My Wedding Scrapbook

Planning a wedding is difficult enough without having to concentrate on sticking to a budget as small as ours (£2,500) so when I think about my dream wedding it's a very similar affair but there are no financial restraints meaning that everything I want I can have. Right now I'm finding ways around the things I want by making them myself, haggling for the best prices, spending hours and hours trawling the internet and local providers for the best deals and it can be exhausting to the point of wishing I could wave a money wand and have it all be done with.

If money was no object I'd still have an intimate wedding because hey, I don't know that many people that I'd want standing around while I express my love for my partner. Inviting a hundred extended family members and acquaintances just isn't for us so we'd keep it a small affair of around 50 close friends and close family members. I'd wear ivory lace because I believe a bride can look as spectacular in white or ivory even if they're not virginal and carry a bouquet of peonies. My groom - my dear, dear groom. He looks spectacular in grey so that's a no brainer but he'd be in a perfectly tailored suit with a tie rather than a cravat. My bridesmaids? Grey or dusky pink carrying hand tied bouquets of gypsophila. Simple but elegant.

Flowers are important to me and I always surround myself with florals in my daily life so they'd appear everywhere I could from decorating tables to food to bouquets and button holes and the arch that I'd love to get married beneath on a bright day mid-Spring in one of my favourite parks. Sadly the weather can't be relied on in the UK so in reality we're going to be getting married inside but in my head my hair is still perfect even in a subtle breeze and there'll be no damn bees or wasps. None. They've all gone away because our love willed it.

For transport both boyfriend and I would love a candy coloured VW bus both for the love of them (we're a little obsessed) and also for the photo opportunities. I've seen so many photographers place brides, bridesmaids, grooms and groomsmen in, on or near the bus and created beautiful shots so it's only fair on my dream day I get one (or nine) for myself, right? Right. I can imagine it plain and not decorated outside but bursting with beautiful fabrics and joy inside that would just be perfect with the light streaming in - oh my, I'm getting wistful.

Of course, the food. Platters served with meats and rolls, afternoon tea instead of the traditional sit down meal with a selection of sweet cake and cheese wheels stacked to finish off with coffee and alcohol. As much as we love food we'd love a relaxed vibe to the day especially with such a small amount of guests so to be able to mingle and not worry about having to remain seated to eat seems perfect. Plus, afternoon tea? If you saw yesterday's post you'll know I'm a big fan of the treats on offer. My cake wouldn't be tiered too high or decorated too much - simple and tasty - a layer of red velvet with cream cheese frosting and a chocolate ganache victoria sponge maybe? Simple but delicious especially since I make so many. I'd probably still make my own cake even with all the money to spare because I already know how much I love my recipe. Yum!

In essence, our wedding would be about us. We've been together five years, we've lived together for four an a half, we've got two children together, pets and we've dedicated our lives to being together. A wedding will only change the space on my left hand and mean we're legally protected a little more should something ever happen in the future. A big glitzy party would leave us feeling cold and a little on the side of hysteria over dropping something on the hired linen so wether it's our dream wedding or our realistic wedding it will always reflect the side of us that's a little relaxed, a little messy and full of little details. I want my children to be welcome on the big day and our family and friends to feel like we're just dressing up to have fun because after all, isn't that what love is all about? Realistically speaking, of course.

* This is not a sponsored post

My Wedding Scrapbook – How To Enter
Create your own ‘Wedding Scrapbook’ post and you could win a 2 Night Luxury Break for Two in a Suite at the stunning Ox Pasture Hall Hotel in North Yorkshire, including Dinner, Bed & Breakfast, Cream Tea on arrival & other little treats - worth up to £800!
(Excludes Christmas & New Year - available any other time, subject to availability)

All you have to do to enter is write a post entitled ‘My Wedding Scrapbook’. Your post should include all the aspects you believe make a dream wedding and can feature words, images, photos and sketches - in fact anything you would put in a real life scrap book.

Once you’ve written your post, make sure you add these ‘how to enter’ instructions as they appear here at the foot of your post and then tweet a link to it from your Twitter profile including the hashtag #myweddingscrapbook.

Two runners up prizes of a £100 and a £50 Love2shop gift vouchers will also be given to the 2nd place & 3rd place post respectively. The winner will be the most inspirational post, as chosen by the judges. Competition closes midnight 31 March 2014. Winners will be chosen and notified by email using the contact details on their blog within 10 working days of the competition closing.