The Girl's Guide to Getting Hitched: A charming feel-good read

by Sophie Hart

  Angela wrinkled her nose. ‘Hmm, Mitch might have got the chop by then. But put me down for a plus one. I’ll definitely be bringing someone.’

  ‘Even if you have to drag a handsome man off the street?’

  ‘Don’t joke about it. I’ll probably stop off at the pub on my way to the wedding and see who I like the look of. Ooh, maybe I should ask Matt the personal trainer to go with me?’

  ‘He only had eyes for Debbie,’ Julia couldn’t resist teasing her, as Debbie looked mortified.

  ‘Change the subject please!’ she demanded testily.

  Angela laughed, but went along with the request. ‘So, Julia, what was your wedding like?’ she wondered. ‘It must have been spectacular, with all your skills and contacts.’

  ‘Well, it was pretty amazing to me,’ Julia remembered, going all misty-eyed. ‘But your own wedding day always is. You’ve got all your family and friends there to see you marry the love of your life, you’re wearing a gorgeous dress and then there’s an incredible party at the end.’

  ‘Sold,’ Debbie giggled. ‘I want to do that.’

  ‘But I wasn’t doing the events planning back then,’ Julia went on, as Angela raised her eyebrows in surprise. It was too hot to move any more than that in the steamy sauna. ‘I was a receptionist-slash-PA to the director of a marketing company, back home in Derby. That’s where I met my husband, Nick. He was an account manager at the same firm.’

  ‘So how did you get into events?’ Angela asked curiously. ‘It seems like a dream job, getting to plan weddings and parties all day.’

  ‘It can be. It’s great when you’re doing the research and creating mood boards and actually delivering the perfect party that the client has asked for. It’s less fun when you’re standing in a field at six am in the pouring rain, trying to arrange an emergency marquee because the company you used has double booked. Or when someone sneaks a crate of vodka into a sweet sixteen party, and you realise you’ve got a bunch of drunken teenagers on your hands, all trying to have sex in the toilets and being sick in the flower beds.’

  ‘Wow, do things like that really happen?’

  ‘Yep. I speak from bitter experience on both of those. But once Nick and I were together, it felt a little strange to be working at the same company. I was falling out of love with my job anyway, not convinced it was the right path for me, and then my friend asked me to help out with a surprise party she was planning for her husband. That’s when I got the bug. Nick had got a couple of promotions by then, so we were doing okay financially, and we talked about it and decided I’d take six months to try and establish a business. It went from there really.’

  ‘Julia’s the best,’ Debbie put in loyally.

  ‘Aw, thanks, hon. It makes it so much easier working with lovely brides like you,’ Julia beamed. ‘You’re looking great by the way. I love that swimming cossie on you.’

  Debbie was wearing a fifties-style swimsuit with black and white polka dots. She shuffled self-consciously, pulling at the material in an attempt to cover herself. ‘Thanks. I’ve got a long way to go still.’

  ‘You’re doing brilliantly. I wish I had a tenth of your willpower. Maybe that way I’d finally get rid of this baby belly.’ Julia looked down at her stomach and frowned.

  ‘You’re crazy,’ Debbie shook her head. ‘You look amazing in that bikini. I’d kill to have a figure like yours. Either of you.’

  ‘Of course, you know what the best exercise is if you’re trying to lose weight,’ Angela smirked. ‘A hot and sweaty workout between the sheets.’

  ‘Well I’ve had no complaints from Stevie,’ Debbie confided. ‘Honestly, since I’ve been dropping the pounds I’ve had so much more energy. And I definitely feel more body confident.’

  ‘Happy to leave the lights on?’

  ‘With the dimmer turned down,’ Debbie admitted.

  ‘Lucky you,’ Julia grinned. ‘It’s pretty difficult to find time for all that when you’ve got a ten-month-old baby. You’re constantly exhausted.’

  ‘Your husband’s gorgeous, though,’ Angela said candidly. ‘I saw him when he came to pick up Jack one time. I’d be all over him if he was mine.’

  Julia smiled. ‘You should have seen me when I was trying to get pregnant with Jack. I wouldn’t leave Nick alone! We actually went through a pretty rough time – he said he felt like a sperm donor, and that all I was concerned about was trying to have a baby. He was probably right.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Angela said awkwardly. ‘I wouldn’t have said anything if I’d known.’

