Tabitha goes around the world!!!!

It doesn’t feel like two days ago that I was writing the blog about the fabulous surprise wedding of Alex & Lisa.

If you missed it catch up here... http://charlottebalbier.blogspot.com/2011/06/wonderful-storyalex-and-lisas-surprise.html

Well, since June last year (yes, June!!!!! How time flies) Alex, Lisa and Tabitha have been to many different places and have now been married a fabulous 11 times!!!!!

We had a catch up with them to find out how they are getting on...

Hi Lisa & Alex!! What was your inspiration to marry all around the world?

We had decided to travel around the world to look for somewhere wonderful to live. As we were drawing near to our leave date we decided to look for somewhere to get married while we travelled and blog about it, we had looked at weddings in the UK and nothing really ‘jumped out’ so we wanted to look at unique and unusual weddings and locations. From making that decision the idea grew legs and just turned into this crazy adventure! How better to choose the best place in the world to get married than to have a small ceremony in each place we visit?

You are well into your once-in-a-life-time trip, how many countries/places have you now been married in?
We have had 11 weddings in the 6 months we have been on the road.
The locations are as follows. UK Didsbury (wore Tabitha), CA Quebec (wore Tabitha), USA Michigan, CA Banff (wore Tabitha), CA Nanaimo (Vancouver Island), CA Vancouver airport, USA Hawaii Big Island, USA Seattle (wore Tabitha), USA LA Hollywood, USA Las Vegas, Mexico Mayan Riviera.

What has been your favourite wedding so far & why?
We really struggle to decide on a favourite wedding as they are all unique and our favourite in their own way. We are really going to struggle to choose at the end but at the moment we would say it’s between Didsbury, Nanaimo and Hawaii, all for totally different reasons.

Where has been your favourite destination so far?
We really loved Hawaii’s Big Island, the laid back feeling, the amazing weather and the Island itself is just such a beautiful place.

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

There have been so many…waking up on the top of a mountain in Canada to find it was snowing. It doesn’t sound so unusual but it was July and had been super hot the day before when we climbed the mountain, it was because we were so high up, we were in the dusting of mountain top snow you see from the ground!

Why did you choose our Tabitha gown for your weddings?

I love the vintage lace, the way she fits and moves when I walk. The detail is stunning and catches the light beautifully. One of my favourite features is the neckline. I love that it plunges both front and back and is finished with tiny glass buttons on the back. It was just the perfect dress for me!

What do you love about wearing your Tabitha gown?

I love that when I pull Tabitha on I am immediately a princess again! The dress makes me feel so elegant and beautiful (which is an amazing fete as I am so very unelegant!!). I am always so proud to show the gown off and love to listen to the reactions when people see me wearing it for the first time.

How has Tabitha coped with all these weddings, is she still in one piece?!

Tabitha is known to us as the ‘Marine’ of wedding dresses. I have worn the Tabitha gown for 4 weddings AND and underwater ‘trash the dress’ shoot. She has taken so much and is still in perfect condition. She spends most of her time rolled into a box under our camp bed. When it is wedding day she is hung for maybe half a day and she is ready to go! She has travelled 43,000km with us, been on horseback, through a fish market, and even been for a swim in a cenote full of fish! After the cenote we hung her in the shower and rinsed her thoroughly, let her dry in the Mexican sun and she is as good as new. The only scar she bears is a missing glass button or two! She is packed away ready for her next wedding!

How have you been changing the styling of your wedding outfits, or have you been keeping it quite simple?

As we have such a small budget we have been keeping them simple. Unfortunately it has not been possible to wear Tabitha for all 11 weddings as some called for a more relaxed outfit. I luckily took along a summer dress which has since become my number 2 wedding dress for such occasions.

Do you feel still as fabulous and special each time you wear Tabitha, or is wearing a wedding dress like popping on your favourite jeans now?!

I pull Tabitha on and I am immediately transformed, I feel as excited as I did the first time I wore this amazing dress. The ritual of wearing Tabitha has only become more special as now when Alex and I get ready for a wedding we get ready together and Alex is the one who fastens up the glass buttons on the back of my wedding dress. It is always such a tender moment for us both and great way to settle our wedding nerves.

How did you spend Christmas and New Year, did you get married on either of these occasions??

We were lucky enough to have Alex’s Mum come to Mexico to spend Christmas with us so we took a wedding break. We did try to get something arranged for around that time so Alex’s Mum could be there on the day but it is high season in Mexico so we waited until the New Year.

Where is next on your destination list?
We are currently in Belize and have a wedding coming up here in the next few days and next stop is Guatemala! We are loving travelling through Central America, it is a beautiful place and the people here are so very friendly and are very excited to hear our crazy story!

Some fabulous images from each of their weddings so far...

