We hit the year mark as of yesterday (eeek) and my gosh did that fly in! So now, since I can no longer rely on poring over bridal magazines and researching sequin table cloths as my only method of 'planning', things really need to step up a gear.

Something that's been on my mind since the start is, my dress and over the past eleven months I've put together a pretty clear idea of what I want; long sleeves and lots and lots of tulle. However, unlike many brides, I wasn't rushing, bridesmaids in tow to the nearest bridal shop as soon as the ring was on my finger. In fact, I thought like a few of us do, I'll go when I finally get rid of that last couple of pounds. Eleven months seems like a great amount of time to lose weight in doesn't it? I thought that too and then promptly sat down and did nothing about it. Well that's not strictly true, I have been trying but I suppose I need to stop kidding myself that empty calories in wine and sweets does not in fact mean no calories!

To be honest I feel a bit let down that I failed on my own. I consider myself to be extremely, okay maybe obsessively informed on nutrition but maybe I need the sort of structure that can only be achieved by a diet club. Four years ago I lost over two stone with Weightwatchers and despite keeping every pound off I just haven't been able to go any further with it. To mix things up and since I'm running drastically out of time I joined Slimmingworld and although I was sceptical about the plan's reliance on artificial sweeteners and their clear hatred of the holy fruit that is the avocado (it has as many syns as a Crunchie) I managed to lose 4.5lbs in the first week.

So we'll say no more about it, since it's sort of embarrassing discussing your weight on the internet but hopefully, I'll be back in January to post about how I've just commissioned a bespoke dress in a size I'm comfortable with.

In other planning news, we have been collecting gin bottles for our centre pieces. Or rather, my in-law- to-be have. A few months back I came across a wedding that used Hendericks bottles filled with wild flowers and it looked amazing! Shortly afterwards I discovered Shortcross Gin, a brand of Northern Irish gin distilled right in County Down where I'm from. By coincidence, Liverpool Gin, unsurprisingly originating from Liverpool, the same city in which my dear fiancé was made, comes in an almost identical bottle to the Shortcross. Coincidence? I think not.

For about half an hour I did actually consider enlisting the help of friends and family to assist the drinking of all the gin before one of my bridesmaids suggested we ask bars for their empties instead. Now you see where the spare tyre came from aye? So far my in-laws are in the lead with 13 bottles to our measly 2. So you know, if you just happen to have any spare Shortcross empties lying about your house after Halloween be sure to give me a shout!