  ‘No, don’t worry,’ Julia insisted, thinking that it was quite cathartic to talk about it all. ‘Of course, now he’s complaining that he’s not getting enough.’

  ‘Men,’ Angela tutted in solidarity.

  ‘Couldn’t live without them…’ Debbie added, making everyone laugh.

  ‘I guess they do have their uses,’ Angela grinned, her eyes sparkling naughtily. ‘Speaking of which, I really should ask for Matt’s number. I wouldn’t mind a little personal training of my own…’

  ‘You’re terrible,’ Debbie shook her head, as Angela stuck her tongue out at her.

  ‘Damn, is that the time?’ Julia interrupted, glancing at her watch. ‘We’re going to be late for our massages.’

  ‘All this relaxing is such hard work,’ Debbie joked. ‘Thanks so much for my amazing day, ladies. I’ve honestly had a brilliant time.’

  ‘No problem,’ Julia smiled back, as she stood up and wrapped her towel around her. ‘You absolutely deserve it.’

  23

  ‘I have learned that only two things are necessary to keep one’s wife happy. First, let her think she’s having her own way. And second, let her have it’ – Lyndon B Johnson

  ‘This is going to be so much fun!’ Aimee was grinning excitedly. ‘I used to have a Saturday job in a supermarket when I was at college, so it reminds me of that.’

  ‘Except you get to keep everything you scan today,’ Julia laughed.

  ‘Well I’ll leave you both to start browsing, but don’t hesitate to contact me or any other member of staff if you have any questions,’ the wedding registry assistant smiled broadly, as she handed over the all-important scan-gun.

  Aimee and Julia thanked her, then headed off excitedly to the homeware department, to begin choosing items for Aimee and Jon’s wedding gift list. They wandered past bedroom and bathroom accessories, towards crockery and kitchenware.

  Julia’s gaze darted from one fabulous object to the next, whilst Aimee was beginning to look overwhelmed.

  ‘There’s so much choice,’ she breathed. ‘You don’t realise until you actually have to narrow it down to one thing – you know, what colour towels or which pattern on the dinner service.’

  ‘What kind of thing are you looking for? Is there something in particular you need?’

  ‘Not really. Jon already had everything when I moved in – and I mean everything. Juicer, bread maker, slow cooker. Whatever the craze, he bought it. Although I’m not sure how often he actually used them…’ Aimee smiled affectionately. ‘Obviously we have things like bedding and towels, but Valerie says this is a chance to “upgrade” – crystal glassware instead of Ikea, that kind of thing.’

  ‘I’m surprised she didn’t come with us today,’ Julia couldn’t resist saying. ‘Valerie usually likes to have an… um… opinion on what’s happening.’

  ‘Yeah…’ Was it Julia’s imagination, or did Aimee look the tiniest bit guilty? ‘To be honest, Valerie has this big charity luncheon today at her club. She’s been going on about it for weeks. I might have told her that this was the only time we could get an appointment, and that I’d be fine going with you.’

  ‘Really?’ Julia looked admiringly at Aimee. The girl had more backbone than she gave her credit for.

  ‘I thought it might be a little… easier… if it was just us.’

  The two women smiled at one another in mutual understanding.

  ‘I think you might be
right,’ Julia nodded. ‘And Jon’s happy for you to pick on his behalf? I know that choosing items for the gift list is something a lot of couples like to do together.’

  ‘He’s fine about it. He’s really busy with work, and he said that as I’m going to be running the house – well, it’s a flat at the moment, but we’re planning to move as soon as the wedding’s out of the way – I can choose whatever makes me happy. He really doesn’t mind about the colour of the duvet cover, or the style of cutlery, as long as the end result looks good.’

  ‘That sounds very laidback of him.’

  ‘Mmm,’ Aimee replied, her tone giving nothing away. ‘What do you think of this?’ She held up a bone-china gravy boat and stand, with a simple gold design around the base.

  ‘Very nice.’

  ‘Do we even need a gravy boat? I think we have one already.’

  ‘Yes, but is it a Wedgewood gravy boat?’

  ‘I have absolutely no idea!’ Aimee giggled.

  ‘Well we need to start scanning soon otherwise we’ll be here all day.’

