iVillage brides - Michelle and Martin

Everyone was up by 7.30am and after they had all asked me, individually, whether I was nervous and not really believing me when I said no, it was time to go to the hairdressers. I wasn't nervous - not even a tiny bit. I was very excited though.

After the hairdressers we all had lunch, then I did my make-up. Shortly after lunch my bosses dropped the little girl I look after over to get dressed into her bridesmaid dress.

Just after I had got her into her dress, the two girls I used to look after arrived in their dresses. They looked beautiful. I put a video on for them and then Sarah, the chief bridesmaid and Sam, Martin's sister and bridesmaid, and I went to get dressed.

I saw myself in the mirror and from that second on I did not stop grinning all day. When we were all ready we went downstairs. Everyone said I looked beautiful and I have to say I agree.

The photographer arrived to do photos and said he had just seen Martin in the square and couldn't believe how relaxed we both were. Everyone was saying how relaxed we were and at one point Sarah commented that it didn't seem real because no one was rushing around!

After some photos everyone left for the church, leaving just my step-dad, who was giving me away, my uncle, who was driving us to the church, and I at the house.

When we got to the church there were people from the village standing outside. Whenever there is a wedding villagers stand outside the church to see the bride. I have done it many times too and used to imagine myself as the bride. The photographer took some more photos and then, my veil fell out. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't lift my arm to put the veil back on because of the straps on my dress - a band of roses going across the top of each arm. My step-dad and uncle tried and failed. It was a near disaster. Luckily the photographer came to the rescue. His wife is a hairdresser so he had a rough idea of what to do.