Lucky Us!

We were extremely lucky and totally blown away by the generosity of our wedding guests!  Even some of those who couldn't attend sent us gifts!  As we have already lived together for 3 years we really didn't need any household items and are in fact trying to de-clutter anyway so we put this poem (thanks to the RMW community) on our invites for those who might want to give us a wedding gift...

When thinking of a gift for us

we ask if you’d please consider 

contributing to our honeymoon

to make it all the sweeter. 

Our house is full of all the things

a couple could require 

and so a holiday away

is what we most desire.

Then while we're relaxing on the beach

or under the water so blue,

we'll sit back and know

that it is truly thanks to you!

As I said, we were super lucky and managed to re-fill the honeymoon fund we had borrowed from my tax savings (as I'm technically self-employed) to book the honeymoon in advance.  This meant we could totally relax and fully enjoy ourselves while away with a few wee extra treats too (cocktails, massages, bubbly), knowing that our honeymoon was paid for.  We had a FANTASTIC trip and even had a little left over to save for our future home!  (Honeymoon report to follow soon I promise!)

My Honeymoon collage.

We sent this out with our thank you cards to everyone.  I had the cards printed at Loxley in Glasgow and was really pleased with the quality...

Front 

Back

Some of our friends and family wanted to give us something we could keep instead (or as well - seriously, did I say how lucky we are!?) and we have some beautiful gifts I want to share some of them on the blog (some great gift inspiration here too, especially from my BMs - think they may have got them from Etsy and Not On The High Street, 2 of my fave websites!)...

Our friend, Roy, gave us one of his hand-turned (I'm assuming!) wooden bowls which I love!  He gave me one once before for my 27th birthday with a lovely heartfelt message I have kept with the bowl ever since.  I had always wanted one ever since I knew he had made one from a piece of wood found at a photography meet at Loch Lomond...

Happy Birthday Bex.

You wanted a pot with some significance - so here it is.  The wood is Rhododendron from Rowardennan.  The shape is of a water carrier because water is such a big part of EPZ meets.  The rough bits signify the "rough with the smooth".  The gold leaf represents your warm and generous nature - but it has slight flaws to represent your bad side.

Lots of Love, Roy

I have no idea what he means about a bad side.  ;)

It means a lot to me and it was lovely to receive another (at least I think he made this one too!?) for our wedding and this one has pride of place on my dressing table with a few of my trinkets in.

My bridesmaids also gave us thoughtful gifts.  Sarah gave us a star naming kit (we still haven't thought of a name!) and a lovely framed print of a tree trunk with our initials carved in a heart, so cute!  She had it in a lovely black frame which didn't quite work with it (by her own admission) so I have bought a new one and used the black one for one of our engagement pictures which looks fab in it!

N + B

Spotty Elephant from Kenya on honeymoon!

Vikki gave us this very cool framed personalised print of our wedding venue with a drawing of our venue, our names and wedding date...

Pollokshields Burgh Hall

Claire gave us this gorgeous personalised stationery in my colour and with an Indian style pattern...

My new grandmother-in-law (Nik's Mum's Mum) gave us this stunning bowl which she had specially engraved with African animals.  It's from Kenya and such a lovely reminder of our honeymoon as we saw all of the animals featured on it and I really love the tree too!  It now has pride of place in our kitchen cupboard with our lego us.  :)

She also gave me some gorgeous earrings which she designed herself and I LOVE THEM!  They are gold with tsavorite, emeralds and diamonds so they're even green!!  (I think she was tipped off on that.)

AND they go perfectly with this super sparkly Tsavorite pendant Nik's other Grandmother gave me as a wedding present...

I've also been getting a lot of use out of this gift from a family friend who we couldn't invite due to number limitations but they still sent us a gift which was so lovely of them and a fab one it was too!   They gave us a Joseph Joseph Herb Chopper (also green!) and this Garlic Rocker which also doubles up as a garlic odour remover when you wash it under the tap after use (stainless steel is thought to remove the strong odours left from handling garlic)!  So clever and it totally works!

Made mussels tonight - (see blog later in week for recipe post!)

See what I mean?  How lucky are we?!