Starting a new life is never easy. And, heading back to the Albion Love Den following our blissful 2 week introduction to Japan (for me) and 2 week goodbye to Japan (for Satomi) was a little overwhelming. Initially, though, it was a little puzzling. My flatmate for the past 6 months, the Angry German Rock Star Ingo, was completely absent, which was most unusual. I had suggested to him before leaving for Japan that Satomi and I would be keen to have the place to ourselves when we got back, but I had not intended it to mean that he should scarper before we got back. A scrawled note on the kitchen table, however, alluded to something a little more believable: he had met "someone" and was staying at her place! Nice one, bruvva!
With Ingo moved out, we set about the task of settling in and making the place ours, rather than just mine. Sure, Albion hasn't really changed in the years (and thanks to Steve-O for pointing it out in his best man speech), but it has changed enough in the recent months to have me looking at it in a whole new light. Satomi has moved permanently into my bedroom, naturally, which has meant that logistically, my living space has been halved. But, to compensate, we now have a spare room! Which has come in handy for when the odd drunken guest needs a crash point.
Satomi also started a new job, in the bosom of all things salad-related at Mrs Crocket's. Amongst other things, this has allowed us more time to hang out together and has also meant I am now eating "proper" lunches made lovingly and sometimes painstakingly each morning. My system doesn't know what hit it! We've also settled into Brisbane-city life, with weekends enjoying the beauty and splendour of this fair city. It's been fun rediscovering some of things I started to take for granted around this place. We even got to hang out up at the gorgeous Woodford Folk Festival around New Year's, thanks to our good friends at Fretfest!
And, while spending some serious time just hanging out and enjoying the loving vibes, there was always this one huge event hanging over our heads - our pending wedding. Much to the angst and chagrin of some of our loved ones, we naturally left the planning of this momentous occasion to the very last minute. For us, though, the day was not meant to be a big, stage-managed and controlled event, rather a fluid, casual and relaxed affair which spoke of both of our personalities. And so, in that spirit, we leisurely approached the sharp end of the planning wedge early into the new year.
Focusing on the key areas
The guest list was probably the hardest thing to come to an agreement on. We had both agreed the cliched "small, intimate wedding" was what we wanted. That was fine, but with both of us having extended groups of 'associates' it was hard to whittle the guest list down to a really good size. We finally worked it down to about 35, which comprised of really close friends and our immediate family. Despite some initial confusion, Satomi's parents worked out that they were able to make it out to Australia, which meant the day would have an added special element.
With the big picture scoped out and sorted, the last few months were left to panicky planning and organising of the little, but important, details to make sure the day was exactly what we wanted it to be. One of the early consternations was the choice of outfit, with my idea of a very relaxed event being blown out of the water by Satomi's early purchase of a full wedding gown. While I was initially quite upset about this development, it took the counsel of those much wiser and experienced in these things to make me see it from the girl's perspective. And while it meant that I was now forced to wear a stupid suit, I made it abundantly clear early on that it would be a dressed down suit with no hint of fancy crap. Heck, I was even steering clear of going near ties! So with the outfit sorted and the lady beavering away sorting all the other details out for the ceremony, I was left to my own devices to organise and manage the reception part of the agenda.
Well, that was the initial intention. Satomi's interest in all things wedding took over from my almost complete disdain and apathy for it, so she became much more part of the event organising. With me being left in my little realm of sorting the entertainment and polishing up a meaningful ceremony speech, I was more than happy with leaving the other aspects (such as what colour ribbons to put up on the walls) up to the others. On the music front, however, I was more than pleased to offer one of our Fretfest darlings, David Di Marco, the chance to serenade us on our special day. Combined with a newly acquired 80gb iPod, I had more than my hands full with making sure the event was at least as musically special as it would be in every other way.
With time slipping away, I spent the week before the event officially on holidays, but as busy as ever. My go card had never had such a solid work out as that week, with numerous trips across town to tie all the annoying loose ends together. A Friday dawned, Satomi and I breathed a sigh of relief with everything worked out and ready to go. As of Saturday morning, with numerous friends and family arriving from interstate and overseas, it would be very much "go time" and the event we had been working on and planning would swing into life and sweep us up in its heady motion of joy, reunion and love... just the way had wished it would all that time ago when I popped the question.
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