Looking back on 2017

This year has just been the most amazing year.

When I am old and grey, I will look back on 2017 as one of the best years of my life; I am sure of it.

It's just been full of the most beautiful and amazing memories, good news and amazing opportunities for not just Tom and me, but our closest family and friends too.

Of course, as well as Tom and I getting married, we watched our best friends and favourite couple - Soph and Paul - get married too.

My brother got engaged, Tom's sister got engaged, and it was happy times for more of our best friends as Hattie and Jamie got engaged.

This year has just been the year of the celebration. It's no wonder there are talks of a prosecco shortage making Mail Online!

I decided to take a look back at some of my 2017 highlights, with some of the best people in the whole, wide world.

My hen party started it all off, back in March, and was just a laugh a minute from start to finish. I couldn't be more thankful for the gorgeous group of girls that I have in my life who helped me celebrate becoming a Mrs in style on the wet weekend in Holmfirth.

Then, of course, there was our wedding which was just amazing. I will cherish the memories from that day forever. We are so incredibly lucky to be surrounded by such supportive and loving friends and family who helped make our wedding day perfect in every single way.

Fresh from our nuptials, Tom and I headed to Northumberland. We spent the most gorgeous week tucked away in a little cottage on the coast where we ate lots of food, watched all the Harry Potter films, played chess, and drank lots of wine.

It was then time to turn our attention to another big day - that of my number one girl and best friend. Her hen party! We headed to a spa in the Dales and had the most fun weekend ever. I've never felt so pampered, and so drunk, all at the same time. We made so many memories that weekend that I will treasure forever.

A few weeks later and there was another celebration in the form of Jack and Amy's engagement party! They got engaged in Mexico about a month after our wedding. It really was the Mexico Dream after all!

Literally, the next day, we were at Selby Abbey celebrating our lovely neighbours getting married. James and Chloe have been planning their wedding pretty much the same amount of time as us, so it was lovely to share their day with them and see all their plans come together.

August was the turn of Mr and Mrs Duck. The most perfectly gorgeous day which was full of smiles from the second we opened our eyes that morning. Soph looked like an absolute angel and was the most beautiful bride I have ever laid eyes on. So effortlessly beautiful and just the happiest, most lovely couple ever. I still get emotional thinking back on the day now!

With Soph and Paul safely back from their honeymoon, we headed off on ours. Dubai and Seychelles were just the two most amazing places. We had the best time ever, saw some of the most beautiful, most amazing places on this earth, and made enough memories to last a lifetime.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, two days after getting back from honeymoon we found out we were pregnant. A little baby Kershaw is on the way!

Not quite content with that being it for celebrations and excitement for one year, we've still got so much to look forward to in the shape of Christmas.

Jack's fiancee, Lauren, is flying over from the States for Christmas and New Year, we're having a huge family Christmas Day with my family and Tom's all coming together to celebrate, and we're in the process of planning a lovely New Year with our best friends and fellow newlyweds Mr and Mrs Duck.

2017 has been amazing for Tom and I, and our closest family and friends. It's been full of love, laughter, and dreams coming true for so many people that we love and hold dearly. We can't wait to see what 2018 brings, with baby Kershaw's arrival being just one of the highlight on our calendar already.

2018 has got a lot to live up to, but I am pretty sure it will be just as amazing, if not even better.

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I understand now why they say the first year of marriage is the hardest

Our wedding day was truly the happiest day of my life so far.

You only have to look at our photos, and video, to see the beaming smile that was plastered across my face all day.

Image by Insight Photography.

Image by Insight Photography.

Image by Insight Photography.

Obviously, even without seeing my cheesy grin, you'd expect me to declare it as the happiest day of my life to this point. And, honestly, it was.

But the weeks that followed were hard.

Everyone always says "the first year of marriage is the hardest". I never really knew what they meant before.

I always knew that our relationship and partnership wouldn't change after we were married, so I couldn't understand what people meant. Did they mean it was hard between the two of you? Do you suddenly start hating each other once you're married?

Now I totally see what they mean.

After so much build-up, excitement and expectation, then a wave of emotions on the day itself, it's quite a comedown once it is all over.

And, honestly, I just didn't know what to do with myself.

We haven't yet been on our honeymoon (only two weeks now until we jet off!), although we did go on a 'mini-moon' straight after we were married. This was lovely, and meant we stayed living in our wedding bubble that little bit longer.

But, when we came home, it was strange. Whilst I felt so incredibly happy and excited about embarking on married life, I also felt strange.

