Let me start off with a very big cliché - but yet so true - "Your wedding day is one of the best days of your life."

It may not need much explanation but l'm going at it anyways. Prepare yourself for one cliché after another. But hey!? It's all things looooove we're talking about here guys!

1. THE BUILD-UP & PREPS

When Stu and I got married we had been dating for just over 8 years and got engaged two years before. Being engaged for two years sounds a long time but time flies when planning a wedding. Believe me. ;) For two years the main focus has been 'the 30th of June'. You've been living up to that one big day which sounds a bit ridiculous 'cause it's 'just a day'. But in those two years every other month we had to make some bridal-decisions which makes it hard to not think about thé day, right? So when that day finally arrives, everything you've been planning, imagining and dreaming of suddenly gets very real and the build-up will most certainly meet your expectations.

2. HUSBAND & WIFE

The fact that you're 'getting married' is pretty wild on its own, right?! Realizing that, becoming husband and wife, spending the rest of your life with the man that you love, that's pretty big. Well for me it was! When I was younger I wasn't the typical girl that already knew how her wedding was going to be like. I didn't even know if I wanted to get married in the first place. But then there's that one day out of nowhere when it all makes sense and the only thing you want is making sure 'the boy is mine!' - and wearing a stunning white dress 'fcourse! ;) -. Having that said for Stu and I nothing really changed. I mean we've been together for 8 years, already bought a house together, had been living together for over 5 years, shit has gotten real for us way before 'getting married'! :p But still we decided to choose one another. And for real this time. That alone may be the most special reason to me.

3. FRIENDS & FAMILY

Being surrounded by your friends and family on a daily basis is for a lot of people almost a given fact. Having an after-work drink with the girls, having lunch with your colleagues, visiting the grandparents on a Sunday,... We almost take it for granted sometimes, right? On our wedding day I realized how lucky we are with the people we are surrounded by. Yes, #blessed is in place! Right before our first dance we decided to have a little speech and then at once it hit me. Everyone was standing around us, all those smiling & loving faces, they drove all the way to Poppel just to join our wedding. My heart was so full and I felt really blessed having every single one of them there. So to everybody who joined our wedding (and also the ones who couldn't make it) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING OUR DAY SO SPECIAL! The Thank-You cards will reach you hopefully just before our 1st anniversary! :p

4. FOOD & DANCING

Okay, enough with the lovey dovey mellow stuff! Another big reason to throw a wedding is the good food & the partaaayy! Good food and a lot of drinks get everybody in the mood. The party-mood that is. ;) So spoil your guests with an open bar, a buffet high on carbs, lots of sweet desserts and a midnight snack 'cause they'll need it to party hard.

From the first song the DJ played until the venue closed we danced the night away and it was legendary! Without the party our wedding would have been totally different and less fun. For us our party is going into history as the best party we've EVER had! And it went like this...

(my happy face when seeing carbs.. :) )

So that's about it! The reasons why my wedding day was one of the best days ever. But let me put everything in perspective here, getting married is a personal choice and can be overrated sometimes. But regardless all the bells and whistles, Stu and I wanted to celebrate our love and have an intimate day full of joy and laughter. Full of happy tears and big smiles. Full of legendary moments and everlasting memories. And oh boy, it exceeded our expectations. It really was -and will be- our best day ever. For ever and ever.

Love, Ellen.

Pictures by the talented Lott's Photography

Venue: Kioskafé Poppel