5 days - Thanks Grandma

It's 5 days until Nic and I say I DO
Today I feel cold in this Melbourne weather. But whatev's, we're on holidays.


Everything is basically set. We had a the wedding practice on Sunday. We have a very organised wedding celebrant that's for sure. She's all over the finer details, now that's done, the day will run smoothly.
For Nic and I we just want to say "yeah cool hi everyone we're married" but there is a seriousness to the event, and now everyone knows where to stand and when to speak...sort of. All will be good.
Yesterday we went and picked up our travel documents for the honeymoon. Again we weren't all about the  procedure, just like " yeah cool we're going on a honeymoon"...but we needed to listen to the important stuff, and now will be getting one of the Euro cash cards to save bank fees being charged. Thank You Sally at Westminster Travel. We'll spend our savings on Tapas.
What's become evident to me these past couple of days is simply just how much fun we're having planning this event, and getting ready for it. We're having that much fun, it makes us just so relaxed which for some we can seem blase. But that's how we roll, we're taking everything seriously, just in our own laid back way.
Stuff did a get a bit emotionally serious yesterday afternoon though with an amazing reminder of where I've been, where I've come from and who I am. my Grandma (Mum's Mum) passed away some 5 years ago. Grandma, aka Gladys Spence was an incredibly well planned and thoughtful woman. An example of this was when we were growing up she'd place aside $1 a week for all the Grandkids, and then we'd receive an envelope every 10 weeks. It was pay dirt for us. When we reached a certain age, it became even more awesome as Grandma jacked up the weekly contribution to $2 making that envelope even juicier. This was big cash for us as kids. But looking back, a well budgeted contribution from her pension to her Grandkids. So yesterday this cash giving, forward thinking, well planned, loving woman came alive again and hit me like a freight train. My mother years ago was handed an envelope to pass onto me. I received this yesterday.

As you could imagine, a serious amount of emotion rushes through your mind when you receive a gift like this from someone who's voice you haven't heard for five years. What an amazing gesture from an amazing woman.  I could not believe what I was reading, what I was holding. "This is for Greg if I'm not here when he gets married - from Grandma"
That right there is the most cherished gift of all time. It's just goes to show, those that aren't here physically, truly through spirit always are with us.
If I mention this on Saturday I'm pretty sure the rowdy cousins table will be reaching for the Kleenex, as while Grandma created fantastic fodder for us, and we often chuckled at her traits, we all loved her and miss her.
So to honour her, unlike previous envelopes I'll be putting this one to far better use instead of buying a slab of beer like I used to.
The only thing Grandma didn't magically do was have the contents accumulate financial interest over the five years. (I wouldn't be surprised if the bank manager calls in the next couple of days though) You get rare moments in life when you get to stop in your tracks, and appreciate what life is all about. 
This wedding is one of the those moments. So was receiving the keepsake I did yesterday. 
Thanks Grandma.

15 days - on the relaxed track

It's 15 days until Nic and I say I DO
Today I feel back on track


This morning I've struggled through a 5km run, my first real exercise since pre Bux Caviar day. On the routine I'd been used to the last 6 months, taking 2 weeks off is a freaken long time. This morning the run felt like I had razors in my lungs, and now my calves have mini samurai swords in them. It just proves how quickly we can fall off track. 
Furthermore, Nicole has just got back from her swim at the local pool this morning. 
She says to me in her forever funny tone  "Pal, you need to take a good look at this" (indicating to her in shape figure)......"because from what I saw this morning it all goes away in years to come, there was a lot of old lady boobs down there, and I mean down at their knees!"
She'd just witnessed a water exercise class for the elderly.
Inspiring stuff?
For now - yep! 
So today I get back on track. Back on track to achieving everything to make sure our goal, of an awesome wedding day, will be done. This time next weekend, we are on a flight to Melbourne. It's so close. I'm really looking forward to that week off in the lead up. Just a damn good time to unwind.  
I'll be watching the footy with hawks mates Sat'day afternoon as Nic is off on a hen situation with her closest friends and family. Have one last roll at the lanes with the BAP City Rollers on the Wednesday night. Pick up the suits and dine at Pizza Religion the Thursday Night.
Whatever happens the other days, no stress, and that's just perfect. 
By the Saturday - with everything on track, I'll be as relaxed as I possibly can be.
Roll on.

21 days - ready or not

It's 21 days until Nic and I say I DO
Today I feel ready.


