Blog
What a run up to our wedding – it was busy busy busy and there were times when it got a little challenging but everything worked out perfectly on the day and on our honeymoon.
I have worked out that if I don’t panic no matter how much I have on my plate then things always seen to work out. One thing I always do first thing in the day is have some quiet time to inspire myself with motivation books and daily readings. This gets me in a good place and I know that if I spend this quiet time first thing no matter how big my priority list is, then I have a good and productive day.
The wedding day was perfect in every way imaginable. The service at Kilburn Hall was magnificent, the guests were very special people to us and all were very carefully selected as we could only invite 48 guests. There were so many more people important to us we wanted to invite but just couldn’t. Kilburn Hall owned by Lord and Lady Fenton is a fabulous home which they use to host small intimate weddings. The Hall and the grounds are booked out for one marriage at a time, and this makes it feel very special.
The chandeliers and wooden panelling make this 18th Century Hall a perfect venue for weddings and we were very blessed to find a slot which was available for our wedding. On the morning of the wedding I wrote my speech and then wrote my blog and finally arrived 20 minutes before the ceremony was due to start. This was cutting it a bit fine but I had visualised everything going well on the day so I was calm and relaxed.
Julie looked stunning as she came down the stairs and we enjoyed every moment of the day including the kiss after being pronounce man and wife. The food was amazing and the pianist playing the grand piano as we ate was a lovely touch. I had written my speech in an hour in the morning and before I knew it I was on my feet delivering the speech. I had no time to practice or even read through it, but I trusted myself that when I was up the right words would come to me and they did. This proves the importance of a positive inner voice.
Julie has an identical twin sister called Jenny who flew over from Australia for the wedding. They are so alike that even people who know Julie really well have mistaken Julie for Jenny. This happened on the wedding day as Jenny was the maid of honour and came down the stairs before Julie and most people present thought it was Julie coming down, then Julie appeared and the looks on people’s faces was priceless.
The day before the wedding I went to Oxford to deliver a two hour talk to the annual conference of the Society of Heads which represents 100 private schools across England and Wales. This was something I had to clear with Julie before I agreed to this booking and it went very well and I got back in time to Nottingham to have my pre-marriage meal with my closest friends and family. I believe that taking action is key to success, not talking about it or researching it, but just simple action. It may not be perfect but you can change and improve things on the way.
Our honeymoon was the best holiday I had ever had and we have committed to going back to this hotel every 5 years to celebrate our anniversary. Sharm El Sheikh is a wonderful place and so friendly. The constant blue skies and the all inclusive package made it a truly amazing experience.
We started the day as single people and finished the day joined as one. This simple ceremony has real power to it as I believe that two are better than one and working well together they can make a bigger impact in their workplace, home and social circles. I love being married to Julie – it is something we both dreamed of for many years. I have been married twice before and I learned a great deal from those first two to get this one right.
We are committed to each other for life and I can’t wait for this adventure to begin. I believe that there are very exciting times ahead and the way we support each other and love each other I see a very good future ahead. I still visualise my Dream Board every day in my quiet time and the wedding picture is one more I can tick off.
I’m 61 years of age and have had my fair share of ups and downs but at the end of the day I believe “It’s not how you start in life but how you finish which counts.”
If you don’t have a dream board of things you want to achieve yet, then I advise that you develop one and visualise yourself having achieved them – you will be amazed at what happens in your life.
Have a great bank holiday weekend and stay positive.
Warm regards
John 