Pre-, during and post-wedding bliss

I don't believe that anyone can really be prepared for their wedding preparations. You read the stories, you hear the brides warning you about how difficult and stressful it all is, and – well, if you're me, at least – you say: "Pah! What drama queens! Mine's going to be easy".

Of course, it isn't.

But I'm not going to start whining (as I know now that there's no point!) – the weeks leading up the wedding were tough, yes, but they were also really fun. Painting backdrops with dad, having arguments with the electrician with mum, rowing with Krusty over the Excel spreadsheet angle of the wedding... It was all crazy, but oh so much fun.

Unfortunately I don't have any photographic evidence of this fun, because on the day of the wedding we lost the camera that held all of the photos of the preparations, as well as some of the videos that were taken during the wedding. Like the video of the ceremony, for that matter.

And I need to see a video! I can't remember any of it! I can remember looking up to the sky and smiling because the rain that was predicted and had poured down all morning had finally cleared up when the first guests arrived. I remember seeing Krusty's face when he first saw me in my dress, and saying over and over how beautiful I looked. I remember walking across the courtyard of the Fort la Pree arm in arm with my father, nervously repeating "I don't know what I'm going to say" because I hadn't written my vows yet. And I remember getting up to the wedding arch and looking back to see a room full of family and friends and love. It was amazing.

My brother and his girlfriend had covered the room in poppies (the 'theme' of the wedding) and under the arch stood two of our best friends. They were our priest and priestess, our mayor and mayoress, our witch and sorcerer. And I am so glad we went for the non-traditional option. I can't remember much of what was said (I need that video!) but I can remember feeling awash with sincere sentiment, and knowing that what was said was true and heartfelt rather than pre-tested and formulaic. I also remember shaking with joy when Krusty pronounced his vows (I still can't believe that he wrote them himself...) and placed the wedding ring on my finger. And I know I enjoyed every second of it.

We left the ceremony to a shower of petals (every photo I have seen of this moment has me scrunching up my eyes as if I am being attacked by rabbit pellets, or something similarly hard and disgusting...) and an hour of hugs. I didn't see anything of the cocktail food, champagne with hibiscus flowers or jazz band, although again photos reassure me that they were all there.

I remember grabbing my father to dance to one of my favourite tunes, Lullaby of Birdland, and being told that it was against 'the rules' to dance at a wedding cocktail – but again I am glad we defied convention. It wasn't planned, it perhaps wasn't good etiquette, but I loved every bit of it, and especially the fact that as spontaneity struck, so did the sun appear from behind a cloud. Perfect.

Dinner couldn't have been better, but then I might be biaised. Our designer friends had sewn – by hand! – an incredible backdrop to go behind the top table, with a rat and a monkey – of course! – on a giant coat of arms. The poppies, the fairy lights, the coat of arms – it was magical, well for me at least. I will put some photos up as soon as I have them.

After dinner (and after some quality Eurovision speeches from my father and Krusty's father, an incredibly witty speech from Krusty's best man and one from Krusty himself, which could not have been any more moving), the weather was on our side once again, the rain giving up just long enough for us to go outside and light some paper lanterns. We all watched in awe as they drifted off through the sky, and despite the chill in the air I felt warm and full of love for the millionth time that day.

The night went on, we danced until 6am (oh, and as I write a memory comes back to me – my father, dressed as Elvis, rocking the night away!), we watched the moon set and the sun rise, and went home in the London taxi we had rented for the day.

But thankfully, it didn't end there! I can imagine what an awful anticlimax I would have felt if the Saturday was the end of the wedding... But we had organised a brunch the next day, complete with oysters, more champagne and a petanque competition. And thanks to the fact we got to see everyone again, the weekend really felt complete. That plus the little get-together we had organised on the Friday night... Even if I can't remember everything (yet), I have enough memories to last me a lifetime.

But the best memory of all will be looking into Krusty's eyes and not just thinking, but knowing that this will be the man I will spend the rest of my life with. I can't remember a time without him, and I know there will never be a moment in the future when he is not there. When I looked at him that day at the altar, that evening at dinner, that night under the lanterns, I saw nothing but unconditional love, and not just his, but mine reflected too. There is nothing more beautiful in the world than that.

Hello, pleased to meet you. My name is Mrs Krusty...