Last Night (or two) of Freedom

Whoever invented hen do's should be shot. Seriously. 

These days it is very rare in fact to do it the simple way, who, what, where, done. The simplest of things that can be decided in 30 seconds, don't be so silly.

What is more common though, are those that decide instead of going through the hassle of arranging it all (clever clogs), merge their last night of freedom with their other half... and it becomes a STEN. Lazy but clever.

No, No. 

I have to go and do it the difficult way. The way that in all honesty, I genuinely cannot be bothered with. 

I feel I want to boycott the whole thing & make a stand & just not have one. That would be so simple! 

Hen nights/weekends go 1 of 3 ways:-

1: a load of girls meet up, dressed in next to nothing, all scantily clad, covered head to toe in edible willies & L plates & sashes at what not, off their trollies down the local club with a stripper in tow, ending with photo's that quite frankly resemble a freshers fancy dress bar crawl's worst nightmare! 

2: a few girls head off down the local pub or indian for a nice meal and off they go home (usually including the hen night kit). 

3: a few girls meet up for a nice spa weekend with a nice evening in some fancy bar/lounge and swan off to the poshest most expensive hotel in the area. 

Which don't get me wrong, a spa weekend sounds lovely, a nice relax but when you have 5 hours of sitting around a pool side with one 'complimentary' 30 minute hand rub or massage it seems such a waste of money and hours in the day to be honest with you! 

I don't like any of that! No offence to anyone who has had one, I am sure it was fun and wonderful for you, but not my cup of tea!

Yes ok so number 2 isn't bad but in all honesty staying local to me I can do any time I like, and I don't because I don't like it! 

Most of which also end up with matching tshirts/hoodies etc which isn't the worst thing in the world by all mean's!

But that is just about as much cheese as I can take to be honest!

So why is it so darn difficult to sort something out?  

Sorting the date alone seems to have taken more time, stress, energy and effort than it's worth!! Probably more so than the rest of the wedding! 

Also, why should we HAVE to fork out £1-200+ when barely any one in the current economic climate can actually afford it! I know I'm having a rant, and I know full well I am going to have to fork out something like that anyway but why should we HAVE too?!

A wedding costs enough as it is, whether its a £3000 wedding or a £300,000 one, enough is enough!! 

Oh and then when I finally have sorted the date, yes thank you very much  - weekend in April by the way - I then need to search for hen ideas. Plenty of websites where I can see hen packages that again somewhere along the line include Buff Butlers, Strip Club VIP Access, front row seats for the Hen, yeh no thanks, a strangers crotch in my face, no you keep it! 

If none appeal I can then go and create my own. Oh great! No not great. To get a quote I need to send off personal details and await a phone call. Who then spend the next month and half harassing both myself and my Maid of Honour. You want custom, well not here! 

Also, these sites, you can't decide what package you want until you decide on location. Can I just see the packages please & their prices for all locations and take it from there?! No, too simple, I have to click on a location and choose a hotel (no information available unless I go back and start over) and same goes for picking activities! Over and over.

I then finally find a great website which has packages to offer, but also a create your own with drop down boxes & ?'s at the side to hover over to give you information! Followed by a quote there and then. Perfect.

Or so I thought. Scroll down a bit & in small print says "for parties with less than 12 guests,you may incur a small up fee", so now we are made to feel bad for not having 100's of friends! Isn't less more? Doesn't the saying go, quality over quantity?

The friends I have close to me I can probably count on one hand (maybe two at a push) but they mean more to me than anyone and I don't need 50+ people to attend my last night (or two) of freedom! 

The prices alone are ridiculous, but then you have to wait and see what people can afford, you don't expect them to fork out loads, I try and please everyone else of course! Yes its MY last night (or two) of freedom, but it's my friends who are willing to fork out to share it with me, so I want to make sure they have just a good a night! When you have so many different interests, finding common ground & something for everyone it starts to leave the cheap side!  

So then you have to find out the average between them all and make something enjoyable, fun and exciting around that, and then the harassing phone calls & hidden charges are straight back out to bite you on the bum!

So I'm thinking rant over, and yes I am sure I will end up spending more than I would like, but still within reason on what will hopefully be a good night or two! It's taken about 4-5 months to get the date sorted so let's see how long it takes before I throw my computer at the wall & arrange the actual weekend! 

Too much effort I tell you! This whole wedding malarky really is a learning curve in so many ways. 

Its no wonder that the Hen end's up with L plates!!! 