  Aimee stared at the gravy boat once again, then sighed heavily. ‘It feels like such a big decision. This gravy boat is the first thing I’m choosing for our married life together. It’s almost symbolic.’

  ‘WWVD,’ Julia said solemnly.

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘What Would Valerie Do?’ Julia spelt out, and the two of them burst out laughing.

  ‘You’re right, let’s scan it,’ Aimee chuckled, as she held the scanner gun up to the barcode and pressed the button. ‘Done.’

  ‘So is that what you’re going to do after the wedding?’ Julia began, remembering what Aimee had said a few moments ago. ‘Run the house?’ The words sounded old-fashioned even as she said them, as though Aimee would be mistress of a Downton Abbey-style mansion.

  ‘Well we haven’t fully discussed…’ Aimee trailed off. ‘I’d like to do something else as well, something to give me more of a purpose. I thought about going into teaching, but I’m not sure if…’ Again, she stopped short, remembering the argument she’d had with Jon after the dinner with Malcolm Huddlestone. ‘I know Jon would like to have children fairly soon after we’re married, so I guess all my time will be taken up with that.’

  ‘You’re not wrong there,’ Julia said with feeling. ‘Kids completely take over your life. You’ll wonder how you ever had so much free time before.’

  ‘How is Jack?’ Aimee grinned, recognising that Julia was speaking from experience.

  ‘He’s good, thanks,’ Julia smiled. ‘He’s at nursery today.’

  ‘The one where Debbie works?’

  ‘That’s the one.’

  ‘Thanks for inviting me the other night, I had a lot of fun. Gill’s lovely, and Debbie’s hilarious!’

  ‘You’re very welcome. I thought you might enjoy it.’

  ‘Yeah, I did. I don’t seem to go out as much these days, not since being with Jon. I mean, we do things together, but I hardly see my female friends.’ Aimee distractedly zapped a butter dish, then shook her head, as if to clear it. ‘I guess that’s what happens, right?’

  ‘I suppose. Your priorities change as you get older, and the focus is definitely more on your husband and children than on going out with the girls.’

  ‘But you seem to have a great set-up,’ Aimee insisted. ‘I know you said the other night that it doesn’t always feel that way, and of course nothing’s ever going to be perfect, but you’ve got your husband and son, as well as a fantastic career. It’s the best of both worlds.’

  ‘Well, it’s pretty hard work,’ Julia said lightly, not wanting to disillusion her. ‘Like I said, you feel constantly torn – guilty if you’re not spending enough time with your child, guilty if you’re not concentrating on work, or if you have to cancel a meeting because something’s happened at home. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was going stir-crazy after being in the house 24/7 for six months. Your wedding came at the perfect time.’

  ‘I always imagined being a young mum,’ Aimee admitted, as she scanned side plates and cereal bowls. ‘But I didn’t expect it to be quite so young. I always thought I’d have done something first – you know, seen the world, established a career. Jon’s already done all of that.’

  ‘You can still do it after having children,’ Julia assured her. ‘Plenty of people do.’

  ‘I suppose.’

  The two women lapsed into thoughtful silence, concentrating once more on the task at hand.

  ‘I can’t believe the price of some of these things,’ Aimee marvelled. ‘Almost two hundred pounds for a roasting dish! I know they’re top of the range, but a lot of my friends can’t afford this kind of thing. I feel embarrassed asking for a fifty-pound fruit bowl when I know they’ve got theirs from Wilko’s.’

  ‘As long as you’ve got a mix of prices on there, they’ll find something,’ Julia reassured her. ‘And if it’s what you want, then don’t feel guilty.’

  ‘I’m not sure that it is what I want, but Valerie was insistent that we registered our gift list here and had all these expensive brands. A lot of Jon’s business colleagues are coming to the wedding, and all Valerie’s friends are well off, so it’s not an issue for them. Honestly, I barely know half the people who are invited!’ Aimee tried to make it sound like a joke, but Julia knew there was truth behind the comment.

  ‘It’s certainly a very impressive guest list,’ Julia commented neutrally. She’d noticed that Jon and Valerie made the majority of the decisions about who to invite, while Aimee’s friends and family were relegated to the bottom of the pile.