Actually I'm feeling a million times better than i did this time last Sunday after the Bux Caviar. As the great mare continued her winning way yesterday, today Nic and I will finally kiss this planning situation  goodbye. Then relax the next two weeks.
We've nearly got a full compliment of guests that have RSVP'd, so we're expecting just under 100. 
We've nutted out a couple of unique things this week that could go either way, but this is how weddings roll. 


I'm not sure I've ever been to a wedding with glow sticks, but lets get our party on and try it, just minus the LSD and Pingers. We'll stick to the red wine for this 'adult' event. Also we did say in the save the date video, there would be a little bit of Hawks involved in the theming, and that's been locked away today. Yes, I can confirm that Lance Franklin will be the minister for the day before he plays the Demons at 5.30pm.
Theme songs are being planned for Bridal parties, PAs being ordered for musicians, Speeches Ts crossed, and i's dotted, the event seriously just couldn't come quick enough.


The key is to stay focused the next 10 working days, get things done, and then enjoy the best 5 weeks of our life. 
Shake n Bake baby.

24 days - The Fonz

It's 24 days until Nic and I say I DO

Today I feel another day older

It's my birthday today, the 16th of Feb. As the story goes, 34 years ago today,  my brothers and sister were being babysat by my Grandmother, they received the phone call of my arrival at home. (On the landline of course, and probably one of those old turtle green igloo shaped phones where you had put your finger in the hole to dial a number)  They were knee deep in a Happy Days episode. The one where Fonzie jumps the shark. For them Fonzie jumping the shark didn't signify the day Happy Days died as a show, but represented the moment I was born. A little bit of irony considering the shark jump catchphrase has become synonymous with TV shows that are in decline and on death row. Packed to The Rafters might be getting close to that, but that's a whole other debate. What have I given my two brothers and sister in those years.....a whole lot of grief, laughs, joy, and annoying little brother moments I hope. In a few weeks, they get share what will be the best day of my life and finest moment to date. We've been through a lot to get to this day.

I'll be the last one to get married in our family, the venue is right near where Mum grew up and where we have spent many family gatherings. You could say, for many of us, it will be a full circle moment me getting married out there in Seville, 5 minutes from the Gruyere Spence property. 

Life will change as this next phase begins after March 10. It's about living life for someone else, not just yourself.

Before we get there though, please sit back and watch this piece of TV glory/crap/awkwardness.

 

28 days - Nuff Said

It's 28 days until Nicole and I say I DO

Today I feel sunburnt

Yesterday was my bux party.

Nuff said.

33 Days - Disco 2000 or Common People?

It's 33 days until Nicole and I say I DO
Today I fee like Pulp

Not Pulp as in energy or motivation, I feel great on that front. I'm currently developing a real man crush on the band Pulp. Which I have left way too late considering they're winding up. We saw them at Splendor in the Grass last year in a 'farewell' concert. The lads (Baptown) who will playing some live tunes as we enjoy canapes and wine from the vines on March 10, can play two Pulp tracks for us and I'm debating which one to request. Disco 2000 is a great song, and Common People is legendary. Time will tell. Maybe both. Actually probably not both, that's excessive. But I do know that when I grow up I wanna live with common people. We're all common people. Just how do you know when you've grown up. People could debate this for years. My brother's son had his first day at school the other day, does that mean he's all grown up or is it a moment of growth? A rhetorical question for both Raf and my brother Dave.
My sister Clare has just taken in an exchange student from Germany in the last week. An incredible responsibility on her behalf. But for her family a time to experience something unique in life, and grow from it.
I'm getting married soon, does that mean I am all grown up? 
No way.
It is though a grown up moment a couple of kids will share pledging their life's journey to one another, to learn and grow along the way.
First stop on this learning tour is Spain. 35 days till we're on that plane and we can't wait. Especially the language barrier part, that's gonna be fun. No really. It will. Common People will be my first request to a Spanish DJ in Barcelona, let's see how far that one gets us. We'll be starting from zero on the lingual front and that's going to be a crack up.
Finally another jigsaw piece fell into place today. The stickers arrived for our bonbonerie. It will fill the room with an interesting aroma that's for sure. Wine, Food, and ....well....we won't reveal it now. 

 N.B: For those playing at home. After a recent post, it must be made transparent that I did not consume 60 beers in 60 minutes the other week. 30 mil nips is what happens in an hour of power. Not sure even Jarvis from Pulp could manage that one.

38 days - It's all Buddy Love

38 Days to go until Nicole and I say I DO

Today I see daylight

Getting Buddy Love Franklin into this was always just a matter of time.

Today is that day. Number 38 was the first number he wore for the Hawks. There's some trivia for those playing at home.

