LIfe With Mutant

Yeah the wedding is up the blog

2007-10-06T14:24:00.000+01:00

Finally we managed to get the wedding video up the blog. Tip if your internet connection runs slow: Start the video and hit the pause button and let the video download for a while. The red progress bar should be a long way ahead the play icon to get a smooth running image.

The Wedding - Part One

2007-10-06T13:16:00.000+01:00

This covers everything up to and including the part where we both say "I do". Listen carefully and you'll hear Marielle's victory cry of "YES!" when she puts the ring on my finger.

The Wedding - Part Two

2007-10-06T13:15:00.000+01:00

This part of the video covers the Unity Ceremony and our walk down the aisle.

Happy Nightmares

2007-10-05T00:51:00.000+01:00

First nights back in London the shopping begins to built our new home. Out with all of the old in with the new. First stop:

Happy Nightmares!

I so desperately need to kill this jetlag

Mutant Incognito

2007-09-29T19:42:00.000+01:00

Shock horror. Pinkie behind the wheel of a Toyota SUV (Mutant thought it was prudent to get the girl a as big a car as possible pure safety reasons) and oh wiii did those tyres shriek 4 wheel drive. The Red Rock Canyon will never be the same.

Out in the desert Mutant tried to find some wildlife to join his tribe. I'm afraid the mere sight of the Pinkie gear was enough to stay well hidden.

The Fremont Street experience was the next stop as Mutant and I had visited it at the morning we got our marriage license we were desperate to see the sight at night. What a treat the neon. Classic Vegas.

Furthermore we walked into the Bikefest. The place filled with bikers Mutant was totally incognito except for the colour sense of the Pinkie

Stills from The Event

2007-09-29T18:15:00.000+01:00

The proud father, Roel, walking Marielle up the aisle

The lovely bride

and one of us together (yes, I know she's 99.9% of this photo!!)

We're still recovering somewhat from the event; picked up the photos taken by the chapel yesterday - these are excerpted from the 70 that we received (lovely people, we paid for 40 but they gave us all picture, some 70, that were taken!!).

We've also got a movie of the event on DVD and have just ripped it to disk. We'll be posting that shortly.

Speeches during the reception

2007-09-28T18:41:00.000+01:00

Amity, our friend and the photographer that took before and after ceremony pictures made this film of parts of the reception.

Amazing Day

2007-09-27T18:43:00.000+01:00

Special thanks to the people who helped us have a most wonderful wedding day:

Reverend: Douglas Gilbert

Photographer:Sarah Stiles

Limo Driver Tom and all at littlechapel.com

The Wedding - viewing in real time

2007-09-27T15:29:00.000+01:00

Marielle was up early and making last minute preparations for the wedding - the hairdresser and makeup people, and I'm not sure what else. I properly managed her expectations of my future performance by sleeping in.

Now that I'm up and about, I thought it prudent to post instructions for on-line, real time viewing of our wedding.

This linkprovided by the wedding chapel will display the page showing our wedding ceremony. Keep in mind this service will only be available once our wedding starts.

If you get an error message simply hit reload until your browser can connect and the video stream starts to play.

This link will provide real time coverage of the wedding ceremony as it happens. We'll post additional links after we're married so the ceremony can be viewed after the fact.

Final pre wedding meeting

2007-09-26T13:53:00.000+01:00

After lunch we headed over to our wedding chapel for the final consultation before our wedding.

There we viewed the chapel, then sat down to discuss the details of our ceremony, including procession order, photos & videos, etc.

We're headed back to the our hotel to verify Marielle's pre-wedding spa treatments, get her dress ironed, and go over details with the caterer one final time.

This evening our guests and friends will being to arrive. We're hoping to be able to catch a drink with some of them, but as Marielle has an early start tomorrow and we've both got an eventful day in store, we won't be up late.

Lunch

2007-09-26T11:50:00.000+01:00

We walked over to the Fremont Street Experience for lunch.

Marielle was amazed at the size of American portions.

Got the license

2007-09-26T09:46:00.000+01:00

Up early, we headed directly to Clark County Clerk's office for a mariage license.

In addition to the basic $55 license, we opted for the certified marriage certificate that will allow us to have the marriage recognised back in Europe.

That's it, we're done, everything is all set for tomorrow's wedding!

Vegas Baby!!

2007-09-26T01:12:00.000+01:00

We saw some absolutely jaw dropping scenery at 36,000 feet

And the hotel sent a stretch to pick us up.

A long flight but it's worth it - we're here in Vegas.
As our internal clocks are on GMT / CET for myself & Marielle / Roel & Dennis, we're shattered. Excited but shattered.
We're going to freshen up and wander about for a while, to see the MGM complex.

Visitors to the First Class Lounge

2007-09-25T09:55:00.000+01:00

Marielle & I bought First Class tickets from London to Vegas, but Roel & Dennis were traveling economy. The good people at Virgin were nice enough let them into the First Class Lounge so we all could enjoy a champagne together before takeoff.

Up at 4:30 AM ... ugh

2007-09-25T06:35:00.000+01:00

We got up extra early today, to prepare for a 6:30AM pickup. We each checked two bags, with another (each) reserved for carry on luggage. The big black bag at the top of the picture is my carry on bag. I purposely bought the largest IATA approved carry on bag. It's voluminous.

