My Big Fat Floridian Wedding and Disneymoon Adventure. #1.

[Guest]

Florida Holiday, Day One.

We left ours at 4am after waking Toby up. He was in a lovely mood and very excited about going to Florida today! It took 4 hours to get to Gatwick, in which time James swerved to avoid a rabbit and in the process almost gave me a heart attack. Toby talked about the rabbit for the rest of the day, and said that James had killed it. The motorways were busy and unpleasant but finally we arrived at the car drop off and got the bus to Gatwick where we quickly checked in and did bag drop.
Mum, Dad and Ben were soon with us and we joined the queue to get through security. I got frisked, again! What is it with me and going to Florida? Soon after we met up with Jade, Ant, Lauren and Anna.



We waited around for a few hours, tried to get in the virgin club lounge but some rather snobby attendants made it clear we had to pay £45 each or leave, so we left. Luckily Toby found some rails and played on them like monkey bars for a little while, then went on a ride in the arcade.



Soon it was time to board and Jade was nowhere to be found and got searched before getting on the plane. On take off there was a loud noise like the tail scraped the floor, I wanted to be sick and felt faint all at the same time.



The journey was long. Toby wouldn't sleep or watch the telly so it was hard going, especially on the family members who needed a cigarette! The Virgin staff were all lovely and made an effort with Toby.



We just sat and watched the minutes pass by on the plane map. When we were descending there was a lot of turbulence, at one point we dropped hundreds of feet and some people screamed. I silently prayed we would make it onto land safely with a smooth landing, which thankfully was better than the take off!
We got through customs easily, we went through the American citizens bit but did not get through much quicker than the others, while queuing Toby needed a wee so James took him and he developed a phobia of the flushes and refused to use toilets for the rest of the night. It was awful seeing him so terrified.
Jade got stopped at security for trying to bring two apples in, the sniffer dogs found them so she had them confiscated, she doesn't even know why she tried to keep them as she knew she shouldn't!
At the customs desk we had a nice lady but when she asked Toby to tell her his name he went quiet! This from one Toby who says his name all the time and is so proud of it. I couldn't believe it!
All baggage came round! Such a relief with our wedding clothes being in suitcases. We all made our way to car hire, which took a while to sort out. A man came and helped us find our suitcases but also made all of us get in a lift with loads of cases, it was rammed and I do not like lifts or being crowded so I was beginning to feel I had ages ten years.
Once on our way we got to the villa quickly and easily, I was so excited to smell the Floridian air, all wild and exciting! A huge thunderstorm started as we got in the car, we have never heard anything like it. The drive to the villa was easy and we dropped off our bags and had a look round the villa. It was just WOW. So beautiful. Dipped my legs in the pool and Toby had a go on the park and then we had to leave as my Mum, Dad and Ben were lost and so were Lauren and Anna, who were somewhere on Orange Blossom Trail which in the wrong parts is notorious for crime, drugs, prostitution and murder.



We went to Jade and Ants villa and picked up the baby monitors and buggy, Toby was tired and didn't want to leave but we had to go to Walmart to get some bits and pieces and a satnav to try and find the people who were lost. Jo and Ali were also stranded at the train station in Kissimmee and it was getting dark and everyone was panicking.
The guys left me and Jade and Toby to do the shop. James was in a bad mood and told me to get the food shop done now, we couldn't find the grocery aisles and had an empty trolley and said we better not bump into him because he would go mad, then he came round the corner and made us jump and told us off for having an empty trolley and being in the wrong bit of the shop!



We got there in the end, and it turned out being $230 on sweets, crisps and cereal. With a few sandwich bits thrown in! I blame the stress.



Finally everyone had been found and we agreed to meet at our villa. Everyone was happy to be safe. Toby had a mad half hour but when everyone left he cried that he wanted to go home, same as he did when we went to Disney Land Paris. Poor little boy. He didn't take long to settle and then we finished unpacking the shopping and I sorted the wedding stuff out, then unpacked the suitcases before getting into bed, where I slept for a whole 3 hours before waking up to this new house with new noises freaking me out!









Not the greatest first day but it feels so good to all finally be here! x.

[Guest]

I was up at the literal crack of dawn, in fact it was still dark. Very nervous in the villa, it is very noisy. Toby and James slept well. We started the day with an all American breakfast in our all American Villa, today we were going to Islands of Adventure!





This is our car and our villa, and look at that sky! It was a hot today, extremely hot actually for the time of year, it actually hit 100 degrees which is very hot for May apparently.







As we are all incredibly stupid and annoying, none of us agreed a time to meet or had bought our phones so a vague 'lets meet at the globe' plan became incredibly annoying. We found James' mum and dad but had to wait for everyone else, but soon well after a while we were all going into IOA together. Tut.



Where we met up with the rest of James family who had been there for a few days already, in Florida, not waiting for us at the globe LOL.



Due to everyone having different needs etc we soon all went our seperate ways, which is a tone for this trip, we would waste a lot of time waiting around for each other to have a brief conversation and go our own way, hence why I wouldn't do a trip like this again.