I don't want to say sad, because that sounds extreme, but I didn't feel normal. I didn't feel like myself. Changing my name on everything was so exciting - but it was also a strange feeling.

I just can't put my finger on what was wrong. I was agitated, stressy, snappy - even more so than normal!

The only thing I can think of is it being an extreme comedown from the wedding. From the two and a half year build-up, the excitement, the anticipation, the happiness - all over with.

Once our wedding bubble burst, and we went back to reality, it was weird.

Without sounding overly dramatic, there was nothing to focus on. Nothing to save like crazy people for. It was just suddenly all over.

I now understand why everyone says the first year of marriage is the hardest. They don't mean the marriage itself, or the relationship - at least not in our case. Tom and I have never been happier or more settled. We're making exciting plans for our future and looking forward to so many different things.

It's the circumstances - if even that - that they mean. The huge changes, the comedown, the pressure that's on you as a couple...

So many people have said to us about having a baby, starting a family and generally creating a brood.

While that is lovely, and I too am excited for all of the above, it does add a bit more pressure to us. To know that people are waiting to see when it will happen. I feel if I wrote a blog entitled 'We've some happy news to share' everyone would automatically assume we were having a baby.

There's been a lot of talk about this recently, whether it's right to ask people about starting a family. Of course, you never know what anyone is going through personally, and I am sure no offence or harm is meant when people ask.

It's just another example of the pressure newly married couples face in the first 12 months. Everyone automatically expects that once those rings are securely on your fingers that you'll start pro-creating.

I really hope I am not the only person who has ever felt like this. I'll feel even worse if nobody else knows what the hell I'm talking about!

I definitely feel like I've come out the other side now. We had Soph and Paul's wedding which catapulted us straight back into the wedding bubble. It was just beautiful.

Now we've got our honeymoon to look forward to and when we get back from there it's time for birthdays, bonfire night and the Christmas countdown.

Hopefully the post-wedding black hole is a thing of the past now. I certainly feel more bright and positive, that's for sure!

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An open letter to my best friend on her wedding day

Dear Soph,

I started writing this post quite some weeks ago. It was on Tuesday, July 11 to be precise - the day we went for your first wedding dress fitting.

I hadn't yet seen your dress so I was so unbelievably excited to see it for the first time. After a somewhat stressful drive there (bloody Great Yorkshire Show!) we made it to the shop just in time.

As you disappeared behind the curtain to get into your dress, my heart was beating so fast. I couldn't wait to see you in your dress. I can't describe the pride I felt when I saw you in it. You looked absolutely breathtaking.

The day is finally here now - the day I get to escort you down the aisle and watch you marry the love of your life, the lovely Paul.

You two first met 'romantically' after we had gone for a meal at Capri, in Selby, for my 17th birthday. It was 17th October 2008. You'd gone out into town afterwards and got chatting to Paul.

From there you started dating and, before long, you were boyfriend and girlfriend. You didn't have the easiest of roads at times, but you fought for your relationship and came out the other side stronger than ever.

After getting engaged and buying your lovely first home, you got your gorgeous little Digby and Frodo. You've got the perfect foundations laid for the most perfect marriage and family life together.

The way you have handled the obstacles that you have come across is inspiring. I really could not have coped the same way as you have, with Paul working away for such long periods at a time. While you struggle, and admit it gets difficult, you handle it so, so well. I really could not be as strong as you. I'd be moaning all the time!

The pair of you together are just a dream. When I see how Paul looks at you it makes me melt. I am so, so glad you've got someone who takes care of you so well and, quite clearly, adores you.

I have so many fond memories of you and Paul, particularly in the early days of your relationship when we used to go out in town and would see him and his mates out.

I recalled this memory the other day, as part of my pictorial countdown to your wedding, but I'll talk about it again now.

We'd not long been 17, it was just a couple of months are you and Paul met, and we used to go out in Selby. Carly was working at the Blackie at the time, so we used to get a lift into town with her and go into the pub as she was starting her shift. We used to always make sure we walked in with Carly so that the bouncers would ID us. In fact, we had no worry of this as they often thought you were the older sibling!! Awks.

We'd be out from about 9pm usually, not daring to move onto another pub incase we didn't get in and were left outside in the cold.

I remember going out the first weekend after New Year and it being so, so quiet. I think there was only really me, you, Paul and his mates out! I remember us dancing to Kid Cudi 'Day N Nite' on the little dancefloor in Blackie. That song always reminds me of those nights.

