Just happily married!
If you follow Immeasurable Minds on Instagram or Facebook you will know we got married two weeks ago! We had the time of our lives. It really was wonderful.
My mum and dad and four of my Belfast friends came to Turkey for the wedding and the night before we all descended on Muhutin’s family in Izmir. Their hospitality was amazing. They were all so warm and welcoming. They put us up, fed us delicious food and organised two nights of the most fun and interesting parties we’d all attended in a long time!
Both parties involved LOTS of dancing! In the end my new Turkish relatives were very impressed by how well their new Belfast friends threw themselves into the activities, and how by day two really got the hang of this new style of dancing!
The first party was my ‘henna night’. It was literally a Turkish street party attended by family, friends and neighbours, young and old, boys and girls. There was so much loving kindness from everyone, they we’re all happy to share their homes and their food and their dancing tips with us! We loved it!
The main event was when I got covered in a red sparkly veil and lump of henna put in my hands. The girls all got scarfs and candles and danced around me and my husband to be! Later that night one of my new Sister-in-Law’s put more henna on my toes and my fingers making a special design. Before I left for Turkey I’d got my nails ‘done’ in Belfast – a tasteful pale pink… the henna turned them green! So funny – it looked like witches nails! You can see the pics on the Immeasurable Minds Instagram feed, lots of pics of my very handsome husband too – just scroll down.
On the day of the wedding with my new henna hands and feet I was off to the hairdressers to get ready. The hairdresser did a great job – which was just as well as no one could speak English! I then did my make-up myself – I’d had a lesson the Thursday before I left from one of my former MBSR students Tracey Rodgers, I’m really grateful to her as it all turned out ok!
Muhutin came to pick me from the hairdressers – there’s none of this waiting to see me at the altar business… in fact he’d unceremoniously given me the wedding ring the night before too. It’s just a simple white gold band. His brothers had taken me jewellery shopping before the wedding – they bought me beautiful white gold jewellery which you will see me wearing at our Belfast wedding. I bought Muhutin a gold chain (to match his gold wedding ring) so when he is at work (he works with his hands) he can put it on the chain – so it’s always close to him (aww….)
Yes wedding No.2 is in two weeks. I’m afraid some of you may be sick of my wedding photos by then – sorry fair warning for next month’s newsletter! When you wait until 43 to get married you might as well do it twice and be doubly excited, thrilled and over the moon about it is my theory! 🙂
When we got back to the house my dad was given a red sash to put around my waist – this is traditional. I like it especially as it will distinguish the two sets of wedding pictures – I will be wearing the same dress for both – though Muhutin may get a new tie! 🙂
Then we had lunch! Me with a blanket over me to keep the dress clean 🙂 And then it was the ceremony. A simple affair in the living room and that was it, job done! Off we went for the photos. The main happening was to come that evening at the party. And what an event it was and what an entrance we made!
Beneath the stage in an outdoor venue called ‘Sakli Bache’ or the Secret Garden the two of us stood on platforms that began to rise… the 200 odd guests just saw the tops of our heads appear as the music stopped and fireworks and sparklers exploded around us! Then with the music playing we waved to the crowd like the king and queen and each of us descended a separate staircase (very scary in heels with a HUGE dress) to come together at the bottom in the centre of the dance floor. It was hilarious and fantastic all at the same time. I’m so glad we got a video of it.
It was pretty much all dancing after that, the Turkish people aren’t very good at sitting down! My new husband was so happy to be up and doing all the traditional dances with his family – my feet were sore at the end of the night too! So wedding number two in Belfast will be quite different (definitely colder it was 30 degrees in Turkey) I’m sure but hopefully just as joyful. We’re also doing the legal ceremony in Belfast so technically we’re not quite married just yet – though we are wearing our rings… does the paper make the difference?
And those of you asking my husband’s surname is Kaya. From October you will see me change to Bridgeen Rea-Kaya. I’ll also have a new address as at the end of next week we move house! After 11 years of living in an apartment I’ll have a garden! How excited am I about that?! The gifts of married life! So lots of change happening, new husband, new name, new house, new family, new life. I’m very grateful and happy.