Joey & Russ - Wedding plans - making the dream a reality

[Guest]

Soooo I have been using this forum for 3 years now as were pretty much Florida addicts and the advice and information on this site has been priceless. Im now an addict to this wedding section on here after getting engaged last March... So heres a little bit about us!

Bare with me i do waffle!

My names Jo... Get called Joanne by only my family, Jo by my work colleagues & Joey by the rest of the world. My partners name is Russ. I'm now 28 and he likes to think his still 21 however his now 36 and would kill me if he knew i just revealled his true age. Our age gap means nothing to us because both of us refuse to accept that we are getting older and neither of us act like grown ups if at all possible & spend every minute of being together having fun and enjoying ourselves.

How we met. Ohhhh heres a story for you. I actually met Russ on the A127 which is a main road in Essex he drove past me in the outside lane with his friends in the car and i had my friends in the car, he slowed down beside us and started flirting, being women we done the same back, this went on for about 2 miles smiling, giggling, waving (i must say this was my friends doing this because at the time i had a BF) pulled into petrol station and he followed. Went into pay and he asked my friends for my number. They explained i had a BF and wasnt giving out my number but if he wanted to chat to me he would find me on this car modifying website i used to use. Sooooo we started chatting and became good friends, nothing in it at all. 4 months later i split up with my BF at the time because i wouldnt consider moving to reading, and so all my extra time i started to spend with Russ & his friends along with my friends. We all became close and for the next 2 bloody years Russ became like a male best friend for me we used to share everything, secrets, gossip, problems, nights out, days out, meals, cinema trips, shopping, relationship advice, we even used to discuss our sexual partners he met my parents and other family members and got on with everyone great. Then in March of 2004 after nearly 3 years of friendship i came to my senses and realised that i felt closer to Russ than just friendship, this guy was more than just my best friend he was my world. We discussed it between us and decided to make a go of it originally with the intention that if it didnt work we'd just be friends (yeah right) anyway luckily for us our decision was well worth it because next month we will have been together 7 laughter, love and fun filled years

I'm originally from Kent. Russ was from Essex. I moved in with Russ after 3 weeks of 'officially' being together, go me! We spent a year in his little bungalow which i used to call 'the shoe' and it literally burst at the seams once id moved all my girlie crap in

Russ told me to take a week off work over the anniversary of our first year together and wouldnt tell me where we were going. I was literally standing over my suitcase the day before we left bitching that i didnt know what to pack, when he told me he was taking me to Florida

This was my first holiday ever to America and being a HUGE Disney fan i can remember that moment he told me well because i didnt know whether to laugh, cry or wet myself with excitement, i think i may have actually done all 3 whilst giving him a massive hug followed by a freak out on what to pack and then calling Everyone to tell them!

Our trip was amazing. We actually crammed every single disney and universal park, plus a water park, a dinner show and every single parade and fireworks into just 7 days it was mental! But that was it we were hooked, went again in 2007 with my friend dawn and my brother, then in 2008 where we saw in New Years day together in front of the castle and the incredible NYE fireworks. I cried my eyes out it was amazing!

In october 2005 we bought our first house together. I would like to make this sound perfect but i'd be lying, because we bought a dump all be it a very well priced one, which we have until this day continually been doing up. Its been a mission but we are slowly but surely getting there and we love our cosy little home together with our 2 cats.

We have always joked between us and said that we wouldnt have kids together until weve been to Vegas and in March 2010 we booked to go to Vegas to see in our 6 year anniversary together. It definately wasnt Florida but we had an amazing amazing trip and on the day of our 6 year anniversary Russ got me out of bed at 5am and said wrap up warm were going on an adventure. We always go on random adventures together and always celebrate our anniversary so i thought nothing of it. An hour later after driving through a lot of dessert we started driving up a mountain. Dessert turned to forest, which then turned into snow (I was in shock - snow in Vegas?) but i was so excited because we LOVE snow. I wanted to get out the car there and then and play in it but Russ said hold your horses were going to drive to the summet and watch the sunrise together to celebrate 6 years awwwwwwwwwww he made my heart melt. After half an hour more of climbing we reached the top and it was silent all you could hear was nature, the sun came up over the dessert in front of us and we were surrounded by nothing but snow (IN FREAKING FLIP FLOPS might i add ) Russ put our camera on the car bonnet and we stood in front of it with the sunrise behind us and set up the self timmer. It started beeping and flashing like it does before the photos taken and at that moment russ dropped to one knee with a ring in his hand.

By far the most romantic moment of my life it was perfect. I just cried and cried and cried with tears of happiness. I couldnt believe i was engaged, this was so grown up of us the rest of that day was a dream, we done some gambling on the strip, had a lovely lunch together then went on a sunset helcopter tour of the grand canyon. Quite possibly the best day of my life so far.

Instantly we already knew we would be getting married in Florida, we had talked about how cool it would be to do it on every previous visit.

As it happened we already had a family holiday to Florida booked for that september to follow which was originally to show my parents how amazing Florida was and share the disney magic, this then became a holiday where we would view all the wedding venues we liked to make a choice of where to get married...

We looked at them all and liked a few of them, but then we visited the wedding pavillion and we knew instantly this was the right place. It was breathtakingly gorgeous, everything we wanted and so special to us. The wedding planning had begun!

Need to rest my typing fingers... will update more in a min. For now i leave you with photos

Me & Russ on recent Florida trip

Doing what we do best - Being kids on Daytona beach

My preety ring

Our mountain awwwwww

What keeps us saine between holidays

[Pinkgirl]

ooooh a plan brill start - keep it coming x

[Guest]

Soooooooooo Thats our story...

Onto the planning...

