Sick At Home - YUK!

This week has been a week of feeling sick and sorry for myself. I have man-flu and it has knocked me off my feet. I hate feeling unwell, probably like all of you huh?? At least the weather has been reasonable (at times) and I have been able to spend time staring at it from the couch whilst watching really trashy TV (there is always an upside right, to everything?). It has been nice to be home with the animals though, they bring us all much happiness, and the orchard is coming into bloom.

Iggy and Coco

The Orchard

Remy

The Chooks

Chooks Continued.

The Ballarat Botanical Gardens

Last Sunday was a day of wedding rehearsals. One in Geelong at Truffleduck, and one here in Ballarat at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. Of course it was raining here in Ballarat, so we had some time to shelter in the Statuary Pavilion. And it is gorgeous! You really must visit the Pavilion. I had forgotten how beautiful it is.

A Lovely Wedding Poem

I found this poem online today & I just love it. It's kind of quirky & quite a bit sweet, a bit modern too.

Taking: By Andrea Porter

Is this the part where I say I do?

I lost track somewhere around

us being gathered here together?

I don't recall anyone objecting.

My mind was somewhere else,

I had this image of us both older

weathered by the years, a scene

of us driving to your mother's

every Sunday for roast beef.

Discussions about good gravy,

the dog's arthritis, your sister,

the cost of bedding plants

Do you take this man?

Yes I take him, all of him.

I take his mother, her better gravy,

her hobbling dog, the sucked a lemon sister,

the cost of marigolds and geraniums.

I do, if it's the price for loving you.

The Tradition of the Wedding Garter.

Ever wondered why we have the wedding garter? It fascinates me, but I did not have one for my wedding. So, I have investigated and I did not expect the answer that I found! Apparently the wedding garter was developed as a way to actually protect the bride. Who knew?? 

There was once a tradition in medieval France and England, which was called "fingering the stocking", where wedding guests would be invited to go into the newly married couples bedroom to investigate the bride's stockings for evidence that the marriage had been consummated.

In addition to this practice, there was also another tradition in France where the wedding guests would rush to the bride at the alter to cut off a piece of the wedding dress as this was thought to be a piece of good luck. Imagine how scary that would be? And how odd as the wedding would obviously end with a beaten up bride left standing at the altar in a shredded dress.  

Eventually these traditions were probably considered to be too intrusive and aggressive towards the bride that some kind soul decided to save the bride and amuse the wedding guests by developing the garter for the bride or groom to throw at them. 

A photo at the launch of the Ballarat Wedding Industry Network.

As I have previously said, I went to the launch of the Ballarat Wedding Industry Network, (BWIN) and I had my photo taken with two other local celebrants, who are also great friends. This is the thing, the BWIN is there to promote the wedding industry and to encourage greater collaboration between service providers. I am lucky to already have this with quite a few local celebrants, who are kind, generous and happy to share knowledge with each other. We are a lucky little group of celebrants, and we seek to support one another as professionals, and also as friends.

 

Ballarat as a Wedding Destination.

Last night I attended the launch of the Ballarat Wedding Industry Network (BWIN). This not for profit group has been formed to unite as many of Ballarat's wedding industry professionals as possible, to help promote the industry as a whole, which is a marvellous idea, and long overdue. The goal is to provide a possible "one stop shop" for bridal couples, based on the BWIN website. After the official launch we heard from George Sossi, who is the head of Ballarat Regional Tourism, and it was interesting to hear the two entities can merge together to make Ballarat a place to destination weddings. And why not? This is a gorgeous town, with such a rich history, and where this history can be seen and experienced beautifully at a wedding event. I think as people who live in the region we are so lucky to have such great opportunities to marry amongst this all. I wish BWIN all the best, and very much look forward to being a beginning part of this amazing opportunity.

Kathryn's baby shower

I have a lovely friend called Kathryn. We met through our husbands, who used to work together, and they are also good mates. From the moment we met, Kathryn and I have bonded, and I know that we will always be friends.  She funny, warm, caring,  she has an enormous generosity of spirit, she is beautiful and smart and she is PREGNANT! Yesterday we had her baby shower, where I was able to meet some more of her friends and family. It was actually the first baby shower I have ever been to, and it was just so sweet, to focus on such a joyous event in her life. And look at the cake! It was amazing, and obviously, "we" are having a baby boy. He is a lucky little boy, because he will have a very happy family life, his parents are awesome, and I am so pleased to be able to call them my friends.