Still we were all pretty excited, except Toby who had jetlag and was suffering with the heat. And as I refused to abandon him when he was not doing too good to go on the big rides I took him on the xmen waltzers.



Which is the only ride we went on. We tried to get him to meet Spidey but he cried so I put my foot down and said we were taking him home for a swim in the pool and some quiet time. This is a theme for me, wanting to go home at 2 or 3pm lol except this day it was more like 12, but it worked well for us and Toby definitely had a better time for it. And I am always right lol.





Ah the pool! Heavenly! The thermometer by the pool said 100 degrees but the pool was wonderful! Toby was back to his happy self and me and James relaxed because we didn't have a whingey kid, it was a lovely afternoon.



James' family came round for a while, it was nice. The kids enjoyed the garden!



Then they left and we had a quiet evening in, I am pretty sure we went to Walmart (again) and got some proper meals food lol but I think we had mac and cheese anyway!

[Guest]

Today was the day we got our wedding license! Woo!



We were up early as usual and headed down to The Kissimmee Court House, the drive was a bit scary. Floridian drivers just switch lanes with no warning, tail gate eurgh!



The court was very grand, we had to go through security and got seen fairly quickly, had to take an oath which made me laugh and I had to try really hard not to. Then we were done! Took half an hour if that!



After this we headed to The Mall, where James went to Tiffany for my wedding gift Toby and I strolled around browsing. When James was finished we went to Johnny Rockets for lunch, was so tasty!



Toby however was a bit hyper and over excited.



We went back to the villa to relax, had tea, had a swim, I did the buffet for the wedding, waited for the table and chair hire to come by, managed to contact my hair and make up lady who was relieved to know where she was going, ooooops.



Soon it was time for me to leave my dad picked me up with Jade, Lauren and Anna, and dropped Ant and Luke off.



I went to my mum and dads villa and shared a room with Jade, didn't get much sleep but when I woke up I was excited, I was getting married!

[disneylover]

Sounds great. The villa and garden looks lovely. Congratulations on your wedding.

[Guest]

WEDDING DAY!











Mum woke us all up early so the bridesmaids could all get showered as their were only 2 bathrooms and a bride, 5 bridesmaids, mother of the bride, and my dad. Dad escaped pretty early to my villa to help with the wedding prep my hair and make up lady called Janet arrived a bit early but that suited me fine as I was a bit nervous and was worried she wouldn't turn up!





Toby turned up with my dad not long after, they both looked great! My dad in his kilt and Toby in his ivory suit. He stood leaning on the couch all nonchalant and when we all gasped and said 'Toby look at you! You look so handsome' he replied 'yeah I know' LOL.



Then he said 'Mumma I got you a present! I bought you it!' and it was my Tiffany necklace off James.

[Guest]

Soon it was time to start getting into my dress, which coincided with the photographers arriving who were lovely but the dressing didn't exactly go to plan. One of the clips on the back was bent, so my bridesmaids had to fix it with butter knives, it looked like I was being operated on!





While this was happening a bouquet of beautiful roses arrived from James, with a message telling me he loved me.





It was so lovely and perfect but surprisingly I didn't cry. My bridesmaids and mum got a bit teary but I was holding it together, Janet had said not to cry or I would end up looking like KISS on my wedding day, and that worked for me!

Meanwhile at the villa...

[Guest]

It didn't all go to plan though, a call came to say the officiants were lost and would be late and we would have to wait. I still didn't panic though. The phone rang soon after and me and James spoke on the phone, he said they had arrived and asked if I was ok, he sounded so nervous and I was so excited to see him.



We all got in Dads minivan, not the most glam way top travel but it was only round the corner and it suited me. When I arrived I could tell Luke the best man was a bit drunk lol. The lady who planned the wedding came and spoke to me about the plans and who would walk when etc. Then I spoke to the officiant and he said as it was hot and due to rain he would make it quick which suited me as I was nervous and wanted to be married asap!



Toby refused to carry the ring pillow and would only walk down the aisle if he could have a cupcake, which I didn't argue with, it wasn't worth the hassle.











There was a bit of a delay because the music wouldn't start... but soon I was walking down the aisle, it was magical and perfect, when my dad gave me away and lifted me veil I could see he was fighting back tears and I had told him not to cry earlier as it would make me cry too but luckily we both held it together!





The ceremony went wonderfully, I felt so proud and happy to become James' wife, finally, after ten years together! It was like a dream.













Our sand ceremony was lovely, Toby really enjoyed it and then it was time to kiss and I felt so happy to have sealed it with a kiss, we were both beaming.

[Guest]

Here are some photos from the rest of the day, we had torrential rain around an hour after photos finished and then had buffet and drinks and a get together before going to Medieval Times in the evening, so not the most conventional of weddings but for us it was perfect.




















Thanks for reading!

[Hidden mickey]

Thank-you for sharing enjoyed every minute, the picture of you holding Toby is adorable

[karalma]

Anybody any idea why I can't see the last couple of days photos?