We decided on the wedding pavillion to get married. We have booked and now had it confirmed that we will be getting married on Wednesday 14th September 2011 at 5pm

Confirmed attended so far are My parents, Brother, Godparent (Auntie) my Nan (bless her, her first trip to America at 80yrs old - go nan!) my best friend dawn (bridesmaid) and her partner. There are 9 other people who are unconfirmed at the moment due to financial circumstances but hopefully we will hear from them soon.

We have so far booked Randy champan and Stan from from STVS for our photography and videography (thank you Carly for the heads up on their deal) I am so pleased to have booked these guys as i love their work and now having spoken to them they sound lovely, cant wait for them to be a part of our big day!

We have Kevin Knox booked as our officiant and we plan to go with a sand ceremony.

My dress is ordered (YAY) isnt dress shopping fun! Im still a little gutted its all over. Afraid i dont have any photos as this was a dress made by the shop itself which i love as it makes it a little more unique (to just brides of that shop i suppose haha) but it is A line with lots of bling bling on the bust area which im loving. Corset back and a little train so that its managable for all the moving around were going to be doing on the big day.

We have been assigned our wedding planner. Her name is Karen Serette and i couldnt be happier with her, she is so quick at answering my continuous questions haha.

At the moment were a bit up in the air about what to do for our wedding reception as what we do will all depend on guest numbers. Currently toying with the ideas of UK epcot dessert party, Sego Kay dessert party or Grand Yacht 1 wishes cruise... Im also open to other suggestions if anyone has any? Only thing we ask is that it involves fireworks and i get to keep my dress on

Our wedding colour is aubergine. This colour looks fantastic on my Bridesmaid and we have gone for a full length gown which follows the style of my dress, with diamontes across the bust too.

Our UK reception is all booked up. I have a huge family and although i love them to bits i wanted a small intimate wedding hence escaping abroad so the deal was that we would have a big reception/party when we return. We are having this at stock brook manor in Essex.


From our wedding night and 4 nights after that we are staying at Disneys animal kingdom lodge which we cant wait for as were always wanted to stay there but too expensive. The day we check out of here we get into our hire car and were going on an 11 day roadtrip of Florida which we plan to make up as we go along and just stay wherever we like the look of en route (told you we love an adventure ) but the plan at the moment is to head out to the east coast of florida travel down to miami then to the Florida keys, then back up the west coast of florida to Clearwater and then back into Orlando for 2 days where our final night will be spent at the hard rock hotel whilst we visit the universal halloween horror night. OMG im sooooooooooo excited for our honeymoon, can i go now? please!

I think thats all we have planned at the minute, but im sure i've left something out! I will keep this post updated with our plans and what we book along the way.

I appologise to anyone i've bored already - I do talk too much!

[Guest]

Ok so this is kind of wedding related...

When Russ proposed to me and i knew the planning would begin instantly i went into panic mode about my weight. Since living with Russ I'd stacked on 5 stone - HOLY COW! See what contented Love does to you soooooooooo as soon as we came home from vegas my bridesmaid and I signed up to a gym pronto. Since last March i've currently lost 3 stone and i have 7 months left to loose so hopefully some more will come off too.

Anyway waffle waffle waffle, really need to learn to just get to the point! Before i started writing in this section of forum i started a blog of my weight loss and wedding planning and ive continued with this for nearly a year now and keep it updated so for anyone who is interested (AKA gives a ####) or fancies following my wedding & weight loss mission the link is...

fromwidetobride.blogspot/

Its always nice to know im not just talking to myself although this is usually the case

[Guest]

How could i forget!

Our Magic kingdom photo shoot (80% of the reason why Russ wants to get married in Disney) is booked tooooooo! We have Sunday 18th September at 6.30am eek who knew this time of the morning even existed!

Sooooo excited for this photo shoot, we have a wall in our front room already reserved for the photo we want of us both on the carousel together in our wedding attire.

Cant wait

[Pinkgirl]

ooooh its all so exciting loving it so far Joeeeey - keep it up x

Congrats on the fab weight loss. I have lost 2 stone so far and if I want to get back to pre meeting OH weight will need to loose another 2 and a half Dont think I will ever get back to that weight and being that fit (am a qualified fitness instructer but badly broken foot put paid to that a while back) and facet joint syndrome isnt a big help either

[Guest]

I do love a plan Joeeey, you may find that your MK photoshoot gets moved from 06.30am to 07.30am due to the Fantasyland expansion work going on.

[Guest]

Hey Joeeey, love love love this! Amazing story! Xx

[Guest]

Am loving the posts Joey, keep it coming! Well done on your weight loss, no mean feat to lose 5 stone. I'm struggling on the last half a stone before we go in 9 weeks.

All the stories I've read on the DIBB are so wonderful and each bride's day sounds so special... I'd love to be a guest at all of them. Can't wait for my own day. Rob and I were childhood sweethearts at 15/16 respectively (yes I'm 50 weeks older than Rob and believe me he reminds me of those 50 weeks as often as he can!) and 21 years later after both our first marriages broke down we got together. The connection was still there and stronger than before so we decided to give it another go. We've not looked back and in August last year Rob proposed and I not only got a stunning ring but an 8 week old black Labrador called Pippa.

Our Cypress Grove wedding is a day that we both never thought would happen so its definitely going to be full of emotion.

Think I'm going to blub now... all this wedding planning is making me an emotional wreck! Can't wait for the next instalment Joey...

[Guest]

Joey,
I'm so excited you've started a little pre-trippie.
I love everything you've decided on so far, your day is going to be fab.
You had me in tears at your proposal story, what a softie Russ is, you're a lucky girl!

It's great to see where youre plans are at,especially as we have practically the same time line.

I have been reading your blog and i have to say you looked lovely last january, but the difference a year makes is amazing, you look great. You must be so chuffed.

I can't wait to hear more
Diane xx