Look at this lovely nightowl encountered at 6:30AM in the back of a London Black Taxi!

Groom this

2007-09-23T21:42:00.000+01:00

So, entering the final stages of our wedding preparations, this morning we headed deep into Central London.

I dropped Marielle off at some girlie place

telling the woman behind the counter groom this.

After hot wax was applied much yelping was heard in London's West End this afternoon! Oh ladies! The pain that accompanies vanity! But we gentleman are indeed pleased at the results.

Later we explored the offerings of the megastores, where Marielle purchased some girlie stuff for our wedding night.

I ain't supposed to see the frilly good bits so I HAVE NOT looked at this photo - no foolies!

Hi Cloudy London

2007-09-21T18:26:00.000+01:00

The journey has begun. The Dark Princess has set foot at UK soil. Mutant following in her trail. Loaded up to the max. Master of the precious cargo.

It almost got a bit interesting when during the approach to City airport the plane suddenly started ascending again straight in to a turbulent grey cloud. The small plane, Fokker 50, getting all bumpy Pinkie saw the airport disappear right under her nose. What is this? A plane before us with technical problems on the landing strip or Old Blighty welcoming Pinkie with some extra 'come and discover me' bliss?

The final rubbish runs?

2007-09-16T10:45:00.000+01:00

Yesterday we focused on clearing down Marielle's attic, making no fewer than three trips to - where else?

The Recyclingperron! That makes a total of six trips of rubbish we've brought to the recycling centre. I don't think I ever want to see another dump again as long as I live...

But it wasn't all work - we grabbed dinner with her Father (the ever helpful lively and all around fun guy - Roel!) in Almere Centrum, passing through this music festival while on our way to the restaurant

Today we're headed over to the new flat to get an estimate from a painter and check on some electrical work (lamp fixtures, etc) that has to be completed before we can move in.

After that we're off Africadag, or "Africa Day", which is being held in stadslandgoed de kemphaan.

Where the Wild Ones go there is the

2007-09-15T11:07:00.000+01:00

Safari Bus!

We finally noticed the bus in Amsterdam when it kept on driving past us like it was trying to say something. So when we walked closer to it, the people started shouting to the driver "Keep them away from us" our suspicions were confirmed:

We are the Wild Ones to be observed only at a safe distance

Picked up the wedding rings

2007-09-08T14:34:00.000+01:00

Up early, we called the good folks at Van Pampus and, as promised, our wedding rings were ready. So we headed into Amsterdam City Centre to pick them up and were totally delighted as you can see from the reaction of this beautiful stranger I met at the store.

Both fit perfectly, so now everything is done for the wedding! Next challenge: getting on that 747 outta Gatwick heading to Las Vegas.

Music for the Wedding after party

2007-09-06T20:55:00.000+01:00

For the past couple of days we've been planning a play list for our Wedding after party.

Click the link, check it out and comment on our selections! We won't be offended, especially if you're attending the party in person.

And if you're not? Well nuTise will let you listen along to the same music we'll be playing at the party.

Research. Bridal research

2007-09-01T22:24:00.000+01:00

So this evening Marielle has been reading back copies of Bruid & Bruidegom magazine to figure out what shes gonna do with her hair, my hair, her accessories, the wedding entourage, the wedding reception, our limo, the flowers, the music, the photos, her makeup, ~~my makeup~~ (as if!), wedding movies, gifts for the entourage and dozens of little and not so little problems The Bride is destined to wrestle with, while I helpfully sat back sipping Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz, watching Natural Born Killers on DVD, feeling all mellow and Groom Like on a totally beautiful evening here in Flevoland.

Tough luck Bride!

The dump, our guests and tidbits

2007-09-01T18:26:00.000+01:00

So we spent this afternoon in Marielle's attic, clearing down what turned out to be mostly empty boxes. Of course no house cleaning in Amsterdam is complete without a trip to the "recyclingperron" or dump,

which looked very familiar to me as we'd visited it just last weekend.

But it's all good - we've made lots of progress. We can probably finish the first pass on her attic tomorrow, next weekend at the latest. Then we're mostly complete except for boxing what's coming to London with her on September 21st.

In terms of guests we've now got seven confirmed, with a couple of more drop ins expected. This is without the formal invitations which, by the way, we'll be sending out in electronic form this evening.

We've upgraded the cake to reflect the additional headcount, and are now planning the reception we'll be hosting in our suite after the wedding.

For that we're reviewing menus from the hotel trying to come up with something light and sensible. We're also making iTunes playlists to cover about two hours of music. Finally, we're also setting the Macs (we're bringing two PowerBooks to Vegas with us) up to play slide shows of pictures from the wedding itself, and shots of Marielle and I on the trips we've taken together (New York, Barcelona and a few surprise destinations folks don't already know about), as well as movies of the wedding ceremony itself.

Tiara Tart

2007-08-30T20:13:00.001+01:00

Marielle purchased this wonderful Tiara for the wedding from Swarovski

Don't ask me how she's gonna wear it - that's a chick thang! But I just know she's gonna look gorgeous in it!

The World in Glorious Pink

2007-08-27T21:28:00.000+01:00

Behold my very first high-heeled shoes on an "Telegraaf" article The Glorious World of Pink:

Mutant is introducing quite a few changes into the life of this Pinkie