Wedding 1 - Didsbury secret wedding.
Vintage English wedding theme and mass collaboration from the independent businesses, all a complete surprise to Lisa! Lisa said the highlights were "the community feeling of the whole day and our family and friends being with us to start our incredible journey". They flew out to Canada the next day.

Wedding 2 - Chapelle St Agnes Vinyard, Quebec
"We stumbled upon the amazing European inspired vineyard complete with chapel and heart shaped lake on a wine tour. Highlights…the Québécois Vicar and his amazing service and of course the out of this World icewine produced by the vineyard."

Wedding 3 - Honeymoon Lake in the UP, Michigan USA
"Whilst visiting family they insisted on a wedding out on a boat trip in a pontoon. They packed champagne and a picnic, we found a rock half in Michigan and half Wisconsin in Honeymoon lake and were ‘married’ by the captain, a close family friend. Highlights…the family around us floating in boats or in the water and the tubing afterwards!"

Wedding 4 - Warners stables, Banff.
Wedding on horseback! Highlights…"Alex wearing a cowboy outfit and my first ever time on a horse!"



Wedding 5 - Neck point beach, Nanaimo
"The family of a couple we met travelling arranged us a wedding on the beach with a member of the First Nations Community holding the service. This is very unusual as they do not share their ceremonies with ‘the white man’. Highlights…the ritual and spirituality of the ceremony and meeting the people we now call our second family."



Wedding 6 - YVR airport, Vancouver
"Jaeger Mah was helping the YVR airport celebrate their 80th year by living in the airport for 80 consecutive days and reporting on ‘airport life’. We were following him through his blog and asked if he would hold us a ceremony in the main terminal. He agreed and we had a great time. Jaegers known for his Hawaiian shirts and we were flying to Hawaii so went Hawaii themed!"
Highlights…throwing the bouquet and holding the ceremony in front of the Haida Gwaii, an important Canadian sculpture featured on the Candadian dollar. (we may also be the first people to have a wedding in the main terminal but as it is not a legal ceremony will not be recognised)



Wedding 7 - Hilton Waikoloa, Hawaii Big Island.
A traditional Hawaiian wedding with a dolphin twist. After the ceremony they waded into the ocean lagoon with the dolphins in their wedding clothes and met the dolphins. Reception included drinks and a three course meal at ‘Buddah Point’ at sunset and a beautiful wedding cake. Highlights…"the beautiful traditional service and sending our thoughts and wishes for friends and family back home to the Ocean on Orchids."



Wedding 8 - Pike Place Market, Seattle.
Only the second couple to marry at the market. Traditional style wedding but under a neon sign in the market place. Afterwards we walked the market and had fish thrown for us, flowers gathered for us and then pizza and beers with friends. Highlights…the strangers that had gathered around to watch humming the wedding march for me to walk down the ‘aisle’ and the flower exchange during the service.



Wedding 9 - Vampire Lounge, Hollywood. On Halloween they dressed as vampires to keep in theme with the date, the bar and the wine and all their guests were in fancy dress too. “We had a spiritual blessing after been serenaded by the rock god Marino De Silva. He also played us a spooky, vampish version of the wedding march.”
Highlights…Marino playing, Clockwork couture providing amazing outfits at the last minute and having a make up artist show up to do the make up, the photographers (twin brothers) who were the coolest EVER with their vintage cameras AND having friends there to celebrate.



Wedding 10 - Little White Drive through Chapel, Las Vegas.
“We took a road-trip from LA with some great friends/ photographers (Megan and Coco from Offbeat Bride ) to Vegas and decided the only way we could get married in our camper van was in Vegas. We shared the drivers seat as the vicar leant out of the drive thru window to read us our vows! Highlights…actually having a wedding IN the van and the Irish themed reception with friends (Guinness and steak and ale pie in an irish pub at the casino)”

Wedding 11 - Mayan Riviera, Paamul, Mexico.
Traditional Mayan wedding ceremony performed by 2 Shamen. The sacred ceremony was performed in full Mayan dress and with upmost respect.” Highlights…being blessed with the copal, sending our offerings out to Xchel and the sea and offering thanks to the Cardinal points.”

 So many more amazing photos to see on their ever-expanding blog.

What a journey Tabitha has had with Alex & Lisa!!!

My favourite has to be...


This amazing shot was taken UNDER WATER (can you see the fish?!!) in a Cenote...Amazing!
Trash The Dress photography is by Dean Sanderson

 We can't wait to see where Alex & Lisa take Tabitha next!! We'll be keeping a close eye on their blog to see what's next...and you can too click here

WATCH OUT GUATEMALA...TABITHA IS COMING YOUR WAY!!!


Dean Sanderson Photography - www.deansandersonweddings.com