117 Days & Counting

Considering the mention of a wedding happening in approximately 4 months time I suppose I should write down my progress so far. 
I'm also advertising plenty about bridal sites & spend most of my time sitting away chatting to B2B's and happily married brides it's only fair! And they do say making lists is definitely most beneficial as a visual aid! 
It may also strike me thinking oh crap what is actually left to do, but we shall see. 

Right, so I have 117 days, 21 hours & 35 minutes to go. 
Yes I'm just THAT good at maths! No I'm not. I have a helpful countdown on UKBride (see great advertising again!) which I think is one of the best site's ever to be invented for all Bride to Bes, Bridezillas, Newbies etc! 
When the world has had enough of you talking wedding this, fondant that, buttonhole choices, sash samples etc there is always UKBride to turn to! The party and planning never stops! 

Anyway, checklist time:

Done

Colour Theme
Venue
Registrar
Given notice
Photographer
Dress
Veil
Shoes
Bridesmaid dresses
Rings
Florist
Hairdresser
Make Up 
Cake
Entertainment
Honeymoon
MOB/MOG Outfits

In Process

Given notice - up for 15 days so waiting to collect to send on to registrar in district of venue          
Vows/Promises - Paperwork sent just got to sit down and choose
Stationary - including invites in design stages
Very rough table plan
Draft guest list
Continuous Hair trials with hairdresser, another one on Thursday
Ring for OH - awaiting delivery phone call
Arranging playlists for DJ part of Entertainment
Honeymoon essentials - ESTA etc

Yet To Do

4 month venue meeting
Preliminary florist meeting to discuss finer details
Make up trial - organising
Tiara
Jewellery - earrings
Favours
TY Gifts - BM, Usher, PB, BM's, FG, MOB, MOG and H2B
SUIT HIRE
Grooms shoes
Table Decorations
Candy Bar - possibility 
Send out invitations - when done! 
OH needs to sort his Speech


Oh and finally got date set for Hen/Stag weekends, just now got to arrange who, what & where! 

Think that is all?! 

 

Large Lump of Lard

I think this definitely shows the inner workings of my mind frame. 
No idea why anyone would think of this, but it goes without saying really that it is something I would definitely do! 

I have been trying to lose weight for a good 2 years now. I am doing quite well, I've lost more than I have left to lose so that's a positive! But it is an incredible struggle to be perfectly honest with you & that is why the Weight Watchers blog is there to help me through the tough days. 

This one will be more for the general inner workings of The Not So Skinny Minnie plus any strange and wonderful little ditties I want to get off of my chest! There may be a mention or two of wedding planning over the next 3.5 months as I get married in just under 4 months time! So can definitely imagine a few stressful moments over the coming weeks!
This will be my place of sanctuary & my place of venting! 

Now, considering I am getting married in just under 4 months, on that day I will of course take my partners name. Its the 'traditional' thing to do and despite there not being much tradition around this wedding, I can uphold the odd custom! 

Currently, my initials read LRG. On the 26 May 2013 they will become LRD.

You are probably thinking yes well done Lou, that's great, but what's your point? Well pretend you are playing the car number plate game, where you read the initials not as the letter L, the letter R and the letter G. You read them as a word. Go on. 

LRG =  Large
LRD =  Lard

Point? Well, just goes to show that I am always going to be overshadowed by the weight topic! This doesn't bother me, but does make me giggle! 
It also makes me giggle, that I would actually think of something like this. Nobody in their right mind would! 

Many question my future husband's mental and psychological state to be perfectly honest. My mother has even suggested spending some of the wedding budget on psychological testing to make sure he is in the 'right frame' of mind when considering a lifetime with me! 

So I go from being Miss LRG to Mrs LRD. Yes Mrs Lard. 
I am no longer Miss Large (in the physical sense) and will become Mrs Lard. 

Lucky me! 
Actually I am rather lucky. 
*cue mushy moment*

My partner is my rock, my world, a great support and an amazing person. 
He is always there for me with open arms to celebrate or commiserate my weekly weigh in's. Always texting me 10 minutes before I get weighed wishing me good luck & to remember that no matter what the scales say this week that he is extremely proud of me & loves me very much. 
For that I will be eternally grateful as I could not have come this far without him! I am also very lucky in the sense that if he does have some sort of psychological impairment that come 26 May 2013 there isn't anything he can do about it!! I'm his. He is in fact, stuck with me!! 
Stuck with the lump of lard!! 

So yes I will become Mrs Lard, and we will live happily ever after! 

Minnie Mouse: Too Fat For Fashion

This is taken from a blog post I did for my WW blog. Yes I may be recycling but it still unnerves me. 