Here's how much Nicole has come to get used to my biggest sporting love in the Hawks...A couple of seasons back for Round 1 to start the season in style, Nic made Chocolate and Vanilla Custard. 

It had that distinct brown and gold look of course, and she even layered it in stripes to resemble the jumper. 

If that doesn't say marriage material I don't know what does?

This year for Round 1, it will be a little different. While the Hawks play Collingwood in Friday Night Football at the G.....we will be in Paris on the honeymoon.Cheese, Wine, French Champagne, Truffles, and the Hawks?

I know this could be controversial to even consider trying to watch the match in Paris somewhere, somehow, someway...but just in case, I'm beginning to research if it's possible. Nicole won't mind if we stream the match at our hotel. I mean how often in our lives will we be in Paris, let alone, in Paris when the Hawks are playing in Round 1 of the AFL season!

Hello!!!

LE BUDDY LOVE is a universal term yeah?

40 days - Stop and Listen and Look?

Today is 40 days until Nic and I say I DO
Today I feel impatient


But much thanks to Nic, she knows how to calm to me down. My brain tends to race reasonably fast, probably would beat Ben Johnson back in '88. But she knows when to slow me down and work shit out.
Today I had nothing to work out as such, just to chill and stop my mind racing a million miles an hour and think logically. It's incredible when you do this, that stuff just works.
It's worked so much she's now got me watching some Kate Winslet gayness on channel Bruce. It seems her character will be lucky "eventually" in love. It must happen, especially when the film opens with her quoting Shakespeare that love is blind. She's bound to find it. Yep this film will be a ball tearer! Thing is, why is love blind? I got a mate Hayden who is literally so blind he see us as lego figures, what happens there? What on earth does he see if love is Blind? 
Love isn't blind. It's accepting, rewarding, welcoming, hard, fun, challenging, incredible, awful, ridiculous, contagious, addictive, painful, joyful....Fark is this a George Clooney moment out of The Descendants? (NB I hope that never happens, but good man tear movie)
Anyway I will let this movie called Holiday hopefully show whether or not love is in fact blind. Or have I had the answer to the question under my nose all this time?  
(Speaking of which, I can see under my nose, unlike Kate Winslet - she needs work)

41 days and the jigsaw pieces begin to click

It's 41 days until Nic and I say I DO

I feel like I need to touch wood

Everything seems to falling in place. In the last 48 hours I've had what I'll call jigsaw moments just click. Issues I thought would be issues are not, fires I thought may need to be put out are simply not there anymore. It's really sweet justice central. 
Today we've locked in the live tunes we'll have on the simmer for part of the day and with a little help from our friends that will run smoother than olive oil on a marble table. We received today we a pic of something we're having made in the states especially for the day and it looks awesome. And THEN those freaken lost vows, re-appeared again in my phone this morning. Not sure what happened there, but what I thought I'd lost, I found, and it was all sweet justice again. It really was a thank the F Bomb moment that one.  Couldn't believe it.
Bring on the jigsaw moments that click I say. It's a good feeling in life. 


 

42 days - Thats like 6 weeks

It's 42 days until Nicole and i say I DO
Today I feel my age


That's what the morning after turning back time will do to you. We had Ben and Sarah over last night, and as all good dinner parties go, we ended up doing the hour of power. Of course. 
This is a ritual Ben and I made famous back when we lived in Albury and here on the Sunshine Coast. 
60 beers shots in 60 minutes. We smashed it, well one of us did. I've still got it. Lets just say that. For all links to the event, ask Ben. I go hazy at about shot 35. While this will seem weird, what I loved most as we turned back time, was Nicole's involvement. She was on the clock, counting each minute down as we prepared each beer shot. Good times. Good future wife. 
Responsible? yeah not really, but a whole lot of fun.  
As I write this, 2nd coffee and berocca in hand, Nicole sits by me and we seriously cannot believe that in just 6 weeks we'll have enjoyed the real hour of power and tied the knot. (N.B Ceremony will not go for an hour, that would suck) Like last night, it's going to be an awesome reunion of sorts. People traveling far and wide to be there for the day. It's quite incredible how people do that, make such an effort to join the celebration. It's humbling.
So as we enter our 5th last sunday before march 10, today we need to check that list off a bit more. Officially must re-begin writing vows. Yes re-begin! The "Shakespeare gold" I'd started on was in my phone. And of course as it turns out, my iPhone died this week, and I lost data back to October last year. Dickhead for not backing it up, but it's a good way to de-hoard actually. Those words I'd crafted were something I didn't want to lose. But really, they mustn't have been the ones. Otherwise I'd have properly saved them. 
Blank page now. 

