have kindly sponsored

Twenty-seven. Tomorrow is my birthday. My 27th birthday. Gareth has taken great delight in reminding me that he is still only 25 (his birthday is in January). I take solace in the fact that he will (obviously) catch up. I also take solace in the fact that while I was ill with the flu last week someone taking a poll knocked on the door of our flat and asked if my parents were at home. Nothing beats good timing.

This week I answered a barrage of questions from people about American weddings. I am not sure why this week was any different from another, but everyone was asking me about it. What happens during the ceremony, what we eat, when we have them, how long they last... It turns out that it was great for me as well since I had no idea how different weddings in the UK are from those at home.

Just to give you an example... The only situation where women wear hats in the States is at Easter. You may find a hat on a woman here and there on a different occasion, but it is pretty rare. And men pretty much never wear hats. But apparently hats are worn quite often here, especially at weddings. Also, I had no idea that people here did not register for gifts. In the States, everyone registers for gifts. It is actually a strange concept to me that a couple would not register, but apparently it is not common here. This may seem just a point of curiosity, but I am trying hard to learn as much as I can while I plan the wedding so that the day of everyone feels comfortable. Gareth tells me to just relax and it will all come together, but I have never been that type of person. You would think too that on the eve of my 27th year I would have come to a point in my life when I could relax.

11 October 1999,

Stacie Lewis