I was originally looking for some comical picture for my main blog photo when I came across some articles regarding a new and improved version of Minnie Mouse.

5ft 11 and size 0. Minnie Mouse 2.0. 

Or so they assumed to be new and improved. 

Last year, the famous Department Store in New York, Barneys, collaborated with Disney for their Holiday Window Display 2012. 

Minnie Mouse, along with Daisy and Goofy were all dolled up, put on strict diets, and given a heavy dose of what was perceived to be 'fashion forward sex appeal'. Does this look appealing to you??

Silly question I know considering it is a cartoon character. But a cartooon character loved by millions worldwide, from all ages and genders. To some this may be seen as a 'cute' idea to have a childhood icon combine with designer coutoure but all I can see (and the pages of reviews/blogs/comments left by others throughout Google) is the fun and sweet nature of our beloved Disney characters destroyed by a fashion world deeming them too short or too fat. 

Barney's creative director stated that:

"The standard Minnie Mouse will not look so good in a Lanvin dress.... If we're going to make this work, we have to have a 5 foot 11 Minnie."

Firstly, and I think most importantly, she is a MOUSE! She has been a long term relationship, with the same partner for what, 100 years? I don't think Mickey will disprove if she 'lets it go abit'. Secondly, she is a fictional children's character who brings happiness and joy to millions around the globe, more so of which probably can't and would never want to afford a 'Lanvin' dress.

Why did noone think that this tight fitting, way overpriced, profit guzzeling dress was what needed altering? Why it did have to decided that Minnie was the one needing this 'makeover' therefore modifying her world famous figure? 

In my opinion, as with most designer produce, it isn't the model (in this instance a fictional mouse) that is the problem; it is in fact the item in question that would only look remotely decent on a 5ft 11, size 0 woman.

Of course, this may be a concern to some that I am being slightly biased (considering my Blog Title & any future posts regarding all things Disney) and it may be that I have taken this way out of context. But I am not the only one. 

Considering the fact I have been a larger lady in the more recent past, and spending many years envious of anyone who could walk into a shop and wear any belt, sorry, dress, that they desire does not mean I have a biased opinion. Just check out all the links on Google for yourself. 

There is nothing wrong with very, very thin bodies. I personally do not see the attraction with skin and bone, and seeing girls walk down the street with legs that could snap at the drop of a hat, is not attractive in the slightest. However each to their own. 

What I do think is incredibly wrong, is when someone feels that they need to change a beloved children's character for it to look good in coutoure, especially in a dress that quite frankly wouldn't look good on the majority of society! 

Growing up with my own body problems, my own issues, dealing with it in ways I would never wish upon anybody, and finally succumbing and trying to do something about it (for myself, not because Minnie has) at the age of 22 was one thing. But now, surrounded by celebrities, media, body ‘right’ images, is hard enough for young children, especially girls. It causes enough pressure on young minds alone but now that the Disney mouse everyone loves has been added, the message is ever more present: I will never be thin enough.

Girls and boys together do not need yet another ‘pop culture’ figure that is tall and ridiculously thin as a target, they have enough.

Actually WE have enough.

I may not be a 13 year old girl anymore but I still have enough insecurities and doubts about my own body and how others perceive me. And I am 24.

I still have my full on hate for my own reflection, mirrors and cameras.

I too have enough everytime I open the page to the latest celeb filled magazine.

I am 24.

Give children (and adults alike) a chance to celebrate their own bodies, allow them to grow up and love themselves for who they are, that they don’t need to change for anybody else, they don’t need to hate their bodies to fit into the media’s perception of the ‘norm’.

Dove did it, with ‘normal’ models, Weight Watchers & Slimming World use normal people (Gregg Wallace & Patsky Kensit included) and all the other weight loss programmes are using REAL people to advertise with, so why do Designers/Media now feel they need to move onto destroying beloved childhood characters?

Surely the message should read: nobody should ever make you feel like you have to change. Ever.

  

New Year, New Start

Yeh ok, so I'm a little behind on the old new years resolution mumbo jumbo. 
Or am I? At the start of the NY I began a Weight Watchers blog. Now, most people who are interested in reading it have done so already. 
So why start this one?
Well, I started using my WW one for things other than Weight Watchers and thought is that really the place to do it?
Also, I get a character limit on there and I tend to ramble on for quite a while so thought why not move it to a 'real' blogger spot! 
This will no doubt be full of ol' ramblings and little ditties going on inside my head. An escape route as such.
Feel free to read along, and good luck to you! 

So this is me, and the life inside the Not So Skinny Minnie.