Just like the Lady Gaga song, Just Dance, reminds me of the next morning when it woke us both up and we rolled over, looked at each other and sang 'RED ONE' really loud before bursting into fits of giggles. We then went on to lay in bed eating custard creams for our breakfast. It's the stuff dreams are made of.

There are so many things that remind me of the memories we've shared over the years we've been friends.

I've never been able to eat Wotsits in the same way, Dolly Mixtures always make me smile when I see them on the shelf in the supermarket, and I can't listen to Ella Henderson's 'Ghost' without howling remembering all the crazy videos you have of me singing it.

We've been through such an incredible amount together and have been there during every big event in each other's life. We've fought at times, my lord have we fought. We've had some screaming rows which, now I look back on and find hilarious.

My personal favourite was when you thought I'd blocked your number and you rocked up at my house and we were just screaming at each other. I remember Tom sat at the bottom of the stairs, peering round the corner into the lounge every so often to check we weren't ripping each other's hair out. Fast forward half an hour, though, and we were hugging on my sofa, crying and telling each other how much we loved each other and how special our friendship was.

We're mental. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've always wanted a sister and, our biological make-up may be different, but I'll always count you as a sister. Like we say, we're soul sisters!

You're the Dec to my Ant (I said it the other way round cos you'd definitely be Dec, being the shorter one!), the Minnie to my Mickey, the fish to my chips, the ying to my yang.

I am so incredibly happy, proud and honoured to stand beside you as you and Paul say your vows and make your lifetime commitments to each other. You guys are inspirational and couple goals in so many ways. Tom and I are lucky to have you in our lives, and I cannot wait to see what our future will hold as the awesome foursome.

Congratulations to you both on your wedding day, here's to the new Mr and Mrs Duck.

I love you both insane amounts
xxxxxxxx

"Journo duo tie the knot at Yorkshire hotel"

There's a running joke in my family that no 'Derham event' would be complete without dozens of cameras going off in everyone's faces. Given my side of the family's notoriety for being avid, keen photographers, I knew we wouldn't be short of some brilliant 'unofficial' shots from the day.

And they didn't disappoint. After collecting two discs from them at the weekend, we had over 1,000 photos to sift through. And, my word, were there some absolute gems. 

Some of them, I joked on my Facebook page this week, looked like they could have been on Mail Online. They were proper pap shots!

So, with that in mind, I decided to write a Mail Online-esque article, and captions, to accompany some of the best pap shots from the day.

Huge thanks to Elaine, Rob and Pip for the photos. We have another disc from superstar Jen, Tom's cousin, to go through - so no doubt we'll have even more favourites to add to the ever-growing album!

Journo duo tie the knot at Yorkshire hotel

Two local journalists tied the knot in a romantic ceremony at a quiet country hotel in Yorkshire recently.

Tom Kershaw, of Howden, East Yorks, wed 25-year-old Natalie Derham, from Selby, North Yorks, at Wentbridge House Hotel, near Pontefract, on Saturday, May 6.

The country house hotel, made famous when Louis Tomlinson's late mum, Johannah, tied the knot there in July 2014, was the setting for the big day.

Guests began arriving from late morning, with many braving the inclement spring weather to enjoy drinks outside before the ceremony.

The bride's father, Geoff Derham, a director at a waste management company, was snapped making a phone call as guests began arriving.

Geoff Derham, father of the bride, was pictured outside the venue making a phone call.

In a lovely twist to the day, Geoff and wife Jane, mother of the bride, were celebrating their 28th wedding anniversary on the same day as their daughter was to marry. Coincidentally, it was also the 28th wedding anniversary of the groom's parents - Lorraine and Adrian.

Both sets of parents were married on the exact same day in 1989, which is reportedly the reason why Tom and Natalie picked the significant date to hold their own nuptials.

Natalie, who works at local newspaper group Chronicle Publications, publishers of weekly newspapers Goole Times and Selby Times, has spoken previously about the significant of the date to the families.

Guests arriving at the hotel wore an array of pastel colours ahead of the celebration, willing the sunshine to break through the grey skies.

Mr Derham, a director at a waste management company, took the call outside Wentbridge House Hotel ahead of his daughter's marriage to Tom Kershaw.

Many female guests decided against a jacket, instead off their colourful, spring-inspired frocks. Although, of course, the wedding was in Yorkshire - and Yorkshire girls don't need coats.

Guests gathered for a drink before the ceremony.

The groom was seen welcoming guests to the venue, holding back the tears as he embraced family and friends.