44 days - And I missed a day

It's 44 days until Nicole and I say I do.

Today I feel Slim Dusty

Missed a post yesterday due to creating today's hangover. You could say it's thanks to Triple J's Hottest 100, and these top ten songs;

• #10: Hilltop Hoods - I Love It {Ft. Sia}
• #9: The Jezabels - Endless Summer
• #8: 360 - Boys Like You {Ft. Gossling}
• #7: San Cisco - Awkward
• #6: Lana Del Rey - Video Games
• #5: M83 - Midnight City
• #4: Boy & Bear - Feeding Line
• #3: Matt Corby - Brother
• #2: The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
• #1: Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know {Ft. Kimbra}

Not sure if any will make play list we're creating for the reception, Number 1 would be perfect - not!

The Black Keys could get a run though as we wait for Nicole to arrive on the day perhaps.

We're off to Brisbane tonight to hang with Mandi and Chris and their daughter Alissa tonight. Mandi is our MC for the wedding, so we'll be rolling through stuff for her to mention, and check whether her jokes are funny. No pressure, but she has a tough crowd. A strong mix of radio people...who are all quick witted comedians, then of course friends and family on both sides - who's she's never met before. Yep no pressure. What do they say, an MC unnoticed is a good one? Mands will be great.

Then tomorrow night we're catching up with Benny Clayton and his girlfriend Sarah as well for dinner. Ben is set to sing a few tunes for us just after the service on the wedding day. Basically just when that awkward moment hits, you know the one of "what to do now?"  after the ceremony is done, he will begin playing. Weather dependent guests are outside for about an hour on the day before we head in and sit down for a meal, so hopefully the live music sets the mood for good times.

Is it though bad to ban the singing of generic wedding songs like Brown Eyed Girl? I hope not.

The wedding is going to trigger an amazing 5 weeks of wine consumption, so liver wise I need to begin preparing. This said it's been pouring rain here for days now, this is called red wine weather in our house. So operation AFD will begin after the weekend!

46 Days - Cash Drop

It's 46 days until Nicole and i say I DO
Today I felt sick


Sick in the guts as I hit Confirm transfer funds for the payment of our European trip after the wedding.
Never before have i committed so much cash to one single event in my life. I've always wished/joked/dreamed to bet 7k plus on a horse race before, but at least with this payment today I'm guaranteed a return.


We've done well on the saving front, I know certain people who may've been getting married once before and hadn't even booked a flight on their honeymoon at this stage. 
We've done it. 
Flights, Accommodation, tours, Car hire, train travel....we've locked and loaded it today. Very exciting times. All paid.
And when I told Sally Tobing down at Westminster Travel in Richmond - lets pay this sucker, she was just as excited. And why not, we're going on the holiday of a lifetime with the best blocked in brick wall views in the world. Well you'd hope we get some scenic views, I'm sure Sally will hook us up. In fact she has. It's all good.


Fact it is, we've saved so hard for this day, it's just freaken awesome it's getting close to the time for our friends and family to actually live the day.
Black Caviar does run this Friday night though - so please quietly watch that race with me and imagine you had 7 large on her. Even when she wins her 17th straight, for the return we'll get on our O.S trip, I still think we'll get better value on our investment.

47 Days and time to go faster or slower?

It's now 47 days until Nicole and I say I DO
Today I feel cautious.

Cautious in the fact I need to slow down. Not because I am going 1 million miles an hour, but to soak up life. Soak up what we're experiencing. There's moments that remind you to do this.
When your driving to Landsborough station to pick up your fiancé in pouring flood rain then see police cars and a tow truck, it stuns you back into action.
I appreciate life moves quickly, and we live in moments, but why rush?
There's a lot to look forward to in life, and it's moments like this you must remind yourself to do a Ferris Bueller, Stop and look around every once in a while, otherwise you could miss it. 

So it's a cliche (or is it) but on our wedding day I will make sure we get to take a moment and do a Ferris.
Look around and soak it up...with a warmed piece of crusty ciabatta. 

48 days - The ingredient for Vows

It's now 48 days until Nicole and I say I Do.

Today I feel energized.

We received draft 2 of the ceremony back from the celebrant over the weekend. Yep there's drafts apparently. So this week, it's  vow writing time. Nicole isn't looking forward to this process because I'm the "writer" of the duo.

