Flashback Friday - Do You Take My Little Sister

I really can't believe it's almost 4 years since I said "I do" to my wonderful husband Matt.

This coming Wednesday (18th May) will be 4 years to the day that we exchanged rings and became man and wife.  I feel like I've known Matt all my life but then when I think back to how we first met and our wedding and honeymoon, it only seems like yesterday.  For those of you who haven't read the story of how we got together, even though I say it myself, I recommend you do, it's a good one - 'He's Definitely My Favourite'.

Matt proposed to me 31st January 2007, over dinner, at one of our favourite restaurants.  We had gone out for a meal to celebrate 3 years to the date that we first met.  He took me totally by surprise saying how much he loved me and how much he couldn't imagine ever being without me and then presented me with the ring box and said "Will you marry me?".  I didn't need asking twice.

When I accepted his proposal, his exact words to me were:

"I want a marriage, not a wedding"

I couldn't have been happier.  Neither of us wanted to wait, nor did we want a big wedding so we planned it for May 18th of that year, a mere 3 and a half months later.

My Sister is a Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths at a nearby registry office and luckily the registry office where we planned to get married knew of my Sister and granted her permission to perform the ceremony.  My Sister wrote out a special ceremony for us as a surprise.

I'll never forget the moment she said:

"Matthew, do you take my little Sister Heather to be your lawfully wedded wife?" *

I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.

We wanted only our immediate family and closest friends there (if we could have run off and do it we would have!) and a meal afterwards.  We chose The Stables Restaurant where Matt had proposed to me and just invited our other friends over for a drink in the bar at a local hotel in the evening.  For us, it was perfect.

To complete our marriage celebration we booked a fantastic honeymoon - 3 nights in San Francisco, 3 nights on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii (where we learnt to surf) and 9 nights on the island of Maui in Hawaii.  It was amazing!

Our first wedding anniversary in 2008 we spent on a self-planned 21 day holiday tour of America and Canada. We spent the night of our first wedding anniversary and the night after in a gold lake view room here at Chateau Lake Louise. It was magical!

So anyway, how are we spending our 4th wedding anniversary next week?  We are travelling down to Hampshire on the Wednesday of our anniversary for 2 nights and taking our daughter to Peppa Pig World on Thursday. Oh how times have changed! Although I'm sure it will be amazing and magical for other reasons.

Friday 18th May 2007...MwaH!

Signing the register - Matts family weren't happy he
decided not to wear a tie to the wedding...the rebel!

Our balcony over-looking Waikiki Beach in Honolulu

Yes that's me riding the waves of Waikiki Beach. What a sight!

Now head over to Cafebebe and check out the other entries...

*Obviously she read out our full names but I felt a bit strange about writing our full names (and my maiden name) out on the Internet and yet photos of me looking a bugger surfing (or looking like Deirdre Barlow)  I'll happily post.  If the link doesn't work there that's because BLOGGER are IDIOTS and they still haven't restored my post from Thursday!

Listography - Top 5 Places I've Visited

It's time for the Listography from Kate Takes 5 and this week it's the top 5 places you've visited.

I've been fortunate to visit some great places so it's really difficult to pick my 5 favourite but here goes (click on the place titles to get a taster) and these are in no particular order:

1. Tromso, Arctic Circle, Norway

It was the one place my husband has always wanted to visit as he longed to see the Northern Lights so being the lovely wife I am (ahem) I secretly booked a 5 night trip for a 30th birthday surprise.  We went over New Year and stayed in the most lovely hotel. I'd already arranged with a local photographer and guide, Kjetil Skogli (who has since appeared on a program about the Northern Lights with Joanna Lumley) to take us up into the mountains outside the city and we were lucky enough to witness this:

Seeing the Northern Lights was an unforgettable experience, it was so magical is moved us both to tears. We also went husky sledding through the mountains and ate reindeer (don't tell your kids!)

2. Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

We stayed on the islands of Oahu and Maui in Hawaii and they were both very different but I've picked out Waikiki for the very reason we had a beach front suite hotel room (well, it was out honeymoon) and the view was amazing.  We also had surfing lessons and to say you've surfed the waves of Wakiki Beach is something to be fairly proud of!  I was going to post a picture of me riding the waves but it's the most tiring thing I've ever done in my life so the photos are NOT flattering.  

3. Chicago, USA

America is close to my heart.  I've got relatives in a few different states and so far I've visited about 18 States.  We even did the ultimate road trip in 2005 traveling from Chicago to L.A. following Route 66 in a cabriolet!  We've been to Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York and Washington DC.  All great cities apart from Las Vegas and L.A. which weren't for me (but that's another story).  But my pick is Chicago.  It's not just because I have relatives there, I just love it because it has this busy but also relaxed atmosphere.  It's less 'in your face' than other places.  The skyline is amazing overlooking Lake Michigan you have Navy Pier and Millennium Park - it's fab!

4. Santorini, Greece

This place just takes your breath away.  I will never forget sitting on a rooftop restaurant watching the sun set over the caldera.  This island is said to be the location of the lost island of Atlantis and I like to think it is :)  All the whitewashed churches and houses with blue domed rooftops are just absolutely stunning, they cling to the volcanic island edges surrounding the Aegean Sea. 

5. Tallinn, Estonia

Thankfully we visited Tallinn before the 'budget airlines' bombarded it and it's cheap booze made it a surefire destination for the Brit Stag Party.  Tallinn's old city is a maze of cobbled streets which are filled with medieval houses and alleyways.  The people here were so friendly and the city was relaxed and picturesque.  I'm not sure if we visited again it would still be the same which is sad.

So, what would be in your top 5?