The 26-year-old, who works for a press agency in Leeds, wore a smart blue three piece suit and smart, brown brogues.

Tom opted for a slightly different waistcoat and tie to his seven groomsmen, all of whom were looking incredibly smart as they patiently waited for the bride and her tribe to be ready for the 1.30pm ceremony.

Tom was pictured welcoming guests to the venue ahead of the much-anticipated ceremony.

The mother of the groom, Lorraine, kept with the blue theme in a gorgeous blue and grey number, finished with an elegant hat.

Her outfit, and matching jacket, perfectly complimented the suit worn by her son as they chatted outside Wentbridge House Hotel.

Tom chats to his mum before the ceremony.

It was a busy morning for the groom, who spent time with all the guests as they arrived - ushering them into the hotel and directing them straight to the bar.

He was snapped talking to close pal, Paul, who it is understood is to marry Natalie's best friend on August bank holiday weekend.

The two looked deep in conversation for some time, perhaps sharing wedding planning stories and offering advice to one another ahead of their nuptials.

Close pal Paul chats to the groom before the ceremony.

As the guests headed inside for the ceremony, we were left waiting to see the bride's dress.

When the wedding party headed back out, some 20 minutes later, into the magnificent gardens of Wentbridge House Hotel, we couldn't fail to notice the beaming smile on everyone's faces.

The bride looked beautiful in an elegant Sophia Tolli gown, which boasted an open back and intricate detail on the body.

The bride is pictured talking to a close friend from school.

The newly married couple mingled with their guests and posed for photographs while a drinks reception took place.

Prosecco and Peroni was served under the magnificent folly structure on the beautifully manicured lawns at Wentbridge House Hotel, with guests determined to enjoy the stunning hotel grounds, despite the chilly weather.

The new Mr and Mrs Kershaw looked thrilled to be meeting and greeting their guests, although the groom looked slightly emotional.

Sources revealed to us that he was somewhat emotional during the ceremony, particularly when he saw Natalie for the first time walking down the aisle.

The pair looked thrilled to be the new Mr and Mrs Kershaw.

As the drinks reception got in full flow, the newlyweds were pictured having a 'moment' just the two of them, perhaps taking in the magnitude of what had just happened.

The newlyweds were caught having a moment during the drinks reception.

It wasn't long until they were back chatting to guests, though.

The pair were in demand for selfies, hugs and conversations with their 80-strong attendees. It is understood guests travelled from far and wide to attend the wedding.

Brother of the bride, Jack Derham, saw his fiancee Lauren fly all the way from Minnesota for the big day. While best man, Sam Cooke, jetted in from Ukraine for the big day.

Family and friends also drove up to Yorkshire from London, Bristol and Sussex for the ceremony.

Natalie showed off the beautiful back of her dress as she chatted to family and friends.

Before long, the official photographer for the day sprung into action and the famous wedding group shots began.

Andy Crozier, from Insight Photography, was on hand to ensure every single detail was perfect for the couple's official pictures.

He was even seen fixing the mother of the bride's hair, which kept getting in her face due to the light breeze.

The newlyweds began posing for their official photographs, helped by Andy Crozier from Insight Photography.

Guests continued to mingle on the lawns until they were required for shots, sipping on the Prosecco and Peroni provided by the bride and groom.

Guests enjoying the drinks reception.

Friends new and old met each other on the lawns as everyone chatted before heading inside for the wedding breakfast.

It is understood that Tom and Natalie chose a four-course menu for their guests filled with their favourite dishes - from leek and potato soup to sticky toffee pudding. Wine was also served with the meal, before a champagne toast.

A videographer from Dave Spink Photography was on-hand to film all the action from the day.

A source close to the couple revealed that the speeches were a moment from the day to be remembered, with the groom breaking down several times while thanking family, friends, and paying tribute to his new wife.

As the day celebrations drew to a close, the couple were joined by Mark Waddington, a Yorkshire-based magician, who entertained guests into the night. His slight of hand magic and incredible tricks wowed those in attendance, with many left baffled by his brilliance.

The couple's first dance is believed to have been to Kodaline's 'The One', before Natalie and her dad took to the dance floor for an emotional 'father and daughter dance' to 'I Loved Her First' by Heartland.

Guests then took full advantage of Wentbridge House Hotel's bar selection, dancing the night away before the party finished in the early hours of the morning.

Tom and Natalie returned to their home in Selby, North Yorks, the following morning before heading off on a 'mini moon' to Northumberland. It is understood the pair will honeymoon in Dubai and Seychelles later in the year.

