Saying yes to the dress (yet again)

Wait, didn't she just get married?? I know, right, this is totally how I feel. It was amazing, getting married, but can't the wedding be over already? Nope. I woke up Tuesday morning, after all our family had finally left town, to a sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized this roller coaster was about to begin its second lap. Well, if that's the case, best dive right in. I loved my dresses- I mean, adored them- getting to be a Disney Cinderella princess and then a '50s glamour queen? Um, yes, please. But neither or these dresses would work for the US. The Ian Stuart was far too big for international travel (not to mention that I'd already done my time in a corset), and I might just sweat myself to death in the lace dress with sleeves in Philly in July. I thought about chopping off the sleeves, but it would still be too heavy. No, it was time to sort out dress #3, and as this was the biggest item remaining in wedding #2's to-do list, I figured it was best to tackle this first. And boy did I do just that.

After scouring gumtree and eBay, I thought I'd found the one, in the suburbs of London. And since I had a day pass for the London metro area anyway, checking it out was free. Little did I know that *the one* would be waiting on the very next hanger.

The seller, Timothy O'Sullivan, is a pattern cutter and product developer for the luxury market. He has worked for some major fashion brands including Jenny Peckham, a dress designer whose works I'd been eyeing up, but whose prices were way out of reach, even second hand. Timothy's bridal collection, while very much in the Jenny Peckham style, was based off of historical fashions that he studied in his spare time. He had only sewn a single example of each of his designs and, miraculously, all were just my size! (Click here to check out more of Tim's portfolio— don't worry, no spoilers!) Slipping on his original creations, knowing no one else had ever worn any of these dresses, felt like being let in on a delightfully silky secret. And, well, it turns out the flapper style can work better than I'd ever thought it could on someone with my figure.

Tim really showed his hand when he told me how hard it is to sell dresses on eBay. Armed with this information and the knowledge that eBay skims 10% off the sale price (having recently become an eBay seller myself!), I offered him £5 over his asking price, in cash, to let me walk away with the dress in hand. I may have paid more for this dress than my other two combined (a testament to what bargains those other dresses were), but I've paid about a tenth of a Jenny Peckham price tag for something even more original and just as elegant.

For once, I won't spoil the surprise. You'll just have to wait until summer to see this what this whimsical, one-of-a-kind gown can do. It is sure to make me feel like a princess all over again come July.

And with that victory, I returned to London to enjoy the company of a very special out-of-town guest from wedding #1.

Thank you, Melissa, for a lovely evening at the Oxford and Cambridge Club!

Being swanky at the Oxcam club, as you do.

Our sunset on the beach

Our rings are carefully tucked away, my make-up and hair are washed clean, and my family and I are all happily crashing at home. We made it! The whole evening just went from good to better. My biggest regret is that we didn't pay our photographer to stay and capture the whole extravaganza! After our ceremony, the guests were treated to a bi-lingual after-hours guided tour of the Royal Pavilion while Nicolas and I had our newlyweds photo shoot, whose highlight was unquestionably the moment a little girl came up to me to ask if I was a real princess, since I'd just emerged from a palace wearing a Disney princess gown and a tiara. *Dying just thinking about it. *

Inside the Royal Pavilion (mostly the Music Room)

Touring the Royal Pavilion grounds (and meeting another little princess)

We met our guests in the Music Room, where we ran through a few family shots before taking it outside.

Family of the bride

Family of the groom

Nicolas and I finally got our grand bubble entrance as the full wedding party, all of those who'd been in the ceremony and those who'd live-streamed it from the bar next door, welcomed the newlyweds out of the Royal Pavilion. It turns out that bubbles are even cuter and much less corny than I'd feared.

Introducing, ladies and gentlemen, your newlyweds!

Next came the photographer's to-do list:

Group shot: check

Ladies of MIT: check

Sorority sisters: check

All the beauties rocking English hair accessories: check

Before I knew it, I was ready to get my my fur on for a stroll through town. Esin guided most of our guests to our waterfront reception using our custom-made lantern designed from our unused Burning the Clocks kit. Who'd have imagined this fate for our lantern kit when we ran out of time for crafting last December? Tagging along a few minutes later (dresses don't bustle themselves!), we enjoyed a barrage of compliments and congratulations as we walked through the Lanes and across the waterfront.

A celebratory stroll through the Lanes and across the waterfront to our reception

And those awful clouds that darkened the backdrop of the Royal Pavilion? They cleared just in time for us and all our guests to bask in a glorious sunset as the evening festivities began.

A quick shot in front of Brighton's iconic West Pier, just before slipping into Alfresco, our reception venue

Check out that sunset in the works! Our photographer had warned me not to hold my breath for this. Ha!

