With the castle booked up more than a year in advance of the wedding I was feeling quietly smug that Chris and I were, probably for the first time ever, ahead of schedule, with plenty of time to sit back and relax before the next stage. Not so.

Luckily my super-organised friend Laura, who is a million times more on the ball than I am, (admittedly not a great feat!), reminded me on Saturday if I wanted the dress - yes remember that one - I had to let them know by August.

I do recall back in May as I twirled around in front of a mirror with the gown and a very distracting designer veil on, the lady in the shop saying something about August, and I thought well that's fine, it so far away. How naïve! And since we are busy until the middle of July I am slightly panicked this is going to turn into a rush job.

The second trip to Bickleigh convinced me that my first choice wedding gown will work with its surroundings, but I have in truth still only been to one shop. And that is nowhere near enough. Plus trying on dream dresses is one of the most fun things in the world to do and I want to make the most of my one chance to do it.

Which leaves me with one option - cramming in as many different shop appointments as I possibly can before the end of next month. Definitely do-able.

But I am wondering why I need to give 11 months notice if I do go with the first choice - inevitably I will, but only after I have been to every other possible shop... that's just what girls do! Is that the normal amount of time? I mentioned this to Chris as I was heading off to work this morning and while it's best I don't report his exact choice of words on the matter, needless to say he thought it was a little excessive!

There were many aspects that came into consideration when Chris and were deciding which month we wanted to get married in. I am one of those people whose moods are dictated by the weather - Chris knows the best time to ask any favours is when the sun is out! - so it was always going to be a June or July wedding.

And while we can't guarantee the weather, we figured come rain or shine at least it will be warm...for England at any rate.

But there was one unforeseen event which we ended up taking into account. And I can't believe I am saying this. It's the football World Cup.

Originally Chris and I were pencilled in at Bickleigh for June 19 and literally minutes before we picked up the phone to Sarah this week to confirm, it dawned on my other half that this date might well clash with some important fixtures.

This caused such concern in fact that he spent a good 30 minutes on the internet trying to find any indication of the World Cup's 2010 dates so we could plan around them. No such luck. So he thought the best course of action was to look back over the years and go with an average - apparently most finals are over and done with by July.

Luckily it doesn't really make much difference to me which of the summer months we went with. But I do take his point. There are those on our guest list we can see either sneaking off to a pub to watch an England game or checking their phones for updates. No names mentioned.

Of course this may well be in vain and it could all still be going on in July. In which case, well, that's just the way it is! But it should be acknowledged that at least the thought was there.

Of course, in hindsight, I am now wondering how much of Chris' concern was on the behalf of our guests, or whether he had some personal motive...I can't imagine what that could be!

It is said that when it comes to planning a wedding progress happens in peaks and troughs. And after a few weeks at what I've considered to be a standstill, this week has been a flurry of activity. For not only have Chris and I decided on our wedding venue...we actually set our date, too! Yes, two very big decisions in one week.

So, as you can gather, the second venue viewing went extremely well. After managing to navigate our way back to Devon on Saturday, Lisa and I arrived at Bickleigh Castle in Tiverton all set to make the big decision. And you know what, it wasn't even nearly hard! The castle was decked out for another wedding - always useful to cast your eye over other people's ideas I find! - the sun was shining for once, and in that instant I could really see Chris and myself getting married there.

Not only does the castle tick all of our requirements - on-site cottages for the guests, beautiful grounds, and even a sixth-century chapel which is so picturesque we're considering ways to include it in our day - but we have really clicked with its owners, Sarah and Robbie, and our very own wedding co-ordinator Sharon. I love that I have a wedding co-ordinator!

I suppose part of our decision to hold a weekend event was because we didn't want to feel like we were on some kind of wedding ceremony conveyor belt. At some venues the need to churn out as many ceremonies as possible detracted from the fact it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for Chris and I. Not so at Bickleigh where we have always been made to feel incredibly special. There are not many owners who invite you into their sitting room for tea and biscuits!

Since confirming on the phone last night I have been walking on sunshine. And despite the fact it was a school night Chris and I didn't want this momentous first step to go unacknowledged, so we cracked open a bottle of bubbly. As I say, it is a one off!

So for any potential invitees out there keep Saturday July 3, 2010, free. That's right, in a little over a year I will be Mrs Strong!

Before I sign off I wanted to share this thought with you. As I started to look around for 'Save The Date' stationary today, I couldn't help smiling when I realised the irony of the date we have chosen. Chris will be waking up the day after the wedding on Independence Day... could that be any more perfect?!

This weekend I am going for a final look at what could potentially be the venue. And this time around I am taking my most trusted advisor, my best friend Lisa. In all honesty I think we could have a double wedding - we are very, very similar! So I would never be able to commit to anywhere without her final approval.

Having only seen the venue once, and in such quick succession with a bunch of others, I definitely need to go back. Surprisingly memory has proved a pretty inaccurate method when it comes to venue choosing, and photos haven't really clarified matters! Chris and I have wildly different recollections of the size of the reception room for example, which makes me wonder whether Lisa will see what I see, or if she'll have to point out (tactfully!) I am being a little obsessive.

Overall Chris and I came to the exactly the same conclusions over venues - but usually for completely different reasons. For him the only real priority is accommodating as many of our friends and family on site as we can. No mean feat when you are looking for a venue for the whole weekend where cost won't mean re-mortgaging houses.

I am the more practical one, or so I like to think. And being the creative visionary in our relationship I would like to get the opinions of a fellow 'artiste'. Will my table layout work in the dining room area? Is the dance floor big enough?. "Of course," says Chris - but that is just not enough!

But here is the big reason. I know Lisa is only looking out for the very best for me, and no one else. Don't get me wrong, she loves Chris to pieces - poor girl had to live with him when he moved into our house in Reading for a couple of years - but she is first and foremost all mine!!

It was, of course, fantastic going with Chris' parents to see the venues. And we wouldn't have signed up to anywhere without showing them first - we wouldn't have dared! But every girl needs the opinions of someone from her team, who won't just roll her eyes when I start going on about which is the right colour ribbon to use for decorating that particular beam.

So stay tuned for an update next week. Who knows, we may finally have made the all important first decision!

On a side note, I would just like to thank everyone for all their comments on the blog. It's fantastic to be able to share my thoughts and plans on such a grand scale. And what makes it all worthwhile is the warm responses I have received - so thank you very much, and keep them coming!

Bridesmaids...just what is the acceptable number for a bride to have in her entourage when she walks down the aisle?!

Judging from the weddings I have been to, the average number seems to be four, which has me a little concerned to be honest. At the last count I had double that, a number most people seem a little shocked by. But perhaps that's because they are one step ahead of me and considering the cost of kitting out so many girls.

And I recognise it's important I am not flanked by so many friends that I get lost somewhere in the middle of them all, only recognisable from the flashes of white amid a sea of their brightly coloured dresses.

Chris and I do have a lot of friends, mostly because we went to boarding school. As a result most of them are from around that time and know each other. So how do you choose who's in and who's out? Is there an unspoken etiquette I should be aware of? If, for example, you have been a bridesmaid at someone's else's wedding, does that mean you should return the favour?

And then there are the flower girls. Do they even count as bridesmaids? Or can I get away with not including them in my bridal party tally?

Friends, my family, Chris' family, there are a lot of people to consider. So I have been thinking that perhaps the best way is to choose the people who have been the most supportive to me in the wedding planning itself. Which means I am one step closer to choosing the lineup... budget allowing!