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I'm starting to get used to being Mrs Kersh now

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I became Mrs Kershaw - a wife!

Everyone keeps asking me how married life is and I feel really boring telling them it feels exactly the same.

The first time a piece of post came through the door addressed to Mrs N J Kershaw was exciting, I must admit, but other than that it feels exactly the same.

I still can't stop watching the incredible highlights trailer put together by the amazingly talented ladies at Dave Spink Photography.

If you've not yet had a nosey, here it is:


Wedding Trailer | Wentbridge House Hotel | Natalie & Tom from Dave Spink Photography on Vimeo.

After finally saying goodbye and goodnight to all our wedding guests; lugging the post box, gift bags, and boxes of table decorations up to our room; taking out the hundreds of hair grips keeping my barnet in place and yanking my hair extensions out, we saw that the highlights trailer to our wedding had been shared on Facebook.

This had already been shown at our evening reception, projected onto the wall for about half an hour before our first dance. It was so lovely to see moments from the day captured for everyone to see.

However, it was played at the evening reception without the Ed Sheeran track accompanying it; it was just the video.

Whilst it's still beautiful without the sound, it doesn't quite tug at the heart strings in the same way when the Star Wars theme tune is playing alongside (I think it was our page boy who requested that one from the DJ!)

As we sat down to watch the video, by this time it was approaching 2.30am, we couldn't have comprehended how beautiful it would be with the music. We must've watched it 10 times before eventually going to bed.

Tom was still an emotional mess as it was, having never recovered from me walking down the aisle/his speech/the general day. Added to this mix the majority of alcoholic beverages sold by Wentbridge House Hotel, he was never going to keep it together.

It's strange, though, the amount of people who have got in touch with us about it. People who don't know us - friends of friends etc. - to say how lovely the video is and how even they shed a little tear.

It's so nice to watch the video and re-live all those happy feelings and memories from the day. It's also nice to be able to watch it and Tom not cry now. I was beginning to think the tears were tears of regret the longer they went on!

We've also had some other videos back this week, which has been lovely. I wasn't expecting them back so soon but we've been able to re-live the ceremony, speeches and first dance.

I couldn't believe it, watching them back, how much stuff I had forgotten already from the day.

Tom's speech, for example, was memorable - anyone who was there will tell you that. But I couldn't actually remember anything he said in it. While I can tell from the video, I am listening to him intently (I was, honest!) I didn't actually seem to process or register any of the words coming out of his mouth. Except, that is, the string of expletives he muttered under his breath while he tried to compose himself.

Then there's the ceremony. That went by in a blur.

Someone asked me the other day if I remembered everything from the day. I thought they meant had I had too much to drink and forgotten it due to alcohol, so answered "yeah I made sure I didn't drink too much so I didn't forget anything."

What they actually meant was, do I remember the day in general. And, when I thought about it, I wasn't actually sure. Yes, I remember getting ready in the morning, the laughs we had in the room as we all got dressed, Soph springing into action when I started to get all sweatt, seeing Tom just break down when he saw me... But there are so many other things people have told me since, that I literally have no recollection of.

For example, apparently when the doors opened for us to walk into the ceremony and I saw Tom crying, I turned to my dad and said: "Oh god, he's gone already."

Don't remember that whatsoever!

Anyone planning a wedding who isn't too sure on getting a wedding video, I would highly recommend it.

I'll not lie to you, I wasn't keen at all on getting one. I didn't see the point and said to Tom we would never watch it.

He, however, was insistent that we got one and I hold my hands up now for being completely and utterly wrong because I am so glad we did. Being able to return to the moment and watch it all again, from an outside perspective, is amazing. And as far as the 'never watching it' goes - I haven't stopped watching it!

Every time I watch it I notice something new - a guest's reaction or something I had just simply forgotten.

When I was little I loved watching my mum and dad's wedding video, so I am so glad our children will have the chance to do exactly the same.

We've still got our main video, which is a collage of the whole day set to music, to come and, if the rest are anything to go by, it's going to be amazing.

One thing they didn't capture - which is a blessing - was some of the dance moves as the night went on.

When shopping for my wedding dress, one of my friends said to make sure I picked a gown that I could 'get low' in. I knew this would be an important requirement but, the fitted nature of my dress around the booty region, placed doubt in my mind as to whether this would be possible.

Thankfully, Flo Rida's 'Low' came on quite late into the evening - when I was a jager bomb or three deep - so I didn't hesitate to get low, low, low, low, low, low, low.