The table of honor, awaiting us

But before we took those sunset snaps, I enjoyed one of my best wedding decisions: the second dress. Slipping out of the gorgeous but lung-defying corseted Ian Stuart gown just in time to start eating and dancing absolutely made my night. In a 50's inspired tea-length lace dress, I breathed deeply for the first time in hours, and skipped my way back onto our pebble beaches for those last few professional photos. (Did I mention I also wore flats? Count that in as the other best decision of the day.)

And there you have it, our sunset on the beach. Brighton did us proud.

Then came the food, the dancing, and the toasts. And, unlike what everyone told us, we definitely got the chance to eat, and eat well. There was just so much fabulous food to choose from. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Alfresco for anyone looking for a waterfront wedding reception in Brighton.

Our fathers both charmed with their lovely toasts, but it was Nicolas's eldest sister's family who stole the show with their personalized rendition of the YMCA song, set to our initials, NKER. And with that, the dance floor was open. We threw our months of dance lessons to the wind with our first dance to Hall and Oates's You Make My Dreams Come True, which our families kindly agreed to storm us on, half way through. Soon enough, the dance floor was packed and the night was flying. The most brilliant moment was Nicolas and my impromptu pole dance, video of which I have yet to acquire after more than a little asking around. (I haven't given up yet.)

What a party! 💖 💞

As cliché as it sounds, there just wasn't enough time to greet to all our guests. I found myself hugging people and saying my farewells before I'd hardly had a chance to thank them for even showing up! But one thing's for sure: neither Nicolas nor I forgot to enjoy our wedding. What a fabulous, pull-out-the-stops way to celebrate our first evening as husband and wife.

We do!

The doorbell rang. Our photographer, Jacqui, had arrived. Nicolas was back from work and was battling with his necktie. (Yes, my wonderful husband found a way to work on our wedding day in between the family breakfast and our 2:30 photography appointment.) Wasn't it about time to start feeling nervous or emotional or something beyond slightly suffocated by my corset? I smiled for the camera, and felt a smidgen disappointed that the corset couldn't suck in my waist a bit more. I guess everyone imagines a Cinderella-esque transformation after the Fairy Godmothers, aka the professional hair and make-up team, work their magic. So there is a moment of deflation upon discovering that the reflection peering back from the mirror is just a shinier version of oneself, imperfections and all.

A shinier version of me, ready and waiting to show off to my almost-husband

Me and my little princess, waiting for our Prince Charming to emerge

Was I right about my mom having a way with flowers or what?

All dolled up

Posing with the proud parents

I remember the relief, there was certainly that emotion. It was high time to be done obsessing over this day. And about time get my hands on a wedding certificate and all the associated rights. There was also the calm joy, muted by all the other events that led us here so quickly, but the joy nonetheless to be making Nicolas my husband. Although we'd been living together for years, and we share a home, cats, and a joint bank account, there's still something so affirming about officially committing to a lifetime together. Still, I thought I'd feel, I don't know, something more.

I just love this picture. I'm not sure my husband will ever learn to tie a tie.

The "Big Reveal" was entertaining enough, especially since there wasn't much to surprise Nicolas as I'd already showed him photos of my dress, never expecting that he'd respond by telling me he'd rather save it for the wedding day. Mr. No-Proposal-My-Fiancee-Can-Find-Her-Own-Ring suddenly believed in tradition? Still, we played along. Geraldine covered Nicolas's eyes as she guided him to me in the living room.

Our "Big Reveal"

And then we had the photos, countless snaps as we toured our private gardens with our own secret tunnel to the sea, our witnesses by our sides. Yes, my dear reader, cue the photo dump.

Yes, that's an Easter Bunny! This was Easter weekend, after all.

So. Brighton.

And suddenly, it was time to call a taxi. The Royal Pavilion awaited!

Taxi'ing to our wedding

I was still entertained by how we'd managed to squeeze some many fancy-looking people into one plain taxi as I emerged into the throngs of wedding guests mulling about outside the Royal Pavilion. They had come from all over to be here for us! And they all looked so happy! Yep, this was really it.

Our wedding programs, ready to be handed out

We peeled ourselves away to go confirm our details with the registrar, and then we barely had time to launch a live stream video with Esin's help before lining up the processional.

Our wedding procession, presented chronologically, clockwise from top left corner

The ceremony didn't go off without a hitch— it seems Nicolas's parents didn't quite get the concept of walking a child down the aisle, and our officiant certainly could not wrap her head around our French names. But all in all, for a simple civil ceremony, it was surprisingly lovely. I was particularly pleased that we said our vows in both English and French, as it meant a lot to me that we each made such big commitments in both our native tongues. But I was also glad we just stuck to the legal vows. I felt no compulsion to make this ceremony long and sappy. It was a joyous little moment, not the time for over-sentimentality (apart from an instant when my parents "gave me away"), but a time to revel in our fantastic fortunes to have found our best friends and life partners in each other.

