Why yes, that IS me!

Er, no, THAT's not me - keep reading, silly!

A few weeks ago, Cara emailed me to let me know that Best Scottish Weddings magazine had contacted her to say that they thought our wedding - and I quote - would "make a lovely feature" in their summer issue. Um, WHAT? Our wedding in an Actual Magazine? I know it's possibly not the world's most glamorous wedding magazine, but still. It's the BEST Scottish Weddings. Our wedding was one of the BEST SCOTTISH WEDDINGS in the last couple of months EVER!!!*

Yeah! That's me!
(I apologise for the desecration of the other couples. Microsoft Paint has a lot to answer for.)

Lo and behold, two months later, what should plop onto my doormat but two copies of the Best Scottish Weddings Summer 2011 Issue, starring none other than yours truly? (I couldn't help noticing that they have colour-coordinated the cover to match the colour scheme of my blog. Thanks BSW, you shouldn't have!)

It's a pretty hefty tome ("OUR BIGGEST ISSUE EVER!!!") but it didn't take me long to zone in on the Real Weddings section with laser-like focus. The old Bridal Instinct kicking in again. Still got it.

And there we were, in all our glory:

{Click twice on each image to see full size. If you want to.}

As happy as I am to have had the wedding featured on amazing wedding blogs like Rock My Wedding and A Practical Wedding, there is still something quietly thrilling about physically holding a magazine in my hands and seeing our wedding in print. And for family members who aren't so into the world of wedding blogs (I know, it's hard to believe) and perhaps didn't fully understand why I was so excited about them, it's a tangible reminder of all the hard work we put in and that amazing day on the beach.

Tell you what though - having emerged relatively unscathed from the wedding planning bubble some months ago, it had been a while since I had last picked up a wedding magazine. Wowser. It was a further reminder, if one were needed, of why I tell my newly-engaged friends to buy ONE wedding magazine, if they must (say, for example, if their friend's wedding just happens to be featured), and then forget about the glossies and delve deep into the wonderful world of the wedding web. While I hate to contemplate the demise of the printed word, there is just no way that wedding magazines can keep up with the constantly fresh and creative online wedding community.

I mean, seriously. Are we still doing spot colour, Scotland? Really? I thought we agreed never to speak of that again?

And are you actually telling me that these are the Best Scottish Wedding Shoes?

If they were cheap and comfortable, I would be willing to acknowledge that some people simply don't care about how their shoes look. After all, they're usually hidden under a dress; not everyone cares enough to order six pairs of shoes. Ahem. But those satin bridal clumpy things are never cheap, and you can't tell me that pointed-toe shoes are comfortable. Unless you only have three toes. Why, Best Scottish Weddings? Why?

Oh, and don't even get me started on the checklist in the background. We're not even going there. Actually, we are. Briefly. Apart from the fact that it starts twelve months prior to the wedding, so those of us who have six-months engagements are already waaay behind from Day One, it is just full of so much unnecessary crap. for example, seven days before the ceremony: "Have a wedding rehearsal (if required)". If required? You just want everyone to turn up on the day and hope for the best?? I mean, I can understand that not everyone manages to have a rehearsal for all sorts of reasons, but this is the only item on the checklist that has been given this caveat. You don't think the "if required" might have been better applied to, say, "Book the videographer"? Or "Bride get nails manicured"? Or "Groom get hair tidied up"???

Anyway. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. It's wonderful to be featured, and if I can do anything to help raise the profile of Lillian and Leonard then I will do it without hesitation, because to quote Meg, A) their photos are the prettiest and B) I want to do my part to help keep those babies fed.

Just another day at work. Via Lillian and Leonard's facebook page - go, like them. Now.

Oh, and if you really want to see a wedding magazine get ripped apart, I suggest you check out HitchDied's magazine reviews. It's infinitely more entertaining than it sounds.

*(Ok, I admit, my real reaction was more like, "Really? They want to put our wedding in a magazine? Um, why?". To which Cara replied, "You want to know why? It's the joy. The sheer, absolute, unequivocal, joy on your face throughout. It's rarer in a bride than you might think." Isn't she just lovely? Actually, Cara, I think it's the crazy beautiful photos, but yes, there was certainly joy. And no ugly shoes.)