Liz, the friend with the spiffing advice about making sure I could get low, even caught the momentous move on video. This will make the 'unofficial' edit...

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I am now officially a Slimming World 'diamond member'

In true Monica Geller style - this Slimming World bride is no longer a bride, now I'm "just a wife".

For those not as in tune with Friends as myself, when Monica and Chandler have got married there's a scene where they check out of the hotel the next morning. Monica said she was checking out the bridal suite because she's "no longer a bride, now just somebody's wife."

I'm not sure Slimming World wife has quite the same ring to it as Slimming World bride, so I'll maybe just hang onto that tag for a little longer!

After a surprising few losses in the run-up to the wedding, I was dreading getting back on the scales this week.

The last weigh-in before the wedding saw me lose one pound, and drop right to the bottom of my target range. While this was great, as it gave me more room to gain and not creep out of my target range, I was shocked at the scales result given what I had consumed in the week.

I put it down to stress largely, so expected my weight to soar once the stress was all out the way.

Add onto this the vast amount of food and drink consumed, I was sure I'd be out my target range. I had a sneaky weigh-in at home and my scales told me I'd put over half a stone on. I was gutted.

But not surprised.

Since the wedding, I've eaten so much rubbish. Some days went by where I don't think I had any fresh fruit or vegetables - completely unheard of for me, even on days when I wasn't food optimising 100%.

While we were on our mini-moon I ate white bread, pizza, garlic bread, scones with clotted cream, chocolate, cake, and drank my body weight in prosecco and red wine.

Even when we came home the bad eating habits continued with a takeaway. I even had two puddings at a BBQ at mum and dad's house.

Given all of this, I was expecting a huge gain at Slimming World on Wednesday. To the point where I couldn't even bring myself to go to the gym beforehand. My usual ritual, the same every Wednesday, is going to the gym before weigh-in. I then wear the same clothes every week to get weighed in, convinced that changing out of these would ruin my run of good luck.

Wednesday, I just couldn't be bothered with this ritual. I'd resigned myself to a gain, and most likely seeing my weight rise above the target range threshold.

However, when I stood on the scales, I was shocked to see I had only put four pounds on.

Now, any other week, I'd have been in tears at a four pound gain. However, given the types/quantity of food and drink I have consumed since my last weigh-in, I was chuffed.

It also meant I still had a pound and a half until I reached the top of my target range. I was chuffed!

I also received my diamond award on Wednesday evening, celebrating being at target for over 12 months. My consultant had even filled it out in my new name. I was feeling very chuffed as I strolled out of group on Wednesday night.

I was determined that this week I would slip back into good habits and get back to food optimising 100%, but that hasn't quite gone to plan so far.

Last night started with all good intentions as I chopped all the fat off my bacon and fried it ready to make a syn free carbonara. I had the bacon sorted and ready to re-heat when Tom got home, only to go into the kitchen and discover one of the cats had troffed pretty much the entire contents of the pan. Leaving tea's plans in tatters.

When Tom came home and I told him what happened his words were "ah well, let's have a takeaway."

Now, this isn't usually our attitude to life, but I had to agree with him. It was 8.15pm, all the other meat we had in the house was frozen, and I couldn't be bothered to start defrosting two chicken breasts at that time.

Aside from the Indian, my Slimming World week has been a good one so far. We are going to stay with family this weekend, which will no doubt see lots of alcohol flowing, but I am hoping the walking we are planning will counteract that to some level.

It may be that next week's weigh-in takes me out of my target range, and I have to properly get back on that car bonnet the week after.

I do still have lots of things to aim for, so it's not that I will be taking my foot completely off the gas and ballooning. 

I am a bridesmaid for my best friend in August, and we are going on her hen weekend in a couple of weeks. Then it's our honeymoon in September. These will keep me focused and, hopefully, on track.

Until then, I will just keep staring at photos of myself in my wedding dress to keep me properly motivated.

When I started Slimming World, there was no way on earth I would have felt comfortable or confident wearing the dress I did. 

Before I went shopping for my wedding dress, the gown I chose was the one I had seen on Pinterest and had labelled as my "dream dress". People always said to me that the dress you have in mind and the one you pick will be totally different, but for me it wasn't like that.

I felt exactly as I imagined I would when I tried it on and when I wore it on the big day. It was just such an amazing feeling.

None of that would've been possible without Slimming World, so I will always be thankful for that when I remember how great I felt.

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