I had dropped many hints that I wanted to settle down and get married, even suggested the kind of ring I wanted but Ash hadn't really given me too much indication that he was also ready but I lived in hope! Then one evening I came home and Ashley suggested we go out for dinner, he took me to an expensive restaurant, ordered champagne and asked me to marry him! He had even bought the ruby engagement ring I had hinted at. After a few tears I said yes! :)

We were engaged for two years but didn't start planning our wedding until about a year before it.

The ceremony and reception were exactly as we had imagined them. The ceremony was relaxed and was over and done with pretty quickly (or at least it seemed like it was!). We were piped into the ceremony by a piper in full Scottish kilt- we chose to have a scottish piper because we both have scottish ancestry. My dad and my uncles all played in pipe bands in their younger days. The pipes have such a majestic sound and I felt very important walking up the aisle to them.

The reception was at Hillcrest Lodge. It was great having our friends and family there to celebrate the day. Everyone was so relaxed - we had an amazing time!

My mother-in-law made my wedding dress. I chose bits of different dresses from bridal magazines and ideas I had and she made it. I had it emboidered with maroon and black. It was gorgeous and very flattering. I loved it!

I chose the colour for my bridesmaids fabric from the ruby in my engagement ring. Their dresses were red shot with black.

My brother in law and my Dad happened to have maroon cars, a holden commodore and a ford falcon - they both fitted our colour scheme perfectly.

The whole lot! It was an amazingly romantic day!

My mother in law gave me her garter to wear - which covered the old borrowed and blue. And well, everything else was new!

I wouldn't change a thing! we loved our wedding day, all of it!

We had a fantastic honeymoon up in Northland - perfect for relaxing and enjoying each other's company.

For us it's not very different as we were de facto for six years so domestically nothing has changed, I think its more a mindset change. He is my husband now and it feels different, more secure I guess. My advice for other couples would be to do exactly what you want, don' t be pressured by others. Relax and enjoy your day!