We put a ring on it!

For once, I felt surprisingly present in the moment, and very happy to be there. And I couldn't help notice Nicolas, my emotional blank canvas of a husband, getting a little teary-eyed, which made the moment that much more touching.

Showing off my new ring in between signing our marriage certificates

Sing along now: We-are-family! 

Take that, world! Marriage certificate in hand, I can stay in the same country as Nicolas and take my new job too!

After a brief interruption right at the end of the ceremony when a staffer came in to discuss a missing tour guide, we danced our way out to the sounds of The Darkness's I Believe in a Thing Called Love. In that moment, I like to think the whole room believed too.

♫ I believe in a thing called love... ♫

Breakfast of champions

The alarm came earlier than we needed. This was it, The Big Day. We'd decided to kick things off with a family-style breakfast at the Antiques Café in Kemptown. Last summer, it was in this very café that, over a rose lemonade and a scone with strawberries and clotted cream, the phone call came in that we'd been accepted for our (my?) dream flat here in Brighton. The Antiques Café is a place of good memories, good atmosphere, and good food. So, this morning, I slid into a dress that I'd picked up with Ryan in Canterbury, paired it with a fascinator (how else is a bride supposed to begin her big day?), and hiked the family over to breakfast.

The bride, yours truly, beginning the Big Day with a hike over to the Antiques Café.

Some of the family struggled to make their way to breakfast, but no one had any trouble enjoying this taste of English culture. We were treated to limitless tea, coffee, and juices, as well as towering trays overflowing with eggs, sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, scones, strawberries, clotted cream, and freshly hand-whipped cream. I didn't have to worry about skipping lunch today!

Family breakfast: the starting gun on our Big Day

We chatted, laughed, and stuffed our faces until the clock hit 10:45. It was time for the bridal party-- the moms, witnesses, and myself-- to book it home in time for hair and make-up, with a pit stop flower pick-up en route. After so many days agonizing over all the wedding logistics, everything had fallen into place-- and, to my mixed delight and apprehension, it was running surprisingly smoothly!

The family meets la famille

The family is in the building-- or the city, in this case. Since the Repak/Aloia clan arrived on Wednesday, we've crash-toured my adoptive home of Brighton by taxi, bike, and foot. This morning, Mom, Michelle, and I splashed our way through an aqua aerobics class and then assembled a fabulous selection of wedding flowers for my mom to put together. The to-do list is suddenly looking very short! It's lights-camera-action on this wedding extravaganza!

Little samples from the pastry shop providing tomorrow's wedding cake, waiting to welcome the ladies to the Pamper Party

Things got real when the family met la famille this evening. Luckily, it all went swimmingly (no bathing suits required). We got the ladies together first, thanks to the Pamper Party I unexpectedly won after randomly answering a competition in a magazine back in January. This turned out to be a fortuitous win as it brought us ladies together in a cozy and intimate setting to break the ice. I was surprised to feel like I'd somehow squeezed in a bridal shower the day before my wedding. The only difference was that the bride handing out the gifts today!

A fabulous table filled with fascinating fascinators and other delightful goodies.

That's because we've decided to English-up our wedding by decking out the ladies of the family in fascinators, like any proper British wedding. (Don't worry, I didn't impose this. It didn't take any arm twisting to charm the ladies on both sides of the Atlantic with this idea!) Of course, since they couldn't acquire such accessories in their respective homes, I happily took on their shopping duties.

We enjoyed a couple of hours of manis, massages, and facials, while admiring each other's new fashion accessories. Even Chat (our female cat) got in on the ladies time.

The Pamper Party, a bridal shower re-imagined

Family flowed in from the local bar as the Pamper Party wrapped up, and soon our living room was abuzz with nice-to-meet-you's. The effort to get everyone to make their selection from the Kemp Thai menu before the kitchen closed was nothing short of Herculanean. But eventually, at a properly French dinner hour, everyone seated themselves around our dining tables, and we once again basked in the glory of our enormous dining room.

Soon enough, stolen glances at hour hands mounting ever higher told us it was time.

This flower girl knew it was time for bed. That, however, was no obstacle for a cat on a cuddle mission.

We "bised" our goodnights, with "see you tomorrows" slipping out the door. Now I'm tucked in bed, writing up our bilingual vows in a little card (no way we're risking messing up our lines), about to call it a night. I am just so relieved that this wedding day is nearly here.