  ‘Ooh, these are cute,’ Aimee said exclaimed, picking up a brightly coloured set of espresso cups. She was poised to scan them when her phone started to ring, and she pulled it out of her bag, making a face as she looked at the screen.

  ‘It’s Valerie. Do I have to answer it?’ she wondered, reluctantly pressing the green button.

  ‘Aimee? Aimee? Are you there?’

  Even though she wasn’t on speaker, Julia could clearly hear Valerie’s shrill tones on the other end of the line.

  ‘Yes, I’m here, Valerie.’

  ‘Good. I don’t have long. I managed to slip out, but I need to get back before the presentations start. Now, how are you getting on with the gift list?’

  ‘Fine. I think we’re almost done with kitchenware, so we’ll move on to linen and bedding next.’

  ‘Wonderful. Now you won’t forget the Le Creuset, will you?’

  ‘No, Valerie, I’ve got that already.’

  ‘Excellent. And you’ve put down at least two sizes of casserole dish, haven’t you?’

  It was all Aimee could do not to roll her eyes. ‘Yes, Valerie, I’ve gone for small for when it’s just Jon and me, and large for when we’re entertaining.’

  ‘That sounds acceptable. And what colour Denby did you decide on?’

  ‘I actually went for the Jet. I thought it was really unusual and—’

  There was a piercing shriek from the other end of the phone; Aimee hastily pulled it away from her ear with a pained expression.

  ‘Aimee, I specifically said Imperial Blue or Regency Green. I told you! Were you not listening to me, or are you just stupid?’

  ‘I…’ Aimee stammered, stunned by Valerie’s question.

  ‘Aimee? Aimee? Can you hear me?’

  ‘Yes, I can hear you.’ Aimee’s voice was barely more than a whisper.

  ‘Is Julia there? Put Julia on the line.’

  Wordlessly, Aimee handed the phone across. ‘She wants to speak to you.’

  It was all Julia could do not to pull a face like Aimee had done. Bracing herself, she said breezily, ‘Good afternoon, Mrs Cunningham, how are you?’

  Valerie ignored the pleasantries. ‘Julia, make sure Aimee doesn’t get the Jet Denby. I’ve told her and told her. Honestly, I don’t know if she’s dizzy or just downright retarded.’

  Julia almost dropped the phone in shock. ‘Valerie, you can’t say tha
t!’

  ‘Oh, one of the PC brigade, are you?’ Valerie sniffed disapprovingly. ‘Look, I’ve got to get back to my meeting. I’m worried that Mrs Campbell-White is going to try and make a speech, and I simply must intervene. But make sure Aimee selects a winter and a summer duvet, and don’t forget the mattress topper.’

  ‘Okay, Valerie, no problem.’

  Julia hung up and looked worriedly at Aimee, who seemed utterly shaken.

  ‘How about we take a break?’ she suggested kindly. ‘We could go and get something from the cafe, have a sit down?’

  Aimee nodded mutely, allowing herself to be led away.

  * * *

  Over a shared piece of carrot cake and a pot of tea, Aimee seemed to revive.

  ‘So how are you doing?’ Julia asked gently. ‘I know that getting married is an incredibly stressful time. You’d be completely unlike any other bride I’ve ever known if you weren’t finding it difficult.’

  ‘At least I’ve got you to help me,’ Aimee smiled weakly. ‘You’re doing all the hard work, I’m doing the fun bits. Well, supposedly fun.’

  ‘You must be getting excited,’ Julia pressed, trying to inject some enthusiasm into her. ‘There’s only a few months to go until the big day, and Jon seems like a great catch.’

  ‘He is, I guess,’ Aimee said softly, remembering all the reasons why she’d fallen in love with her fiancé. He’d been charming, funny and generous, bowling her over with his zest for life, overwhelming her with the way he’d pursued her. His sheer confidence was mesmerising, his certainty that no one would refuse him anything. Now Aimee wasn’t sure whether she’d mistaken that confidence for arrogance; his sexy, dominant streak hiding a more menacing need to control…

  ‘Shame about his mother,’ Aimee couldn’t resist adding. She raised an eyebrow, that one gesture conveying exactly what she thought of Valerie more perfectly than words ever could.

  ‘I think you’re being very patient,’ Julia replied tactfully, hiding a smile.