

.. and the Epstein-Barr virus.

I got these Giant Microbes in my Christmas stocking. They are awfully sweet and funny. And awww, look at Yeast. Cute.

My heart belongs to L.A. #1

Actually, that isn't totally completely true, I liked LA, but didn't totally love it. I think it was because there isn't a centre or a main thing to do. I think it confused me. And I couldn't walk around. I totally want to go back and try again, because you know, its LA and clearly awesome.


We did do some LA stuff - saw Grauman's, looked at the Walk of Fame, had dinner in Bel Air with Jennifer Aniston at the next table. You know, the regular things.


And we saw the Hollywood sign.


Yeah, the Hollywood sign. In the picture I took my dear husband is in focus, the Hollywood sign is a bit blurry. In his, I am totally out of focus but the Hollywood sign is crisp and clear.

I'm pretty sure that means something HUGE.

Saturday snapshot: in which you get more than one and I threaten my loved ones. By mistake. I am almost sure of that.

This is a lovely picture of my husband and baby sister standing in one of Berlin's celebrated and delightful courtyards.

Then something changed, I think I wanted them to turn around for a shot, but got kind of grumpy faces instead.

Apparently I didn't like that...