But is there pressure on what you say when you do vows? Pressure on how you write them? Like is this gear meant to be Shakespeare? Am I meant to write better vows, 'cos I write for a living? Unless it's in the form a 30 second radio script - then I hope not.

I think on the day what ever we say will be awesome. The thing is though, how do you brainstorm up vows....sit in a room with incense burning, Enya on in the background, and then hold hands and talk about your feelings?

I don't think that's the answer. Actually it's 100% not the answer, but what is? 

We deliberately didn't want to use the ones out of the book they supply. We've quickly gathered it's a pretty huge thing trying to write them for yourself. It's affirmation of the largest kind. How often do you actually stop to think about how important a person is to you, and how much you love and value them?

It's not something you sit down and do deliberately very often is it? 

Can you say thanks for letting me watch horse racing most weekends and having a separate gambling "budget"? 

Probably not. I think I need to try and work out what that translates to, then I could be on the right track.

Speaking of tracks, they race at Flemington the day of the wedding.

I'm on my back screaming "49 DAYS!"

In 49 days time Nicole and I will say I do.

Today I feel happy.

Watching a C'mon Aussie four set victory has made me consider ways blokes show emotion.

Lleyton Hewitt he wears the little Aussie Battler tag when he walks on the tennis court. He shows anger, passion, excitement, courage. Yet after last night's celebrations when he won he'll get pasted on social networks for overdoing his celebration for a 3rd round win.

I think Lleyton has surprised himself in this tournament, if he wins his next match the whole nation will be on their backs celebrating. In fact the flat on your back scream would become a nationwide craze known as 'doing the Lleyton'.

The tennis court is different to life, but it's important men show emotion. 

On the day when we say I do, I won't be rejoicing screaming in joy on my back in front of guests, but I will be sharing genuine emotion on the day. For me, making that commitment is in fact more than a simple ceremony of love, it's a massive pledge you'll be open and honest.  

Communication and sharing emotion, I haven't been married before, but I'm tipping that will help Nicole and I to a happy life. 

Thing is a lot of men in this world bottle things up, more due to pride I guess, but also fear. It's important to be open, and share your voice. Important on an individual level, but especially in a relationship.

And while we've been planning this wedding, if I hadn't shared my thoughts along the way, well the wedding wouldn't be what it will be. We've got a main menu with an online vote for guests, a tiny Hawthorn twist somewhere on the night, and a day n night to remember forever.

It's all come along for Nicole and I by having no fear in sharing our thoughts to how we see our big day. 

C'MON!!!!

50 Days - It's on the list

Negating the American calendar quoted above, TODAY is Saturday January 21st, 50 days until Nicole and I get married.
Today I feel calm.
In 50 days we will get to say  I do and make a commitment to one another for a lifetime.  It's the beginning of something incredible, a life we build together. Where we'll end up or what will happen, we don't know, but that's exciting, we take a of leap of faith together and take on life. 
For the remaining 50 days, I'll refer to this blog as the Groom Eye View. Trust me if I'm on the couch too much in these final weeks, that's not going to help get the job done. 
Preparation has been on since Xmas Eve 2010 when we got engaged at Nobu in Melbourne. We'll have it at a winery, no church, close friends and family, have it on a long weekend so we can hit up the Sunday session the day after, do what we want on the day and enjoy.
The word 'should' becomes a prominent term when planning a wedding. You fast learn, everyone has a view on what should happen. You should invite this person, you should do it this way. For this groom to be it's been a cleansing experience, as I'm normally the one living in the world of "should". Because things have been a done a certain way before, that's the way I should do them too, yeah?
No.
This is where Nic has guided me with the reminder we're creating something for us. We stamped out the 'should' very early in the process. Without trying to sound selfish here, you almost have to be selfish in planning your wedding. It's that part of letting go of the should, and creating the we.
If there's too much should, one forgets about the us.
More than a bucket list of things to do goes into a wedding day that's for sure. Thankfully as the 50 day countdown begins, we can confidently say we're on track. Tiny little things that make the day big is all that remains, you know little things like flower combinations, vows, that kind of gear. Little. But we have the location, the honeymoon, the guests, transport, music, food, wine, we have us.  We've ticked this off, ticked that off, we've planned it, we've paid it, we've booked it.... 
One day of celebration for a lifelong journey, so much goes into it. I wonder what we'll remember of the day ourselves? Only time will tell.
I suggested before, we don't know where life will take us after our wedding day, but I do know one thing. We'll have a blank page and probably feel a little lost with nothing left on our list to tick off.
Maybe we should create a new one on our honeymoon?
....We'll work that one out.