On Sunday we celebrated a whole year of being Mr and Mrs Chessell! Well married, as I’ve yet to officially change my name (other than for the purpose of Rupert’s birth certificate).
I asked Chris how he would sum up our first year together as husband and wife. I got a one-word answer. Chaotic!
It’s fair to say we have gone through some big changes over the last 12 months. In July we received the best news ever in that we were expecting baby Rupert. From this moment on our focus was planning for our little man to arrive.
In November, Chris handed in his notice at work and has since established himself as a self employed IT Project Manager. My last HRBP Contract came to an end in December 2019, and I have been on a career break since, now raising our little human. By not having a role to go back to it’s taken away the pressure to go back sooner than I may have done otherwise, meaning that I can now really embrace my time being Rupert’s mummy.
Had we not been in lockdown we would have liked to have gone away to mark the occasion of our first wedding anniversary with our little man and the dals. Instead we enjoyed breakfast in bed followed by a walk with the dogs, and in the late afternoon I banished Chris to the house while I set up a picnic in the garden using a few of the props from our wedding.


Moet has always been the celebratory drink in my family, therefore it only seemed right to pop open a bottle to toast the occasion, even if I could only enjoy a small glass.


Rupert who was avoiding sleep joined us as we reminisced by playing music from our wedding.



As we chatted a large pigeon landed in the tree branches directly above us, and I said let’s hope we don’t get pooped on. Shortly after me making this comment it happened all over Chris’s shoulder! I hope this brings us luck in to the second year of married life too.
Once we had eaten the majority of the picnic we both said it did not feel right without the dogs with us, so we let them out to join in. Chris went to the house called out “READY” before opening the door as both Shiva and Bunter came flying out and down the garden to our quiet spot to investigate what they had missed out on.

Bunter sat eyeing up the left overs, contemplating a sneaky move.

While my head was turned Bunter tucked into what was left in one of the baskets. This brought back memories of the wedding as both Shiva and Bunter had stolen food then too, some of the hog roast and as I was recently informed they also ran off with a plate of salad!

One thing we did not do was watch our wedding film, however I watch this often when I need a mood boost anyway.
It was quite fortunate that the first wedding anniversary is a paper year given the current situation. Chris arranged to have the story of us printed in a book, whilst I was a little behind in my organising his gift (preoccupied with Rupert). Yet his will be worth the extra wait once completed.
Here’s to another year of married life, I look forward to seeing where we are this time next year.
Love for now Emma x
lovely to see and yes being the proud father of the bride on 31st May 2019 have many happy memories of the day. Hope to see more of you both and young Rupert during the next year as Covid has ruined my time with your little Human during the first few months of his life in the family..
love and hugs dad/grandad
It was a wonderful day and I was proud to have you by my side. We will have to make up for it in 2021 at this rate! Xx