A quick break from the Christmas Stuff

I realised late yesterday that it was our wedding anniversary. 

Now this is where it gets confusing. We got paper married on the 15th, which basically entailed dropping a pile of papers off at the city hall, then that was it, we were married! No ceremony, no signing of documents, no kissing of the bride, OK, we did do that bit :o). 

We then went to Cambodia for the real ceremony, Cambodia, I hear you cry, what on earth for? Well, we decided it if we had it in either of our home countries we would upset one side of the family or the other, so then we figured half way would be good, but that turned out to be Afghanistan or some equally war torn piece of the world. So, finally we decided to go back to Cambodia, we had been there for the millenium and loved it, so why not?

When we could go was all down to hubbys work schedule, the Japanese are TIGHT with their holidays but it turned out we could get nearly two weeks off over the Christmas/new year so we booked for then. My mom and step dad came out, plus my best mate and my uncle who was just starting a round the world tour, it was a small affair.

I emailed the hotel where we wanted to stay and told them that we wanted to get married out there and they put me onto Bobo the Driver, who was amazing and sorted everything out for us. 

It was a full day starting around 7.30am. We had the ceremony in the hotel theatre, with 5 Buddist priests 9 nuns and most of the hotel staff watching through the window. Of course, with it being a Cambodian Buddist ceremony we had no idea what was going on so there was much confusion and giggling. 

Then we had Apsara dancers perform two dances for us, which was beautiful and then we went for brunch in the hotel. It was lovely and they set us up the best table next to the pond, very pretty. The cake was amusing if nothing else, it looked like an elaborate 70's birthday cake for your granny, not a wedding cake, but it tasted OK. Brunch was a slow affair, we opened cards (some turned out to be Christmas cards because my mom had muddled them up) and a couple of presents, such as the stunt kite from my uncle! After we took some photos around the hotel and waited until it cooled down before heading out for our photo shoot at...Angkor Wat!

We had so many people coming up and congratulating us, and taking photos of it, it was really quite surreal, what it must be like to be famous. At one point we got surrounded by a bunch of the local kids. One little girl, about 6 years old, gave me some of the bracelets she was selling, I explained that I had no money on me but she told me that it was her wedding gift from her to me. So, so, sweet.

After many a photo - we didn't have a professional photographer, which is my only regret, my uncle was put in charge of the job, and looking back at the pictures maybe allowing him cocktails and Champagne wasn't such a hot idea after all! He did manage some good ones though.

Next, we took an elephant ride, yes, I did say elephant ride, up the mountain to see the sunset - now, trying to get on an elephant in a wedding dress is NOT the easiest thing to do. We got to the top of the mountain and I had forgotten that to see the sunset you need to climb the temple. My parents decided that they would guard the elephants and so the rest of us set off up the temple ruin, and ruined is what my stockings were after the climb LOL. The sunset was a bit rubbish but we did get our photos taken by about another 100 people, not often you see some nutters in bridal gear at the top of a temple in Cambodia.

After watching the sunset we scrambled back down to the elephants and rode them back down the mountain, which, was probably the scariest part of the whole adventure because I had a satin slip under my dress, and they don't call it slip for nothing, that's exactly what I was doing under the safety bar!

We made it down, in one piece, just, and headed back to the hotel where we got changed then hung out in the lobby drinking cocktails and laughing at the craziness of the day. It was all finished off with a romantic pool side candle lit dinner, the French chef had gone all out and produced a wonderful menu, we didn't know what we would get but it was all perfect.

It was a very long day but the best wedding I have every been to -  maybe I am biased. We did have a formal Japanese meal to meet my hubby's side of the family and a rather amusing 'fairy tale wedding party' - everyone dressed up, back in the UK but I think I will keep the photos of that until another day, talking of photos.....

Five years on, we are still happily wed and have a bundle of trouble to keep us on our toes. We are looking forward to taking him to Cambodia someday, I do hope it hasn't changed too much but I think that with the increase in tourism it will have, we could see a massive difference in just the three years between our last visits.

And you happen to fancy getting hitched there, just give me a nod, I know a man who can sort it all out for you....